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Kurukadi Mumba
Kurukadi Mumba
VitaminB


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2009-11 (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: Challenge Entries
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8D
Location: Reptilia
Date: Nov 15, 2009
Aperture: 3.2
ISO: 320
Shutter: 1/60
Galleries: Animals, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Nov 15, 2009

 Kurukadi and Mumba are Twin Iguana Spirits. One white, one black.
Source

The two totemic ancestors of many legendary cycles. Lizard men. One of them was called Kurukadi and his totem was the iguana; the other's name was Mumba and his totem was the black iguana. The Mandjindja in western Australia believe that the Wati-kutjara descended from the mountains during the ‘dream time’, the age in which the ancestral spirits sleeping beneath the ground arose and wandered the earth. The Wati-kutjara made ceremonial instruments, like the inma board: the dark patches in the Milky Way, known as kadri-paruvilpi-ulu or ‘river course sky’, are boards they placed in the sky, while those given to men on earth are the means of remaining in contact with the ‘dreaming’ ancestors.

When the moon man Kulu, or Kidilli, attempted to force the first women, the lizard men struck and wounded him with their magical boomerang. Kulu soon afterwards died in an obscure water hole. This was the first death. A variant states that the conical mound associated with this conflict represents Kidilli's phallus, which the Wati-kutjara cut off. And the molested women, ancestral spirits rather than the first human beings, are said to have fled to the sky and become the Pleiades.
Source

Post Challenge:
Thanks for all the comments and favourites. This is a Free Study PB for me :)

For those who asked about the detail/sharpening, I used the Adamus sharpening technique. It has been described in the forums, so I wont go into it here, but if you cannot find it, send me a pm and I will tell you what I know of it.

Thanks again.

Statistics
Place: 20 out of 366
Avg (all users): 6.6144
Avg (commenters): 8.0909
Avg (participants): 6.6727
Avg (non-participants): 6.4651
Views since voting: 1503
Views during voting: 374
Votes: 153
Comments: 17
Favorites: 3 (view)

Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 12/08/2009 06:32:55 AM
I think this was my favourite of the challenge - such detail and quality of exposure. 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 12/08/2009 06:32:02 AM
Congrats on your top 20 buddy!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G
 12/08/2009 12:39:27 AM
look at that quality... wow
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D90
Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D
 12/08/2009 12:03:42 AM
Nice Finish!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital
 12/07/2009 11:57:32 PM
The capture of detail and light in this is awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D700
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 12/07/2009 04:27:53 PM
Glorious clarity, gorgeous black and white.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8
 12/07/2009 09:54:59 AM
Nice detail. Really brings out the dragon look these guys often have.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO
 12/06/2009 10:23:07 PM
Post-vote comment:
I gave this a pretty high vote, I love the incredible detail showing and the good range of B/W tones in it. I'm a sucker for detail and texture. About the only nitpick I might make is a bit of extra empty space at the top of the frame. I would have probably cropped it to try and put his eye in a ROT location. Not always possible, I don't know what you had to work with out of the camera.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 12/06/2009 05:21:00 PM
He looks smug..lol Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Panasonic Lumix G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Mega O.I.S lens
 12/06/2009 04:26:05 PM
Wow! Incredible sharpness and detail. I would love to know what sharpening / resizing method you used -- I had to check that my screen hadn't suddenly doubled its DPI!! Wonderful tones, too.

The branch on the left is a bit distracting, but still: I wish I had take this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D80
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX
 12/05/2009 02:52:56 PM
Great detail. Sharp as you like.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 12/04/2009 11:19:20 PM
Absolutely terrific. Among best in show! Detail, clarity, focus, composition ... and of course, a kick ass subject!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Leica SL
Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical MF Wide Angle - Black
 12/03/2009 02:46:11 PM
Wonderful focus and this works so well in monochrome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 12/03/2009 01:48:39 PM
what a lazy eyed monster...I am interested in seeing this in color...as their colors can be outstanding...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 12/01/2009 04:22:58 PM
Wonderful rich tones!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR
 12/01/2009 12:05:40 PM
great shot- top 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro M.Zuiko Digital ED
 12/01/2009 09:19:13 AM
GREAT detail in this shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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