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The Smile


The Smile
Photo Information
Copyright: Way Lim (waylim) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 178 W: 6 N: 271] (924)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-08
Categories: Reptiles
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-31 20:37
Viewed: 1246
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This iguana looks like it was trying to smile for me when I photographed him.

Scanned from 35mm film. This was taken before my digital camera.

There are two species of land iguana found in the Galapagos Islands - Conolophus subcristatus is native to six islands, and Conolophus pallidus is found only on the island of Santa Fe. They are large (over 1 metre long), yellowish animals, with males weighing up to 13 kilograms. Galapagos iguanas are thought to have had a common ancestor which floated out to the islands from the South American mainland on rafts of vegetation.

Behaviour
They live in the drier areas of the islands and in the mornings are found sprawled beneath the hot equatorial sun. However, to escape the heat of the midday sun, they seek the shade of cactus, rocks, trees or other vegetation. At night they sleep in burrows dug in the ground, to conserve their body heat. The land iguanas show a fascinating interaction with Darwin's finches, raising themselves off the ground and allowing the little birds to remove ticks.

Land iguanas feed mainly on low-growing plants and shrubs, such as the cactus, as well as fallen fruits and cactus pads. These succulent plants provide them with the moisture they require during long, dry periods.

Land iguanas reach maturity between 8 and 15 years of age. Males are territorial and will aggressivley defend specific areas, that typically include more than one female. Following the mating period, the female iguanas migrate to suitable areas to nest, and will lay between 2 and 25 eggs in a burrow dug in the sandy soil. The female defends the burrow for a short time, to prevent other females from nesting in the same place. The young iguanas hatch 3-4 months later, and take about a week to dig their way out of the nest. If they survive the first difficult years of life, when food is often scarce and predators are a danger, land iguanas can live for more than 50 years.
boreocypriensis, JPlumb, keanhoon, darwin, SelenE, matatur, jrobertop, vanderschelden, kmr13777, Adanac, CeltickRanger, jusninasirun, degani, Luis52, horia has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To horia: Thanks Horiawaylim 1 04-14 18:14
To kmr13777: He's now depressed...waylim 1 04-01 23:40
To CeltickRanger: Thankswaylim 1 04-01 23:11
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 637 W: 166 N: 889] (2884)
  • [2008-03-31 23:52]

Hi Way, good title on this one. The composition is good, I normally manage to cut off the tail when I shoot lizards. His pose is a good one, turning back to pose "and smile" for the camera, and you've left him lots of forward escape room. The colour and detail on the lizard and immediate area is very good, while somewhat muted in the background, yet with enough detail seen so we know what his environment is. Very nicely done.

Thanks, John

Hi Way,
A splendid and beautifull executed capture of this beautiful iguana. Perfect in all aspects my friend. TFS.
Greetings from Turkiye,
Bayram

Nice note. If could lower down your POV, i believe would give a better focus and details with deeper BG.
TFS
Best regards,
Kean

Hi Way
Excellent composition
Lovely color tones
Fine sharpness and detail
Great capture in his natural environment
tfs jon

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2405 W: 63 N: 4227] (13822)
  • [2008-04-01 10:31]

Hello Way,
Very nice capture of this land iguana. I liked the details, background, POV and the composition. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

A fine image indeed in spite of its being a scan Way, the characteristic coloration and stance were captured perfectly via a correct exposure within a good frame. TFS this good catch.
Mehmet

Hello Way
Admirable picture!
Extraordinary posture of this wonderful iguana!
Excellent perspective and details.
I liked much of this work!
Congratulations and TFS!
Regards,
José Roberto

Strong composition, Way.
Very good DOF and POV. Superb depth in the image...
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hi Way,
This definitely is a fat, old Iguana trying to smile at you. Very nice shot with great DOF, colors and details. Very well composed and since the iguana has turned around to look into the lense... we an say very nice POV too :)

TFS
Kirti

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2008-04-01 19:32]

Hello Way,
What a handsome iguana you display for us today. Your camera work gives this image great exposure, focus and depth of field. Great work my friend, thank you.
Rick

hello Way

this is a lovely shot and a excellent title, i personnaly love more
POVs that are at the level of the subject, but here i love your POV
and the vertical framing because it give a excellent DOF to the image,
great sharpness and details of the subject, TFS

Asbed

Hi Way!

Perfect dof and sharpness, but the smile is definately the point in this wonderful shot, on the face of the real main actor, the iguana. Skin details are also very fine. TFS!

Best regards,
Andor

what a great shot of this great reptile nice moment very good details and shaprness and good colours
thanks for sharing
Toba

  • Great 
  • RP1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 163 W: 1 N: 119] (2404)
  • [2008-04-02 16:20]

Hi Way,
What a beautiful place to take picture. Your iguana look great. Colours, POV and detail are excellent
Felicitation,
Roger

Hello Way Lim. Beautiful smile from the iguana. Nice color and sharpness in the open natural environment. Well done and best regards. Jusni

Hi Way Lim,
this is a very nice image of a vary nice and interesting little animal, good note too, brava Way Lim, I like very much your way to look a t the world
kind regards
franco

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1110 W: 5 N: 3457] (12761)
  • [2008-04-06 19:26]

Hi Way.
Smile for You. great image my dear friend Way. I like the colors of "Iguanas" They can change it in so many difrent tones. They are beaufiful as life is.
You did a great work scanning this image.
The note is also interesting.
Saludos Way.
Luis52.

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2173 W: 220 N: 4384] (14904)
  • [2008-04-13 8:10]
  • [+]

Hi Way

Sorry for missing out on so many beautiful photos from you, but i found a bit of extra time this nice Sunday afternoon and it gave me a great pleasure to browse through your gallery again :)

I am a big reptile lover so there was no question i spotted this one out of the entire bunch immediately (not that the other ones aren't beautiful, too).
I wish that someday i will have a good chance of taking my own iguana pictures, but until then i surely want to congratulate you on this one here - it's absolutely terrific!
Great colors and wonderful textures everywhere!
Very good DOF choice as well and all placed so well in this vertical composition.

Bravo and TFS
Horia

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