These work horses saw us walking past the fence and came running, posing for photos like slim models.
The close-up photos I took of them came out dark, with no detail on their faces. I don't know yet how to adjust my camera to get details like that when I'm shooting outdoors. My daughter says I need to use a flash.
You can see an example of the dark horse I'm talking about below.
(Maybe he should run for president. Might win.)
Any photologists out there with some tips?
My choice for president: Candidate Dark Horse.
Try to get between the horses and the sun, so the sunlight (and the shades it casts) brings out details. A flash would help but you would scare the horses to death...
The trick is really the right aperture. Small numbers yield dull, light colors, however there is contrast in the dark. High numbers bring out great colors but less contrast in dark areas. Take several pics with different settings (apertures) and pick the best one?
Posted by: Anke | February 08, 2008 at 12:20 PM
The second photo didn't come up before: The horse is casting shadow on its own face. Get him (her) from a different angle, with the sun in your back or at least not behind the horse.
Or try a torch (flashlight), any steady source of light. Just no camera flash on the poor beast :-)
Posted by: Anke | February 08, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Yeah you were too far from them on top for a flash to really work. Dude horse won't care bout no flash, he'd just blink.
Yeah listen to them about the sun thing. Use the sun as your flash, in other words. Get on other side.
Dude K Flake we're all anxiously awaiting some Super Tuesday breakdown.
Posted by: Hannah | February 08, 2008 at 12:57 PM
KF, if you can just position the sun at your back when shooting the pic, as others have suggested, it would work very well without a flash. However, I don't think a flash would bother the horses much in bright daylight, unless you were in very close proximity and they are looking directly at the camera, but I certainly wouldn't use one at night or even at dusk.
Posted by: nancy | February 08, 2008 at 01:59 PM
Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm still working on it, as you can see above!
Posted by: KathyF | February 09, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Q: Why is it so hard to make a living as a photographer?
A: Because EVERYONE is a dang photographer.
Posted by: Rodney | February 11, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Yeah, that's what my daughter said. Not quite as humorously, though.
Posted by: KathyF | February 11, 2008 at 05:11 PM