[coachline56]

Hi,

Sorry for the late (re) entry. Ed??
   

Coachline

[EdMak]

Cooking by gas!! Cheers. Ed.

[coachline56]

Cooking by gas!! Cheers. Ed.

I'm always willing to listen and learn!!.

Regards

Coachline.

[Phil J]

Ed, definitely had a point there. It is indeed much better in its new incarnation.

[coachline56]

Ed, definitely had a point there. It is indeed much better in its new incarnation.

Thanks Phil

I could see the merit in Ed's original comment but until Philip put me on to the FastStone program I probably would have left it the way it was. I might have overdone the sharpening a wee bit but overall I'm pleased with it.

Regards

Coachline.

[Clicker2014]

Hello Phil.

I'm not fond of the tight crop in #1, but #2 and #3 are very good - in each of those the horse almost seems to be peering out through my monitor screen in 3D!

Philip

I have to agree re crop of #1... he/she needed to be turned so it didn't look so "flat" (only word I can think of). But I do love all detail in all of them and the composition. Looking good!

[Clicker2014]

This one is fabulous Phil. The detail and the mood are great. To me I feel as if it is a bit cool outside with a good breeze blowing. And to me the pony is looking for a gentle hand to reach out to it.
Sharon

What do you think of this one? Taken at a farm just outside Huntley in Aberdeenshire this Highland Pony just ambled over to the edge of her field and almost dared me to take her picture. I know nothing about her, but she was the most gentle animal I have ever encountered. I've nicknamed this particular photograph Mable, for no other reason than she just struck me as being a 'Mable'

Techie Stuff.

Nikon D300, F/7.1, 1/250th, ISO200, Exp Bias +0.3, 72mm M/Mode-Pattern, Aperture Priority.

[Phil J]

This one is fabulous Phil. The detail and the mood are great. To me I feel as if it is a bit cool outside with a good breeze blowing. And to me the pony is looking for a gentle hand to reach out to it.
Sharon

What do you think of this one? Taken at a farm just outside Huntley in Aberdeenshire this Highland Pony just ambled over to the edge of her field and almost dared me to take her picture. I know nothing about her, but she was the most gentle animal I have ever encountered. I've nicknamed this particular photograph Mable, for no other reason than she just struck me as being a 'Mable'

Techie Stuff.

Nikon D300, F/7.1, 1/250th, ISO200, Exp Bias +0.3, 72mm M/Mode-Pattern, Aperture Priority.

Thanks Sharon.

What I singularly failed to capture is that Mable was VERY pregnant at the time and apparently foaled about a week after I took the picture. A pity I couldn't have stayed in Scotland a week longer, as I'd have loved to have captured Mum and baby.

Best regards.

Phil.

[Clicker2014]

This one is fabulous Phil. The detail and the mood are great. To me I feel as if it is a bit cool outside with a good breeze blowing. And to me the pony is looking for a gentle hand to reach out to it.
Sharon

What do you think of this one? Taken at a farm just outside Huntley in Aberdeenshire this Highland Pony just ambled over to the edge of her field and almost dared me to take her picture. I know nothing about her, but she was the most gentle animal I have ever encountered. I've nicknamed this particular photograph Mable, for no other reason than she just struck me as being a 'Mable'

Techie Stuff.

Nikon D300, F/7.1, 1/250th, ISO200, Exp Bias +0.3, 72mm M/Mode-Pattern, Aperture Priority.

Thanks Sharon.

What I singularly failed to capture is that Mable was VERY pregnant at the time and apparently foaled about a week after I took the picture. A pity I couldn't have stayed in Scotland a week longer, as I'd have loved to have captured Mum and baby.

Best regards.

Phil.

Now that would have been very special! I got to see the ponies in S. England in the Moors.

[MrB]

Magpie

This one was photographed looking for scraps outside the Orangery Restaurant at Cliveden (National Trust) back in October (2013). This image is roughly a 40% (linear) crop of the original image, down-sampled to 900 pixels wide for this web page:

   

[ Pentax K-5II, ISO 1600, 18-135 zoom at 135mm, f/9, 1/200s.]

Philip

[Phil J]

[/quote]
Now that would have been very special! I got to see the ponies in S. England in the Moors.

[/quote]

Hi Sharon,

Yes there is definitely 'something special' about animals, particularly domesticated or semi-domesticated ones. I've never been able to quite put my finger on what it is, be it trust, innocence, unconditional love or whatever. There is always that indefinable 'something special', even with the 'heavy horses' like the Suffolk Punch and the Shire Horse, both of which are very powerful horses, there is this gentle quality about them.

Glade you enjoyed seeing the 'Dartmoor Ponies' when you were over in my part of the world.

Best regards.

Phil.

[Phil J]

Magpie

This one was photographed looking for scraps outside the Orangery Restaurant at Cliveden (National Trust) back in October (2013). This image is roughly a 40% (linear) crop of the original image, down-sampled to 900 pixels wide for this web page:



[ Pentax K-5II, ISO 1600, 18-135 zoom at 135mm, f/9, 1/200s.]

Philip

Philip,

Like the way in which you have framed this and the detail you've captured is verging on phenomenal. Altogether very impressive, you should give yourself a pat on the back.

Regards.

Phil.

[Phil J]

Magpie

This one was photographed looking for scraps outside the Orangery Restaurant at Cliveden (National Trust) back in October (2013). This image is roughly a 40% (linear) crop of the original image, down-sampled to 900 pixels wide for this web page:



[ Pentax K-5II, ISO 1600, 18-135 zoom at 135mm, f/9, 1/200s.]

Philip

Philip,

Like the way in which you have framed this and the detail you've captured is verging on phenomenal, I'd love to see it full size. Altogether very impressive, you should give yourself a pat on the back.

Regards.

Phil.

[Phil J]

So, after nearly two years without a Dog in our life, we bit the bullet just after Christmas (2013) and bought a puppy.

Therefore ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Buddy, our three month old Yorkshire Terrier puppy. We're so pleased to have him in our lives it's indescribable to accurately put into words our delight.

   

   

   

   

   

[MrB]

Phil,

Firstly, thank you for your nice comments about the magpie.

Secondly, you have a cute little Buddy there, and a nice set of cute photos - exposure and colours look great on my screen. They are all good, but I really like the creative composition of number 3 - if it were mine it would be worth a bit of extra work to deal with a few little distractions:
A crop (or clone the wood) to remove the bit of carpet, bottom right.
Clone to repair the chip in the wood of the front table.
In the background, tone down (or clone out) both the bright odd-shaped object above Buddy's head and the bright oval object on the right.

All the best.

Philip

[Phil J]

Hi Philip,

Something like this do you mean?

   

[MrB]

Yes, Phil - that's the sort of editing I would do. However, the important point for me is - do you think those changes improve your photo?

Cheers.
Philip

[Phil J]

Philip,

They tend to make Buddy a better 'subject' that is true. However, the purpose of taking these is to track his growth and progress over his first twelve months with us, rather than make him the subject of an animal portraiture sequence, as one would if engaged on a commercial job. So, I guess it is a question of 'purpose' as much as anything else. Although I do of course take your point on board.

Regards.

Phil.

[Korry]

So, after nearly two years without a Dog in our life, we bit the bullet just after Christmas (2013) and bought a puppy.

Therefore ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce Buddy, our three month old Yorkshire Terrier puppy. We're so pleased to have him in our lives it's indescribable to accurately put into words our delight.

Congrats on new family member, Phil! Buddy is gorgeous and I wish you many happy years, plenty of fun time and chewed shoes

Your photos are, just like Buddy - awesome, especially the third one.

[Phil J]

Hi Korry,

Thank you for your kind comments. Oh yes he's definitely 'fun' and a real little character!! We kept a couple of pairs of slippers for him to 'be naughty with' and he has been.

However the funniest thing he's done so far is to crawl into one slipper and go fast asleep, using it just like a sleeping bag!

Regards.

Phil.

[EdMak]

Looks like we will be seeing a lot of Buddy Phil, great start. Ed.

[Korry]

...

However the funniest thing he's done so far is to crawl into one slipper and go fast asleep, using it just like a sleeping bag!

Regards.

Phil.

You know how it goes - pic or didn't happen

[Phil J]

Cheers ED.

Korry, I'll find it & post it asap.

Phil.

[Phil J]

Korry,

Buddy & Slipper pics.

Now, what'll I do, how sleepy am I?

   

Do I need one or two?

   

Oh, I suppose this will have to do.

   

[Korry]

Phil, I have to say - you made my day with those photos!

Thank you so much for sharing