"Winter Kill"

He must of been a handsome bull Elk....ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Hope to get caught up here on PN and visit all my wonderful friends, be

patient, my already slow dial up is even slower with PN's new format.

Quite an extraordinary capture, Susan! Beautifully composed.

You are returning with style! This is a fantastic image to return from the drought with. Welcome back! 7/7

 

PS, How is my friend Smokey Joe doing?

Thanks Tim, pretty easy to "compose" this one, he wasn't going anywhere! I'm glad Spring is here, I get to play on the computer today 'cause it's raining and I'm "mudded in".

 

A 7/7 from you Shawn is a highly prized pat on the back....gracias. Your canine buddy, SJ, is getting winter fat and showing his age. We start branding calves this weekend so it's back to busy busy for this ol' cowgirl.

I love it! Raw nature ... where we will all be someday. The snow is very well composed, Susan. Very nicely done! Maybe your next upload can be Smokey Joe? :-D

Susan, this is an unusual scene. Not used to the snow culture it is sad on one side and an unusual image on the other. Winter can be very harsh and cruel .Well observed

Kudos on a brilliant black and white conversion and composition. Call me strange, but somehow this has the feel of Weston's photography and Georgia O'Keefe's visions. This is pretty much fine art, Susan. Tough subject; but brilliantly handled. I think the plan view, and that the eyes are still covered with snow makes it more sensitively presented. Susan, this is VERY good! Welcome back, my friend; I have missed you, and hope that you are doing better these days. Spring has come to the Montana Prairie and to all of her residents, you included:) Cheers! Chris

Welcome back! Quite a dramatic return...interesting and well presented! I'll be looking forward to something RED!

 

Regards,

 

Dick

Either you deserved the 7/7 I gave you or I just primed the pump because you've gotten a slew more of those ratings. Did you crop this image to post it? If your original has more space around it (especially on the right) I would be interested in purchasing a print of this from you. This needs to be on my wall!

Welcome back Susan.

 

This image cannot sum up all of the good days of grazing in the high meadow, laying in the sun amongst spring flowers. Romping with companions, riding out the storms, living...

 

Just living!

 

Susan, welcome back. Bless you and all you do.

 

~Sky

Sad but real. As you know, I've had more than my share of death lately, but I've come to terms with it. Nevertheless, nothing like a little reminder from you, eh? Life is usually brutal. But pleasure resides therein. Glad to have you posting. Hope to see you soon.

I, too, thought I was glad the eyes weren't showing. I'm used to seeing dead elk with glazed or dried up eyes and the tongue hanging out. This is much gentler, in spite of the sadness. Wonderful!

Hi Susan ... we missed you !! Welcome back !! ... good documentary shot !!. Best Wishes and have a nice springtime.

WOW! Raw and natural! Gritty and a point well made with life! Nice work Susan! (hey, is spring there yet??) Regards, Doug.

Thanks Lou Ann, I'll see if I can dredge up another shot of my faithful companion Smokey Joe.

 

Winters in Montana can be brutal Pnina, I always have great empathy for the animals during the harshest of days.

 

Well Dick I'll have to see if I can find you something with RED in it, that should light up our day.

 

Yes Shawn, I did crop this and I went and looked at the originals and none have more room to the right, I needed a wide angle lens (which I don't have) to get all of the antlers and face and shadows, I know you want all of the shadows too. I'll make you a large print anyway.

 

One of the things I love about living in Montana Sky, is the four distinct seasons and the living out of the full cycle of life to death that I see on a regular basis, plants and animals and old timers too. Life is good again, the green grass is growing and there's calves everywhere.

 

Friend David, we just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and we'll find glorious paths to explore.

 

Hey Kim, I'm waiting on those great photos from Moab you took so I can "attend" the symposium vicariously. Next year.....I know, you've heard that before.

 

Gracias Ricardo, it's good to be back, although we're about to get really busy branding calves and it'll be hit or miss again for me on PN.

Welcome back. Damn fine hat rack ... I love it.

Susan, I haven't worked on any of them yet...too busy trying to catch up from having fun for a week. Bruce said he was going to send you some.

Some how missed you in the lineup Chris, yes and thank you very much for the reference to O'Keeffe, she's my favorite female artist and my favorite male artist is Maynard Dixon. I've tried to emulate the simplicity of O'Keeffe's work in many of my photos. She loved the desert and the organic world as much as we do. The grass is finally growing and we've started branding calves....all is well out West.

Susan, This is a very fine shot, so well composed -- with great tones. (Sorry to be so late.) Warm regards...

Perfectly titled. A sad shot. I like how the antlers poke through the snow. A last ditch attempt at saying, "I was here!" Very nicely done.

Susan, You have now enough images to publish a book ! This is another masterpiece! cheers Jana

Yup Doug, Spring has sprung! That "gritty" ol' Elk is gettin' "gross".

 

I think Gordon, when that skull's picked clean I'll drag it home to hang on my wall...."damn fine hat rack".

 

Hope you got lots of great shots Kim.

 

Always glad you stopped by Joe, better late than never.

 

Thanks Jeff, seems I've had that title in my mind for a long time just waiting for a subject.

 

Someday Jana, there will be a book.

Beautiful image and sad at the same time. It does make you reflect on how nature seems cruel sometimes. Perfect exposure and conversion.

Susan, Shots like this come along once in a blue moon. You've got a "winner" here because of it's evocative content, combined with a dark, but undeniable beauty. Print it and hang it, but most of all keep sharing! Best Regards, Jerry

perfect documentary..............congratulations to you!