So my laptop is still down but I just couldn't wait any longer so I'm getting a collection of photos going on this spare one I've borrowed.... First up is a lovely bovine shot! Following is the background story!
I work at a feedlot. It's a job that pays the bills. However, the same company/person that owns the feedlot also has a selection of ranches where he calves out his cows. Most of these Old Girls are either Purebred Black Angus or a cross of Black Angus and Black Maine Anjou. At least as far as I've been told. Either way I took the opportunity offered by days off coinciding with the long weekend (and lovely weather!) to go visit the closest of these ranches. Located in the Handhills of East Central Alberta it's a little slice of paradise, albeit fairly treeless paradise....
I arrived at the ranch slightly after noon, just in time to catch the guys at their lunch. I then just tagged along acting as "supervisor" and "manager" for their afternoon fencing. I'm very skilled at leaning against a shovel and offering up my $.02 while watching guys work ;) While we traversed different pastures in our escapades I was clicking away. However it wasn't until that evening that I got this shot:
At the end of the day the guys do their rounds, checking on the Girls one more time. This is to make sure there's nobody having issues calving, to check on the lil' stinkers already on the ground and to tag the brand new babies. It's a pretty much keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual sort of check. I was pretty busy snapping away during the drives through each pasture and I got a couple of shots that I really looked forward to seeing later, but none more so than this one!
I seen it coming but I just couldn't get myself at the right angle out the window while looking through the viewfinder, so I took a chance. I just stuck my arms out the window, pointed the camera in the direction and pushed the button! This is what lead to the slanted horizon but I think this adds to the photo instead of detracting from it and helped make the risk definitely pay off! While the Sun is incredibly bright and gives the photo a wicked flare, it makes what would otherwise probably be a hard to detail, dull black cow, into a striking silhouette. Same with her small replica who's going in for an evening snack. The angle of the setting sun, while hiding bovine detail, gives the grass a large amount of it! All of this combines to give a photo that I find eye catching yet simple and I think it will be a favourite bovine shot of mine for a long time to come!
In other news... While I'm sure I'll have plenty more ranch shots appearing soon, I also did another shoot for AARCS with 3 of their foster dogs. Stay tuned to see their handsome - or pretty - mugs and to spread the word about their search for a home!
