Digging for treasure: Critique please...

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Critique please

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Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

Country's Mama wrote:

Critique please

Lovely shot Judy, full of atmosphere, I can feel he bleakness.

Did you have a bucket of concentrate for them? They are looking at you expectantly :-)

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Graham Smith wrote:

Lovely shot Judy, full of atmosphere, I can feel he bleakness.

Did you have a bucket of concentrate for them? They are looking at you expectantly :-)

Thank you Graham. It was about 30 degrees this morning and we got this wet sloppy snow. These sheep are pets and difficult to photograph because they want to stand right up next to me looking for shelled corn. There is a long story but the short version is I took a scoop of corn and scattered it in the snow to keep them away. I believe I got this shot waving my microfiber cloth around trying to get them to pick their heads up. As you can see only a couple looked and they are the ones that would rather not work for their corn.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Although it's good as it is, crop about 15% off the top, and you have a real winner.

Wendy2 Loc: California

rook2c4 wrote:

Although it's good as it is, crop about 15% off the top, and you have a real winner.

I agree.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

rook2c4 wrote:

Although it's good as it is, crop about 15% off the top, and you have a real winner.

Thank you. You and my husband! Though he wants me to crop down to the sheep and get rid of the trees.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Wendy2 wrote:

I agree.

Thank you Wendy. You don't think it will look odd with the trees nipped?

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Country's Mama wrote:

Critique please

Grays and muted umbers and ochres-'in this part of South Dakota we call them the colors of Spring...'cept for the white stuff.

DOF good and terrific limited DR and mid-tonal spectrum (I.e. Exposure spot-on). The tall slim format is great, but crop to tallest treetop.

It's a really appealing image that makes me homesick for the Iowa farm and livestock! I like it a bunch!

Dave

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Uuglypher wrote:

Grays and muted umbers and ochres-'in this part of South Dakota we call them the colors of Spring...'cept for the white stuff.

DOF good and terrific limited DR and mid-tonal spectrum (I.e. Exposure spot-on). The tall slim format is great, but crop to tallest treetop.

It's a really appealing image that makes me homesick for the Iowa farm and livestock! I like it a bunch!

Dave

Thank you Dave. I can crop to the top of the trees no problem. I just didn't want to crowd them too much. :-D

ediesaul

Country's Mama wrote:

Critique please

Your ploy worked, CM!!! Those three animals looking at the viewer make up a perfect compositional pose! I love the grouping and the colors. Just beautiful. As for cropping the sky, I don't agree because there is so much white above that a little cropping, in my opinion, would not make a difference. If you want to print this photo blown up, CM, would you be able to see the faces or the eyes of the two outside animals?

Wendy2 Loc: California

Country's Mama wrote:

Thank you Wendy. You don't think it will look odd with the trees nipped?

I thought about the 15% when I agreed and thought, maybe that is too much. Don't nip the trees, just take off at little at a time. Not sure just how much. All the white space is distracting.

I just noticed that you did crop it already. Maybe a little too much! Add a little tiny bit, because the tallest tree looks a little 'cramped'.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

ediesaul wrote:

Your ploy worked, CM!!! Those three animals looking at the viewer make up a perfect compositional pose! I love the grouping and the colors. Just beautiful. As for cropping the sky, I don't agree because there is so much white above that a little cropping, in my opinion, would not make a difference. If you want to print this photo blown up, CM, would you be able to see the faces or the eyes of the two outside animals?

Thank you.
Yes you can see the faces of the animals. Download it and click the little plus sign. There is a lot of falling snow in front of their faces but you can see them. Keeping my camera dry and my lens clear was the challenge of the morning.
If I use this as my Christmas card I will actually add more to the top for "Merry Christmas" or whatever I decide to say.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Wendy2 wrote:

I thought about the 15% when I agreed and thought, maybe that is too much. Don't nip the trees, just take off at little at a time. Not sure just how much. All the white space is distracting.

I just noticed that you did crop it already. Maybe a little too much! Add a little tiny bit, because the tallest tree looks a little 'cramped'.

Nope didn't crop it but I have to admit I did realize that I had posted the wrong photo and exchanged it for one with some errant branches removed, nothing else different. :shock:

Nightski

Oh Judy, this one is MONEY!!! For some reason the first word that came into my mind was Nativity. Your exposure is perfect. You had to have had a fast enough shutter speed to capture the snow and freeze any movement of the animals, and at the same time have enough light in this low light situation. The snow has a little movement, but I like it. It is the way snow looks when there is a wind blowing it in. I love, love, love the donkey .. mule .. expression. I'm sure you will correct me. LOL She seems to be protecting her flock, further telling the story of the Nativity. It IS your Christmas card this year, right?

Wendy2 Loc: California

Country's Mama wrote:

Nope didn't crop it but I have to admit I did realize that I had posted the wrong photo and exchanged it for one with some errant branches removed, nothing else different. :shock:

Interesting!!! I remember more white space !! ;) It looks great to me now. Funny how I saw too much white space initially and now it seems fine. Hmmmmm, don't know why this happened to me!