Untitled

excellent photo

Perfect IMHO. It has never been easier to rate a photo 7/7.

A once in a life time opportunity brilliantly taken!

Regards, Chris

This is top drawer material! What magnificent little lizards, hey? The cracked earth looks like old parchment, the lizards like wet ink. I can see why Escher's name is at the tip of alot of tongues. It could very well be a tatoo, to me.

 

Chances are, the little buggers were flitting about quite quickly whilst fighting, so congradulations on keeping your wits about you and grabbing this when you did. The composition, particularly in the tails, is seamless.

 

Wonderful photo.

 

Marco

This image is not black and white - it has a visible brown tone...

Jeffrey.

I don't think anyone would argue that this image is B&W (and untoned)... it's pretty clear it has a tone, but I actually like it better this way. who said it has to be black and white?

Congrats Terje, on a picture of a lifetime.

--Roy

This is a very handsome image... has almost a primitive 'rock art' petroglyph look about it. Regarding the closeup, that's another excellent capture though so different as to almost negate comparison. The POW composition is much more artistic and unique. Congrats! It's a very nice choice for POW.

Nice graphic appeal here, quite clearly. Not your average everyday opportunity.

 

A problem for me is the lack of detail in the animals themselves, which are nearly pitch black. Even more so is the background, dry cracked earth as we are told, which is so interesting and beautiful in itself that it competes against the main subject. Also on the background, the top right corner is dark, lower left is light, which may have been the natural light, however, a minor burn around the three lighter corners would have taken care of it and would have helped to hold my attention on the animals, which obviously should have my full attention.

I like the balance in this photo and I really love the parched earth as the backdrop, however from the wording in your original post I figured that these suckers where stuffed or something. Were they actually in the middle of fighting when you took the photos or are they stuffed?

Personally, I prefer the toned image. Both of these images are a differrent Genre when compared to the close up of the animals themslves. From my perspective, these two demonstrate creativity and a special use of the medium of photography.

Do you think that is what we call "decisive moment"? ;-)

 

Wonderful!

Makes a very artistic composition in the B&W form. I enjoyed seeing the color version, as well, but it's definitely more of a nature photograph that way. Both were great images.

The other "regular" close up shot shows them clearly biting each other (though whether

actually intending damage or just playing rough is unclear). I could see the other photo in

a textbook or magazine article or something. But to me this image has much more of a

fine art look to it. I would gladly hang a large print of this on my wall. The silhouette is so

elegant. The contrast is wonderful. I absolutely love the squiggly diagonal line they form,

from top left to bottom right; it is a great swirling line for the eye to follow naturally

through the photo. It is a great composition. I much prefer the warmer tones the Terje has

chosen, rather than neutral black & white.

Very nicely composed, it highlights the texture of the arid enviroment and the salamanders as well. I prefer the sepia toned approach.

Congratulations and my best regards.

Absolutely superb. I have stolen it for my computer desktop - I have no greater compliment to give!

 

BTW, your choice of brownish black tone is exactly right too, as the comparison above demonstrates.

Great photo! But I think the cracks in the ground are competing with the lizards to grab your attention. As otherse said, the perspective, composition, and tone are great.

 

Joo

Very nice shot, Terje. I think that I would call it simply, "The Kiss."

The "regular" approach looks like something more likely destined for a study of the animal. Nice shot, but it suffers from a lack of depth of field. This one however is an exceptional shot. It has a feeling more appropriate to a gallery rather than a book. I too lament the lack of detail in the animals, but the tone is nice. It gives it a feeling of being taken with actual BW film.

...just goes to prove that nature can produce far more wonders than the

human imagination and any Photoshop manipulation ever will. Lovely lovely

image! Excellent composition and well observed natural moment.

 

JOHN

 

www.john-macpherson-photography.com

I agree that it is reminiscent of an MC Escher drawing, namely the one of hands drawing each other. The symmetry is excellent and is appealing because is is not simply mirror symmetry, but rather rotational (180 degrees). Abstract and yet a photo of an actual event, a moment in time. Nicely done.

"...just goes to prove that nature can produce far more wonders than the human imagination and any Photoshop manipulation ever will."

 

Human imagination is something natural - it's not made by machines even though the manifestation of that imagination might be represented as a product of unnatural machinery - though even this is debateable as all machinery is subject to the laws of physics.

 

If this scene happened and there was no one around to take a photograph to pass it on to show others then it wouldn't matter to humans because they wouldn't even be aware of it.

 

Humans are always trying so hard to seperate themselves from the animal kingdom which they're part of. Human are animals and imagination is natural to humans.

Superb image!

Escher is not far away but I'm sure that if Gaudi had seen this it would now be in some mosaic in or around Barcelona.

Terje, The graphic scene these two critters have provided for you is probably not lost on any predator. In settling a grudge or answering a mating call they have, at least temporarily, forfiet any camouflage they normally would have. A graphic design for you perhaps but also a fine target for any enemies. Lucky for them all you were after is a good photo. I agree with all positive comments above & offer my observations to the mix. Luck favors the prepared! Best, LM.

It may not be much coming from an amature, but I love this photo. Personally, I like the fact that you can't see too much detail on the lizards' backs. The fact the they almost melt together is what grabbed my attention. It's beautiful!!!

Wonderful shot Terje! I saw and fell in love with this one when you originally posted it. I think it is very deserving of the POW nod. Congrats!