Silent Prayer

The Celtic cross on Llandwyn Island commemorates the death of St

Dwynwen in AD 465. The wild pony stood in silence in this position

without moving for quite a while, giving the distinct impression it was

paying it's respects and allowing me to get close enough for this shot.

Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated ....Thank You.

What else a viewer would say about this amazing capture, very powerful and of very well balanced exposure, the DOF is remarkable and helped to add all of the fine details over the place, the colors are so well saturated and given a superb pleasant atmosphere while the horse brought the feeling of life to this image and also adding a great impact to its well planned composition.

Thank you my friend for sharing it and wishing you all of the best.

Intriguing image, nicely seen.

A most beautiful and wonderful capture made even more so by the inclusion of your story. I find animals to be very aware of things - whether someone wants to believe it to be spiritual or just intuitive is really up to the individual, but I believe them to be very aware of spiritual presence so it is not hard for me to believe this horse was in a way paying tribute due to its sense of spirituality. An excellent capture; thank you so much for sharing both the photo and story! :)

Being at the right spot and at the right time is what it's all about. with a load of patience. You captured this one spot on and with the Snowdonia background creates an epic photograph.

Regards.........John

I like a lot the composition. A very respectful pony, isn't it?

The variety and gradation of ascending slopes is beautiful.

Regards, Tibi

Beautiful scene especially with the inclusion of this white pony. Well chosen title considering the cross on the right. Thanks for sharing and best regards...JB

It's the mark of a good photographer, being in the right place at the right time, which perfectly applies to this shot...Bravo!

Alf,

  Wow.....amazing capture with wonderful composition & beautiful colors.  Excellent work & story.  Take care, Patsy

There are many things that I like about this photograph, in addition to the range of tones and the foreground and background both providing interesting subject matter for the viewer, this image suggests a story as you have hinted at with your title.  It is the kind of image that encourages the viewer to fill in their own story and therefore demands much more than a passing glance.

Jim

Very interesting take on a fortuitous composition -- I like it very much.  Nicely framed and exposed -- great shot.  The viewer can read as much into the photo as his or her imagination will allow.

So original and rare capture! Although perfectly natural, it approaches theatrical execution and arrangement of this amazing elements to each other, creating a top gold winner shot! Bravo.

Hamid.

Alf, truly incredible. In the thumbnail I saw the cross and thought that would be impressive, yet a pony also. i love the scale of the cross against the mountains. Nicely composed with beautiful colors.

Alf-

I am captivated by the theatre of this photo. A chilling sense of the mystical.

Thanks for your recent comments.

Gorgeous capture, Alf -- A very serene moment. The pony adds much here, and in spite of its silent pose, it seems to gives life to the aesthetic environment captured by you. Beautifully composed. I especially like the way the rocks in the foreground anticipate the pattern of the mountains beyond. Best regards, Marjolein

wow you got everything here! excellent composition and tones, and the white horse with the old monument adds a mystic atmosphere.

Patience is a virtue, the horse knows you are there ( the ears perked foreword ), but your approach did not spook him, creating an excellent image.  Strongly composed, this image can not but capture attention and reflection from the viewer.  Wondrous work Alf.  Best regards...

-Dave

Alf...  Our human desire to analyze this makes it mesmerizing.  While I stop short of applying any religious understanding to this guy, there is, in animals, a primal sense that we don't always appreciate.  A superb capture on your part and the entire scene has a wonderful timeless quality... Mike

HI ALF.. NOT A SCENE THAT I HAVE EVERY VIRTUALLY SEEN OR PERHAPS NEVER WILL. THE HORSE COULD BE A UNICORN IN MY EYES. A FANTASY LAND FOR ME... JUST AWESOME.. SAMME

An epic capture Alf,you got the 3 interesting elements together in a superb image,very atmospheric,in my favourites,regards,Harry

A magnificent capture in every sense.  Even without the horse, the varied landscape alone would catch my attention with its varied colors and textures.  The cross seems like the only constant fixture amidst this changing scene, serving as a visual metaphor to the nature of faith.  Of course, with the inclusion of the horse and with your words, this image is elevated to much more than a visual delight. 

A very impressive composition Alf, almost as if it is out of a 'movie'.  Would be excellent on the cover of a book...almost feel that wild pony should have the 'horn' of a 'Unicorn'.  Thanks for including the History. always makes for a better 'view' I think.  So many stories could be 'born' from this shot.  Well done Alf!

Wonderful capture and a nice composition !!

One of the fantastic photograph I came across with. And it was beautifully and appropriately titled. The composition, clarity and sharpness are really top notch. Regards.

RASHED

Sincere thanks for your kind words and positive comments. I spotted the horse when i was about 800 yards away but thought it would move before I any where near it, luckily I had the 70 - 300mm lens on and I managed to get a lot closer. The settings was hand held f22 at a focal length of 250mm. I stopped the aperture down to try and get a good dof. I think it worked for the most part but the composition was the hardest bit because there was also an old church and some outbuildings and I was shooting directly between the two structures avoinding them in the frame whilst trying to get the composition balanced in the photograph. Got there in the end though : - )

Best Regards

Alf

DALE

Yeah "intriguing" is good adjective for this one, Sincere thanks for your interest.

Best Regards

Alf

TRISHA

Good to hear from you I hope you are keeping well! I have to agree with your anaolgy there does indeed seem to be a spiritual element to animals. There are just so many things that remain unexplained about them and thier uncanny senses. I don't actually know what the horse was doing, but at that moment I knew I was witnessing something beautiful, and I'm glad you feel the same way. Many thanks for your interest and kind words.

Warm Regards

Alf

JOHN

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Thats the thing about Llandwyn Island, there are so many photo opportunities, your almost guaranteed to come home with a could of decent shots. The combined elements of sea, sand, horses, lighthouses, cottages and stunning backdrops like the snowdonia range, means your never going to be short of a good subject, even on the dull misty day I was there I managed to get a few shots I was pleased with.

Cheers John!

Alf

TIBI

I wish I could say they were all respectful, most of them turn thier back to me and carry on munching grass, refusing to get into any kind of aesthetically pleasing position. I really pleased you liked it Tibi. Many Thanks for your interest.

Best Regards

Alf

JOHN

Many thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. Virtually everywhere you look on this little peninsular it is a postcard view, but getting the horse and the cross in such close proximity was a real bonus. "Epic" ....yeah I see what you mean, Lord of The Rings springs to mind.

Best Wishes

Alf

KEITH

I think persistance is the key, then the right time and right place will eventually come along and all the "right time wrong lens" and "wrong time right idea" moments fade into the past  Sincere thanks for your encouraging words Keith.

Best Regards

Alf

PATSY

Many thanks for stopping by and for your encouraging words. There must have been about 20 or so ponies roaming the this part of the island on this particular day, but only this one was alone, and acted in this manner.

Kind Regards

Alf 

JIM

Sincere thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. I think you have a good point, this is one of those shots that seem to "connect" in some way with a lot of people, and most have thier own views of what they see before them, and what it could mean, and I'm very pleased about that aspect.

Cheers Jim!

Alf

STEPHEN

The situation was indeed "fortuitous" the composition however was a bit harder to juggle as I had a ruined church to my left and one of it's outbuildings to my right, and I had to get close enough between the two in order to place the subjects correctly in the frame, If I had chosen to take an alternative route left or right the composition would have changed for the worse I think and possibly the time taken to go round may have resulted in me missing the shot altogether. I think your right, the image is one where people can relate to it in some way and to what degree they choose. I'm very pleased you liked it Stephen and appreciate you positive feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

HAMID

Many thanks for your visit and thoughtful contribution., much appreciated.  I was fortunate to encounter the pony in this position, and as you say the surrounding elements could be from a movie scene.

Best Regards

Alf

TONY

Thumb nails can be so decieving I think, but I'm very pleased you clicked on this one, I really appreciate your positive feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

MICHAEL

"Mystical" is a great adjective to describe this scene, I don't think anyone has to believe as such, but theres a distinct impression and atmosphere that made this shot the favourite of the day for me. Sincere Thanks for your visit and posiitve feedback.

Kind Regards

Alf

MARJOLEIN

I have said it before, but you do have a very acute "eye" for an image wether it your be own or someone elses. I can honestly say I never connected the foreground symmetrically with the mountains until you mentioned it, then I kind of think...........duh! why didn't I notice that! Sincere thanks for sharing your thoughts Marjolein, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

ZSOLT

This is very high praise indeed, many thanks for your positive feedback.

Best Wishes

Alf

DAVE

I think you are right, the horse was acutely aware of my presence, these ponies can be very shy and although they are used to people, they don't normally co-operate when I'm trying to take photo's of them. I love photographing them though, and after countless shots that day I ended up with about 6 that I will use. I was still a way off when I managed to get this shot at 250mm, it's a credit to Tamron that this handheld shot remained sharp even at f22. Thanks Dave your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

I think it's one of those shots that a lot of people can connect with in some way, and apply thier own beliefs and imagination to various degrees. Sincere thanks for sharing your thoughts Mike, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

SAMME

Many thanks for your visit and positive feedback. I can see your vision of a Unicorn, it kind of fits right into this scene, there is a flavour of "The Hobbit" or that kind of fantasy for me also.

Cheers Samme!

Alf

HARRY

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and positive feedback, I'm truly honoured you consider this a favourite.

Cheers Harry!

Alf

ADAN

I always think a bit of history adds a touch of flavour to the image, It's good to know that you do too. Sincere thanks for your generous and inspiring comments, I'm really pleased you enjoyed this image.

Best Regards

Alf

GAIL

Wow! " movie scene"....."Book Cover" I'm gonna be famousss! lol Well we can dream. But I do understand where you are coming from. Of all the shots I took that day this is the one that stood out for me, not because it was the best shot technically, but because it immediately had a mystical impact that spoke of epic tales and yes of course Unicorns. Sincere thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts Gail, much appreciated!

Warm Regards

Alf

RAMESH

Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

ROGER

The composition was a bit tricky as I had to avoid the ruins of a church on the left and one of it''s outbuildings on the right, but I must give all credit for sharpness and clarity to Tamron. I have used the lens about 4 times now and each time I've been impressed with it's sharpness. When you also consider this was hand held at 250mm focal length and f22 (to achieve better dof) it deserves some credit. Sincere Thanks for your encouraging comments Roger.

Best Regards

Alf