Post your Horse Shots Here

[RonH]

Thanks for your comments ... it took 'our ladies' no time at all to note the mucky nose And it was at the local Derby Day.
Oops, I should have cloned it out of the pic ... sorry Ms Horse to let you down

[ldunnvt]

A different type of "flying horse"

[ldunnvt]

This is real horsepower from the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex, VT. The sled weighs 7000 lbs on this pull.

[ScoutR]

Oh my, I hope they did not have to pull that very far, I also hope they got a good rubdown when they got home. That is a really heavy load.

Wendy

[Dave Humphries]

Nikon D5000 + Nikon 18-200mm VR: 1/1500s f/8 at 82mm iso800

Not perfect I know; I could have done without the jump behind (I have already removed a fence and third jump) plus taken just a tiny fraction earlier perhaps?

Perhaps if the rider was looking this way a little more? and if it were single jump instead of a short double - that would have helped simplify the image, but hey - I didn't design the course, all I did was stand in the wrong place

Never-the-less, there are some things I quite like about it; it's fairly sharp, we can see the hooves and shoes plus the clean saddle and tail.

Horse lovers; please click the image to enjoy in Lytebox at 1,100px × 786px

I might try Thierry's technique of a (much) wider aperture next time.

[ScoutR]

Dave, I like it a lot. As you said it's really hard to get these shots without some kind of distraction in the background. This is clear and sharp and you got the horse in the air. You mention that you wish the rider was looking this way a little more. Actually to me the rider is looking in the direction of the next jump and to me that enhances the shot.

Wendy

[Dave Humphries]

Dave, I like it a lot. As you said it's really hard to get these shots without some kind of distraction in the background. This is clear and sharp and you got the horse in the air. You mention that you wish the rider was looking this way a little more. Actually to me the rider is looking in the direction of the next jump and to me that enhances the shot.

Hi Wendy,

Thanks

Oh yes I agree about where she's looking, but if she had been coming this way next ...

I found it quite hard to get a good focus without it going off lock as it passed in front of the jump supports (as I was panning with it on this occasion), I got lucky here.

Thanks again,

[Amberglass]

[wilgk]

It was raining quite a lot, but that doesn't deter the riders, so I had no excuse...

[Dave Humphries]

(30224)

Nikon D5000 + Nikon 18-200mm VR: 1/3000s f/8 at 35mm iso800 -0.5EC
Hit F11 and click image to see 1024 high x 674 wide

[ScoutR]

What a beautiful shot. Great angle, ears up, nice gentle eye. I really like this Dave . Such a nice model - almost like she read Colin's portrait tutorial and was striking a pose for you.

I see you got the 18-200 out again, and ISO 800 does not seem to be a problem for you at all. I've gone up to ISO 400 now so I can get faster shutter speeds, but I notice the noise (probably because I'm still underexposing everything to get rid of blinkies).

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Thanks for posting Amberglass: I especially like the last shot. Such an eager looking little pony.

Wendy

[ScoutR]

It was raining quite a lot, but that doesn't deter the riders, so I had no excuse...

Looks good to me Kay. Photographer and horse and rider get the blue ribbon (or red if that is the one for first)

Wendy

[Peter Ryan]

It’s the end of winter here and all the horses are being locked up to keep them off the rich spring grasses.

These three belong to neighbours but are in are ‘weight watchers’ paddock.

We have Kenny at 12.5 hands and we use him as a companion for Willy when we float him.



Elmo at around 11 hands - THE BOSS. His owners are not sure about him. They like to see his eyes so he has a fringe. He is with us for a little while, as his owner's neighbours have large dogs that they do not control and they chase him.



and Kelvin at around 9 hands tall. He just arrived the other day so we don't know much about him other than he is keeping the others company at the moment.

[ScoutR]

It’s the end of winter here and all the horses are being locked up to keep them off the rich spring grasses.

These three belong to neighbours but are in are ‘weight watchers’ paddock.


and Kelvin at around 9 hands tall. He just arrived the other day so we don't know much about him other than he is keeping the others company at the moment.

and that he like getting his picture taken. What cute wooly little ponies. What kind are they?

Wendy

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Wendy,

Kenny is just lovely. He is a Welsh ‘B’ pony. ‘B’ class is generally around 12 – 13.5 hands (I think). Under that they are classed as ‘A’s’ and above that Cobbs. You can take him anywhere and he works well in a cart.

The other two are Shetland Ponies but I do not know much about them.

Steph and I work in the city all week and our neighbours look after our horses and cats. We never know what is going to be in the paddocks when we get to the farm on Friday. But they are all good natured so it is nice to have them around.

Our neighbour also recues horse under the group Project Hope so we get some neglected horses from time to time but they soon fatten up at our place.

[Dave Humphries]

What a beautiful shot. Great angle, ears up, nice gentle eye. I really like this Dave . Such a nice model - almost like she read Colin's portrait tutorial and was striking a pose for you.

Yes, I have never had a more co-operative subject, she (I think her name is Fleur) was very interested in everything going on around her. She wasn't ridden at the show, just loaded, taken there in the horsebox, unloaded and stood there for a few hours, then went home again - all part of her training as you know.

I see you got the 18-200 out again, and ISO 800 does not seem to be a problem for you at all. I've gone up to ISO 400 now so I can get faster shutter speeds, but I notice the noise (probably because I'm still underexposing everything to get rid of blinkies).

Yes, I needed something wider than 70mm

This was exposed as you describe, there was minimal blinkies and clipping on just a couple of the background vehicles and tents (since reduced further in PP). It had the ACR Blacks set to 0 and Fill Light to 5 (from memory/exif) and Highlight Recovery to 70, that gave me room to apply a little (15%) LCE.

I do use Neat Image almost without fail on anything over 400iso if I know I want to use it large (this was 3150px tall after cropping (from 4828px). The reason I cropped so much was because when I saw the head and body I had composed for, being so close gave a 'massive head/tiny body' look which wasn't attractive

I am finding it is better to use Neat Image so I can capture sharpen with a low threshold (0 - 2) rather than not use and rely on downsizing to eliminate noise and only output sharpen.

Unfortunately, I noticed, when processing one of yours recently, the D3000 seemed to be about a stop noisier than the D5000.
I'll have to try a G1 shot and see what that's like sometime

Thanks,

[ScoutR]

Hi Wendy,

Steph and I work in the city all week and our neighbours look after our horses and cats. We never know what is going to be in the paddocks when we get to the farm on Friday. But they are all good natured so it is nice to have them around.

Our neighbour also recues horse under the group Project Hope so we get some neglected horses from time to time but they soon fatten up at our place.

Sounds like an ideal setup. I think I would have loved boarding my horse at your place back in the day.
Wendy

[ScoutR]

Yes, I needed something wider than 70mm

Ooops, I forgot the it was a 70 -300 not 18-300. Silly me!

This was exposed as you describe, there was minimal blinkies and clipping on just a couple of the background vehicles and tents (since reduced further in PP). It had the ACR Blacks set to 0 and Fill Light to 5 (from memory/exif) and Highlight Recovery to 70, that gave me room to apply a little (15%) LCE.

Now, when you say 15% LCE Do you mean amount 15%? What about the Radius. Just curious.

I do use Neat Image almost without fail on anything over 400iso if I know I want to use it large (this was 3150px tall after cropping (from 4828px). The reason I cropped so much was because when I saw the head and body I had composed for, being so close gave a 'massive head/tiny body' look which wasn't attractive

Neat Image looks like it does a very nice job. I downloaded it a long time ago but have never gotten around to installing it. I think I must make the time and get used to using it, because my shutter speeds are usually WAY too slow at ISO 200 for the type of shots I'm trying to take lately.

I am finding it is better to use Neat Image so I can capture sharpen with a low threshold (0 - 2) rather than not use and rely on downsizing to eliminate noise and only output sharpen.

OK, time for another lesson. I always have the Threshold set to zero. How do you determine what you want to set the threshold at. I usually leave the Radius at .3 for Capture and Output sharpening but I do change the amount for output sharpening depending on the shot. (I can see the change now that I follow your instructions and make sure I am always viewing at 100%.) I still don't notice much of a change in Capture sharpening, but I do it anyway.

Unfortunately, I noticed, when processing one of yours recently, the D3000 seemed to be about a stop noisier than the D5000.
I'll have to try a G1 shot and see what that's like sometime

I think the shot you worked on for me recently might be an unfair example. The exposure was very bad on that one, and if I am not mistaken, that increases the noise - Yes/No?

Just let me know anytime you see something you might like to experiment with. I find the G1 seems noisier than the Nikon (but again that could be my exposure issues.) The shots from the G1 do seem to respond nicely to Post Processing though, especially NR and Sharpening, if that makes any sense.

Thanks for the details Dave. I really like the look of this shot. It is so natural looking so I'm very interested to get clarification on the Processing you did. No rush though, whenever you have time.

Wendy

[Dave Humphries]

Now, when you say 15% LCE Do you mean amount 15%? What about the Radius. Just curious.

Good question, I realised after posting that one figure without the other wasn't much help
I can't remember exactly, but probably around 40-50px.

Neat Image looks like it does a very nice job. I downloaded it a long time ago but have never gotten around to installing it. I think I must make the time and get used to using it, because my shutter speeds are usually WAY too slow at ISO 200 for the type of shots I'm trying to take lately.

Yes, worth a go, I wouldn't be without it.
Remember there's some 'get you going' help here; Neat Image, a simple workflow

OK, time for another lesson. I always have the Threshold set to zero. How do you determine what you want to set the threshold at. I usually leave the Radius at .3 for Capture and Output sharpening but I do change the amount for output sharpening depending on the shot. (I can see the change now that I follow your instructions and make sure I am always viewing at 100%.) I still don't notice much of a change in Capture sharpening, but I do it anyway.

Leaving it at 0 will sharpen noise, giving a speckled effect, this may discourage you from applying enough.

I think the shot you worked on for me recently might be an unfair example. The exposure was very bad on that one, and if I am not mistaken, that increases the noise - Yes/No?

Fixing the exposure, by raising the shadows is what increases it, which is probably what you meant.

Thanks for the details Dave. I really like the look of this shot. It is so natural looking so I'm very interested to get clarification on the Processing you did. No rush though, whenever you have time.

Thanks, it came out OK, but a lot was down to having a good model.
I didn't do an awful lot to it in PP; sort the basics out in ACR, open in Elements, Neat Image at 50% Luminance.
Crop, then capture sharpen with USM: 270%, 0.3, 1th (after Neat Image), then the LCE with USM: 15%, 50px(?), 0th.
Bit of burning to dim the tents, vehicles and path in background, tiny bit of cloning on RHS of grass.
Downsize to 1024 height, about 1/3 the orignal from crop. Output sharpen with USM: probably 80%, 0.3px, 0th.

Anyway, here we go hijacking an image thread with PP talk so I'd better post another picture.


Nikon D5000 + Nikon 18-200mm VR: 1/4000s f/8 at 46mm iso800
F11 and click image to see at 1024 high.

Very similar processing to the above description for the first picture. I just had to clone out half a lorry mirror and a distant car this time.

Looking at my shutter speed, I should have dropped the iso to 200
And there was -0.5 EC which I had to add back in on PP, so now who can't get the exposure right?

Cheers,