Pre-emptying comments during the challenge; these hounds are very well looked after, and were only looking like this because everyone else was getting ready for the hunt, and they wanted into the action.
Yes, these are hunting hounds. Yes it's blood sport. Although here in NZ they hunt wild hares on open farmland, as we don't have foxes to trap and release for sport. So in a way there doing a service getting rid of pests, but we wont get in to that argument!
I covered a hunt for the paper, and while I was waiting for something interesting to happen I glanced into the truck that carries the dogs and saw this image. I just had to snap a couple of shots off. I was about to upload it to the forums to see if I could create a raging debate about blood sports and noticed the framing challenge. Perfect!
Anyway, shot at 175mm hand held, editing was just curves/brightness/contrast USM scale, USM and save to meet the 150k rule.
I really, really like this photo, so I'm hoping it dosn't get panned by people who think the dogs are being mis-treated, or who realise they're hunting hounds. Ah well, it'll give me the update button to play with, which I've not had for a while.
Come to think of it, I suspect someone will ask for a DQ as well. due to the almost selective desat look of the image, but the door was that colour naturally.
Statistics
Place: 4 out of 261 Avg (all users): 7.0302 Avg (commenters): 8.0833 Avg (participants): 6.6966 Avg (non-participants): 7.1722 Views since voting: 4473 Views during voting: 444 Votes: 298 Comments: 58 Favorites: 13 (view)
I was just looking over my favorites and relized I did not comment on this during the challange. I gave you a 10. I have seen this same image a hundred times and have a dog box in the back of my truck right now and never took the picture. I would hang this on my wall. Perfect in every way, GREAT PHOTO!!!
This photo is one of my favorites that I've seen on this website so far, both in composition and subject matter. I love the cold, brushed texture of the steel in contrast to the live, wrinkled faces of the dogs. Amazing that they all have the exact same expression--only renforces that they are partners, focused, ready to go (they don't look sad to me at all). This photo makes me want to be there and see what happens next. Love it!
I was sure I left a comment on this during voting, looks like it didn't go though. I love the colours and the framing, those eyes really get you. I gave it a 10, glad to see it placed high.
Answering the comments during the challenge, I didn't crop it tighter as I wanted to keep the lock and hinges to show the context of the cage/kenel they were in.
I believe there were 16 dogs in that one kenel, but it is quite large. There were two kenels/cages in the back of a truck, with other windows for the dogs to see out, but the view of the door really caught my eye.
Interesting that only one person knew they were fox hounds, and no-one picked up on them being for the hunt. Just shows you that not many rural english folks are on DPC :-).
8 - Good. Good expressions/poses captured. Visually looks like it needs a nudge up on the right, but not sure. Only other thing is seems to be a slight 'haze' (but could be my monitor) - so perhaps a little more contrast/depth/etc.
Goodness, that is SO sad.
I wouldn't have been able to stand seeing them there.
[I'm an animal rights promoter.. sorta]
good job though.
i hope they got released :)
I debated whether or not to give this one a 10, and finally went ahead with it. This is my favorite shot of the challenge, I do believe. My only criticism is that I would have cropped it just a little more tightly to eliminate the vertical lines on the right and left. I think this would have been just a bit better without them, because I find them a little distracting. Nonetheless, a super shot -- very, very cute (and I'm not much of a dog fan)!
The guy in the middle is taking up more than his fair share of the space I think. You can just imagine the " he's on my side!" "when are we going to get there?" "I need to go to the bathroom." Too funny. 8
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
