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Tarapunga on the Maori Carving


Tarapunga on the Maori Carving
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3273 W: 268 N: 7756] (33094)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-23
Categories: Daily Life, Nature, Artwork
Camera: Canon EOS 30D, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-05-10 23:07
Viewed: 312
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Haere mai, haere mai, haere mai!!!

The Maori Tarapunga on the Maori Carving

This is a Maori carving I saw at the public gardens in Rotorua. On top of the head of this Maori carving is a tarapunga, the native New Zealand Red-billed seagull, found practically all over NZ.

Today many Maori people living in New Zealand are actively involved with keeping their culture and language alive.

Traditional carvers also help to keep Maori culture alive by creating intricate works that pay respect to the past. Every piece carved tells a story, which can be read by those who know how. The shape of the heads, position of the body as well as the surface patterns work together to record and remember events.

There are four main types of heads in Maori carving, the wheku, the ruru, the koruru and this one, the human head. Notice how he is holding a greenstone tool in his hand.
Sharpshooter, mikolaj_cava, chrisJ, joopschotsman, Saba, ubc64, jjcordier has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Janice,

A good dof has captured the carving and the bird with sharp focus against a naturally blurring b/g. Fine details of line and texture.

The bird has no respect for historical artefacts judging by the 'mess' on the statue!

Best wishes,
Bev :-)

Very nice colours, levels and sharpness here Janice - it's a great looking shot. The composition is spot-on and the bokeh of that subdued background is perfect.

Funny how we read expressions into things ... on the carving I see "oh well" resignation, on the seagull I see "what're you gonna do about it?"

Rew

Superb shot Janice, I really like how you've managed to fit him in with the trees in the background. The dark trees bring out all the details. Perfect focus and composition, nice note too. Looks great.

TFS,
Scott.

Hello Janice! Wonderful dove, amazing head. Original composition: art of nature. Fantastic shot. Good luck!

  • Great 
  • Dawn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1134 W: 100 N: 3363] (17532)
  • [2009-05-11 1:40]

Haere mai, haere mai, haere mai!!!

The old seagull eh... nice resting place for him Janice..lol

Great colours, and shapness on the subject with good OF background.. well done.


Interesting notes... thank you.

Ka kite ano
Awatea

  • Great 
  • chrisJ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4250 W: 414 N: 6762] (42455)
  • [2009-05-11 3:34]

Hi Janice

Very good use of a shallow dof, with superb colour & sharpness, & a nice juxtapositioning between the seagull & the wooden, Maori carving. Tfs!

Hi Janice,
The statue has a beautiful color. Your photo is very clear, has a great DOF and shows many details.
The sky is a bit distracting (brightness), but okay, it doesn't touch the bird.
TFS.
Joop!

  • Great 
  • Saba Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 589 W: 0 N: 1605] (9205)
  • [2009-05-11 9:28]

Hello Janice!

Sea-gull knew where to sit down.
Wisdom from this head by leg will pass to her...haha
Beauty composition...very pretty effect.

I congratulate realization and I greet.
Barbra

  • Great 
  • ubc64 Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 39 W: 1 N: 76] (352)
  • [2009-05-11 22:26]

Hi Janice,

What a great shot of the Tarapunga -- and the Maori carving. I love the extremely clear eye of the seagull. It's as though the seagull is on watch, so that no one messes with the carving. Very nice colors and details. Great blurred BG. We have red-billed gulls here also; ours are freshwater ones, called Franklin's Gulls. TFS.

Regards,
John

Janice
Belle photo! Le personnage semble très surpris du sans-gène de cette mouette -) Très belle netteté, de la mouette et de la statue. Je regrette aussi ce ciel trop blanc en arrière plan qui attire trop le regard (petit recadrage?)
Amicalement
JJ

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