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Siesta


Siesta
Photo Information
Copyright: Selen Ediger (SelenE) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-26
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM, Hoya 77mm Super-HMC CPL MCPRO1
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Baby Animals 6 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-21 8:18
Viewed: 1097
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A Galapagos Sea Lion pup sleeping on her mom in Rabida Island's red sands... This is exactly what I want to do now; a siesta :o)

Galapagos Sea Lion
Zalophus wollebaeki
Red List Status: Vulnerable

*Galapagos sea lions are similar in appearance to California sea lions, but differ in size, behavior, and skull morphology. Galapagos sea lions are sexually dimorphic, with males growing larger than females and having several secondary sexual characteristics. The degree of sexual dimorphism appears to be less than in California sea lions, although few weights and measurements are available for adults to confirm this observation.

Adult males are robust in the neck, chest, and shoulders and are proportionately much smaller in the abdomen. As males sexually mature the enlarging sagittal crest becomes evident as a bump on the crown. The crest grows until the male reaches physical maturity, at which time it forms a prominent ridge behind the eyes and creates a steep forehead. Galapagos sea lion males are said to lack the pale pelage coloration on top of the sagittal crest common in California sea lions, although this feature appears to be present in one published photograph. Also, the skull of adult male Galapagos sea lions has a 20-25% smaller sagittal crest, a shorter muzzle, is about 10% shorter overall and is narrower than the skull of male California sea lions. As in all otariids the canine teeth of adult males are larger and thicker than those of females.

Adult and subadult male Galapagos sea lions bark in often long repeated sequences. The bark is loud, rapidly repeated, and distinctive. Females and juveniles do not produce the repetitive bark. Juveniles, subadults and adults of both sexes will also growl.

Adult females and juveniles do no have a sagittal crest. When viewed in profile, juveniles have a nearly flat head with little or no forehead. Adult females have a slight forehead formed by a gentle slope from the crown to the muzzle. In contrast to adult males, adult females have a long relatively thin neck and a wide torso.

Both sexes have a long and somewhat narrow muzzle that tapers to a slightly pointed nose. In profile, the face of younger animals is dog-like. The fore flippers have a sparse short fur that extends beyond the wrist onto the middle of the dorsal surface of the flipper in a “V” pattern and does not reach the rounded tip. The rest of the dorsal surface, and the palms of both fore flippers are covered with a hairless black leathery skin. The first digit is the longest, widest and thickest, and curves posterioraly, giving the flipper a swept back look. Digits 2-4 are successively shorter. There is a small opening in the skin at the end of each digit for a claw that is usually reduced to a vestigial nodule, and rarely emerges above the skin. The claw openings are set back from the free edge of the flippers by cartilaginous rods that extend the length of each digit, and expand the size of the flippers. The hind flippers also have cartilaginous rods that extend the length of each toe. The bones of the three central toes terminate at the position of the small nails that emerge through the skin on the dorsal surface, set back from the end of the flipper. The first and fifth toes are longer than the three middle toes, and the first toe, or hallux, is longer and wider than the fifth toe. The hind flippers have short hair covering part of the proximal end of the flipper, and the rest of the dorsal surface, and the entire sole is covered in black leathery hairless skin.

Color of Galapagos sea lions is highly variable. When dry, the coat of adult males ranges from grayish and golden brown to the common dark brown, and most bulls appear blackish or very dark when wet. Darkening begins when males are subadults and is generally complete when a bull reaches physical maturity. Adult males can have light gray coloration on their backs. Adult females, juveniles and young subadult males are pale colored above, and can be many shades of tan to light brown. There are often light colored areas on the muzzle, and around and above the eyes in both sexes. The sparse short fur covering a portion of the tops of the flippers can be the same color or darker than the color of the body. Pups are born with a longer brownish-black lanugo coat that fades to pale brown by three to five months. Pups go through their first molt at around five months and emerge with the pelage of adult females and juveniles.

There is little information on the lengths and weighs attained by Galapagos sea lions, but they are said to be somewhat smaller than California sea lions. Adult males are estimated to weigh up to 250 kg, but this has not been confirmed through direct study. Four adult females caring for pups weighed from 50 to 100 kg. Pups of both sexes are born at approximately six kilograms and weaned at approximately 25 kg.
*Source: Obis-Seamap

Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure Time: 1/250
F-Stop: f/5.6
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Focal Length: 400 mm (full frame)
Date Taken: 2007-04-26 09:34
Metering Mode: Partial
White Balance: Cloudy
Monopod
ecem35, egeerhan, fartash, loot, scottevers7, vanderschelden, GLEM, Luis52, rousettus, Adanac, ciccio, dew77, fiyo, kjpweb, SunToucher, delic, lawhill has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To joey: so closeSelenE 1 06-21 10:01
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Critiques [Translate]

Netlik ve renkler çok güzel iyi bir zamanlama hoş bir fotoğraf siesta şu anda konabilecek en güzel başlık.(Sinekler amorti.o))Ellerine saglık Selen

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5579] (18518)
  • [2007-06-21 8:45]

Hi Selen,
Excellent portrait of this cute sleeping Sea Lion. Very neat adn sharp. Excellent POV and spot-on focus. I can see a fly on its head too. Nice moment captured - a pleasant thing for any us in this world to. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Selen
Fantastic shot of this Sea lion,
Great DOF ,lighting and compo,
Superb shot,friend.

Regards
Fartash

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-06-21 9:35]

What a beautiful young sea lion!
Excellent close-up, Selene!
I love it!
Congratulations and TFS
Maite

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5452 W: 594 N: 3662] (10065)
  • [2007-06-21 9:38]
  • [3]

Hi Selen

A lovely siesta portrait of this cute youngster. Nothing beats the blissful sleep on moms lap while knowing all is safe and cosy and there are no leopard seals around to bite you or show you their ugly mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.

I quite like the composition and POV with the moustache running through the diagonal and the OOF and well removed BG adding splendidly to the overall visual effect. The colours are great and in total harmony throughout the photo. Excellent details around the frontal area of its face reveal lovely textures and every feature of that impressive moustache. The exposure was spot-on showing good contrasts all around.

Good work and TFS.
Regards
Loot

hi selen,
very nice capture, liked the composition very much, nice natural colours, very good pov,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Selen,
OK, now I am extremely envious. My dream trip is to the Galapagos Islands for about three weeks of photography. This is a beautiful frame filling portrait. Colors and detail are outstanding!
Scott

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3825 W: 190 N: 11396] (35111)
  • [2007-06-21 10:58]

Hello Selen,
This is a wonderful shot depicting quiet contentment. This Galapagos Seal pup is not bothered by the flies, one of which is interested in his tear salts.
The sharpness and composition of this seal pup's head on his mother's back make this a great image.
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

  • Great 
  • GLEM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 529 W: 87 N: 697] (6141)
  • [2007-06-21 14:31]

hi Selen

un joli moment de quiétude, c'est attendrissant. Le cadrage est soigné, même si j'aurais aimé avoir plus de netteté sur la mouche :), pour le fun.

gl

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2007-06-21 17:56]

Hola Selen. Verdaderamente me agrada mucho esta bella y fina foto. Un momento para recordar. Exelentes detalles se pueden observar aqui. Luis52.

merhaba Selen hanım,
bu sevimli denizaslanı gibi çekiminiz de çok güzel. renkler ve netlik çok çok güzel. komposizyon, detaylar harika. verdiğiniz bilgiler de çok güzel. elinize sağlık, selamlar. Ahmet

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2007-06-21 19:50]

Hello Selen,
What a beautiful, tender moment captured superbly. Great sharpness and excellent exposure, thanks for sharing.
Rick

Hi Selen,

un bello retrato de esta especie tan significativa. Has captado muy bien la expresion de la cara del animal. Además una bonita composición y gran detalle. TFS. Un saludo.

José Luis

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-06-22 2:35]

Merhaba Selen,
Çok sevimli gözüküyor:)Netlik,arka plan,uyumlu renkler ve kompozismoy 4/4 lük olmuş.Ellerine sağlık!

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 987 W: 5 N: 2762] (10618)
  • [2007-06-22 3:38]

Merhaba Selen hanım,
renkler, netliği ve kompozisyonuyla çok güzel bir çalışma, ellerinize sağlık. Selamlar.

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2001 W: 226 N: 6845] (24727)
  • [2007-06-22 4:09]
  • [+]

Hi Selen,
an excellant shot.
How did you get so close?
Sharp and well composed.
Well done,
Joe

Nothing to add to the statements already made. Wonderful job you did here! Cheers, Klaus

Hi Selen,
What a very beautiful photo of a very sweet moment. The fact that you were able to get so close made this photo extreemly special. Ofcourse that is also the advantage of the Galapagos.
TFS,
Niek

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 449 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-06-25 3:02]

Merhaba Selen,
Çok hos bir aninda yakalamissin yavruyu. Netlik, pozlama mükemmel. Selamlar,
Hakan

  •      
  • lawhill Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 318 W: 2 N: 565] (2054)
  • [2007-06-25 18:51]

Hello Selene,
Lovely portrait great capture very colorful and sharp focus nice POV well composed, TFS. Best regards/Lawhill

ZZZZZZZ.A perfect mood in this shot. Good info accompanying it.

Çok şirin :) çok beğendim eline sağlık

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