Sometimes I stands and thinks, sometimes I just stands....

[ucci]

Latest pix of our big Bruno in his pen beside his favourite tree. He likes to sit in its shade during the day from where he has a good view of what is going on down below in Seymour. We have spread fine sand around its base to give him something soft to lie on. Okay, so he is spoiled! LOL FTI ( = for those interested) he is a Border Leicester-merino cross whether.

Thanks for viewing and any comments, disparaging or otherwise, you may care to post. All will be much appreciated. By sharing we learn.

[Donald]

The title is perfect. Fits the image wonderfully. Gave me a laugh at the start of another cold day up here on the northern fringes of Europe.

He's looking in great shape. Had a bit of a haircut since I last saw him, I think.

Photographically - a thought. Do we need so much space on the right hand side? My first reaction was that it needed a bit more tree, as that was right out on the left-hand edge. So, swing left a couple fo degrees and get more in. But then, thinking of a comment Mike made in the last 24/48 hours on another thread about the vertical orientation of the main subject(s) versus a landscape oriented image, I 'saw' that cropping at the right, quite hard in to Bruno's left flank, really threw more attention onto him and the tree.

Just an idea!

[AB26]

Ken I think you hit the exposure spot on. She is standing out form a background that compliments her wooly complex beautifully.
Have to disagree on "somtimes I stands and thinks" I belive they always just "stands".

You know what, I think I like this image. The tree and the wool, the fence and the background. The shade the sun - reminds me of days many moons ago.

[Ken MT]

Just don't fence me in

[Shadowman]

Very nice, almost identical pattern to the tree.

[rudi]

Hi Ken,
Very nice image.
To enhance I would also consider a crop. But unlike Donald, I would keep Bruno completely in the frame. I would like to see a bit more on the top and the bottom. With cropping, the highlights in the background will be more, or too prominent I think. So a little dodging & burning....I would also try to lighten his eye a bit, and selectif sharpening on the tree and on Bruno's head....
Just my 2cents...
Regards, Rudi

[ucci]

Thank you all for the useful feedback. I take your points Rudi. However the photo was cropped to produce the end result alluded to by Donald which was the effect I was after. I wanted more of an inclusive over all scene in which Bruno and the tree trunk dominated rather than a tight close up of just Bruno. And as for the background. It was over 35C degrees when this was taken and that was the colour of things out in the sun. I was trying for a contrast between the bright sun and Bruno's shade. Take the point about his eye. This was the one on which he had surgery as a lamb after being badly mauled by two cattle dogs.It is mishapen and I was trying not to draw too much attention to it. That is how we came to get Bruno to come live with us after this during his recovery. It took us a very long time to settle him down after this trauma.
Thank you Ken, Andre and John for commenting. Special thanks to Donald for your comment re the title and I am quite chuffed that it gave you a laugh. With all the rotten weather problems you have been having up your way I reckon laughs could be few and far between at the moment. Especially if you are still having to make those long trips to see your Dad.

[Mike Buckley]

Shooting from the low angle works fabulously with this! I just love the way the animal is eyeballing the viewer.

As Donald mentioned, I would go with either a square or slightly vertical composition. More important, the background is too intense for me and distracts from the animal. If it were mine, I would desaturate the entire background a bit. But it's not mine, so I respect whatever seems best for you.

[FootLoose]

I like it as it is, Ken. I downloaded it and cropped the rhs away, but that makes it a different image. I think the rhs is necessary to locate the old bloke in the narrative context. Just my opinion and I am no artist