February 2009
The story behind it
01/02/2009
On an Autumn day, under the thick clouds, we leave the car until where it is legal to take it. The plan was to have a day's mountain walk, around 6h long.You see no one. You hear no one. The ferns are yellow. There is a lot of moss and many wild mushrooms. On this meadow, I see two cows. One of these is more adventurous, being curious with whoever is on this side of the wall. Later, some distance further, we find a man picking mushrooms. He had an enormous variety of them, from the chanterelles to the boletus.
At the end, this was a great walking day. Always respecting the mountains and the local habits of whom is having us as visitors!
Comment
Technical issues
01/02/2009
This was taken with the Nikon D200 digital reflex camera, at 100 ISO. The lens, a Sigma 12-24mm, was used at 12mm. With this camera, due to its sensor size, this corresponds to around 18mm (for 35mm format). Even if I had closed the diaphragm more than the f/5.6 and focused at the hyperfocal distance, I would not obtain everything under focus. In fact, I would need to either increase the ISO rating (which results in too much noise, with the D200) or use the tripod. But a long exposure would risk ending up with a blurred cow. I didn´t even have the place for the tripod. I chose to used the stones under focus, for composition purposes.Vignetting in pos-processing.
Critial review
01/02/2009
The most interesting part, in this photograph, lies on the placement of the central object (the cow) in the compositional context created between the rocks, the lines of the wall and trees at the back. The cut on the framing wall, aligned with the cow, also plays a fundamental role. And, with the lens at a short focal length, the strong compression of the cow in relation to the rocks results somewhat enigmatic. As if it related to the same question mark that the cow seems to be placing in my respect, and I in respect to the cow! This would be a good B&W photograph, but the green and red Autumn colors captivate me.Where you should place it
01/02/2009
I can´t really imagine this in a formal executive office. I would see it in a veterinary hospital, or in a Government's Agricultural office. Or in a Tourist Office of the area where these wonderful animals live, and are taken care of by the local peoples. It also fits well in a landscape Photography Workshop, as a composition example!Since it has been taken with a single digital SLR shot, it cannot stand too a large a prints, to be seen very closely and with extraordinary quality. Regarding lighting, being well lit would result in wonderful green and red colors popping up!
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