« Rock and Roll | Main | Lords a leaping »
Friend and Fowl
December 17, 2006It's been a busy few days...so you'll get a bonus today.
Three pictures to check out.
Glenn Guttridge's stock dog run cattle around the arena floor Friday afternoon during a demonstration at the Texas Ranch Roundup. (Jason Palmer/Times Record News)
One of my fave. events throughout the year is the Texas Ranch Roundup. I don't know why...maybe because it's the best of the real cowboys across the state. I really don't know why this event doesn't get more state-wide coverage like it should.
For the last two years, I've covered the stock dog demonstration. Basically...a cowboy/dog trainer shows off his dogs and their abilities to herd cattle. Fun to watch...difficult to photograph.
Those dogs move fast. A lot faster than people.
I wanted to try and show the speed of these dogs...and a panning shot was the best idea I could think of.
Now...panning is really easy when you know the direction that your subject is going. Like race cars or cyclists...they're best shot when they are moving in a straight line. Dogs chasing cattle are a bit unpredictable. It's hard to know when they're going to turn or stop.
It's also hard to pan with the subject is bobbing up and down like a dog does when it's running.
So...I'm not quite sure how exactly I lucked out and got the dog’s head so sharp when everything else is a bit of a blur.
Sometimes...being lucky and good go hand in hand.
Justin Todd, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi, yawns as Lisa Phillips uses a blower to dry his coat Saturday afternoon at the Faith City Kennel Club Dog Show at the J.S. Bridwell Ag. Arena. (Jason Palmer/Times Record News)
For the second year in a row...again one of my fave. shots of the year has come from the Faith City Kennel Club Dog Show at the Bridwell Arena.
I've you ever seen the movie "Best in Show" you know exactly what I'm talking about when I say it's hilarious. I don't know any people personally that are as pampered as some of the dogs at this event.
I shoot at these types of events with a grain of salt and try to find something funny to get the reader...I mean, the average person would probably not go to these dog shows, but the average person will laugh at a cute photo.
I recognized Lisa Phillips as someone from the area...although I couldn't tell you where from...so I decided to hang around her "grooming station" for her Corgi. I knew I wanted a shot of her brushing the hair and make it kinda look like a regular beauty shop.
Focus on the dog...and let the depth of field throw her out of focus. I mean, it WAS a dog show after all.
Sure enough...the dog let out a big yawn like she was bored with me taking these glorious shots of her and all her beauty. Jackpot.
I let out one of my big laughs...and if you've ever heard me laugh you know what I'm talking about....put my hands in the air and proclaimed "I'm done."
A pair of muted white swans float in Sikes Lake Thursday afternoon. (Jason Palmer/Times Record News)
Okay...I hated the reasons I was out shooting swans...but the photo couldn't have been better. Even when I'm on an assignment I don't like I perform well.
We have some obsession with the muted swans at Sikes Lake by Midwestern State. We've done something like six stories over the last two years about the swans. The swans having sex. The swans' new neighbors. The swans have a nest. The swans have an egg. Blah Blah Blah.
Honestly...I'm not even sure which story I was on when I shot this photograph. I have no idea. I think it was the swans have built a nest story, but I really am just stabbing at it.
But it is a lesson in wildlife photography if there ever was one. There are two schools of thought for wildlife....let them come to you or you move to them.
The swans were very wary of me. They wouldn't let me get closer than about 200 feet....which isn't a problem when you have a big camera lens. My weapon of choice was the 400mm f2.8 and the 1.4x teleconverter. A whopping 560mm, fairly intimidating to swans and small children.
After realizing that trying to move closer was only pushing them away from me...I decided to fall back and move laterally with them across the dam as they paddled through the water in the middle of the lake.
It's not easy to lug that lens around on a tripod either...but I did so without causing to big a scene and eventually...they stopped noticing me.
Well, after about 20 minutes or so...they were swimming apart and I knew that a photo was possible if I moved into the right position and they didn't change course.
Nailed the shot...and there it is. More photos of swans than I knew what to do with.
Posted by Jason Palmer at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Comments
"My weapon of choice was the 400mm f2.8 and the 1.4x teleconverter. A whopping 560mm"
I sure wish I had that kind of equip to work with! :(
Great shots! And the people that know your big laugh thank you for that little part of the blog : )
Great shot of Lisa and Justin (who is a male).
Joe Average Citizens really DO go to the dog shows. For those of us who show it is a chance to not only show off our dogs, but to educate the public as well.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Sherilyn Curti
Tarea Cardigan Welsh Corgis
CWC National Rescue Trust
National Dog Officer
What a surprise to see this picture again- first in the paper and now on your blog! I had never heard your laugh before but will remember it always now! Lisa Phillips and Justin Tod
