Oh You Cow

 I’d spent an unsuccessful day, on balance, trying to find the patience and the finesse to take landscape style photographs on a day-long jaunt into our neighbouring counties, Northants and Leicestershire. This was a rare day off work, and I had all the kit with me. Trouble was, although it was all very relaxing, I wasn’t getting anything to really go crackers about. But on my way back I found a lovely big lake by surprise, called Eyebrook Reservoir, and spotted some cows on the far side. No harm, I reasoned, in switching to Wildlife photography mode. After all, I can take a great picture of a domestic cat. In fact , all things considered, I could see no udder alternative.

I bravely got very close indeed to capture these magnificent beasts in their prime. Now that’s what I call a cow picture: 

Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm lens at 10mm, 1/160 at f 10, ISO 200, hand held with flash. I found Cow Number 401181 to have the right combination of looks, personality and susceptibility to bribery – in the case of the pic above, by a bit of bush dangled by yours truly just out of shot. Don’t worry, the cow got to eat the bush.

I did not trespass, because 401181 and her butch friend had a slightly petulant look about them: 

Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm lens at 18mm, 1/500 at f 5.3, ISO 200, hand held no flash. Close enough thank you ladies.  A word about the Sigma wide-angle 10-20mm lens at this point if I may. As I’ve said before in this blog, from time to time this lens produces just remarkable quality pictures. The high-res version of both this pic and the one above are just packed with detail.

At the gate, 401181 signalled the herd, and the sisters began to gather: 

 Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm lens at 10mm, 1/160 at f 10 ISO 200, hand held no flash. I am aware that it’s not cool to take photographs of cows, but I have never claimed to be out to impress in any way with this blog.

As the rain clouds gathered, the light got more interesting, and the cows got more demanding. There just wasn’t enough bush to feed the stampede, and shortly after this I made my excuses and left:

 

Nikon D300, Sigma 10-20mm lens at 18mm, 1/500 at f 5.3, ISO 200, hand held no flash. Note shadow of self, holding camera in the air to get this aerial view. A decent bit of Photoshop work and I could have removed that shadow, but as I have said before, this isn’t art. I wonder how many of these cows have appeared in McDonalds by now, or perhaps on a barbeque. Come to think of it, we had one the other day. Oh, Cow Number 401181, I hope you were what they call a right old milker…