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Brothers in Arms (African Wild Dog)
Brothers in Arms (African Wild Dog)
HarveyG


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2011-05 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 75-300mm f/4.5-5.6 APO Macro for Nikon
Location: Kromdraai, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
Date: May 8, 2011
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/400
Galleries: Nature, Animals
Date Uploaded: May 24, 2011

African Wild Dog, Lycaon pictus, Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Shot in a Nature Reserve in Kromdraai, near the Cradle of Humankind, not a Zoo but still captive animals who don't fend for themselves. Why do I go there? It's close to where I live (1 hours drive) rather than 5 to the Kruger and it's still open veld.

I've only seen them once in the Kruger, in 30 years. They have currently around 150 total, and the Kruger is 2,000,000 km² (1,242,742 mi²) in size! So that's one dog per 13,333 km²...

I doubt that this will go beyond a 6. It is not in your face enough, crisp enough, over saturated enough, weird enough, DPC 'candy' enough. The animal is not staring at me directly. His eyes aren't boring holes into me. It's not "National Geographic" enough.

I hope that the wildlife togs on DPC, especially those from Africa will appreciate it. African Wild Dogs have many similar traits such as seen in their domesticated brothers and when you get to see them, (they are extremely rare), I can stay and watch them interact as long as they let me.

(This reserve had 2 of it's Rhino's poached a few months ago. We are having an enormous problem with poaching as South Africa is one country that has looked after it's wildlife, this year almost 160 Rhino's poached for their horns for the Chinese and Vietnamese markets. The powdered horn is supposed to cure cancer and increase male virility, a complete fallacy. Last year we lost 333 animals to poachers :(

This image has been doctored from the original...but hopefully not so much that it is evident or unnatural.

Capture NX2 Import
View NX2 Export 16bit Tiff
Duplicate Layer 1
Mask Foreground (Dogs)
Duplicate Layer 2
Mask Background
Gaussian Blur Background 25 pixel radius
Select Dog Mask, Smart Sharpen 100% Default Radius
Select Dog Mask, Saturate +10% (Due to Overcast Day)
Select Dog Mask, Curves Medium Contrast RGB
Crop 720px by 720px
Flatten Image
Smart Sharpen
Add Borders
SFW

For the 2011 FSM (Free Study Marathon)
Thread Here / Results Here

Statistics
Place: 126 out of 344
Avg (all users): 5.7554
Avg (commenters): 7.0000
Avg (participants): 5.8235
Avg (non-participants): 5.5676
Views since voting: 974
Views during voting: 229
Votes: 139
Comments: 6
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
06/08/2011 06:38:13 AM
Watwou! I think it's a nice picture, very engaging. Good bokeh. True colours. Sharp enough focus. I've seen them twice in the Kruger, in 50 years.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2011 12:42:32 AM
Hi meneer. Great shot en soos jy stel, nie genoeg bling vir DPC nie maar n wonderlike oomblik vasgevang in diere gedrag en interaksie. SA groete
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2011 12:42:30 AM
Hi meneer. Great shot en soos jy stel, nie genoeg bling vir DPC nie maar n wonderlike oomblik vasgevang in diere gedrag en interaksie. SA groete
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/06/2011 10:27:09 PM
Great shot! This photo is probably strong enough to stand on its own without the border.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/05/2011 10:30:03 AM
Completely fascinating. I like photography that takes me to remote corners of the earth -- the jungle especially.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/01/2011 10:08:43 PM
Nice shot on a great moment.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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