More Snow Horses

[Lesley Jones]

Apologies for posting another version of the horses. I normally shoot a few images of one subject and process just one. This time I kept another RAW file back. I remembered it this afternoon seeing the post about DNG files, so during dinner (in front of the monitor), I opened it up and tried to follow the instructions. I don't know why, but it doesn't work for me - maybe my version of ACR is too old. Never mind.

Then I started playing with the image. Too early to go to bed and too tired to do any serious work. And I ended up with this... which I actually prefer to the earlier version. Just don't ask me how I got here because I have absolutely no idea...

 

[Pete Askew]

I think I prefer this one too Lesley. I think maybe the lead lines work better. Your eye is drawn in from the bottom right to the centre of the shot where you 'discover' the other two horses. The eye doesn't settle so easily in the other. What do you think?

http://www.realphotographersforum.com/animals-wildlife/9253-snow-horses.html

 

[Lesley Jones]

Yes - you're absolutely right Pete, as ever. I initially opted for the other one because you could see all four horses, but something must have made me keep this one too. I had a feeling about the processing before and although I might have ended up with my vision, I'm still not entirely comfortable with it. Since I joined this forum I've learned it's OK to trash parts of an image - and I mean that in the nicest way. Not every pixel has to have clarity or sharpness and in fact, images are often better being left with a touch of mystery. I'm probably talking a load of rubbish - time to go to bed I think...

 

[Brian Moore]

Yes - you're absolutely right Pete, as ever. I initially opted for the other one because you could see all four horses, but something must have made me keep this one too. I had a feeling about the processing before and although I might have ended up with my vision, I'm still not entirely comfortable with it. Since I joined this forum I've learned it's OK to trash parts of an image - and I mean that in the nicest way. Not every pixel has to have clarity or sharpness and in fact, images are often better being left with a touch of mystery. I'm probably talking a load of rubbish - time to go to bed I think...

Lesley,...for me one of photography' most appealing aspects--perhaps it is even the most appealing aspect of all--is the mystery in an image. This could be something out of frame, or something in frame but obscured or rendered OOF to some degree. I often love that kind of thing. So, no, you're not talking rubbish insofar as I am concerned.

 

[Dave Moss]

Perhaps its the frame but this is almost like a pencil drawing its stunning you could imagine seeing this hung in a gallery

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Yes - you're absolutely right Pete, as ever. I initially opted for the other one because you could see all four horses, but something must have made me keep this one too. I had a feeling about the processing before and although I might have ended up with my vision, I'm still not entirely comfortable with it. Since I joined this forum I've learned it's OK to trash parts of an image - and I mean that in the nicest way. Not every pixel has to have clarity or sharpness and in fact, images are often better being left with a touch of mystery. I'm probably talking a load of rubbish - time to go to bed I think...

Lesley I seem to miss many posts. far too many and the first version of this I must have missed. This is a superb image with a timeless quality about it. Tones are supreme.
What you say above about mystery can be so true , like a book of words, a story we each can give our own interpretation from our own imaginations. I think this is always the hardest part of when enough is enough when making pictures for others to view, possibly as well why abstract can be so enjoyable.

Pete is a great source of wisdom and I certainly have learnt lots from him and still hope to learn much more. An extremely good critic with good ideas.

 

[Lesley Jones]

I too miss far too many posts Julian, or want to comment and either can't find the words or simply don't have the time. Now I could say more, but the kitten has landed on my lap...

Perhaps I'm lucky in that I don't have time to worry much about what other people think. I'm still my own worst critic, but I've definitely chilled over the past few months. I think being in here has a lot to do with it. Work and the zoo are harder too these days, so maybe having lots of free time isn't necessarily a good thing.

You make me want to try abstracts, but I lack your artistic vision. In fact... I don't think I have ever spotted or photographed anything abstract. I have another three day break later this year and I intend to give it a go. Did I tell you I'm coming down to Cornwall?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Very nice Lesley - I like the way the main horse is looking back at us, whilst the other two are peeking around the hay bale