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Galapagos Penguin


Galapagos Penguin
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: Black & White
Date Taken: 2007-04-27
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM, HOYA Pro1 Digital 58mm MC PL-C
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Ecuador, Endangered, Penguins (Spheniscidae) [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-07-03 4:24
Viewed: 956
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Galapagos Penguin
Spheniscus mendiculus

-Endemic (found only in Galapagos)
-Endangered

The Galapagos Penguin, at just over 50 cm in lenght, but only some 35 cm tall when standing upright, is one of the world’s smallest penguins.

It is the only penguin to breed entirely within the tropics and the only one to be found in the Northern Hemisphere.

Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Magellanic Penguin and the Humboldt Penguin.

Adults have black wings and upperparts and white underparts. There is an irregular dark band along the flanks and across the upper breast. The head is black with a white eye stripe extending round to the throat. The bill is dark. The immature bird is generally grey rather than black and does not have the distinctive head and body markings.

The Galapagos penguin is found mainly in the western islands where the water is cooler but has appeared recently to be widening its range and is regularly seen around the eastern Santiago, Floreana, and western Santa Cruz. It is not known whether it breeds in these areas or only on Fernandina and Isabela.

The total population is thought to number around 1000-1300 pairs.

Galapagos penguins may breed at any time of the year that the food supply is adequate. This generally means when the water temperature is below 23c. The nest is in a hole or crevice in the rocks close to the shore.

*The species is endangered, with an estimated population size of around 1,500 individuals in 2004, according to a survey by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The population underwent an alarming decline of 65% in the 1980s, but is slowly recovering. It is therefore the rarest penguin species (a status which is often falsely attributed to the Yellow-eyed penguin). Population levels are influenced by the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which reduces the availability of shoaling fish, leading to low reproduction or starvation. However, anthropogenic factors (e.g. oil pollution, fishing by-catch and competition) may be adding to the ongoing demise of this species. On Isabela Island, the introduced cats, dogs and rats may attack penguins and destroy their nests. (*from Wikipedia)

Source: Wildlife of the Galapagos
Julian Fitter,Daniel Fitter,David Hosking
Princeton Pocketguides, ISBN 0-691-10295-3

Exposure Program: Manual
Exposure Time: 1/100
F-Stop: f/5.6
ISO Speed Ratings: 200
Focal Length: 190 mm
Date Taken: 2007-04-27 16:01
Metering Mode: Average
Image taken from the boat
ecem35, dew77, egeerhan, Matt-Bird, fartash, rkailas, pirate, kjpweb, lawhill, Jamesp, jmirah, ciccio, Kaszek, JORAPAVI, scottevers7, delic has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-07-03 4:33]

Merhaba Selen,
Penguenin duruşu ve bakışı çok hoş:)Siyah beyaz da kompozisyonla uyumlu olmuş.Tebrikler,ellerine sağlık!

Merhaba Selen,
Çok güzel olmuş, nesli tehlike altındaki bu ender pengueni görebildiğin ve çekebildiğin için çok şanslısın. Tebrikler

Hello Selen,
I like the B&W of the Penguin, actually a wonderful bird to make a B&W photo. You have shown the patterns well on the penguin but also on the rocky background, which the B&W effect has worked really nicely .
Well done,
best regards
Matt.

Hello Selen
Very intersting shot of this Galapagos Penguin in B/W version,
Perfect ddetails,sharpness and contrast,
Fantastic DOF and POV,Superb shot,friend.

Good Luck
Fartash

Hi Selen

Excellent portrait of the penguin - super subject for B/W.

TFS
Ravi

Hi Selen
Great picture! B&W is sometimes just better
Tfs
Tom

B/W works quite well here - good detailed shot!

Hi Selene,
Great exposition in B&W showing this endagered
Galapagos Penguin, nice POV a litle to close on the feets but good portrait over all :-), TFS.
Best regards/Lawhill

Hi Selen,
it must be impressive to see those funny guys in free nature. I like the pose of it so much.
Very good shot and a good choice to show it in black/white. Thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2007-07-03 6:30]

Hi Selen

A very clever shot - by changing this to a B&W image the streaks on the rock compliment the bands on the penguin's chest excellently.

James

Hello Selen,
The use of B&W is much appropriated here. I like this composition, beautiful details and exposure. Your notes are as always much interesting. I have learned new things again. I like the way this fellow is looking at you with a funny expression. Well done and TFS,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • jmirah Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 506 W: 5 N: 1135] (4665)
  • [2007-07-03 10:31]

Fantastic detail...I have always liked B & W for the extreme detail and contrast...Great POV and exposure...TFS
Jim

Hi Selen,
Dramatic view in B&W! I think taht is a good option that you´ve chosen, I like the pattern of soil combining with penguin. Superb job
Hernán

merhaba Selen hanım,
bu nadir ve giderek tükenen, diğer taraftan sanılanın aksine Antartika da değil de tam ekvatorda yaşayan güzel pengueni çok güzel görüntülemişsin. netlik, kompozisyon gibi sunum da çok başarılı. siyah-beyaz değişik bir hava katmış. notlar da her zamanki gibi detaylı ve çok güzel hazırlanmış. eline sağlık. gidip göremezsek de görmemizi sağladığın için teşekkürler.
Ahmet

hi selen,
lovely capture of penguin,
nice presentation, well composed shot with good pov, the choice of monochrome suits the shot,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Merhaba Selen,

Una toma preciosa, muy original, con una gran composición y fuerza. Es muy artística. Un saludo y TFS.

José Luis

Hello Selen,
Good idea to make this photo in B&W.
Great composition, sharpness and exposition.
TFS
Kaszek

Hola Selen,
Preciosa foto de este simpático pingüino, le sienta muy bien el formato y el color blanco y negro, TFS. Saludos
José Ramón

Merhaba Selen Hanım,
Soğuk iklimin sıcak kanlı ve şirin yaratıklarından pengueni süper bir S/B kompozisyonla paylaşmışsınız.Kadraj ve doku harika.Eline sağlık.

hAyAti

Hi Selen,
The conversion to B&W was a great choice for this subject. Great contrast and tones. Nice sharp detail in the little guy in the Tux.
Looks Great!
Scott

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 449 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-07-11 2:25]

Siyah-beyaz burada ilginç bir fikir olmus, ama çok da basarili. Ilk yaban hayati fotograflarini animsatti bana. Selamlar,
Hakan

Bütün penguenler gibi bu da çok tatlı. iyi yakalamışsın eline sağlık Selen

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