Thursday, November 26, 2009

Hi-Viz for horses?


It seems that Hi Viz isn't just for motorcyclists these days.

On a recent ride home I took the long way through farm country. This horse caught my eye. After all, isn't that the purpose of Hi Viz?

Although the horse is falling down in half of his basic strategy. We teach that motorcyclists should work at "seeing" as well as "being seen". The horse has the "being seen" part down quite well. However, no matter how I tried, the horse would not look up from the ground. His scanning skills still need some work, it seems. You never know when a stray mountain lion might be lurking about, you know. Or some guy living a cowboy fantasy and showing up with a branding iron!

Miles and smiles,

Dan

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Irondad:

In reply to your question. Sometimes I wished that I had more pockets or arms to carry a better camera with me, on a daily basis. It's not that I don't have one, but I prefer to travel light when just doing my daily walkabouts. That night when I took the picture of the Mannequin I only had my Canon SD780-is, cell phone and camcorder. I cannot adjust anything on the Canon. Exposure was F:3.2 probably at 1/8" sec. It's hard to hold a small camera steady. When you have the bulk of a G10 or G11, or D60 you should be able to hold those low speeds easily by just leaning against the wall of a building and bracing your arms against your chest in the usual "A" frame configuration. I use what is available. Parking meter heads are also good tripods.

I am not sure if you understand how to read a histogram. Here is an excellent article.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

also within this article there is a link to another essay call "Shooting to the Right". You should read this too. I have my camera display the histogram automatically after each shot in preview mode and I know immediately if my exposure is in the ballpark or not. Just 25% underexposure can throw away half of your pixels.

One other thing no-one tells you is that light meters in cameras are calibrated to recognize daylight values. There is approx 1 F stop difference between daylight and incadessant, so relying on your camera would make you 1 stop underexposed.

bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin

Lucky said...

Looks like that horse really has taken the ATGATT mentality to heart.

Troubadour said...

The horse isn't concerned with you as you aren't coming at him driving an SUV with blinders on. Ha..blinders on..I slay me.

irondad said...

Bobskoot,

Thanks for sharing. I know what a histogram shows and the principle. If it's squished up against either side the picture is under or over exposed. I believe that the left side is black and the right is white. The ideal shape is sort of a mountain in the middle but not hitting the top of the graph.

However, that's just a beginner's understanding. I am always hungry for information and REALLY appreciate the link and extra info!!

Take care,

Dan

irondad said...

Lucky,

Weird thought just popped into my head. What would a full face helmet for a horse look like?

Troubadour,

Maybe you should rein yourself in before you hurt yourself!

Take care,

Dan

Dave said...

Just think of were the EPA would put the emission control

Me thinks the hi- viz is more for trigger happy deer hunters than on road use

682202 said...

This time of the year in the middle of the country it's deer season. Horses don't worry about mountain lions or cowboy wannabes, but they do worry about near-sighted deer hunters, hence the Hi-Viz. GAW

Anonymous said...

Methinks young Dan is reverting to his first childhood and his love for horsepower, especially those of the four legged type. MUst because he probably is feasting on Thanksgiving Day and maybe munching either at home or perhaps with one of his offspring.
So how did you celebrate your holiday Dan?
Lovely weather here, no snow, yet. Makes one want to go riding; however...no wheels.

Unknown said...

Irondad:

Your understanding of the Histogram is not correct, please read the article. It is important to know what that graph means as it will improve your pictures.

My new Blog entry is written for you based upon the question you asked me

http://wetcoastscootin.blogspot.com/2009/11/night-photography.html

bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin

Krysta in MKE said...

I'll leave my "me too" for the anti-deer-hunter theory. I've heard of people spray-painting the word "COW" on the sides of their cows to avoid them being shot. The neon blanket seems to me to be better.

It does surprise me, though, that a prey animal wouldn't lift its head more often to look around.