# Simply sheep



## Alex_B (May 23, 2007)

... since my gazelle-thread was not very popular, I will try something more simple now


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## Blairc (May 23, 2007)

Brilliant shot! Love how the background is blurred out just nicely - not too much. Excellent how the sheep is looking at the camera.

Top marks!


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## Alex_B (May 23, 2007)

Thanks 

And good to hear that from a Scotsman ... after all you are experts at sheep 

(this is sheep from the west country though.)


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## Antarctican (May 23, 2007)

Good shot there. Nice n sharp on the sheep and immediate area, nicely blurred background. 


I will not engage in any of the one-liners flying madly through my brain


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## blackdoglab (May 23, 2007)

I ban Antartican for baaaaaaad thoughts.    Cute sheep, although the background bugs me a bit.


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## Alex_B (May 23, 2007)

blackdoglab said:


> although the background bugs me a bit.




bug as in not blurred enough, DOF not shallow enough? or simply the fact of having very identifiable objects there which are not in focus though?


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## Tangerini (May 23, 2007)

I like this one   Very sharp and nicely composed.


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## Antarctican (May 23, 2007)

blackdoglab said:


> I ban Antartican for baaaaaaad thoughts.


I am feeling suitably sheepish.





(Oh c'mon, ewe had to know that would be my comeback)


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## Peniole (May 23, 2007)

I like the capture and DOF, but I agree that the background does bug me a bit. The DOF is right on, it's just the background that doesn't help. Trees to sky and back to trees, no matter how blurred the background is, it still takes a bit of the attention from the foreground. Maybe a tighter crop would work, sheep on the right taking most of the height of the frame? That would still leave a less distracting green background with a few sheep out of focus and of course the fence.

On the other hand I like the in focus (grass?) and the rock on the right, just cropping the top a bit may work too.


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## blackdoglab (May 23, 2007)

> bug as in not blurred enough, DOF not shallow enough? or simply the fact of having very identifiable objects there which are not in focus though?


 
Every time I look at it, I have to take off my glasses, clean them, rub my eyes, and try to focus.  What if you darkened the background a bit?


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## cherrymoose (May 24, 2007)

Sheep are so cute. :mrgreen: Great shot, I love the bokeh!


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## abraxas (May 24, 2007)

Iconic.


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## Steph (May 24, 2007)

I like the picture but as mentioned by previous posters I think there is something not quite right with the DOF. To me the blur looks a bit unnatural; the sharpness seems to stop too abruptly after the sheep. Did you add the blur in Photoshop or is it the fact that the sheep is standing on top of a hill that gives this feeling? On my screen the highlights on the right side of the sheep are slightly blown out but I guess it was a compromise to keep details in the black head.


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## Alex_B (May 24, 2007)

Steph said:


> I like the picture but as mentioned by previous posters I think there is something not quite right with the DOF. To me the blur looks a bit unnatural; the sharpness seems to stop too abruptly after the sheep. Did you add the blur in Photoshop or is it the fact that the sheep is standing on top of a hill that gives this feeling? On my screen the highlights on the right side of the sheep are slightly blown out but I guess it was a compromise to keep details in the black head.



I got no highlights really blown out visibly on my screen ... gets a bit bright though I agree.

DOF is all natural f/4 and yes the sheep was standing on a small hill, as you can see from the other sheep visible but blurred being very far away.

I never blur in photshop.


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## LeighAnn (May 24, 2007)

Great stuff, Alex.


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## macropleasure (May 24, 2007)

i really like the picture

the sheep looks as if it was about to say something to the world


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## koda-46 (May 24, 2007)

lol I love it! sheep are sweetness..........


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## lostprophet (May 26, 2007)

you know something, thats almost as cute as an otter.


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## NJMAN (May 26, 2007)

GREAT shot!  And I think the background is perfect.  Nice job Alex!

:thumbup: 

NJ


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## Alex_B (May 26, 2007)

thanks everyone  ..... Andy, you know, it is a special kind of otter, which his very common in Devon  Actually it is the White Dartmoor Otter


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## LeighAnn (May 26, 2007)

VERY cool, Alex. I love that image. Two thumbs up


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## blackdoglab (May 26, 2007)

I'm gettin' a bit hungry......  Anyone fer lambchops (rimshot please)  Despite my griping, that wooly beastie is a cute little noggin


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## Alex_B (May 27, 2007)

LeighAnn said:


> VERY cool, Alex. I love that image. Two thumbs up



Thanks  you even commented twice


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## hamburger (May 28, 2007)

feeling sheepish... background that bugs people... something fishy going on here?  This is turning into a VERY zoological thread! 

I agree with some other people, though - the background does distract from the friendly sheep in this shot. Baaaaah!!!!!


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## boogaguy (May 28, 2007)

Isn't that  a Montana stripper?


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## d1a1s1 (May 28, 2007)

Thats a beautiful shot...perfect for a biology book! 
 Title looks familiar as well...hmm..
But seriously its beautiful. Did you do any of the blur in photoshop?


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## Alex_B (May 28, 2007)

boogaguy said:


> Isn't that  a Montana stripper?



Hmm, didn'T get that one !?


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## Alex_B (May 28, 2007)

d1a1s1 said:


> Thats a beautiful shot...perfect for a biology book!
> Title looks familiar as well...hmm..
> But seriously its beautiful. Did you do any of the blur in photoshop?



Well, the thread is a week old, sou you might have seen the title already 

Blur is 100% real. I never do PS-blur.


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## JimmyJaceyMom (May 28, 2007)

Nice job again!!!!


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## Sw1tchFX (May 28, 2007)

boogaguy said:


> Isn't that  a Montana stripper?


:lmao:

Alex, I like the DOF! It's got good context.


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## Alex_B (Jun 28, 2007)

so what the heck is a montana stripper? *cultural incompatibility here*


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## newrmdmike (Jun 28, 2007)

baaaaaaaaa-dass.  jk, couldn't help it.  bad humor aside the dof (or range of acceptable focus or whatever) you selected is pretty sweet, i only wish the head was a little lower from the horizon line.


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