# WOOD DUCKS ON THE TABLE



## Irishwhistler (Oct 13, 2019)

_*Wood Ducks On The Table ~ *A day's bag limit o' wood ducks rests upon an old wooden table after a fine morning's hunt, awaiting the preparation needed for a wonderful feast to come_

_Cheers,
Mike ☘️_


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## N.V.M. (Oct 13, 2019)

does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?


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## K9Kirk (Oct 13, 2019)

N.V.M. said:


> does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?



Is there a "Dark Side" section somewhere?


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## Irishwhistler (Oct 13, 2019)

N.V.M. said:


> does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?



Are people on this forum supportive of censorship?   Are they supportive of individuals seeking to squash the first amendment rights of self expression?   To prohibit expression is to deny freedom and in fact would kill art as we know it.l

Mike ☘️


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## pixmedic (Oct 13, 2019)

It's a photo forum. That's a photo.
If you don't like the subject matter, keep scrolling.
Its nothing overtly obscene or inappropriate.


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## Original katomi (Oct 13, 2019)

As long as pics are marked NSFW or equivalent then people can move on  the staff here will soon remove something that is not suitable.
Maybe if dead animals are in pic RK could be used in place of NSFW
Well that’s just my thoughts.


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## terri (Oct 14, 2019)

Irishwhistler said:


> N.V.M. said:
> 
> 
> > does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?
> ...


Hi Mike:  first off, this is a private forum, so the use of the word "censorship" is a bit over the top. 

We maintain a hidden forum for boudoir and nude images and, even there, require a NSFW disclaimer in the title.   We regard this as a courtesy message, not censorship.

In the same vein, your image was reported to the moderating team for consideration of similar disclaimers.   This is not unreasonable.  

We will ask that you add a simple "warning, potentially graphic image" to your shots that include the results of your hunting.   Obviously, this has no impact on the many images you show of your hunting dogs, pups and their training.

We ask this in the spirit of courtesy to your fellow TPF members, period.   Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.


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## zulu42 (Oct 14, 2019)

IMO an ethical, responsible hunter harvesting some wild birds is far, far less gruesome than the commercial meat industry that most of us, myself included, participate in when we buy a dismembered piece of styrofoam packed tortured animal that's been shipped to our local market.

Wildlife photography is full of predators and prey. Don't forget, cuisine photography is dead animals, too.

Food for thought.


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## Irishwhistler (Oct 14, 2019)

zulu42 said:


> IMO an ethical, responsible hunter harvesting some wild birds is far, far less gruesome than the commercial meat industry that most of us, myself included, participate in when we buy a dismembered piece of styrofoam packed tortured animal that's been shipped to our local market.
> 
> Wildlife photography is full of predators and prey. Don't forget, cuisine photography is dead animals, too.
> 
> Food for thought.



Zulu42,
Most eloquently stated and so very true.

Mike ☘️


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## K9Kirk (Oct 14, 2019)

I wouldn't want to see anyone's rights treaded on, that's why I mentioned another section for those kind of pics for this reason. I'm positive that everyone has seen dead animals, whether they be fresh or frozen so seeing another dead animal isn't the problem. The problem is they came here to see pics of animals that are alive and well, pics that induce happiness, not sadness and seeing that unexpectedly could've come as an unexpected shock to some. Personally, I can take looking at pictures of death, etc. and I've found that depending on the pics, I may need to prepare myself for what I'm about to see. Those pics didn't really bother me. I guess I feel I needed to speak for the silent majority.


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## pixmedic (Oct 14, 2019)

K9Kirk said:


> I wouldn't want to see anyone's rights treaded on, that's why I mentioned another section for those kind of pics for this reason. I'm positive that everyone has seen dead animals, whether they be fresh or frozen so seeing another dead animal isn't the problem. The problem is they came here to see pics of animals that are alive and well, pics that induce happiness, not sadness and seeing that unexpectedly could've come as an unexpected shock to some. Personally, I can take looking at pictures of death, etc. and I've found that depending on the pics, I may need to prepare myself for what I'm about to see. Those pics didn't really bother me. I guess I feel I needed to speak for the silent majority.



few issues here.
first, people didnt come here to see pics of animals that were "alive and well" in particular.
this is a photo forum, not a pet/animal specific forum. people came here, to a generic photography forum, to see the various types of photography people do with a varied medium of subjects. thats why people come here.
second, im not sure you are in the majority there, silent or otherwise.
either way, the boss has spoken about some sort of warning in the title so the issue has been addressed.
politics are not allowed here so i expect that all further posts from all parties will strictly be about the photographic qualities of the picture.

the picture @Irishwhistler is amazing btw.  the color pops really well. my only nitpic here would be the straight down angle of the shot. i think something shot a little lower might have worked a tad better. hard to tell without seeing it of course, so it could just be me.


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## smoke665 (Oct 14, 2019)

@Irishwhistler being a lifelong hunter, I automatically assumed the title referred to the results of your hunt, and saw nothing wrong with the composition either, as mentioned above great color. Unfortunately the world that we  grew up in has changed. People have become so far removed from their food, as Zulu mentioned with his Styrofoam, shrink wrapped packages, that they don't associate where it came from.


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## tirediron (Oct 14, 2019)

You mean my steak wasn't born on a styrofoam tray covered in cling-film????????


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## Photo Lady (Oct 14, 2019)

I think it is just sad to see something in  such a beautiful photo   "dead" .. Because i can imagine how awesome they were only a short time before .. i see it through a photo lens for its beauty.. dead is lifeless..


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## pixmedic (Oct 14, 2019)

Photo Lady said:


> I think it is just sad to see something in  such a beautiful photo   "dead" .. Because i can imagine how awesome they were only a short time before .. i see it through a photo lens for its beauty.. dead is lifeless..


Dead is delicious

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk


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## Photo Lady (Oct 14, 2019)

pixmedic said:


> Photo Lady said:
> 
> 
> > I think it is just sad to see something in  such a beautiful photo   "dead" .. Because i can imagine how awesome they were only a short time before .. i see it through a photo lens for its beauty.. dead is lifeless..
> ...


yes this is true... i AGREE.. but i was only talking about photography..


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## pixmedic (Oct 14, 2019)

Photo Lady said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > Photo Lady said:
> ...



he could not have gotten a shot like that any way other than the way he did it. 
its a beautiful tribute that honors the animals before they become a meal. 
certainly more personal and respectful than buying some duck meat at a store.


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## Photo Lady (Oct 14, 2019)

yes ,... and a hunter is a hunter.. so yes he should be proud of his hunting skills.. and a hunter that eats his hunt.. is a true hunter.. i agree with all that.. just sad for me..nothing i can do about how i feel for every living thing..


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## Irishwhistler (Oct 14, 2019)

terri said:


> Irishwhistler said:
> 
> 
> > N.V.M. said:
> ...



Terri,
Understand that the image I posted was not to provoke anybody, nor did I intend to disrespect the sensitivities of others.   I do not seek to politicize the matter and I understand that the matter may be one of controversy for some viewers.

I am a hunter and a steadfast conservationist, the two being far from mutually exclusive, but rather the norm.  In large part, I have lived my life hunting and making use of those animals that I harvest.  I spent an entire career in the field of fish, wildlife, and natural resources conservation.  Note that conservation is synonymous with wise use, and is not akin to protectionism.  I hunt legally and ethically based on the sound science and principals of wildlife management.  If any here follow my photographic leanings, it should be obvious that I have a great reverence for the natural world, and yes, animals both die naturally and are killed in that sphere.  I do not kill solely for sport, but I am a hunter - gatherer and make use of all that I take, and I take no more than I can use.

With regard to my dogs, I hunt with highly trained retrievers to prevent the wanton loss of precious game bird and waterfowl resources that I shoot.  I spend countless hours training gun dogs to become proficient in the recovery of birds taken.

As a hunter / conservationist, I spend much time and effort for several volunteer organizations dedicated to the conservation of both game and non-game species, but also for the procurement and management of critical wildlife habitat so necessary to the survival of  vastly diverse species.

As a visual artist, I seek to have my work evoke thought and emotion and I understand that with that comes the potential duality of both appreciation and disdain.  I accept that those opinions are solely up to the individual viewer.

The post stating "does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum"? left me to interpret that as a rallying cry to others to voice their opposition to the work I presented, and to that I honestly take exception.   I would be very hard pressed to rally others to contest the validity or acceptability of another artist's work and to do so leads to a very slippery slope with no end in sight.

The term "potentially graphic image" can conjure an endless list of images for an endless list of people.  As others have so eloquently inferred, my image of dead ducks could be much less troubling to some folks than is a trip by the meat counter at their local grocery store, that highly likely not preventing that they purchase their food there.

I do kill animals for some of the food I choose to eat and I make no apology for that.  As well, I make no apology for the visual art I create and for the emotions and thought they evoke.

I will "in the spirit of courtesy"  to my fellow TPF members comply with the etiquette expected by the administrator with regards to posting said warning, or I may close to not share some images all together for the potential that they might be upsetting to somebody, and I surely wouldn't wish to do that.

Mike


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## pixmedic (Oct 14, 2019)

hey, can someone throw me a few more "disagrees" please?
im at an odd number and would like to even things out. 
thanks guys!


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## tirediron (Oct 14, 2019)

pixmedic said:


> hey, can someone throw me a few more "disagrees" please?
> im at an odd number and would like to even things out.
> thanks guys!


Let me help you out with that!


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## smoke665 (Oct 14, 2019)

pixmedic said:


> hey, can someone throw me a few more "disagrees" please?
> im at an odd number and would like to even things out.
> thanks guys!



I know right, give it a minute! LOL


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## SquarePeg (Oct 14, 2019)

Irishwhistler said:


> ..lI will "in the spirit of courtesy"  to my fellow TPF members comply with the etiquette expected by the administrator with regards to posting said warning, or I may close to not share some images all together for the potential that they might be upsetting to somebody, and I surely wouldn't wish to do that.
> 
> Mike



I, for one, appreciate a heads up as that’s not the type of photo that I enjoy looking at.  Thanks for your courtesy.


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## Designer (Oct 14, 2019)

N.V.M. said:


> does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?


Two pages of responses, and not one comment on the photograph itself.   

FYI: Humans are omnivores, and this means we sometimes eat meat.  Got a problem with that?  Take your complaints upstairs.


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## pixmedic (Oct 14, 2019)

Designer said:


> N.V.M. said:
> 
> 
> > does anybody here want to see animals that have been killed in this forum?
> ...



hey now...i critiqued the photo
and wheres YOUR photo criqitue?  =)


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## terri (Oct 14, 2019)

Thanks, Mike.    We appreciate the courtesy. 

Good thing you weren't around when we were debating how to handle nude photography.    

Different strokes for different folks.  We've come to recognize the value of adding little disclaimers in what are potentially hot button issues for our very diverse group.


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## K9Kirk (Oct 14, 2019)

I'm glad the boss and I see things the same way, a little courtesy to keep everyone happy.  
Nice pic btw, those ducks had some beautiful markings.


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## Designer (Oct 15, 2019)

pixmedic said:


> hey now...i critiqued the photo
> and wheres YOUR photo criqitue?  =)


I thought about that when I posted, but I was feeling lazy.

Mike; the lighting is very flat, and the composition is just a little too "concise" for my taste.  I am not a duck hunter, so I don't know about the cord with the collection of leg bands, which is taking center stage in this composition.  I understand the duck calls and dog whistle, though.


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## Irishwhistler (Oct 15, 2019)

Designer said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > hey now...i critiqued the photo
> ...



Designer,
Thanks much for ye input Mate.  The "cord" is a lanyard which is worn about the next to keep one's game calls close at hand.  The leg bands are from birds harvested, the in formation on the band is reported by the hunter to a database that tracks population dynamics, migration patterns, and mortality, just another way that conservationist hunters contribute to the conservation and management of waterfowl populations.  Many hunters keep leg bands of birds harvested on their lanyard.

Mike ☘️


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## johngpt (Oct 23, 2019)

Irishwhistler said:


> _*Wood Ducks On The Table ~ *A day's bag limit o' wood ducks rests upon an old wooden table after a fine morning's hunt, awaiting the preparation needed for a wonderful feast to come_
> 
> _Cheers,
> Mike ☘️_


Mike, I appreciate that these will be a feast later, but I feel that your image is a bit "over cooked" in its processing. It might be a tad over sharpened creating some halo effect on edges, or possibly the effect is from an HDR-like preset. Backing off some on the saturation and texture might be something to consider. The highlights on the metal rings look over exposed with loss of detail, as do the white areas on the necks. You might experiment with under exposing a bit so the highlights aren't blown, then bringing up the shadows in post processing. Using something translucent to soften the light during image capture might be something to try also. 
I like the straight down perspective. Against the textures of the table that perspective works well.

Regarding whether someone feels the subject is appropriate, we all have Ctrl-W/Cmd-W to close the window or tab in which it was opened. Maybe I missed the rule that says we have to look at something we might not like.


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## Irishwhistler (Oct 23, 2019)

John,
I appreciate your insightful critique and believe it was in fact a matter of HDR.  

Mike ☘️


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