One thing I’ve learned about taking photographs is that it is rare that I can improve on a shot that I like when I try to do it. Today is a case in point. My subject, my bronze replica of the famous Han Dynasty Flying Horse, is what is known, at least by Karen Russell, my photography class instructor, as a cooperative subject. I can pose it and it won’t move or complain. However, despite its “cooperative” nature, as is so often the case, I was unable to improve on the original shot I took, despite numerous (and I mean numerous) tries. Today’s challenge theme is a “dark” or “low key” shot. Since I was housebound this morning waiting to hear about a commercial printing job for which I’m getting bids, I decided to stay close to the phone and use available light for this shot. I set the horse on the dining room table. There was a patch of sunlight that reflected light nicely onto the horse. But the light moved and I changed the position of the horse and I added a black background and changed the white balance and none of the shots improved upon the one shot I really liked. Finally, when the photos kept getting considerably worse, not better, I decided to go with the second shot I took. So, my dark horse, one I thought was really a long shot to get picked for today’s photo, came in first.
Focal Length 300mm
ISO 200
Manual Mode
f/6.3
1/80
SOOC
Beautifully dark horse! Love the shadows and composition! Funny how very often the first shot you take becomes “the one.” It’s that gut instinct seeing the right light and composition. Nicely done!