Foraging Mountain Pony

[Alun]

It was freezing and the mountain ponies emerged from the fog and mist to forage close to the roadside. They remained huddled together leaving me with a composition of rear ends and concealed heads. Then one spotted something that took its fancy and so I got a quick shot with my 100-400mm.

5D MKII, 100-400F4L IS, F5.5, ISO 400, 1/125sec

[James Wheeler]

I like the conversion and the square format Alun. Would maybe have liked a little more foreground to fully include that clump and my eyes are drawn to the background a bit.

There is a weird erratic line running from where the pony's neck joins the rocks in the background to the right of frame, is that wire of some sort?

[IanClark]

Now this is rather nice indeed. Love the B/W processing you've done on this and I also the serene expression in the ponys' face.

I can see where James is coming from regards the clump but I do love the background detail. It adds a real nice distance perspective to the shot.

One minor frustration is the apparant lack of a tail or much detail of one however I appreciate your window of opportunity would have been very small :)

Great shot.

[Alun]

There is a weird erratic line running from where the pony's neck joins the rocks in the background to the right of frame, is that wire of some sort?

LOL! You got me there, James. I wish it was a wire but I think it's clumsy editing combined with poor eyesight. Glad you pointed it out. I'll fix that now. I know what you mean about the background and it works better in the uncropped colour version. Thanks for the help.
Alun

[Hadrian]

One of your best Alun without a doubt.... I am not an "animal lover" as you know, (Remember GG's dogs? ;0)) but I can't help feeling some sort of connection with the beast!!! A great intimate portrait for sure.
Photographically, I love the conversion, it could stand even more sharpening and some LCE but that would be just gilding the lily. Sell your "wides" and tripod and take up this form of photography and you are on to a winner.
Did I mention I love it? H
Agree with James about the strange artefact on the bracken line.

[Alun]

Thanks Ian. Glad you liked it - tail or no tail

Hadrian - don't know whether to be chuffed that you like it so much or dismayed that you think I'm in the wrong line of tography

I did feel an affinity with the pony - slightly bedraggled and showing the wear and tear of it's life close to the Heads of the Valleys It would take more sharpening but you know I'm poo at post processing although I do a great line in 'strange artefacts'. Cheers m8.
Alun

[neptuno]

Lovely shot Alun and the B&W treatment works very well - not something I have thought of using fror a wildlife shot. I like the pose and although he is eating he seems to be looking at you out of the corner of his eye

Stan

[StuBill]

I agree with all the comments thus far Alun. It's a lovely shot, with a super conversion.
The New Forest ponies give me something of a soft spot for this shot too.
Stu

[James Wheeler]

LOL! You got me there, James. I wish it was a wire but I think it's clumsy editing combined with poor eyesight. Glad you pointed it out. I'll fix that now. I know what you mean about the background and it works better in the uncropped colour version. Thanks for the help.
Alun

I am intrigued now, what on earth did you do to achieve that? :)

[Alun]

I am intrigued now, what on earth did you do to achieve that? :)

Hwmmm. Job to say but it looks to me like the line of an unfeathered selection when I darkened the mid-contrast on the oof top third.

Lovely shot Alun and the B&W treatment works very well - not something I have thought of using fror a wildlife shot. I like the pose and although he is eating he seems to be looking at you out of the corner of his eye

Stan

Behind that nonchalent exterior I think the pony was quite wary and was happy I was afair distance away. Thanks, Stan.

I agree with all the comments thus far Alun. It's a lovely shot, with a super conversion.
The New Forest ponies give me something of a soft spot for this shot too.
Stu

I know exactly how you feel, Stu. I was once high up on the Beacons in a complete whiteout and had to sit and wait in the snow between some rocks, while the blizzard raged. The first thing that became discernable ,as the driving sleet and snow finally abated ,was a pony, like this one, which was standing watching me from about 8 foot away! I felt a kindred spirit and have had a soft spot for them ever since. (The story would have been much better, though, if I'd ridden it back to civilisation )

[StuBill]

(The story would have been much better, though, if I'd ridden it back to civilisation )

LOL. I understand the story of the crazy photographer up a mountain in the snow forms an intrinsic part of horse folklore now, too.

I find the ponies most endearing of a morning in the forest. Pitch black and silent, so no idea that I have moved within a couple of metres of one. Then they do that uniquely horse exhale over lips thing, and scare the living cr*p out of you. Bless
Stu

[holmbridge]

Considering that "soft 100-400 @ only 1/125th" was used ....the boy done well to get it so sharp. :-)

very nice contrast and tonal range

Andy

[grumpygeorge]

all said really. i will add comment on the foreground foliage on the left = it adds to this. usually one wants to clone bits like that out, but i think it compliments this shot very well.

and the two wee jacks are waiting at the gate for you hadrian.

regards
grumpygeorge

regards
grumpygeorge

[Alun]

Thanks guys. Here's a different model who agreed to pose naked 'out of studio' in order to get that wild, unkempt look May be a tad oversharpened on viewing the upload.
5D MkII, F5.6, 1/180 sec, ISO 400, FL of 210mm

[Paul Iddon]

Well I like both very much Alun.

Ponies are wonderful beasts in the wild, I've seen them, but never managed to capture them on camera.


Paul.