Moove over
Nov, 2014Views
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Top Shot Award 22
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in rural France. My family and I were staying in a beautiful and remote gite which was surrounded by farmland.Time
It was taken in the early evening. We had eaten our meal and I decided to go on one of my infamous "wanders!" I came across a small wooded area that served as a boundary between the field I was in and the adjacent pasture which was home to a herd of cattle. I wandered across to get a better look and clambered through some bushes and undergrowth before I was confronted with what |I can only describe as an audience. I almost heard the words "we've been expecting you!" These beasts were as intrigued by my behaviour as I was of theirs!Lighting
The sun was still bright and behind the subject so I had to position myself in such a way that I could use the overhanging and nearby branches to shield some of the bright light as it was causing some lens flare.Equipment
I used my Canon 60D, I love it! It is versatile, relatively light and has some great features.Inspiration
I love animals and when you manage to engage in eye contact (and hold it for any length of time) you get a rush as it is as if you are trying to connect. However, there is a certain amount of tension, as with some animals it is a precursor to a charge or attack. No such danger with these beauties though, whilst they are over 800 kilos, they are pretty docile but very curious, I love that about cows, they want to check everything out.Editing
I did some desaturation and a few tweaks in Photoshop CS5. I think that was all.In my camera bag
My trusty and well-loved Canon 60D, lenses ranging from 10-18mm to a 70-300mm. I always have spare SDHC cards, a cleaning pen and cloth, a blower for dust, filters, a gorilla mini tripod, a bean bag/pod for sitting my camera on uneven surfaces, spare batteries and a mars bar - you never know when you are going to get peckish or need a sugar rush!Feedback
Secret is to try to engage the animals in a non-threatening way. Don't be afraid to make a fool of yourself by making ridiculous noises such as kissy, squeaky, click-type sounds - blowing raspberries works well too! Always make slow, deliberate movements around animals as a sudden movement could cause them to panic and run away or worse still, charge at you! If you are not confident to get the settings right, use aperture priority if the animal is still, if it is moving, go to shutter priority and select a fast shutter speed in keeping with the speed of the animal.
