Fascination II Photo

Photographer’s Note

The question is: Who is more fascinated with who?

Taken at the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. It was really amazing watching the children and seals interact, fascinated with each other...

I liked this just as a simple, daily shot. A moment of recognition maybe. Maybe just a moment of thought for both figures in the photo. It was also nice to be shooting in light for a change.

I thought it a nice follow up to my first Fascination shot also. Simple and clean. A nice moment that I was glad to be there to see.

Most of the white blotches and streaks in the water are actually reflections. I left them in there and basically posted this "as is", with a little sharpening and framed. As for me, I was just fascinated at how good these cameras work above 1/20 of a second (for those who follow my photos).

Let me know what you think,
John

lilimih33, Brian, Lilly716, edytungkal, tsti003, Dpbours, plimrn, Floydian, axiotea, Paolo, shevchenko, adores, siolaw, zeca, eleparc has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Brian (1) 2007-09-10 17:51

Hi John,

Orange & Blue. Two colors that just go great together. Two mammals with their appendages raised up. It's fantastic. Simple yet strong.

Take care,
Brian

partha (13657) 2007-09-10 18:07

Hi John,
The composition is well balanced. U have captured it at the perfect moment.The colour combination is superb. Great shot.
Regards.
Partha

Lilly716 (238) 2007-09-10 18:42

Hi John,

Great photo, very cute seal and little boy! I love the composition and colors! You captured this at the right moment! The detail is great too! Still need to learn how you do it, I've got to learn from the master! :o)

Liz

P.S. Can you sense my excitement with this photo with all the exclamation points!?

Ann75 (0) 2007-09-10 18:55

Hello John,

Amazing shot as you were able to capture a great moment! I love how these two seem to be "High Fiving" each other. The light is amazing, the colours are beautifully bright and the details are fantastic! Excellent work, John!

Greetings,
Ann

edytungkal (4519) 2007-09-10 19:00

Yes.. just a simple daily life activity, but you have make it a great photo. I like how the boy and the seal interact each others. Good quality picture with very nice colours. Thanks John :-)

daniel

Dpbours (220) 2007-09-10 20:32

Hi John,

Funny you make the 1/20th remark on one of your shots that's actually at higher shutter speed, ie. 1/800th :-). I might have sharpened the animal a little bit, but it's okay.
Looks like they are about to give a high five! I guess they would have done so if there weren't any glass in between. Then again... Without the glass one would have drowned and the other would have dried out ;-). Good catch!!

Greetings,
Dennis

[workshop] [compare] +

mphotographies (1976) 2007-09-10 21:09

Hey John,

Nice, well managed shot, no reflections or glare. Fascinating seeing both the elements bonding each other, a clear and clean shot! Lastly the colour is well proportioned: Orange is twice as bright as the blue and a combination of 1:2 principle is well seen.

Well done!

Best Regards,

Jom

Btw I can sense one member so fascinated and excited for you John ;)

tsti003 (283) 2007-09-10 21:38

Hi John Paskey,

I think this shot is great, it's the way that you have used those two complimentary colours (the warm orange of the boy's shirt and the cool blue of the water) that that first drew my attention to this photograph.

But its more than that, it's also those two strong diagonal lines, the one that runs up the boy's shoulder to his finger tips and the other that goes along the back of the seal to the very end of its nose. It pulls the the whole scene together to create a strong point of interest and a sense of unity. Not so much visual, although it is, but in a manner that communicates a feeling (and fascination) between these two creatures.

But I think to capture that feeling fully you need to get closer, keeping the shot as simple as possible; focusing on those two complimentary elements (colours).

To my eye there seems to be just a little too much blue here, and its somewhat overpowering. the concrete wall should also go, its just another distraction. And finally, I would get rid of that white border and bring your picture to very edges of your frame, because this scene has no borders. I am going to workshop it to show you what I mean.

Nonetheless, I do think its a great image, with or without my suggestions. It commands attention and communicates some feeling about what is happening here, Its a photograph that I can respond to.

Thank you for posting it

TS

[workshop] [compare] +

plimrn (19674) 2007-09-10 21:46

Hi John,
An amazing capture, the two seem to be playing with each other. The sea lion seems to enjoy the attention and the symmetry of his gesture. The red shirt has to be serendipity but is is the perfect contrast for the green water.
HLJ, Pat

fleopold (1359) 2007-09-10 22:07

Hi John!
A lucky moment for both. An excellent "daily life" shot in highest quality.
Greetings from Austria!

Iva_R (1296) 2007-09-10 22:54

Bonjour,
Elle est tout simplement superbe! Tant par les couleurs que par le(s) sujet(s) et la façon de l'avoir traité. J'aime beaucoup.
Iva

Floydian (30970) 2007-09-11 0:52

Hi John,
I am impressed by the clearness of the glass without any reflection. It seems it isn't there and the boy can almost touch the seal, i like this a lot. I prefer this one instead of the ws, here we see more from the seal and the way he is floating by. But the boy and his hand to the glass...a real winner.
Regards, Henk

tehanu_f (6874) 2007-09-11 0:59

Hello John,
This is a very successful shot. It looks as if there were no glass between them. The composition is balanced and strong, the subjects are both lovely. You were lucky to find a boy in orange T-shirt as it goes well with the colour of the water. Congrats.
Fusun

daisydaisy (255) 2007-09-11 1:28

hello John,

Good look, child's hand and sea lion looks like to join their hands like friends........
Great idea.
A peace picture, so pretty.
Very good work. Bravo

Daisy

axiotea (16125) 2007-09-11 7:04

Hi John
Fascination, I think, is the right title!
Well timed capture of the seal who looks and seems to wave back at the small boy. For sure, the kid would love to touch the impressive animal. Very good framing and nice colors too.
Cheers
Marilyn

woladorsky (804) 2007-09-11 7:52

Cheers John!

Great shot, captured exactly in the moment when both are saying hello to each other! Perfect sharpness and beautyful colour!!

Great photo!!

Regards

Rolando

Paolo (40703) 2007-09-11 9:55

Hi John, another great one form ther aquarium, fith exclelent quality, fantastic colours and light.
thansk,ciao

lilimih33 (9874) 2007-09-11 12:00

Hello John!
Very very beautiful composition and great colours!
Nice perspective and perfect clarity!
Excellent done!
Best regards!
Lili

...I return... :)

worldcitizen (2261) 2007-09-11 15:47

Hello John,
Aquariums are great, and you have captured that special moment between the boy and seal so well. The both have their "hands" up to greet one another, they are looking right at each other, and the clarity of the photo is fabulous. I like how the tank fills 2/3 of the frame, and the great colors of the water and the boy's shirt.

shevchenko (9936) 2007-09-11 19:26

Hi John,
Good result after process the photo in multi steps, funny shoot, they are saying hello to each other, thanks for sharing, nice day.
Ally

adores (15567) 2007-09-11 19:32

Hi John!
Very nice shot! I like the curiosity they are showing for each other, especially the little hand of the child touching the glass. Great moment in a very good composition!

ktanska (16585) 2007-09-12 0:08

Hi John,
I'm not sure, but they really look like having a connection. Like in E.T...
Joyful, funny and well framed shot. Cool blue is efficient background.
Kari

rbcy1974 (20742) 2007-09-12 4:30

Hello John
Another great photo, its interesting the way the kid and the seacow form a triangle in the photo, the red coloured tshirt contrasts well with the water,
welld done
Regards
Daniel

siolaw (25750) 2007-09-12 12:01

Yes John, Great interaction between kid and animal, waving to each other... and the seal also seems to be flying in the air!
Superb blue and fine sharpness
Greetings
Laurent

kensimage (8541) 2007-09-14 7:44

I love their parallel poses, arms up, ready to give a high five, John! A really nice color contrast between their two worlds, too, the orange and white of the land mammal and the gray and blue-green of the sea mammal. Yet in your shot we don't see the barrier between the two worlds, don't see any obstacle to completing that high five! Nicely seen. Regards, Ken.

zeca (20026) 2007-09-18 19:57

Hi John!
Very nice capture! The best part of acquariums and zoos are the kids entertainment, and you caught it all here. Fascination is the perfect word to translate this great image. Perfect timing and very nice quality. Well taken!
Regards,
Zeca

Herquin (4498) 2007-09-19 11:17

Bonjour John,
Sympa est bien le mot qui lie l'animal a l'enfant .
Voilà un rare et bon moment de la vie ...En toute simplicité .
Merci pour le partage .
Amicalement .

Christian

atlantida (2323) 2007-09-19 13:29

I'm fascinated too, look at that child's honesty, only a child can be fascinated like that, adults are too...too...what was the word, oh yeah, abstinent. Great capture, I like the contrast between the colors too.
Gordana

eleparc (24059) 2007-09-26 3:33

this shot is amazing! i came to a stop while wandering through your gallery on this one! The symbiotic link between the two is striking! As Terry said, the parallel lines created by the kid's arm and the otter's flipper provoke this friendly impression. Whether it is pure wishful thinking or hazard, i could not say, but the result is so friendly and unreal!

Now if I really wanted to waste my pleasure, i would argue that maybe the concrete bottom part would have to be taken away or avoided in some way, but it is such a minor issue compared to this strong friendly appeal, that i just mention it for the sake of it!
Eric