Chesnut in the Snow

[ScoutR]

Smile: 1/1250s: f5.6: 130mm: +2/3 EV: ISO 800


Smile For the Camera by Wendy FS, on Flickr

Bored: 1/160s: f16: 135mm: =1 EV: ISO 800


Bored with the Camera by Wendy FS, on Flickr

C&C welcome, I just like them because I like horses.
Wendy

[epmi314]

Wendy,

Wow! I thought you used selective color at first glance. The contrast between the horse and the background is wonderful especially in the first. I love simple and would have preferred no house and little less fence behind and to the left but that's a just me. Either way I think this is a great!

[kezmal]

Oh Wendy they are divine. I just cried out to hubby "I want Snow" LOL. A mighty fine looking horse and you've captured him beautifully.

[rpcrowe]

Lovely...

[annie5154]

What beautiful photos ... well done

[Fit]

Stunning captures, Wendy.

[Rob Douglas]

Great job Wendy! I like the first one. The contrast of color is amazing along with the detail and texture of the horses hide. One question though... is the vignetting in the first image intentional? Only asking because it's only really noticeable in the upper left corner so IMO it doesn't add to the image. It's actually a bit distracting.

[Jack R Mann]

great shots wendy. like 1st the best.personally i like the fence in 1.

[FrankMi]

The first one in particular is a beautifully executed composition, Wendy. The colour and sharpness of the horse against the white background really sets up the shot. I only see two very minor items that caught my eye, the wires in the top left and the colored sticks behind the fence and neither of them is of any real concern.

[ScoutR]

I thought you used selective color at first glance.

no need for selective colour around here lately. The days are dull and dreary and the landscape is the same. I do like shooting on days like this though and I like the results when I find just a bit of colour in an otherwise monotonous landscape. It's representative to me of the type of winter we are having. Last year was a fresh coat of white fluffy snow every morning. This year it's rained more than it's snowed.

I just cried out to hubby "I want Snow" LOL. A mighty fine looking horse and you've captured him beautifully.

Thanks Kerry, We don't have much snow here either. I was surprised that there was so much left in this field. Thanks for the feedback, I take it you are a horse lover too.

One question though... is the vignetting in the first image intentional? Only asking because it's only really noticeable in the upper left corner so IMO it doesn't add to the image. It's actually a bit distracting.

The vignetting was intentional, but I agree that it really does not serve any purpose, and actually looks unbalanced this way. My reasoning at the time was that I did not want the house to distract from the horse. I thought the vignetting would help. I think I was wrong. I have a couple other things to rework on this one and the vignetting will probably go.

great shots wendy. like 1st the best.personally i like the fence in 1.

Thanks Jack, I like the fence on the right (screen) too. Not the buildings and other clutter though. Wouldn't it have been nice if that fence extended off to the horizon without any other buildings or fences in the background.

I only see two very minor items that caught my eye, the wires in the top left and the colored sticks behind the fence and neither of them is of any real concern.

I knew someone would notice the wires. I meant to take them out - really I did. The coloured sticks bother me too, but I'm not so sure I'll be able to clone them out without making a mess. I plan to rework this one though so I will give it a try.

Thanks everyone for the positive comments and helpful suggestions.

Wendy

[MiniChris]

Love #2. Nice trail leading to the horse...lots of good negative space to not let the horse overpower the scene.

[Bobobird]

Wow Wendy these are amazing pics.

You have been some some great pics of snow lately and I love em all.

Wish it would snow a bit around here. Nothing in the GTA so far this winter.

[Harpo]

Excellent Wendy! The horse is well defined and looks good! Alot of horses out where I live dont look as good as this one!

[Kathy O]

Wendy,
As I am reading through some of these posts on your photos, I really find it hard to see how someone can look at these photos and pick out flaws! I definately do not have an eye for detail I guess (quite obvious by some of my photo's I have posted) but when I opened this thread and saw that first photo I swear my heart started racing, the beauty of that photo (and also the second photo) are undescribable. I love the vignetting in the corner it adds softness to the photo and the house in the background I don't see the problem, the vignetting actually softens the house and I think it adds something to the photo. I know this kinda sounds like a rant . . . but I really wanted you to know how special I think this photo is to the average eye. Thanks for sharing Wendy!

[kezmal]

Yes Wendy I am definitely a horse lover. I had my own horse but unfortunately for only a short time before I joined the RAAF when I was younger. Agree with Kathy's comments, stunning photos which I find perfect. I do see where the others have pointed things out, but to me they add to the beauty of the photo. The vignetting in the upper left makes it look like a foggy winter morning which adds to the mystery and beauty of the photo.

[Donald]

It's all been said already. These are, very much, 'you'.

You use of the foreshortening of that fence on the right in the first one, is wonderful.

[Sahil]

At the outset, you have a very beautiful horse.
And its an outstanding image. I have scrolled up thrice to have a look at it, but just can't seem to have enough of it. Truly remarkable. Very well exposed & neat. Hats off.

[Shadowman]

When I saw the title I could visualize how this looked before scanning down to the actual photo and I was very pleased with what I saw. Beautiful horse, nicely exposed snow, great background. Looks like an escape attempt on the second photo.

[Skyline]

All I can say is...... love them.

[ScoutR]

You have been some some great pics of snow lately and I love em all.

Wish it would snow a bit around here. Nothing in the GTA so far this winter.

Thanks Bobo. Some of the really snowy pics were from last winter. Not much snow here this winter either. Be patient, I'm sure we'll get some before spring gets here.

Excellent Wendy! The horse is well defined and looks good! Alot of horses out where I live don't look as good as this one!

Thanks Mike: wish I could say all the horses around here looked as well cared for as this one. Many are truly just beasts of burden and look like they just get enough attention to keep them going.

Wendy,
As I am reading through some of these posts on your photos, I really find it hard to see how someone can look at these photos and pick out flaws! I definitely do not have an eye for detail I guess (quite obvious by some of my photo's I have posted) but when I opened this thread and saw that first photo I swear my heart started racing, the beauty of that photo (and also the second photo) are undescribable. I love the vignetting in the corner it adds softness to the photo and the house in the background I don't see the problem, the vignetting actually softens the house and I think it adds something to the photo. I know this kinda sounds like a rant . . . but I really wanted you to know how special I think this photo is to the average eye. Thanks for sharing Wendy!

Kathy: Don't be upset about the critique, I find it very helpful. I've been at CiC for a couple years now and when I first came here every time I posted a shot I'd be asked: "Wendy, what is the subject of this shot" Should be an easy question to answer, but when I looked I didn't really have a reply. Then there were (and still are) the technical critiques and trying to get some kind of feeling into the shot. These are all things that I didn't even think about when I got the camera and joined here. I started reading every post of every thread (it wasn't as busy back then) and I learned that so many little things tie together to make a good shot. I still have a long way to go, but I've learned a lot, and now try to think about all those little details, it's not my natural inclination to have an eye for them.
Thank you so much for your comments, I'm thrilled when I get such a reaction. You've given me something to think about with the vignetting, although I still think it's not quite right, what you said is what I wanted it to do, but now when I look at it it just looks like vignetting, it's not complete somehow or other.

Agree with Kathy's comments, stunning photos which I find perfect. I do see where the others have pointed things out, but to me they add to the beauty of the photo. The vignetting in the upper left makes it look like a foggy winter morning which adds to the mystery and beauty of the photo.

Thanks Kerry, now I'm really unsure about the vignetting. I guess I am just going to have to try it both ways and check it out. What you and Kathy have said you see is what I was trying to do. Add softness to the background and make it look foggy, which it was but only slightly and I lost all the fogginess when processing for the horse.
Anyway thanks again. I don't get this kind of reaction to a shot very often. The subject matter helps a lot in this one though. How could I go wrong with such an obliging model.

It's all been said already. These are, very much, 'you'.

You use of the foreshortening of that fence on the right in the first one, is wonderful.

Thanks Donald, the fence is what drew my attention in the first place. Not much snow here, but we had a windstorm the day before and the snow was blown up against the fence. It looked interesting so I took a walk, and then Big Red came over. I kept hoping he would get close enough for me to include the fence and he was very obliging.

At the outset, you have a very beautiful horse.
And its an outstanding image. I have scrolled up thrice to have a look at it, but just can't seem to have enough of it. Truly remarkable. Very well exposed & neat. Hats off.

Thanks Sahil, It's hard to screw up with such a great model. He is nice isn't he with that white blaze and four white socks. It's a very well fed and cared for horse. Seems to like people too, very curious but short attention span, he got bored very quickly when I didn't have any snacks for him. Thanks again for the kind words much appreciated.

Thanks John and Dave and Chris and anyone I might have missed for the positive comments. I think the subject matter is hard to resist, but I will take credit for getting white snow, and I have been trying really hard to get better compositions, so I'm glad it worked out on these.

Wendy