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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Nine: Composition -- putting it together > Crab’s Den, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 1978
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Crab’s Den, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 1978

The rhythmic repetition of the flow of line in both rock and crab, unify this image and make it cohesive. The crab, clad in the shockingly bright primary colors of red and yellow, contrasts vividly to its den of black lava. This shot, organized around the contrast in color and unity in form, is my comment on the remote nature of these isolated islands in the Pacific and its effect on wildlife. Predation here is unknown, and protective coloration is unnecessary. Over the centuries, nature has enabled these colorful crabs to standout from their environment, instead of blending in. And that's the point of my picture.

Nikormat FT,Vivitar 70-200mm zoom
Scanned from a Kodachrome transparency. full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis12-Feb-2007 23:42
Glad this shot makes you think about coloration, Ceci. That is the point of the picture. It is one of the oldest images in my galleries --I made it almost 30 years ago, and it will never become dated. It will most likely even outlive the film I used to make it - Kodachrome. (It is no accident that Kodak picked the same primary colors, yellow and red, for its logo. )
Guest 12-Feb-2007 19:56
Ooooo, a plastic comic book creature, wedged in between what was once molten material! Love this shot of such a cheerful little creature living in an unpredacious landscape, where it can zip around in such brilliant glory without fear of being eaten. This photo looks more like a drawing from the mind of a zany artist (surely this is what Universal Design IS?) than something alive. I have to wonder what shade it would turn if humans decided to catch and boil it alive, when it's already scarlet? I have become more squeamish as I mature, and am not up for the dropping of live animals into scalding water in order for them to be consumed. Happy little crab!
Kimberley Hannaman Taylor09-Jun-2005 13:04
It's a natural example of the photographer's trick of colorizing one part of an image while leaving the remainder in black and white. Amazing!
Thank you for visiting all these places and sharing your views.
Kimberley
Phil Douglis22-Oct-2003 20:17
Vanessa, you are the first to comment on this image. The color is quite a jolt, isn't it? When I saw this crab, the first thing I thought of was an ad for Kodachrome film (I wonder why?) Your operative word here is "vibrant". Whenever I am looking for color, I look first for the most vibrant -- usually the primary colors, red and yellow. Then I look for color as contrast and context. In this case, the black lava was ideal. The crab is not yet entirely visible -- the surge of vibrant color seems to slowly creep out at us from under those flowing rocks. You feel its sensual effect, which is what I often shoot for. I want viewers of my pictures not only to see them, but if possible to also feel them, hear them, and perhaps even smell or taste them as well. (Ready for that crabfest?)
Vanessa Y 22-Oct-2003 18:36
Once again, Phil, :Guest", was me.
Guest 22-Oct-2003 18:12
I love the vibrant colors in this image, Phil. The bright yellow and red command the viewer's attention, while the flowing lines soothe the senses.
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