Just Horsin' Around

[ScoutR]

Horsicons?

#1. I'm All Ears


#2. Whatever!


#3. Sounds Interesting


#4. OMG


Wendy

[wilgk]

Did you bob up and down behind the wall and go peek-a-boo to get these reactions?

[Katy Noelle]

They're all so funny, Wendy! In the last one, the horse's 'eyebrows' actually looked crinkled with surprise. Thanks for the LOL!

[speedneeder]

The title of #4 is perfect

These photos remind of a 'revelation' I had the other day. Sometimes changing your perspective dramatically changes the image and/or background.

[ScoutR]

Thanks U3, I'm glad someone else sees the humour. I'm going a bit stir crazy right now (housebound) so it does not take much for me to break into hysterical laughter.

Brian: Getting low for these shots was the only option, otherwise the background was way too cluttered, trees, housed, hydro wires and poles.... As soon as I changed the angle though I liked them a lot, the humour was just an added bonus.

Technically, I know there is chromatic abberation and probably halos, and more than likely other stuff too, but I do like the angle and will probably try to get more. These are taken at the horse & buggy parking lot in town, so there is usually something parked there, and I do get to go shopping once and awhile and always take the camera with me just in case.

Thanks for you comments and feedback

Wendy

[tameigh]

Wendy,
Now for the second C.

What did you have the EC set to? It looks like you may have overdone it just a tad. The sky seems blown out around the horse's ears and that little tuft of hair on the head. I only ask this because I had the same thing happen to some pics I took of small birds in the snow. Being small birds though, the pictures were unusable. Here, I wouldn't even notice it except I am sensitive to it because of my own experience.

- Tim

[ScoutR]

Tim, you are absolutely right. The sky is not just blown out around the horses head the whole sky is totally blown out. EC on the first shot was +1. The other three were taken with the on camera flash set at -2 and -1 EC. I was not at all worried about the blown out sky as I wanted the detail on the horses face. It was a dull grey day anyway and the sky would have looked much the same blown or not. I know there is chromatic aberration caused by this but, for me I can live with that, as this is what I wanted the shot to look like, and right now this is the only way I am capable of doing it. Many of my bird shots have the same blown out sky or snow, but I'm more concerned about the exposure on the bird. Of course I prefer when I get the point where I still have the detail on the bird without the blown out snow, but sometimes it does not work that way. I prefer the blown snow or sky (if its a grey sky) to the noise I get on a underexposed bird, and I'm just not good enough yet to get it perfect. Working on it though in my own chaotic way.

I know there are probably better and more correct ways to get the look I want, but right now this is what works for me. It could be that on my monitor these look OK but on other monitors they look horrible. With the bird shots, that would bother me, but these are more about the horses expression than about technical correctness and whether the sky is blown or not.

I have noticed that we both like the same type of shots, so I am always watching your posts to see what I can learn. You are very fussy and much more technically inclined than myself, so I'm open to any and all tips you come up with for dealing with a dark subject on a light background. My next project is low key, which I think is going to be very challenging

Wendy

[mythlady]

Wendy, these are so funny, and if not perfect, no matter. Do you really have people who go around with horse and buggy where you are??

[tameigh]

Wendy,
I think you are right, short of Klieg lights, there is probably not a lot you can do. I don't know if you have any way to spread out the light of the flash so that the top of the head gets the same treatment the bottom is currently getting? The ears are already flirting with underexposure, so you probably don't have a lot of scope to play around. Exposure bracketing isn't going to work to catch those expressions. It doesn't look "horrible", I have just been struggling with the same problem. We shoot under similar conditions a lot I think. Might have to do with the fact that I live about ten miles from the Canadian border, so I always check your posts.

I feel the same way about snow. Snow itself is usually not very interesting, so let it blow, let it blow, let it blow, I say. Maybe nanotechnology will come up with a sensor that has the kind of dynamic range our eye enjoys. Until then, there will always be situations where compromise is required. It is correct to keep your "eyes on the prize" and focus on capturing the expressions, which are great, BTW.
-Tim

[ScoutR]

Wendy, these are so funny, and if not perfect, no matter. Do you really have people who go around with horse and buggy where you are??

Thanks Elise and yes horse and buggy is a common mode of transportation in this area. It is Mennonite country. The town I recently moved to has almost as many parking spots for horses as it does for cars.

The Mennonites do not like to have their pictures taken and it's not easy but I try to respect that and stick to their horses and farms. If I do take shots with people I make sure they are not the main subject or are not identifiable.



Thanks again for the feedback
Wendy

[ScoutR]

Wendy,
I think you are right, short of Klieg lights, there is probably not a lot you can do. I don't know if you have any way to spread out the light of the flash so that the top of the head gets the same treatment the bottom is currently getting? The ears are already flirting with underexposure, so you probably don't have a lot of scope to play around. Exposure bracketing isn't going to work to catch those expressions. It doesn't look "horrible", I have just been struggling with the same problem. We shoot under similar conditions a lot I think. Might have to do with the fact that I live about ten miles from the Canadian border, so I always check your posts.

I feel the same way about snow. Snow itself is usually not very interesting, so let it blow, let it blow, let it blow, I say. Maybe nanotechnology will come up with a sensor that has the kind of dynamic range our eye enjoys. Until then, there will always be situations where compromise is required. It is correct to keep your "eyes on the prize" and focus on capturing the expressions, which are great, BTW.
-Tim

Thanks Tim, I don't know what Klieg lights are and probably don't want to find out because I know I can't afford them and even if I could dragging stuff around spoils the fun for me. so I'm sure they would sit on the shelf unused.

I have a diffuser that I could use, but I don't carry that around with me either when I go shopping. I see what you mean though on the first shot. I think the last 3 with the flash are a bit better, but like you say from that angle and -2 it just didn't carry to the ears.

I've used the reduced power flash on some of my bird shots as well with farily good results. It's tricky finding the right settings though to get the light on the subject without blowing out highlights, and when shooting in the sun of course by the time I find the right setting the light has changed. That's why I have really begun to like shooting on dull days. There is just not as much to worry about, and I'm kind of a gloomy puss anyway, so I like the look.

Wendy

[ilovelucydog]

Those are great, Wendy! They made me smile... I needed a smile today.

[mythlady]

I'm just catching up with the rest of this thread -- how interesting! My friend owns a B&B in rural Minnesota where there are many Amish, and I had a great day going around with her once to their houses, to see the quilts and baskets they had for sale -- such an interesting way of life, and so photogenic, even if you have to be respectful of their wishes! I love the last pic.