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Brave New World
1st PlaceBrave New World
scalvert


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Double Take (Advanced Editing V)
Collection: Favorites - Ribbons
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
Location: Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport, CT
Date: Jun 1, 2007
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 1/80
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: Jun 3, 2007

The local zoo asked me to take photos of their newborn Golden Lion Tamarins. These guys are cute, and among the rarest animals in the world (probably less than 1,500 left in the wild). Hard to shoot, though... they move fast, and I was shooting through a fence indoors at ISO1600. I waited about an hour for this shot.

Processing: You know how sometimes you can coax a good image out of a rather mundane capture? Well, I did a LOT of coaxing on this one. Convert from RAW at different settings for more dynamic range, Levels, Curves, Channel Mixer for saturation, play around with yellow & red channels to tweak the fur color, dodge & burn (especially the mom's face), Noise Ninja, deepen and blur the background slightly, spot blur to reduce noise, burn shadows around faces for contrast, and several rounds of USM.

Woohoo! It's always special to win one without my creativity crutch. Thanks for the votes and comments! :-) I'll post the ORIGINAL so you can see what a little Photoshop mojo can do.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 383
Avg (all users): 7.3706
Avg (commenters): 8.7368
Avg (participants): 7.2658
Avg (non-participants): 7.5000
Views since voting: 16331
Views during voting: 295
Votes: 143
Comments: 78
Favorites: 39 (view)


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AuthorThread
12/06/2009 09:20:53 AM
This is a fantastic photo. Thank you for sharing these little creatures with us!!

and congrats on your ribbon - a few years after the fact, though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/17/2007 12:39:51 AM
Shannon: you are becoming by far the most consistent super member of this site. Amazing capture and lucky you to present these rare duo. Loud Kudos from Jersey City on your BLUE!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/16/2007 05:17:28 AM
great image congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/16/2007 04:42:59 AM
amazing job editing, and great shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2007 12:02:11 PM
Wow, what a truly amazing picture.Truly inspiring how you made such an ordinary photo into one of such clarity and outstanding punchy colours. The title is heart-warming.Fenominal , really deserved the blue ribbon. : - ) My favourite!

Message edited by author 2007-06-14 12:03:36.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2007 08:37:31 AM
Very nice color and light to this photo...congratulations on winning the blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2007 04:52:44 PM
Again???? Another ribbon??? You are getting better and better... and I donĀ“t know if it is possible! Perfect! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2007 12:36:21 PM
I couldn't possible be more impressed with the improvement process you generated through PS. This is just beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2007 12:19:59 PM
Congratulations for the Ribbon, Scalvert! I love the gold color on the furrrr... indeed it's very beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2007 09:26:50 AM
Wow, the photoshop really made a difference on your shot...That's fascinating. You know scalvert..I'm jealous of you ribbons--Do you tutor? =P

Message edited by author 2007-06-13 09:27:10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/12/2007 03:33:29 PM
An adorable portrait. The colors are fantastically rich, and the expressions are priceless. Excellent photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/12/2007 02:23:19 PM
Wow!! I love Golden Lion Tamarins!! They are seriosly, like, my third favorite animal!!* What kind of awesome zoo is this!?! This photo is so cool!!!

*After Sea Krait, Gerbils, and maybe Fennec Foxes

Message edited by author 2007-06-12 14:31:23.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/12/2007 10:54:27 AM
Wow! Amazing shot! Wonderful capture, great detail and lighting. Congrats on your ribbon! I live about five minutes from the Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport. I'll have to go one weekend to see these guys!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 10:23:00 PM
P.S. It's a dandy of a picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 10:22:21 PM
Yo man, you gotta stop winning these ribbons, sooner or later a mob of jealous photographers will rise up, storm your house, and screw around in your medicine cabinet :P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 05:28:41 PM
Shannon the is absolutely wonderful! Congratulations on the Blue!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 05:28:04 PM
You really did an excellent job with this photo. Wonderful clarity and lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 03:14:41 PM
Excellent capture and truly amazing processing! Well-deserved as always!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 03:11:48 PM
amazing processing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:49:51 PM
I can't believe that you would dress up again for a ribbon..very lifelike!
great shot, wonderful coaxing...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:46:23 PM
Absolutely amazing shot and work in PS. Your work is outstanding and the ribbon shows. Congrats on a incredible shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:39:27 PM
The way the light glows off the fur is awesome! Not only a great capture, but excellent use of post-processing as well. :D Congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:15:46 PM
This is certainly a deserving winner. I also believe it's a great example of how post processing should be used, and what it can do effectively. Great work :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 11:56:35 AM
Congratulations! What a wonderful, intimate shot. Outstanding post processing as well...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 11:48:21 AM
Congratulations on your Ribbon. It is a wonderful capture love their little faces. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 11:05:00 AM
Hmmmm. A border!!!!! Beautiful image, Shannon, congratulations :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 08:40:49 AM
What a wonderful capture!! It was well worth the wait. Congratulations on your ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 08:03:37 AM
While I would have preferred you save this shot for next week :-) I must offer my congrats as it is beautiful. Those colors are stunning. Great work as always!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 06:48:15 AM
Congratomatic Shannon!!! Well done :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 06:38:03 AM
Congratulations on a well deserved blue ribbon. Excellent capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 06:37:47 AM
Contrasts on your Blue, a wonderful image.

Jack
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 05:37:40 AM
Congrats Shannon. This is such a very special image, beautifully edited.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 05:23:11 AM
amazing
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 03:28:33 AM
Looks like the mother has her eyes on you. She probably heard what you do to your kids. :P

Congrats on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 03:14:08 AM
What a great capture of such wonderfully, unusual creatures. The baby is adorable, and the way the mother is looking into your eyes leaves one speechless ... they are so Dr. Suess-looking, and the fact they are extremely rare adds to the specialness of this image.

Congratulations. What an honor on all levels. Your photograph is stunning!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 03:01:15 AM
A wonderful image
Congrats on your Blue Ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 02:22:20 AM
...would love to see the unedited original :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:54:34 AM
congrats on a great photograph
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:32:32 AM
Congrats on the Blue, Shannon. Great work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:29:01 AM
waitaminute, you mean these aren't those little plastic troll dolls?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 01:14:36 AM
Amazing transformation, Shannon! Many congrats on your blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:46:40 AM
Shannon great work...excellent processing on an image I would have given up on...Congrats on yet another BLUE
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:36:51 AM
great work, shannon! congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:35:16 AM
another blue for the master. bravo, bud
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:31:02 AM
I didn't vote, so maybe I have no right to speak, but the technical quality of this one isn't very good IMO... lots of noise, bad focus. Things that PS can't always save ;)

Congratulations anyway ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:22:16 AM
Just a beautiful image...Congrats!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:14:31 AM
Gorgeous "coaxing." The zoo must be delighted with your photos.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:10:00 AM
I think you would ribbon if you took a picture of poop..

Good job man you really produce some wonderful quality images and I am just amazed at skills you have and what you know. I wish I had your knowledge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:09:00 AM
beautiful! congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:08:38 AM
A winner all the way congratulations

Message edited by author 2007-06-11 00:09:00.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:07:39 AM
I mentioned to a friend that the lighting in this image just simply screamed "Scalvert" and I am ever so glad I was right.

Very well done my friend, and very deserving of the first place finish.

Ray
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:07:06 AM
Congrats on the blue. I'm glad it ribboned just to find out what kind of animals these were. Amazing stuff. I'd love to see your before & after shots (to show the post processing involved), it sounds amazing.

Congrats again, well deserved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:01:43 AM
and he does it again!!!

quit your day job already!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/11/2007 12:01:32 AM
Congrats on the blue, I LOVE this photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/10/2007 10:29:57 PM
Fabulous capture - their expressions are almost doll-like, the light is just absolutely perfect and there's great detail in the image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/10/2007 10:04:58 PM
I love the colors and the details in the hair and catchlites in the eyes.
Beautiful composition. This should ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/10/2007 09:54:56 PM
A really nice sharp image. I love the eyes. It would be an awesome photo with just the adult. The baby just adds to the 'wow' of this pic. Bonus for the border which IMHO works very well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/10/2007 05:10:15 PM
Fabulous perspective! I wish the focus was a wee bit sharper on the mom(?) tamarind, but the expressions and pose are great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/10/2007 12:06:06 PM
I've commented on 73 so far and yours is the best of the bunch. Good connection to the viewer. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/10/2007 11:40:39 AM
Gorgeous. Composition, expressions, color lighting. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2007 07:05:08 PM
A very gorgeous shot. I hope this does well. Love the colors and that one is looking at the camera and the other is looking up. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2007 11:26:53 AM
Wow, wow, wow! Beautiful in every way!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2007 11:22:44 PM
Nice colors and image capture. psart 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2007 11:34:16 AM
Cute fellows - and good composition and color...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2007 10:04:09 AM
really great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/06/2007 04:59:52 PM
gorgeous. upped to 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/06/2007 04:20:29 PM
Soo cute, nice picture. Love the colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/06/2007 03:26:34 AM
This is an amazing photo, of light and feel,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/05/2007 02:16:55 PM
This has to be the best photo in the challenge - if this does not ribbon I will be hugely disappointed. Fantastic lighting, great detail and such wonderful expression captured on both of their faces. Had to come back and bump this up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/05/2007 04:40:43 AM
oh my...a seductive/protective monkey! reminds me of my old entry "mother and son"
very lovely, great lighting, amazing capture. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 11:39:27 PM
The lighting is great... the focus is too.. I don't like the border... this shot does not need it!... a 9 Came back to take another look and upped this one to a 10.. I just love this photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 09:17:53 PM
Awesome capture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 07:24:55 PM
wow, sweet image, love it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 05:30:59 PM
Nice photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 10:16:32 AM
Spot on, I am thinking ribbon here!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 01:43:29 AM
Nice capture - Nice lighting and composition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/04/2007 12:51:18 AM
G
06/04/2007 12:38:25 AM
Wow.... what is it?!?!?!?
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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