Trekking donkey Photo

Photographer’s Note

Tandil is one of those towns in the province of Buenos Aires (some 350 km southwest of the capital) that emerged around the agricultural business in the 1800s. Also, Tandil has some small hills, which are part of the very few elevations in the flat Pampas.

I find it a nice place for a long weekend; staying in a small cottage in a pleasant country surrounding, in autumn or spring, with some trails to walk is a good option if you live in Buenos Aires and do not want to stay in the city. The town is also known in Argentina, because of its cheeses.

Well, some months ago, on a fresh autumn morning I decided to do some walking on one of the hill’s trails. I had been raining and the sky starting to clear, but I walked a few kilometers without crossing with anyone, except for lots of birds and a few ‘guanacos’ (very similar to ‘llamas’, and also a cousin of ‘camels’) that are kept in a reserve nearby. I hope to post something on these in the future.

I had a 300mm tele on the camera, since I had been interested in the birds and the guanacos… then I noticed the different clouds and the very pale sky, and started thinking of changing lenses to take some landscapes… just then a donkey appeared in front of me… so I only had to point and click!

After the photo, I completed my trail, and that donkey was the only living thing that crossed my way in almost 4 hours walking.

Raw Capture at ISO 400 – f4.0 – 1/4000s @ 300 mm.
Post processing: only raw conversion (DPP) to Jpg, and then cropping, contrast (curves), USM and save for the web.

bgladman, isabela_sor, fabio_ts, leo61, Rev, cengiz, sandrasilva, pitai, Galmeida, Rossignol, TeresaT, Mistral, gilbriones2002, tootsie, beijokense, peck, pastadog, berek, josepmarin, schobi, AiresSantos has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bgladman (1153) 2006-02-01 5:53

Hi Carlos,

I like how you captured the donkey with the sky as a backdrop. Lovely shades of blue in the sky. Maybe its just me, but the contrast seems a pit too high for my taste. Otherwise, well done!

isabela_sor (41913) 2006-02-01 6:03

Nicely framed. Beautiful shot. I love the donkey in front posing for you!!
All the best
Isabela

[2]

czar (198) 2006-02-01 6:18

Very nice indeed, the donkey is just going about his business, looks very natural, love the sky as well.

[2]

dvlazar (6468) 2006-02-01 6:21

Very nice - looks like there were 2 living things on the trail - another one inside the donkey.
I love the framing too.

gebala (0) 2006-02-01 6:40

hello, lovely shot,where is he going;) where is his camera;) I like this capture, nice colours, nice point if view, nice and funny shot:)
best wishes

[2]

fabio_ts (13672) 2006-02-01 7:13

Hola carlos,
a sublime shot my friend, so well composed, colors and lights are perfect, ..BRAVO+++

have a nice day,
Fabio.

[2]

leo61 (42886) 2006-02-01 11:16

Hi Carlos!
Lovely foto of this donkey.Good composition with the the sky as background.I like it,
LEO

[2]

cengiz (3581) 2006-02-01 12:55

relly nice :)
cengiz

Rev (1782) 2006-02-01 13:14

Hi Carlos
A truly delightful photo.
A brilliant backdrop for a perfect subject.
Colours and light are great.
Well done
Regards
Peter

gigi (2668) 2006-02-01 14:41

hola Carlos
very nice picture with good light and great colors
I love the donkey
thank you for sharing
jean louis

sandrasilva (644) 2006-02-01 15:22

Olá Carlos!Bonita fotografia,muito bem executada e bem conseguida.Gosto muito das cores( e adoro o burro).Bem-haja pela partilha.
Desejo o MELHOR.Sandra

pitai (3925) 2006-02-01 16:52

Hola Carlos,
A mi me gusta el efecto conseguido con tus lentes. La definición esta excelente. y el fondo deja una sensación de grande inmensidad y vacio. Los colores super saturados, pero en su punto. Hasta parece que esta caminando en el cielo. Muy buen trabajo. Un abrazo, Gabriel

elmec (12194) 2006-02-01 17:08

Hello Carlos!
Very surrealistic donkey on the sky!
Very good idea for the photo - it's funny!
I like it!
Greetings!

Svillegas (1165) 2006-02-02 3:25

Hola Carlos
Bonita composición, buena profundidad de campo y preciosos colores.

Ese cielo tan pastel parece una pintura de Matisse.

Un saludo,

Sonia

sayat (2941) 2006-02-02 4:28

Brilliant photo. What a sky! I think the donkey'spregrant by the way :)

Galmeida (12559) 2006-02-02 6:44

Hi Carlos,
A Trekking donkey coming from the sky! Very well seen and captured this nice donkey. It seems facing you and also posing in the Passerelle. Funny and a great decisive moment to you and your camera. Good light, perspective and enquadrement. Good job so well done and composed. Congratulations and my Best Regards.

Fernando

BlaiseCendrars (0) 2006-02-02 11:38

Hey Carlos!
Excellent rural view with the donkey against the sky with spot on focus. Very well seen and realized. Perhaps a little more land could have been included between you and the donkey. I have done a workshop to remove noise in the sky (limit reached, will post later).

Thanks and best wishes mate,
Chris

[workshop] [compare]

Rossignol (2289) 2006-02-02 15:17

Hi Carlos
This is a superb shot. The donkey is so sharply captured and the lighting magnificent. I really like the composition too, with the donkey quite off centre.
Well done
Peter

TeresaT (10727) 2006-02-02 16:40

hi Carlos
I love this picture...the cloudly background it's just perfect...
The light is perfect..and it looks like a 3D donkey...
Regards
Teresa

Kirych (2696) 2006-02-03 11:47

Hi, Carlos!
You capture good moment. Interesting compo with lonely donkey and sky on the background. Beautiful place and interesting note about this shot.
Best regards. Tanya.

Mistral (13630) 2006-02-03 18:12

Olà Carlos,
well composed with a good DoF and a beautiful like painting sky! A smile
Luca

gilbriones2002 (930) 2006-02-04 4:02

great shot, what fine detail! the color shades contrast very well, light and subtle, makes you focus your attention to the well positioned donkey, i like this one a lot.

danyy (68040) 2006-02-04 12:45

Bonjour Carlos,
C'est fantastique, cet ane qui se détache sur ce ciel, rien derrière, une prise de vue astucieuse.
Le cadrage colle bien avec ce POV.
Simple, mais opportuniste.
Regards.
Daniel.

saguzar (862) 2006-02-04 14:42

Hola Carlos,
colorida foto, me gusta sus colores y la composición que has hecho.
No tenía idea que hubiera guanacos en Tandil.
Saludos
Hernán

efigesta (12181) 2006-02-05 5:55

Ola Amigo
este pormenor do burro esta fantastico, bem captada esta foto com um bom pov
abraço e obrigado
manuel

Ejla (429) 2006-02-05 14:38

Really a beautiful donkey portrait!

agpires (0) 2006-02-06 4:27

Hello Carlos,
splendid composition, with a low depth of field which attenuates the plane back, but which develops the principal subject which is this donkey, moreover this nice animal looks at the objective.
Very good and nice shot, best regards, Armandino.

tootsie (331) 2006-02-07 13:16

hi carlos,
this is great! i love the lines of cloud, sky, cloud and earth. but the best is the look on the face of the donkey. great capture!
tootsie

xavshot (61917) 2006-02-09 13:23

Bonsoir Carlos
j'aime bien cette photo avec cet âne qui m'a l'air bine tranquille. Joli cadrage et belles lumières
amicalement
Xavier

beijokense (498) 2006-02-10 17:17

Hola Carlos,
That's a really nice trekker looking at you! I had a first impression of too much light, but that's not the case, it's a good outcome, with a well defined donkey. And I like the different tonalities of the sky, too.
Nice title and a very good note.

Regards,
Beijo

peck (2779) 2006-02-12 5:08

Hello Carlos,
BEautiful donkey in amazing scenery :)) your point of view and framing great!! well done, I like it much!
greetings,
Gregory

pastadog (12821) 2006-02-20 1:54

Hi Carlos, I believe you completely caught the spirit of this one with your title; the donkey seems, in fact, to be trekking; its calm walking movement beautifully caught. The association I did is - yes, let's go trek to the hills, let's look as untroubled as this donkey; if this donkey is enjoying nature as he does in this photo, who's the real "donkey" in this world?
And thanks too for the good note on this unknown destination. Regards, Daniel.

blue-velvet30 (6524) 2006-02-23 8:23

Ola Carlos ;-)
Excellent composition! I like this photo! Beautiful colors and great light. Perfect details! Great work!
TFS ;-)
regards
Dorota

elBud (2211) 2006-02-23 21:30

hi Carlos.

esta es una tremenda fotografia, gran enfoque, tremendos colores, te felicito por hacer fotografias como esta, muy muy buena.

Igec (341) 2006-02-23 21:46

Just lovely photo!!!

berek (28784) 2006-03-08 1:42

Hola Carlos,
very good working my friend. your composition and framing are successfully. sky colors and clouds looks beautiful. TFS:
B.Erek
Meaning ( Sense ) 10,Framing:10,Idea :10

Deke (708) 2006-03-13 11:14

Hi Carlos, you make light of the superb composition and timing, sometimes you make luck by instinct and preparedness. I can't add to what's been said (extensively!)already, except that this shot is extremely marketable and has great sales potential.
I like the story in your notes and would love to spend time in such a location, most of my visits to Argentina though means staying in Buenos Aires. Ian

plimrn (19558) 2006-03-14 14:11

Olá Carlos,
There are days like that, but the donkey provided your with a focus for your composition of stunning beauty and simplicity. I call that serendipity!! I like the work you did with Neat Image in the workshop. Sorry I'm late to this post, I'm looking at photos that occurred before I started on TE and I appreciate the detail you put into your posts.
Regards, Patricia

emanuela (1257) 2006-03-15 2:58

hi looks like in paradise, maybe the colors and the composition, good very good
emanuela

cessy (13647) 2006-03-23 14:01

very nice capture of the donkey, Carlos
the angle, composition are very nice
I like different colors of the sky as well

josepmarin (33591) 2006-04-18 15:36

Hola Carlos,
he descubierto esta foto y me ha gustado enseguida. El burrito recortándose en el cielo mientras va subiendo por la montaña es adorable.
Bonito cielo y espectaculares nubes.
Buena foto.
Saludos,
Josep

manada (6237) 2006-04-22 4:11

Hola Carlos, me gustan mucho burros: son el simbolo de el equipo de mi ciudad. En esta foto me gusta todo. Un trabajo genial, la parte posterior hace pensar quizas de donde viene, y adelante..... toda una vita.
Tecnicamente me gustan colores y la composicion, es decir que el burro no esta en el medio de la photo.

schobi (185) 2006-05-09 8:59

Hey Carlós! Great work, nice motive :-)
Cheers, Bernhard

marietom (31780) 2006-05-25 15:16

superbe, cet âne qui semble perdu... Belles couleurs.
Marie

AiresSantos (41418) 2006-07-12 5:54

Hi Carlos,
Fantastic capture very well framed. Perfect colors and light. Lovely donkey with a gorgeous sky in background.
Thanks and cheers

Manamo (3468) 2006-09-04 16:19

Hello Carlos, this is just a nice shot coming from a nice idea! The donkey seems so lost...even his face screams it!! I like the burnt out color of the soil and the three layers in the sky. It was a very clever idea to pt the animal so low in the picture and to leave so much negative space,
Great!
Marc