In a pig's eye...

[NorthernFocus]

OK, it's a cow's eye, not a pig

This time of year I typically don't get out to shoot much. I took a camera along on a recent trip down south to visit some friends. They took us out to the family farm for an afternoon.

1) This calf was in a pen by itself being prepped for a show. Every time I got close to the fence to take a shot it walked up to me looking for a handout. So I took a closeup...

D7100, f/4.5 @ 85 mm, 1/320, ISO 400



2) This steer was another one of the show animals. He looked rather surly. I called this one 357 magnum.

D7100, f/4.5 @ 85 mm, 1/500, ISO 400



3) There was a lot of junk laying around the barnyard so it was difficult to get any decent shots of buildings etc. Here's the best attempt. I figured I'd offer the the B/W gurus an opportunity to critique my meager skills at conversion. For the international audience and urbanites in the USA, the MF on the tractor stands for Massey Furguson, not something a bit more vulgar.

D7100, f/8 @ 38 mm, 1/125, ISO 400, converted in LR

[Mike Buckley]

an opportunity to critique my meager skills at conversion.

My only advice is to stop calling your skills meager. The monochrome photo is my favorite of the set by a wide margin.

[Brownbear]

All beautifully photographed, as always. My favourite is the close up of the cows eye, different and exceptionally beautiful.

I love all the detail in the 3rd image but I'm imagining it in colour.

[ashcroft]

I like #2 very much, and it works even better as a square crop - it just fits in. Have you tried it? Makes it much more concentrated.

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Dan. I like the reflections in the eye in #1, #3 is very nice too I would crop half of the wooden door on the right in #3 for a more dynamic composition, IMO it looks a bit flat.

[Nicks Pics]

Nice to see some agricultural photography once in a while. There are a lot of photo op's in that area, and good subject matter. Seems like you knew what to do to make the most artistic use of those opportunities (in #1 and 3 particularly).

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Mike, from some of your prior comments I now fiddle around with the color filters until I get something I like. No idea what I'm doing, just fiddle until it looks presentable.

Christina, the cow/calf's eye was my favorite of the day too. It kept coming right up in my face and the lovely eyelashes prompted me to try a shot. But it really does smack of desperation for something to shoot, doesn't it?

Rob, thanks for the suggestion. I did try a square crop originally and opted for a bit of extra breathing room. It was basically a coin toss.

Binnur, I took a tighter shot also but on review decided to go with the one including the wheel barrow. Plus in the tighter composition my eye kept being drawn to the cans and junk in the barn near the tractor. I really wanted to shoot from the opposite angle but there was a fence in the way

[IzzieK]

Awww....I like #1 best. And your story. You are right about Mr. Surly -- he looks really mean. As for the black and white, it will be nice if you can lighten the back of the tractor to show even a bit of what is there inside...just a tad for guessing..

[Brownbear]

"But it really does smack of desperation for something to shoot, doesn't it?"

Not in my mind... Cows are beautiful, especially for their big brown eyes and long eyelashes. As a matter of fact I have quite a few cow photos stashed away on my computer...

[FootLoose]

I like the first shot, Dan. That is a pretty neat selfie.

I like the conversion of the 3rd. The one thing that bothers me about it, is the way the door frame runs at an angle to the image frame - and then converges with it. I don't know if it would be helped by allowing more space above it, or whether cropping it out would solve the problem - for me, at least.