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Timon


Timon
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3817 W: 505 N: 8098] (27718)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-13
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Digital RAW 100
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: South Island Winter Holiday 2005
Date Submitted: 2005-08-13 4:43
Viewed: 1834
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
We started our two week holiday today. We arrived in Christchurch at 0830 this morning from Auckland. After stocking the camper van with food and other essentials we headed to Orana Wildlife Park. With camera in hand, we spent a pleasant few hours mingling with nature!

Meerkat

Conservation status: Lower risk

The meerkat (from Dutch monkey, from Afrikaans lake cat), or suricate, is a small mammal averaging about 2 lb (1 kg) in weight and about 20 in (500 mm) in length. A member of the mongoose family, it inhabits all parts of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa.

Meerkats have strong, curved front claws for digging and a sharply-pointed snout. They are brown with short, parallel stripes across their backs. They are known for standing upright to keep watch, search for prey or warm their stomachs. Meerkats have been known to engage in strange social activities, including what appear to be wrestling matches and foot races. More than one field
researcher has reported witnessing meerkats in some sort of singing ceremony they compared to yodeling.

The meerkat is carnivorous, consuming mostly insects and spiders but also other small mammals. Meerkats are burrowing animals, living in large underground networks with multiple entrances which they leave only during the day. Colonies can consist of up to 40 individuals. They hunt in groups and protect their young.

Meerkats demonstrate altruistic behaviour within their colonies; that is, that one meerkat will always stand lookout on a nearby high point in order to warn the rest of the colony of approaching dangers.

Meerkat calls have recently been noted to carry an element of meaning, with specific calls alerting to the approach of snakes, birds of prey, or other predators. How these calls evolved is not clear. They are a clear demonstration that meaning is not solely the domain of human language, although no one would claim that the calls of the meerkat constitute a form of language.

Meerkats acquired some fame among the general public after David Attenborough narrated Meerkats United, a popular BBC documentary about them. In popular culture, the meerkat may be best known through the character Timon from the film The Lion King.

The above obtained from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meerkat

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 12:41 p.m.
Date: 13th August 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/750
F-Stop: F/5.6
Focal Length: 310mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
chiliu, sway, dew77, radz, marhowie, elroyie, electra, hummingbird24, scottevers7, wallhalla15, klemmg, Comandante, TAZ, alejandroguzman, cas_orla has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Pam,
I like the pose,
Very good composition, great framing.
TFS!

Very good picture, Pam.
I like the POV and the pose. Well composed, goo details and nice colours. The ecposure are also very good.
Very well done.

  • Great 
  • halki Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 249 W: 8 N: 105] (469)
  • [2005-08-13 6:02]

Hello Pam!
Great shot.POV,colours and details are wonderful.
Thanks for posting...

  • Great 
  • sway Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 303 W: 85 N: 308] (1224)
  • [2005-08-13 8:15]

Hi Pam,
Great shot.
I love your composition and POV.
The blue sky works nicely as BG.
Well done
:)

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-08-13 8:18]

Hello Pam!
Very nice capture.Sad expression on face,POV,clear details and composition are excellent.TFS....:-)

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2005-08-13 9:17]

What a pose ,nice compostion with perfect details.

Everything works here Pam. I really can't find a nit..Excellent note..I think the pose and POV here shines, Well done!

Great pose, very good composition and beautiful picture, I think that you should leave more space in the right.

Very nice, Pam. I love the pose! I am trying to learn about what makes a photo well exposed and your photo is an excellent example for me. Thanks for the inspiration :-)

Hi Pam,

and where is Pumba? :-) Funny little guy. I like this posing. Exellent shot. Well done.

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3067 W: 231 N: 6167] (21074)
  • [2005-08-13 15:52]

Hi Pam, I really like the pose on this one. Perfect capture of the meerkat on his perch. Sharp details and good light, and excellent composition. Well done and TFS. : )

What a great way to start your holidays, Pam!

This little guy is adorable and posing cutely for the nice camera lady.

Good details, lighting and POV.

Well done, and have a safe and happy time!

TFS

  • Great 
  • jo8 Silver Note Writer [C: 1 W: 0 N: 14] (99)
  • [2005-08-13 21:29]

Wow, great shot. Have an awesome holiday, we will look forward to the photographic journey with you :)

Hi Pam,
This is an excellent composition on this meerkat. The colors and details are superb. I love the pose. Great Shot!
Scott

  • Great 
  • zakiwi Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 154 W: 20 N: 274] (1309)
  • [2005-08-13 22:33]

Hey Pam,

This is fabulous. I love the composition. This little guy certainly is concentrating on something. As usual, the technical aspects are excellent. Well done

  • Great 
  • CTP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 647 W: 6 N: 1106] (3191)
  • [2005-08-13 22:40]

You have a nicely captured meerkat photo here.
I like the sharpness,colors,focus and pov.TFS
CT

Nice shot Pam, good macro, I like the details, sharpness and DOF. Good work! Thanks for sharing.. (great note!!)

  • Great 
  • klemmg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 302 W: 40 N: 484] (1719)
  • [2005-08-14 18:04]

Good composition, pose, details, sharpness, colours. Excellent portrait!
Gabi

Hello Pam!
Wonderful Timon capture.Razor sharp details,POV and composition are perfect.Thanks for sharing.

These do make good subjects, don't they?
Excellent sharpness and very good composition.
Only nit would be the distraction in the bottom right corner what appears to be OOF grass. I think I would have cloned this out but it's not a big problem.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-08-19 3:02]

I come back from holidays in mountain and I dicover this nice and interesting photo ! Composition, pose, POV, details and sharpness are very good ! Thanks for sharing Pam.

Excelent!
Christine.

Que excelente foto.
Muy precisa y con una buena composicion.
Me gusto mucho la luminosidad y el acercamiento que le diste


abrazos
alejandro

Hallo Pam,

Excellent capture of a meerkat! The picture has a great composition, with nice, natural colors and is razor sharp! Exposure is also excellent, despite of the light background! Very good job! Congratulations and TFS!

Regards,
Eddie

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