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progressoid

(49,992 posts)
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 12:30 PM Feb 2013

Macaque borrows photographer's camera to take hilarious self-portraits

Visiting a national park in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, award-winning photographer Mr Slater left his camera unattended for a while.

It soon attracted the attention of an inquisitive female from a local group of crested black macaque monkeys, known for their intelligence and dexterity.

Fascinated by her reflection in the lens, she then somehow managed to start the camera. The upshot: A splendid self-portrait.






http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2011051/Black-macaque-takes-self-portrait-Monkey-borrows-photographers-camera.html



The macaque also took some pictures of her fellow primates and a picture of a confused photographer who was trying to bribe a macaque with bananas in order to get his camera back.


“They were quite mischievous jumping all over my equipment, and it looked like they were already posing for the camera when one hit the button. The sound got his attention and he kept pressing it. At first it scared the rest of them away but they soon came back – it was amazing to watch.”

“He must have taken hundreds of pictures by the time I got my camera back, but not very many were in focus. He obviously hadn’t worked that out yet. I wish I could have stayed longer as he probably would have taken a full family album.”

...

The authenticity of the images was questioned on Twitter but Slater says they are genuine. “They do look strange anyway because of their punk hairdo and their reddish eyes.”


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/04/shutter-happy-monkey-photographer#

25 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Macaque borrows photographer's camera to take hilarious self-portraits (Original Post) progressoid Feb 2013 OP
Love this, although I fully expected to see a photo of George Allen. Oh...wait... CurtEastPoint Feb 2013 #1
That's insulting progressoid Feb 2013 #3
Me too!!! Derek in Iowa Feb 2013 #19
This so richly belongs on the Greatest Page. Baitball Blogger Feb 2013 #2
Thanks. progressoid Feb 2013 #4
I love it! Arkansas Granny Feb 2013 #5
The first shot is hilarious..... AnneD Feb 2013 #6
the first one is focused professionally, on the eyes. which sort of makes me doubt it. robinlynne Feb 2013 #10
if the aperture is closed down, as it would be in bright light, you get high depth of field BlancheSplanchnik Feb 2013 #20
correct, but it would not focus on the eyes. autofocus focuses on the center of the image. robinlynne Feb 2013 #22
uh huh...but I'm pretty sure there's still enough depth of field for the whole face to be sharp BlancheSplanchnik Feb 2013 #23
which is why I pointed out that that particular pic is different. nose is out of focus. robinlynne Feb 2013 #24
ah, see now BlancheSplanchnik Feb 2013 #25
Well, they have been typing RW policies for years now siligut Feb 2013 #7
The first shot is gorgeous. Curmudgeoness Feb 2013 #8
The second photo has a copyright notice on it. Jim Lane Feb 2013 #9
Kicking for morning smiles! CrispyQ Feb 2013 #11
LOL! nt OnyxCollie Feb 2013 #12
The first pic is hilarious. . . h2ebits Feb 2013 #13
does this prove any monkey can take a good photograph? I'm KIDDING!!! tomm2thumbs Feb 2013 #14
heh heh progressoid Feb 2013 #15
I'm sure they only posted the good shots tomm2thumbs Feb 2013 #16
As soon at they start using PhotoShop, I'm quitting! progressoid Feb 2013 #17
Say cheese! n/t area51 Feb 2013 #18
that face! these are great. thanks for the info and pics. K&R Tuesday Afternoon Feb 2013 #21

robinlynne

(15,481 posts)
10. the first one is focused professionally, on the eyes. which sort of makes me doubt it.
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 07:46 PM
Feb 2013

On autofocus, the camera would have focused on her mouth, in the center of the frame. The other 2 shots are focused in the center.
I dun know about that first shot....

BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
20. if the aperture is closed down, as it would be in bright light, you get high depth of field
Sun Feb 17, 2013, 01:41 PM
Feb 2013

That means that most of the shot, from say, 5 feet from lens to the far distance, will be in focus.

So there is a lot of focused area front and back of the point of auto-focus....

With a lower light condition, like this with lots of ambient light but not as bright as full sun, you have a shorter depth of field. So you still have an area before and behind the focal piont that is sharp, but past that area blurs, like we are seeing here.

BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
23. uh huh...but I'm pretty sure there's still enough depth of field for the whole face to be sharp
Wed Feb 20, 2013, 02:10 PM
Feb 2013

You can see in the other pics that the DoF looks like it's about 4 or so feet deep..couple of feet ahead and couple of feet past the focal point.

robinlynne

(15,481 posts)
24. which is why I pointed out that that particular pic is different. nose is out of focus.
Sun Feb 24, 2013, 02:07 PM
Feb 2013

There is little depth of field, and somehow the eyes are in focus.

BlancheSplanchnik

(20,219 posts)
25. ah, see now
Sun Feb 24, 2013, 03:52 PM
Feb 2013

Been web surfing with my phone. Pic looked focused...so I zoomed in and you're right, the nose, teeth, chin slightly out of focus.


Looking forward to gettin DSL set up tomorrow!

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
8. The first shot is gorgeous.
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 03:36 PM
Feb 2013

The second shot is so studious!

I love these.....and she is obviously having fun with her reflection in the lens. This brightens my day!

 

Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)
9. The second photo has a copyright notice on it.
Wed Feb 13, 2013, 05:40 PM
Feb 2013

Is the Calers News Agency claiming that it cut some kind of deal with the macaque to acquire the copyright?

tomm2thumbs

(13,297 posts)
14. does this prove any monkey can take a good photograph? I'm KIDDING!!!
Fri Feb 15, 2013, 01:53 AM
Feb 2013

but it does give me pause hahahahahah

tomm2thumbs

(13,297 posts)
16. I'm sure they only posted the good shots
Fri Feb 15, 2013, 02:10 AM
Feb 2013


Probably every 1 out of 100 monkey shots is good whereas an amateur human ratio would be more like 1 out of 30 and a professional photographer would be 1 out of 4 <g>

(am I still digging deeper?) bwahhahahaha

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