I'm Warning You!!!

Gallery: WildlifePosted April 11, 2011445 views24 comments

Canon EOS 7D, EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM, Aperture Priority, f/3.5 (1/400 sec), ISO 1000, Handheld, JPG from RAW, Cropped About 50% from Full Frame

During the first part of my trip to Sabah, Borneo last November, I had a great time with numerous sightings while cruising up and down the Kinabatangan River with my trusty guide in our little long-tailed boat. Some of the most memorable encounters we had were with a species of monkey I'd only ever seen before in books and, truth be told, wasn't all that interested in photographing for the ridiculous reason that I felt they were, well, not exactly the most attractive species of primate I'd ever seen :^.

As it happened, although we spent hours observing them over the period of three days, it probably took no more than 10 minutes for me to fall head over heels in love with them ;^p

Proboscis Monkeys are only found on the island of Borneo and, while they are known to occasionally walk upright in troops in single file along forest trails when moving from one location to another, for the most part they live their lives up in the trees.

Watching them leaping from branch to branch with such skill and ease is a sheer delight, but perhaps the most endearing qualities I witnessed were mothers with their young; they bear an uncanny resemblance to humans in this way, and one can almost feel the emotions passing between them.

I shot a long series of a mother and her three young sons one morning, an experience that thrilled me to the core and something I'll always remember. Sadly though, due to my lack of experience with my camera back then, very few of the scores of images I came back home with make me smile at all.

The one I've chosen to show you here (pretty sure it's a female), is one of the few I was able to work on in post-processing to a degree that I'm happy enough to share it, although this subject was obviously sending me messages more along the lines of “Watch it Mister, I'm warning you!!!” rather than the expressions of love I referred to above ;^p

Anyhow, thought you might like this one and happy to receive any critique or comments you might care to offer :^)

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on April 12, 2011 at 7:20 AM

Ashley, like this one very much. Great light on the subject, sharpness and color right on. Also like that there is enough habitat in the image to give a good idea of where this monkey lives. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on April 12, 2011 at 1:29 PM

This is a good photo Ashley with excellent exposure and great detail. Very well processed too. With the tail disappearing behind that leaf there is simply no issue about a clipped of tail, very clever

. In the larger version it does look to me as if the focus is slightly in front of the eyes, but that is nit-picking really.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on April 12, 2011 at 3:18 PM

This is great. Excellent detail and color in a tough shooting environment, and the expression is a bonus.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffry Oonk on April 12, 2011 at 4:06 PM

This is not easy Ashley, since you are down in the boat and the monkeys are up in the trees. Getting a background that does not include the bright sky is a challenge on its own. You were lucky with the light, great! The image looks a little too plastic to my taste, but otherwise a beautiful shot. Would love to see some more of this series.

Registered on February 5, 2011, 21 Posts, 122 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Runco on April 12, 2011 at 5:31 PM

Sharp shot Ashley, love that expression!

Registered on September 9, 2008, 77 Posts, 705 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 12, 2011 at 9:22 PM

Many thanks for taking the time to view and leave comments John, Vincent, Max, Jeffry, and Guy :^)

Vincent: And to think I was considering snipping that lower leaf off the bottom of the frame, good job I didn't - LOL ;^p

Jeffry: Not sure I completely understand what you meant by the image looking "a little too plastic".

As to showing you other in this series: Next month I'm off again to Sukau for five days, in the hope of encounters with most of the birds and wildlife I saw there last November, only this time hopefully I'll be coming back with a collection of images far better than last time, what with all that I've learned since then ;^)

In the unlikely event of me not having more pleasing photos to show you of Proboscis Monkeys upon my return, I'll certainly go through November's collection again in another attempt to see what I can salvage and make look at least half-way decent to present :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Fabio Giarrizzo on April 13, 2011 at 3:56 AM

Great shot of this wonderful species- You caught a great expression of the subjet, with nice detail and an awesome surrounding habitat- Very well done, Fabio

Registered on December 3, 2010, 90 Posts, 1614 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on April 13, 2011 at 9:47 AM

To my eye the lines and shapes of the tree branches complement the lines in the monkey's pose. Nice image!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on April 13, 2011 at 12:09 PM

Terrific setting and wonderful expressions ! The leaf cleverly hides the tail.

Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on April 13, 2011 at 7:19 PM

Quite the nose on that girl. Very well done, Ashley. Love the expression, the techs and comp.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 13, 2011 at 7:43 PM

Many thanks for your kind words and comments Fabio, Lon, Jagdeep, and Wayne, much appreciated :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on April 14, 2011 at 1:06 PM

Having such a fascination with primates, I really appreciate this image. The detail, behaviour and overall composition are wonderful, and this is certainly not an easy task where proboscis monkeys are concerned. Overall SPECTACULAR work Ashley, keep them coming.

Registered on July 27, 2009, 175 Posts, 1100 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 15, 2011 at 8:25 AM

Many thanks for the kind words and encouragement Darren, much appreciated :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Stu Porter on April 17, 2011 at 5:49 PM

Wow Ashley, this is suer, great detail and eye contact, colour superb, sharpness to die for, cheers Stu

Registered on March 10, 2011, 8 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 17, 2011 at 10:22 PM

Thanks Stu, rather pleased with it myself as it happens ;^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 20, 2011 at 4:31 PM

Congrats on a fine WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Andrius Pašukonis on April 20, 2011 at 6:47 PM

Great expression and detail. Maybe these monkeys are not the most pretty looking, they are definitely one of the funniest

. Congrats on a well deserved WP!

Registered on July 23, 2005, 111 Posts, 408 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 21, 2011 at 1:48 AM

Thank you Sandy and Andrius :^)

Thanks also to Jim, Donna and anyone else in the decison-making team, much appreciated :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Hussain Nalwala on April 21, 2011 at 4:01 AM

Nice sharp image....I like it and surely sending you a message "take care"...

Registered on April 18, 2011, 298 Posts, 339 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on April 21, 2011 at 2:51 PM

Hey, Ashley! Another great image from you and another well-deserved EP. Congrats!

Your friend...

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Ashley Vincent on April 21, 2011 at 9:28 PM

Thanks Hussain and John, real pleased so many people liked this one :^)

Registered on March 1, 2011, 154 Posts, 2083 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on April 22, 2011 at 12:19 PM

Congratulations on the WP, Ashley. The expression on the Monkey's face is just fabulous.

Cheers,

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on April 22, 2011 at 4:57 PM

Congrats Ashley, great image