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Amazing animal


Amazing animal
Photo Information
Copyright: David White (Davidwh) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 856 W: 75 N: 961] (3574)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-03-08
Categories: Transportation
Camera: Nikon D70s, Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED DX AF-S
Exposure: f/11, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-05-26 2:16
Viewed: 2086
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Sled dogs
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Sled dogs, known also as sleigh dogs, sledge dogs or sleddogs are dogs that are used to pull a wheel-less vehicle on runners (a sled or sleigh) over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines. It is not certain when this unique form of transport was first thought of by humankind nor where it originated, but it may well have been in eastern Siberia, whose tribes have a long history of nomadic winter travel.
Several distinct dog breeds are in common use as sleddogs, although any medium-sized breed may be used to pull a sled. Purebred sleddog breeds range from the well-known Siberian Husky to rarer breeds such as the Mackenzie River husky. Dog drivers, however, have a long history of using other breeds or crossbreds as sleddogs. In the days of the Gold Rush in The Yukon, mongrel teams were the rule, but there were also teams of Foxhounds and Staghounds. Today the unregistered hybridised Alaskan husky is preferred for dogsled racing, along with a variety of crossbreds, the German Shorthaired Pointer often being chosen as the basis for crossbreeding. Some years ago, a team of Standard Poodles participated in the Iditarod long-distance race.
Sleddogs are expected to demonstrate two major qualities in their work (apart from basic physical capability to pull the sled). Endurance is needed to travel the distances demanded in dogsled travel, which may be anything from five to eighty miles (8 to 130 km) or more a day. Speed is needed to travel the distance in a reasonable length of time. Racing sleddogs will travel up to an average twenty miles per hour (32.2 km/h) over distances up to 25 miles (40 km). Over longer distances, average travelling speed declines to 10 to 14 miles per hour (16 to 22 km/h). In poor trail conditions, sleddogs can still usually average 6 or 7 miles per hour (10 or 11 km/h). Sled dogs have been known to travel over 100 miles in a 24 hour period.
A team of sleddogs may consist of anywhere from three to two dozen animals. Modern teams are usually hitched in tandem, with harnessed pairs of sleddogs pulling on tuglines attached to a central gangline. Trappers in deep snow conditions using the toboggan will hitch their dogs in single file with traces on either side of the line of dogs. Dog teams of arctic natives are usually run in "fan hitch", each dog having its own tow line tied directly to the sled.
Driving sleddogs has become a popular winter recreation and sport in North America and Europe; sleddogs are now found even in such unlikely places as Australia and Patagonia.

This is another image from our amazing sledding trip in Northern Finland.You can read about it in Shir's travelogue...
JasPahal, MLINES, marianita, nbj, jhm, plimrn, IvarsU, yigalco, JonteW, coco, john_c, Emiel_Skyfreak has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jhm: ThanksDavidwh 1 05-26 11:52
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Critiques [Translate]

That is one intense looking dog! Love the eyes. The right eye looks a bit awkward, but that's just because of the angle I guess.

Exposure is just right. Thanks for sharing!

Jas

David, Excellent note on this sort of working dog. Good capture which shows the dog's intense focus. Good to see on TE. Murray.

David,
what a beautiful dog!great capture!nice eyes
well done
marianna

  • Great 
  • nbj Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 488 W: 0 N: 55] (1627)
  • [2006-05-26 3:59]

Absolutely amazing eyes. The brightness of the eyes, the snow and the brightness of the colors of the harness (it is what you call a harness, or..?), it makes it a really nice portrait. Well done.
Nana

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 12731 W: 272 N: 16984] (67992)
  • [2006-05-26 7:25]
  • [+]

Hi David,
What a lovely blue eyes, beautiful dog and what attention for the depart, splendid picture again David!
Have a nice weekend,
John.

  • Great 
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3755 W: 232 N: 5049] (15959)
  • [2006-05-26 17:05]

Hi David,
Wonderful detail in your sled dog; you managed the difficult light well. Thanks for the reference to the travelogue, Looks like a great trip, I especially like the one of you in the snow.
Regards, Pat

  • Great 
  • IvarsU Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 399 W: 6 N: 271] (2461)
  • [2006-05-27 16:37]

David!
It is superb portrait of dog, Yours POV and composition added emotions here...
Thanks,
Ivars.

David Hi,
Very good photo, the use of blue colors is great
I like the way you place the dog, coming in with his mouth open ready to continue
Great note

Thanks for sharing
Yigal

  • Great 
  • coco Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4186 W: 145 N: 4970] (23464)
  • [2006-05-30 10:08]

Hola David.
Simple composition but also effective. The light and colours are good, and the diagonal drawed by the snow adds more dynamism to the photo.

Well done.

hello, beauty is this dog:) I like this cropping and snow around:0) beauty point of view :) and colours:) well taken
rgs

That is an amazing picture but I think that the Note is even more amazing
Zack

  • Great 
  • john_c Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4905 W: 53 N: 5951] (24618)
  • [2006-07-21 9:57]

Hi David,
A close-up view of this wonderful dog. I like the framing and perspective here, with the dog angled into the frame, leaving a generous portion remaining for the snow, which has good texture. The light and shadow effects are superb and one can even discern the ruts in the snow for the dog and sled. Well done...Later
John

Nice shot David!
Supreme sharpness and a good composition, enough room left for the dog to look at.
The eyes are very beautiful..very intense!
Good pose, not to much water from it's mouth and it's fleece is very sharp.
I like also the colourful belts attached to the sled dog.
I think these elements make a great photo.

So they can travel 160km a day, wow that's amazing.
Thanks for useful note and beautiful share.

it reminds me of the faithful dog of japan, HACHIKO from the AKITA dog breed... you gotta read its story you know! a dog that waited for its master...
here's a link (AKITA)

its a very interesting story you know... better check it out...

Regards, en
TT

  • Great 
  • gunbud Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4485 W: 4 N: 4012] (18193)
  • [2006-11-30 20:33]

Hi David,
This handsome guy seems happy with this employment. Great shot in this bright light.
Regards, Tom

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