Pine Marten

Gallery: EPA 2009Posted July 28, 20093,172 views55 comments

EPA 2009 - First Place Winner - Fauna Gallery

I haven't posted on the fauna forum for a long time as I have been on the road for ages. During that time I have been working on a project with Pine Martens. This is a youngster which forms part of a family that I have been photographing. This beautiful mammal was nearly brought to extinction in the UK by persecution but is now fully protected by law and is making somewhat of a comeback

Canon 1DS MK11, 500mm Lens, F4, 1/60, ISO 200

Danny

Comments

55 comments

Comment posted by Michael Kastendiec on July 28, 2009 at 3:31 PM

I love the eye contact! Well Done.

Registered on July 8, 2009, 17 Posts, 93 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on July 28, 2009 at 3:35 PM

Wow. Wow. Wow. Love the face and the details. If you are not adverse to cloning you might take out some of the OOF grasses that cross the body. Excellent image anyway.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by James Campbell on July 28, 2009 at 3:58 PM

Great image, Danny.. The subject is just beautiful and the background is perfect. Looking forward to seeing more of these guys

Cheers,

James

Registered on January 12, 2009, 48 Posts, 377 Comments

Comment posted by Ed White on July 28, 2009 at 4:03 PM

This is great, I just love the vividness of the colours and the expression. Really cool.

Registered on July 15, 2009, 13 Posts, 70 Comments

Comment posted by Darren Colello on July 28, 2009 at 4:20 PM

I think this is an exceptional photograph of a truly remarkable little mustelid. I love the blend of colours. Well done Danny!

Darren

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

Comment posted by Edwin kats on July 28, 2009 at 5:14 PM

You English BA%$#^$D

You nailed this one and I know there's more to come. Fantastic work Danny.

Edwin Kats

Registered on April 24, 2006, 177 Posts, 399 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Bowman on July 28, 2009 at 5:21 PM

Wow, this is a tremendous image Danny! Love the light, colors, detail and the curious stare....I feel like he wants to play with me.

Registered on June 19, 2008, 1005 Posts, 8028 Comments

Comment posted by Jake Dingel on July 28, 2009 at 5:36 PM

super photo, look forward to seeing more

Registered on April 24, 2006, 34 Posts, 633 Comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on July 28, 2009 at 6:15 PM

You get points alone for the cute factor - but this is really well executed. Great shot

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on July 28, 2009 at 6:55 PM

Top shelf capture!

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

Comment posted by Philip Schwarz on July 28, 2009 at 9:13 PM

Great catch. Nice crisp photo with an nice pose.

Registered on November 29, 2006, 236 Posts, 1210 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on July 28, 2009 at 11:42 PM

Superb image Danny. Great eye contact and exceptional detail. I might be tempted to crop some from the top just to better emphasize the critter.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on July 29, 2009 at 10:57 AM

Good to see you post on the Fauna forum Danny, especially with shots like this! Love the pose, eye contact, enviroment and the bg, really nothing to add (and I'm veyr sure you knew that haha

). Superb image!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Murray Feist on July 29, 2009 at 12:36 PM

Hi Danny

Great shot - I like it. Wouldn't change a thing :)

Registered on January 3, 2006, 7 Posts, 59 Comments

Comment posted by Kedar Bhat on July 29, 2009 at 12:59 PM

oh wow

Registered on April 7, 2008, 77 Posts, 357 Comments

Comment posted by Esme' Fantozzi on July 29, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Danny this is sooooooo outstanding

Registered on July 27, 2006, 50 Posts, 300 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on July 30, 2009 at 1:07 AM

what a lovely image Danny. The attentative pose and the beautiful natural coloration and the soft BG make this a very pleasing image. My only nit really with this is the OOF grass touching its shoulder. Not that I am advising you to clone it out, but it would just be even better without. Looking forward to more of your images of these fellows!

One question, why ISO 200 and 1/60sec? Surely that SS was not gonna guarantee you a sharp shot?

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

Comment posted by Norm Krell on July 30, 2009 at 1:51 AM

Great shot with beautiful eye contact.

Registered on August 20, 2008, 0 Posts, 146 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Bunch on July 30, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Excellent shot of one of my favorite animals! Personally I would take a bit off of the top.

Registered on May 18, 2004, 124 Posts, 2503 Comments

Comment posted by Billy Fairburn on July 30, 2009 at 3:44 PM

Lovely shot Danny. Not much more to add really!

Registered on March 3, 2007, 123 Posts, 717 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffrey Sipress on August 1, 2009 at 5:14 PM

Excellent work! And it doesn't get much cuter than that. Thanks for showing this to me.

Registered on February 17, 2004, 236 Posts, 1197 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on August 2, 2009 at 3:31 AM

A fairy tale setting for a cuddly little subject. Really nice detail on the face and I like the soft body and background. Did you apply some guassian blur?

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Julia Flanagan on August 3, 2009 at 5:56 PM

Excellent shot Danny. A creature whose cousins I'd love to see here in the US. I dream of a shot as beautiful as this!

Registered on November 13, 2003, 59 Posts, 986 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on August 3, 2009 at 11:11 PM

Wonderful shot! the eyes have it!
Congrats on the EP !

Sandy r

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

Comment posted by Dan Walters on August 3, 2009 at 11:29 PM

Great job!! Love the eye contact, soft light and color.

Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments

Comment posted by Barry R. Byrd on August 4, 2009 at 1:02 AM

All been said- outstanding capture

Registered on December 20, 2005, 136 Posts, 970 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on August 4, 2009 at 2:15 AM

Man, that is too cute, very nicely done.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on August 4, 2009 at 2:18 AM

I love this! It's so real.

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by Magnus on August 4, 2009 at 2:48 AM

Outstanding shot. I just love these animals.

Registered on April 2, 2009, 10 Posts, 33 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on August 4, 2009 at 7:31 AM

Danny, this is a simply gorgeous portrait of a cute looking youngster. The beautiful natural colors, the smooth BG, the eye contact, the catchlights, those are all attributes that make this one stand out. Congrats!

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

Comment posted by Craig Jones on August 4, 2009 at 8:42 AM

Congrats! beautiful image, with stunning light and detail, great shot and well worth your 'EP'

Registered on January 31, 2009, 67 Posts, 316 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on August 4, 2009 at 10:51 AM

Congrats, Danny. Wonderful image.

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

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on August 4, 2009 at 11:05 AM

Beauty of a shot!
Jagdeep Rajput

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

Comment posted by Sachin Sajnani on August 6, 2009 at 7:15 AM

Wow, well deserving the weekly pick.

Registered on December 31, 2008, 12 Posts, 90 Comments

Comment posted by Ajit Huilgol on August 7, 2009 at 3:31 AM

Outstanding image in all respects, Danny! And great news about their impressive comeback from the brink!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 302 Posts, 2055 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on August 12, 2009 at 10:35 AM

Oh man, this is gorgeous

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Neal Cooper on August 12, 2009 at 1:20 PM

Danny...really a beautiful creature, captured perfectly. Beaut foreground and complimentary background. VWD . A keeper for sure.

Registered on June 3, 2009, 144 Posts, 306 Comments

Comment posted by Sarah Waldin on August 13, 2009 at 2:10 AM

Beautiful.

Registered on July 16, 2009, 27 Posts, 71 Comments

Comment posted by Ryan DesJardins on September 28, 2009 at 8:04 PM

What great focus and DOF control. I love it.

Registered on September 11, 2005, 170 Posts, 276 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on September 29, 2009 at 10:09 AM

Congratulations on your EP! In addition to the sharpness of the pine marten, the environment adds to the image.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on January 2, 2010 at 6:25 PM

Hey Danny,

Congrats - it was a real honour for me to nominate this image as the Fauna Gallery 2009 Image of the Year! I only have ONE nit - I'd love to see it larger!

Thanks for helping to continually raise the bar in the Fauna Gallery!

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 2, 2010 at 7:52 PM

Aw, that is so cute! What a beautiful animal. Congrats on the EPA.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on January 2, 2010 at 10:12 PM

Gorgeous in every way! Congrats!

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on January 3, 2010 at 12:39 AM

Congratulations on the EPA! Amazing shot.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Roane on January 3, 2010 at 4:14 AM

outstanding. Congrats on the EP!

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on January 3, 2010 at 10:39 AM

I am still wowed by this image. Love it. Congratulations on your EPA for this beautiful awe inspiring image.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Rogers on January 3, 2010 at 2:48 PM

Hello Danny.

Congrats on the award.

Beautifully captured with stunning detail and background.

Registered on January 16, 2007, 450 Posts, 995 Comments

Comment posted by David Bostock on January 3, 2010 at 3:57 PM

Congratulations on the well-deserved EPA, Danny. This is sensational.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 90 Posts, 2778 Comments

Comment posted by Edwin kats on January 4, 2010 at 4:08 AM

Big congrats to you sir!!!!! You did it again. Daddy is so proud

Edwin Kats

Registered on April 24, 2006, 177 Posts, 399 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 5, 2010 at 3:52 AM

Sensational! Love the face and the bold stance. Looks like this youngster is ready to take on the world. Congratulations on the EPA; well deserved!

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on January 5, 2010 at 6:50 PM

Congratulations on the EPA win! I appreciate your commentary as well as the art of your images.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on January 6, 2010 at 9:30 AM

So darn sweet! Congratulations!

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Sandipan Dutta on January 7, 2010 at 2:45 AM

Heartiest Congratulations....Such a captivating image this is...

Registered on March 9, 2009, 171 Posts, 493 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on January 27, 2010 at 2:51 AM

Congrats on the 2009 EPA! Wonderful image..
Sandy r

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

Comment posted by Diana Thomas on March 16, 2010 at 5:02 PM

Caption: "oh, wow...would ya look at that!"

such a pretty youngster, thanks for letting me see it.

Registered on March 16, 2010, 0 Posts, 2 Comments