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Cold Comfort
Cold Comfort
dahkota


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study IX (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: National Zoo
Date: Nov 14, 2005
Aperture: 7.1
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/250
Galleries: Emotive, Animals
Date Uploaded: Nov 15, 2005

 Back and forth, back and forth. Couldn't decide between three images, so I finally settled on this one. Why? I connected with this one emotionally. Poor guy was sad and tired and just wanted a little comfort from his mother. She wasn't having any of it. Watched them for at least a half hour. Did get a picture of him peeing into his hand. Not sure what that was about. :)

To edit - I edited this so many times as I changed how I wanted it portrayed. In this version, I know I used a little USM on the gorillas, a little guassian blur on the entire , a little dodging on the background, brightened up his eyes (catchlights were there), cropped, resized, saved for web.

Hope you enjoy... :)
________________________________
Wow! Thank you for all the comments! A personal best for me. As to the crop a few mentioned, from my 'point of view' the mother might as well have been a stump. She avoided all contact with her baby and, less than 30 seconds after this shot was taken, she pushed him away. Maybe its the baby's age, maybe it was her mood. I will never know...

Thanks again!

Statistics
Place: 13 out of 519
Avg (all users): 6.8786
Avg (commenters): 8.4800
Avg (participants): 6.8462
Avg (non-participants): 6.9722
Views since voting: 2576
Views during voting: 444
Votes: 280
Comments: 41
Favorites: 13 (view)

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AuthorThread
 11/17/2007 06:21:36 PM
He probably peed in his hand because it was warm ! :) I had a mom like this,I didn't pee in my hand but when she was asleep I would tiptoe into her room and put her hand against my cheek, a little 'affection theft' I guess ya could call it.
Defintely related to this!
Great image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2006 04:57:54 PM
That's a terrific shot! You really nailed the focus on his eyes, and your storytelling is perfect with the title. Funny - almost exactly the same placement, score, and percentile as mine in Free Study XII. You got more comments, though. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2005 08:30:03 AM
Wonderful photo! Congratulations on your top 20 finish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2005 04:11:40 AM
A touching and unique scene!
Very, very nice! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 04:25:07 PM
Excellent excellent excellent!!! Way to go with the top 13!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 02:24:05 PM
beautiful shot..congrats on your wonderful finish..well deserved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 06:36:07 AM
Touching, touching and forever touching. Congratulations on your top 20 finish.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 06:17:29 AM
Way to go Courtenay!!! WOW this is gorgeous! I had this pegged for a ribbon, but congrats on your new PB and a fantastic finish in a VERY tough challenge. Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 05:34:37 AM
Congratulations on your personal best with this great capture. I expected it to at least be in the top 10 if not top 5. Great finish anyway in such a tough challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/08/2005 04:14:37 AM
I pegged this for top 5 - maybe even a ribbon. Really emotive and wonderful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/07/2005 06:50:24 PM
Man, this is gorgeous. Great detail and definition in the fur, perfect lighting, great job with his eyes, excellent pose...love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/07/2005 07:05:40 AM
What a mommas boy. LOL. Excellent lighting. Title is right on. Good luck in the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2005 03:51:46 PM
Wonderful emotional shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2005 05:23:24 AM
Compostion: 10
Technical: 10
Appeal: 10
Challenge: 10
Overall: 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2005 02:18:54 AM
i would have cropped a little tighter.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2005 12:46:30 PM
How sweet. This is really nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2005 12:36:47 PM
For me, this is the clear cut winner. Congratulations on capturing a perfect mood and expression. Your editing is flawless and IMO one of the best entries of any challenge. A truly 1 of a kind image... VERY WELL DONE!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2005 08:43:26 AM
Man, this more beautiful than a lot of human portraits I've seen. Great job on this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2005 02:46:06 AM
Wow... what a deep image. This image makes an impact... those eyes! GREAT capture!!!!! I love the softness of this image as well... was that a filter or post processing, or ????
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2005 02:31:59 AM
cold comfort, but warm hearts melt when looking at this photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/04/2005 11:19:02 AM
one of your best
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/04/2005 09:55:01 AM
wow color's are so perfect
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/04/2005 08:55:49 AM
Very expressive/emotive portrait. Good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/04/2005 07:03:55 AM
Wow, what a tender moment you've captured. Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2005 06:36:15 AM
One of my favorites so far :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2005 03:51:46 AM
Amazing shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2005 02:17:50 AM
Ahw that's a great capture of a lovely expression!

Wish I could vote on it, I would give it a 9 !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/02/2005 08:02:02 PM
I love it. Could be a National Geographic photo. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/02/2005 04:57:46 PM
How sweet and and excellent capture - 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/02/2005 12:59:06 AM
8 - Good capture, including character, good colors. Criticism; looks too over processed in my opinion.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 05:49:20 PM
great use of light!..mood-evoking shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 05:46:25 PM
Postively exceptional. You've created a masterpiece. 10+++
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 01:10:42 PM
So sweet. Wish the highlight in the eyes had been lightened a little more. One of my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 07:40:44 AM
The monkey is cute
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 06:49:59 AM
Wow... Stunning... 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 04:53:21 AM
omg..this is perfect! Don't change a thing! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 04:45:58 AM
What makes this shot good is the expression and body posture of this little gorilla. In those beautiful soulful eyes we see a creature in search of comfort - and we make a connection with that need.. He/she leans on the mother figure for comfort and warmth. The only critique I have for this shot is that the emotional & visual impact would be greatly improved if you had included the mother in this shot (specifically if you might have been lucky enough to capture the mother looking down at the child that would give us a sense that she is looking down fondly at her offspring).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/01/2005 04:07:51 AM
This is excellent. The glint in the eye and the subtle lighting against the blurred background makes for a stunning emotive image. Well done! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2005 10:52:34 PM
Beautifully done. Love the focus, detail and colours. A bit uncomfortable with where it's cutting off at the top, still love the result.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2005 08:45:41 PM
Great Shot!!! Can't wait to read the details!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2005 08:18:04 PM
amazing emotion that you have managed to capture here!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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