Daisy is off to Norway again for the foreseeable. I do hope they send her home for Christmas.  That would be nice, though it is up to her if she wants to come home.  I never force, only suggest!

As this is Daisy’s last full day before she goes on the boat tomorrow, she got to call the shots.  After our flute lesson (read torment for our teacher), we had a lovely lunch at the Bonhoga Gallery.

Then a walk on the beach, for perspective and any potential home-sickness, was required so we went to Sandness with the dogs.

The dogs had a lovely time too.

Lastly, off to say goodbye to Lyra Lyra Pants-on-Fyra.

I think Daisy will miss us all.  I know we will her (slightly, ok, only a little, probably not very much, if at all really).

I took my camera with me on the dog walk and had a play.

I have a love/hate relationship with photographic effects at the best of times, including Instagram filters, but sometimes, just sometimes I like to muck around with my pictures to see if it will improve them, so tried some of the black-and-white effects that my software offers to see what would happen.

My jury is still out.

This is the sea over the cliffs and fields at Watsness on the “sunny Westside” of Shetland.  The sun was trying hard and all it could achieve was mercury-silver patches.

Thistle leaves with water droplets.

A thistle flowerhead

Water droplets in woollen clumps lying in the scattald from Shetland hill sheep.

Strands of Shetland wool blowing in the wind.

Today, I thought I would photograph some supermodels and continue my filter theme to see if it was a good or bad thing.

Lambie

Taktur

Lambert

My jury is still out.  I dunno.  Black and white is ok but I think it is all bit too poncey for me (everytime I look at Lambert, the name Damien Hurst flashes up!)

(afterwards, this is where I found “Naomi” and “Kate” so back to earth and real life with a bump then!)

Still a change is as good as a rest.

PhotoVogue has reached over 72,000 photographers and each day, we receive thousands of photographs to review.

(This is one of many that I will be submitting)

The photos featured on Photo Vogue are personally selected by the Photo Editors of Vogue Italia (which is also the added value such photography platform offers); they are constantly reviewing and selecting, even outside working hours, but do not have physically the time to provide individual explanation of the reason why a certain image was rejected.

( I defy them to refuse this beautiful face)

I believe that it is important to pay attention to what is approved and what is rejected among the works you upload, this way you’ll be more able to appreciate what type of photographs we accept; in doing so, however, I kindly ask you to keep in mind that the selection is the result of our personal review and, in no way, do we expect to be the beholders of the absolute truth.

(yer, yer, but is this not the very definition of gorgeousness?)

As we pointed out more than once however, if you decide to submit your works to us, in doing so you must also accept our judgment, after all, participating is not compulsory but simply a choice. Photo Vogue is open to all photography genres but it is not for everyone; it is not a “democratic” (if you pass me the term) platform on which everybody can simply upload whatever they like. Photo Vogue will feature only those images that have been approved by us.

(and of Lambie. In my opinion, there is a distinct lack of photos of Lambie in Vogue)

Having said this, with this article I would like to elaborate on some of the assessment criteria so as to help you become self-critical.

(we do NOT criticise Lambie ever!  No, not ever.  He wouldn’t like that)

The right approach when taking a photograph is not “I’ve seen something I like hence I’ll photograph it” (think How? Why? What is by the side, above and below that view/object you liked? What angle will you take the picture from? With what lens?); it is true that, especially with certain photographic genres, you have to seize the moment but, to ensure that the photography-wise that moment is perfect, you need to have absorbed certain processes and have developed a “photographic eye”.

(Is this a photographic eye?)

The right way to position yourself in respect to the subject is the same way you’d do in front of a blank canvas so as to give the necessary attention to all the elements you are going to include, put in your framing and on set in order to understand the meaning of composition in photography.

(I think this is what they mean)

My advice, at the beginning, is to focus on something and to photograph it repeatedly day after day: it could be a street view, for the instance; the goal is to absorb certain procedures so that they become almost automatic.

(I can do that.  Lambie and more Lambie with perhaps a hint of Minions).

How to assess a photograph? There are both objective and subjective criteria. In assessing an individual photograph the subject, the composition, the light and the technique are important. Whereas when it comes to a photographic narrative, besides the above mentioned criteria, there needs to be no repetition, unless it is meaningful to the story; in addition, there needs to be narrative cohesion and the ability to tell a story.

(Dog meets sheep. Dog hates sheep. Dog is told to like sheep.  Dog tolerates sheep.  Sheep loves everyone)

Given that the images are assessed by human beings and not machines, there is also a series of subjective criteria that may prevail over the technical ones precisely because photography is a form of art which – luckily – has emancipated itself from being a mere representation of reality long time ago, hence our job is not to judge how a sunset truly resembles the real deal or how clear and precise a certain photograph is; there are many technically perfect shots which are flat, with no soul and that work only as a mere photographic reproduction of the subject.

(I have no idea what he is on about but here is another picture of Lambie)

It is transformation that makes a shot artistic, the variance between reality and the way it is portrayed: such variance is the added value and represents the photographer’s unique vision. A good photograph needs to have a soul, be open, not provide answers but rather trigger questions, it needs to intrigue, have several layers of meaning and not be dull, flat, banal or one-dimensional.

(Banal?  Lambie is never banal – Vogue, maybe but never Lambie!)

When “reading” an image, as well as when taking it, the cultural and visual baggage of both the viewer and the photographer plays a fundamental role because this is one of the elements that will, unconsciously, influence both the reviewer’s assessment of such image and the photographer’s approach to shooting it.

di Alessia Glaviano, Senior Photo Editor of Vogue Italia

I think we have all been edumificated now!

Ok, I have a dilemma, well nine horse or pony ones really.

Storm and Taktur need to eat.  They want to be with their friends, but I want to them to put on weight.  Storm lost too much last winter and Taktur will be in work.

As you can see, I let Taktur and Storm into the big grass field today to see if they would eat any better as they usually just stand by the gate wanting to join their friends.  It seems to be working and they are off eating.

Meanwhile, in the biggest field (20 acres?), the fatties are looking on enviously at Storm and Taktur.

With the best will in the world, I just cannot bring myself to put the heffalumps into a field with long thick green grass.

It would be wrong.  They have enough where they are anyway.

The Minions are not small either.

Waffle was called obese by his breeder but I am keenly watching El Niño in the Pacific Ocean and the knock-on effect in the UK may be immense this winter – BBC News .  As you already know, I am obsessed with the weather.

Tiddles is not small either.

Silver may show me his most handsome face but I will not be swayed.  I would be doing none of them any favours

(Note-to-self, I must add some more string to that gate to keep it SHUT!)

My riding buddy is back.  Ok, not for long, but she is back.

This is my elder daughter, Daisy, who is home from Norway. She has come back to pack up her things and return to a job working at Kise Islandshestgård.  She had been out there for two weeks previously on trial and they offered her the job (so proud, sniff – it is a great opportunity).

Iacs, her original Icelandic horse that she has had since she was 8 years old, was very pleased to see her and we went out for a bimble.

Her Maj followed sulkily at the back.  She is having trouble keeping up these days and tends to go home.

I rode Haakon, who had a mad hair day but was very happy and forward-going.  He is getting old but he still loves going out.

Iacs, or Mr Bimble, is a haynet-half-full kinda guy and was enthusiastic to relieve me of any potential carrots I may be carrying about my person!  I was regularly frisked and brought in for questioning!

That was yesterday.  This is today.  The weather changed and a very soggy mist kept rolling in from the sea.

But that was not going to put us off and Daisy and I tacked up Klængur and Kappi and off we went for a completely different ride from yesterday.

These guys go fast and it was the good fun – a different kind of fun.

We try to match our ponies – yesterday two buckskin duns, today, two firey chestnuts.  That’s how we roll in this Shire!

I will make the most of Daisy being home.  It is wonderful and I have both my girls here – I am very happy.