How cows pick their nose.
How cows pick their nose.
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1640
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Awards
Winner in Animal Tongues Photo Challenge
Staff Favorite
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
All Star
Virtuoso
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MossyCreekPhotography
February 12, 2020
As a farmer’s daughter I absolutely love this photo! Great job!
jenalynnphotography
February 16, 2020
Thank you so much! I ended up marrying a farmer, so now I get to take all the animal photos. :)
KatieMcKinneyPhotography
December 19, 2023
Congrats on winning my \"Animal Tongues\" challenge! There were so many great pictures to choose from but i kept coming back to this one! I love everything about it, well done! 😁
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on a chilly winter day several years ago while playing around with a zoom lens. I've always been interested in taking portraits of animals and since I now own a farm with my husband, I have a lot of subjects.Time
It was a gloomy winter day with snow flakes in the air and a brisk wind. This picture was taken in the afternoon with the cloudy overcast skies from the snow. I remember being so excited when the cow licked her nose and I was able to capture some images.Lighting
I wanted the body of the black cow to stay darker than the main focus because I wanted the tongue and nose to really stand out. I made sure not to overexpose which was easy with the overcast skies. I used Lightroom to brighten the focal area to help draw your eye and make it stand out.Equipment
I used a Canon 5D Mark III to take this image with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 so I could zoom in as much as possible while keeping a safe distance from the cow.Inspiration
I find it special capturing animals during snowfall, so when I saw the snow coming down and it was such a beautiful fluffy snow, I just had to grab my camera and go visit the cows at the farm. I leaned on the metal gate and zoomed my camera lens as far as it would go and captured some photos. The cows were curious so I didn't have to make noise to get their attention or anything like that.Editing
Yes! I always edit my pictures in Lightroom. These days I finish them up in Photoshop too, but with this image, it was just Lightroom. I did my usual tweaks and desaturated magentas and decided against desaturating the blues so it would keep the chilly vibe of the day. I made sure to brighten the nose and tongue as well as add clarity and a little texture.In my camera bag
These days my equipment of choice is a Canon R5 and if not that same 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens now with an adapter, then my RF 85mm f/1.2 which is my new favorite lens because of the dreamy bokeh it creates. I also pack a Canon R6 Mark II for a second camera with one of the two lenses mentioned above on it so I don't waste time switching lenses. I love using my House of Flynn camera bag to hold both cameras, both lenses, and depending on the day or shoot, I will also pack either my Sigma 35mm f/1.4 or my Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.Feedback
The biggest advice I give people to accomplish a similar photo is to turn up the shutter speed. A fast shutter speed is going to help capture and freeze the action of, in this case, a cow licking its nose. When I saw a fast shutter speed, I usually mean around 1000 or more. The second piece of advice is to take a lot of photos and practice. Don't be afraid to crop your photo a little bit to help make the subject stand out. You've got this! If I can do it, you can do it too. :)