Rodin's Thinker - the Prototype
As I mentioned before, I often have an issue with watching apes behind bars, but it is sometimes the only way to preserve the species, and in some cases they ar...
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As I mentioned before, I often have an issue with watching apes behind bars, but it is sometimes the only way to preserve the species, and in some cases they are really given ample and, dare I say, nice space - the Singapore Zoo is second to none when it comes to the quality of enclosures...
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Jun, 2017Views
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Contest Finalist in Apes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monochrome Wildlife Photo Contest
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snhoffman2002
June 18, 2017
What a beautiful portrait which speaks volumes! I'd love to know what this guy/gal is thinking so deeply about.
bob123
February 28, 2018
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
wivana
December 18, 2018
beautiful! don't know why but the portrait makes me want to give the ape a big warm hug.
kiralanza_5671
November 17, 2020
I love that this photo was taken to show respect for this beautiful animal
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Behind The Lens
Location
While I do have quite a few issues with primates being kept in cages, I do totally understand the, sometimes crucial, role the zoos play in the preservation of our closest relatives. The Singapore Zoo really has no equals in the world - I visited numerous times and will keep doing so every time I go to Singapore. The enclosures are often truly "invisible", most animals are given ample separation from the visitors, and can, and do, behave quite naturally...Time
We spent pretty much the entire day at the Zoo and went around several times - this was taken during the day, at no particular "golden lighting" hour - I noticed the expression and went for it :)Lighting
As mentioned above, the shot was really about the expression, but the fact that there were quite a few branches with leaves overhead helped quite a lot, diffusing the light and helping avoid any harm contrast, especially under the prominent eyebrows!Equipment
I had a Panasonic GH3 for a while and took the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300 f4.0-5.6 for a test during this trip to Singapore and SE Asia. While it did allow me to take a few good photos, I ended up returning it and went without a long reach lens for a while, until I purchased Olympus 40-150 f2.8. The Panasonic was just way too slow and very poorly built for my liking and needs.Inspiration
I was totally mesmerised by his/her expression, it was really a prototypical Rodin's form, he/she really appeared lost in thought, almost melancholic, if you will.Editing
I cropper the photo quite a bit, to really "get into" the character, and I obviously converted it to black and white. Other than that, nothing more than some basic adjustments, contrast, sharpening and so on...In my camera bag
I embraced miniaturisation and went smaller and smaller as the years went by, so my Mamiya kit was replaced by Canon 5D and L lenses in their various iterations, only for them to be absolutely successfully supplanted by a m43 kit, which, I must say, reignited my love for photography big time. So, my kit now comprises of Olympus E-M1 MkII and a number of Olympus lenses - 7-14 F2.8, 40-150 F2.8, 12-100 F4, 60 F2.8 macro, and pretty much all their fast primes... getting ready to purchase 300 F4 as well... I also carry a Sirui aluminium tripod (an amazing, unbeatable value for money), a timelapse controller, spare body (Olympus E-M1)... I also have a Panasonic body, for video work - it does not see much photography action, I somehow just feel more "at home" with the Olympus equipment for my photo work... Having said that, and somewhat ironically, this photo was taken by a Panasonic camera :)Feedback
In the zoos, we do have that luxury of going around several times and revisiting the enclosures, since the animals, well, cannot really go away, and you are also not in a safari vehicle that has places to get to, so use that to your advantage - I can recall so many times, in various zoos, that I passed by an animal 3, 4, 5 times and it was hidden or simply dozing off, only to be awarded with an exceptional pose or activity on my final lap... So, do go around a few times :)
