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Takapu - Exhibition


Takapu - Exhibition
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Kettel (pauljk) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 204 W: 64 N: 65] (226)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-25
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, Nikkor 70-200mm VR, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/500 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-11 1:14
Viewed: 942
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This image will be part of an upcoming exhibition I'm having at a gallery in Auckland.

For those that are around and interested there will be 12 large framed prints (20x30in images) at Wall Gallery in Ponsonby. All images will feature gannets in various states of flight, plus one rather large 1.5m wide panoramic of the colony out at Muriwai. The opening is on Thursday 6pm on the 3rd April. Wall Gallery is located at 55a Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, NZ. Hope I can see some of you there.

Thanks for looking.

Paul

Takapu
Australasian Gannet

Some data about gannets

* wingspan up to 180 cm
* overall length 90 cm
* a single egg is laid around September/October/November
* incubation time about 44 days
* chicks stay in the colony until February/March
* the birds then migrate to Australia, returning after 2-6 years
* it is said that (after weeks of furious flapping of wings on land) the first flight of the juvenile birds takes them to their destination more than 2000 km away.


The gannet family or Sulidae is related to the shags and pelicans and contains mainly the tropical boobies. There are three subspecies, bassana of the North Atlantic, capensis of southern Africa and serrator of New Zealand and Australia. Morus serrator breeds in New Zealand, the Norfolk group of islands and Australia. In New Zealand they breed in 28 colonies, the largest being Gannet Island, west of Kawhai, and White Island in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

To see a company of gannets working a shoal of fish is a memorable sight. At one moment flying perhaps a 100 feet above the waves with a steady rhythmic beat and then swooping to just skimming the waves before lifting high again, steadying itself and then, with astonishing speed, diving, head first into the water with a splash. They will reappear a few seconds later and then rise from the water with consummate ease and grace to start the hunt again. Just before entry into the water they fully stretch their wings backwards, entering the water at tremendous speeds. Inflatable air sacks beneath the skin on the lower neck and breast absorb the shock of entry. In shallow water they dive at an angle.

The diet of gannets is mainly small fish such as pilchards, anchovy and jack mackerel from shallow water and saury from deep water. They are almost entirely marine, feeding primarily over the continental shelf and inshore waters but they may also enter harbours and estuaries. They are classified as a protected native bird.

Gannets have not suffered the depradations of other birds in New Zealand. The habit of nesting on islands protects them. The breeding colonies are generally deserted during most of the autumn and early winter. The date breeding birds return varies according to where the colony is. The first birds appear in late July and the breeding population steadily increases reaching a peak by mid November. Male birds return first to sites they occupied the previous year.

Sources: www.nzbirds.com
darwin, elizabeth, SelenE, goldyrs, anel, SkyF, JoseMiguel, ddg, Tamrock, ellis49, maurydv, lgfoto, JPlumb, bobcat08, Miss_Piggy has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • fthsm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 142 W: 50 N: 405] (2436)
  • [2008-03-11 1:32]

I'd like to be there to see all images with a bigger resolution. I hope you can share many.
Cheers,
Fatih

Hi Paul
Great inflight action shot
Lovely light and color
Nice sharpness and detail
Well composed. tfs jon

Wow! An awesome image, beautifully sharp with great detail. The lighting adds mood and the colours are nicely saturated and complementary. You have caught the Gannet at a good stage in flight to show the detail of the underside of the wing and the line of the body. Love everything about this image! Am really enjoying your Gannet photos.
TFS
Cheers
Elizabeth

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2392 W: 61 N: 3922] (12598)
  • [2008-03-11 4:30]

Hi Paul,
Very good in flight capture of this gannet. I liked the lovely sky, and the clouds in the background, and your use of the flash light. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

Paul,
Again an excellent shot of this bird inflight! Very sharp, and I love the exposure and the frame.
Very well done, indeed!
Thank you,
Goldy

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1211 W: 0 N: 2132] (9006)
  • [2008-03-11 5:34]

Hi Paul,
This is a very artistic shot. Excellent composition and gorgeous background. Living in Europe, I will not be able to see your exhibition, but I wish you a lot of succes.
Best regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2008-03-11 6:04]

Hello Paul,
excellent sho, with wonderful detail and lovely inflight pose.
The POV and wonderful light bring out the details and colors perfectly.
Very well composed with nice placing of your subject and a great OOF BG.
Excellent choice for your exhibition!
TFS..Sky

Hi Paul,
This is an unique and exquisite image!
It's so good in all aspects: tech and artistic sides.
Love the same level POV and great details got on the plumage.
Lighting is just magnificent, and the different tones of the sky works great for the composition.
Wish you all the best on your upcoming exhibition.
My compliments and thanks for share.
Best regards,
JM

  • Great 
  • ddg Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 883 W: 23 N: 930] (5013)
  • [2008-03-11 6:17]

Bonjour Paul, very nice action shot!! perfect timing and well saturated colors too. For me a more bit place on the left!! Congratulations, Didier.

Brilliant use of flash, good timing, good DOF and POV.
TFS
Best regards,
Kean

hi paul!
exellent...beautiful!

Hi Paul,
this great a great in-flight shot, almost a WOW (but I don't use this word).
The exposure and sharpness are spot, the details are very good.
Lovely colours, fine lighting and excellent composition.
You manged well with the flash, nicely balanced with the daylight.
I put this in my fav's.
Beautiful work.

Hello Paul,
Very good photography!
Congrats on your exhibition. I'm sure it will be very successful and you have all my support.
An amazing image...
Well done
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1310 W: 70 N: 2762] (9153)
  • [2008-03-11 11:10]

Hello Paul,
Wonderful photo of this Gannet. Amazing light and colours, also in the BG. Excellent sharpness, POV and pose. Great composition. A lot of succes on your exhibition.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • rdfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 375 W: 0 N: 747] (3202)
  • [2008-03-11 13:13]

Bonjour Paul
Excellente prise, superbe netteté et couleurs, bien cadré et très bon arrière plan.
Amicalement Robi

Splendida immagine, spettacolare composizione, eccellenti dettagli e magnifici i colori e questo sfondo naturale. Complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

  • Great 
  • Tabib Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 114 W: 5 N: 111] (546)
  • [2008-03-12 0:53]

Great inflight action shot. Very sharp, wonderful detail.Lovely posing.
Excellent in all aspects, (10/10)
TFS,
/Redzlan/.

  • Great 
  • lgfoto Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 197 W: 16 N: 286] (1466)
  • [2008-03-12 14:24]

Amazing shot Paul. Wonderfull colours and drawing of details.Very artistic apperance.TFS and good luck at exhibition, it is a pitty, it is a bit far away from here.

Great shot with excellent a bit unusual but impressive angle.

Ola Paul
Belissima foto deste passaro, a posição que ele sai fotografado é realmente incrível. nitidez é otima e a composição tambem, principalmente por estas nuvens do fundo que deixam uma paisagem bem bonita de segundo plano
Parabens
Nilson

Another very incredible shot Paul. The posture on the bird is kind of neat, like he's about to dive. The contact made with the eye is excellent. The two birds in the background are a special bonus in this shot. Very nice.

Thanks, John

Hello Paul,

Great shot with excellent, but unsual impressive angle. The POV and amazing lighting bring out the details and colors perfectly. BG and DOF are good. Well done. Regards and TFS BOB

Hallo Paul
A beautifully display of colours. I am sure this posting as well as the one with the title "Pointing" will receive good critiques at the upcoming exhibition. You have captured the details of this in flight gannet with great success and I especially like the clarity of the blue eye and the markings around the beak. You've frozen the action well, and this shot shows how effortlessly these guys glide. This bird has an impressive wingspan and is well displayed against your background. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your day.
Kind regards
Anna

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