Mike, the happy CO

The man in charge of the stables where my wife teaches children to

ride. He's dressed for the Remembrance Day parade in Windsor.

 

What do you think?

Wow what a remarkably crisp and detailed image. Jumps off the page at you. Great stuff.

Veteran's or Armistice Day in the US. It never occurred to me that the other WW1 allied countries also celebrated the same holiday.

 

Nice photo, the expression is good.

I think the hand at the bottom detracts from a good facial expression. A tighter crop may have been better.

Keith, fighting in the First War started in Western Europe in August 1914, after it started in the East.

 

Every town and village, however small, in the UK has a war memorial. Also I suspect, in France and Belgium. In the areas of the Western Front, every few miles there is a millitary cemetry.

 

As an example, Tyne Cot has about 12,000 graves, and a memorial to about 30,000 men who have no known grave. That is one of dozens of cemeteries in that one small area of the front.

 

In the nearby town of Ypres, a monument known as the Menin Gate contains the names of about 55,000 casualties, none of whome have a known grave. Every day since that memorial was built, there is a service of remembrance and the last post is played.

 

Of the allied casualties on the Western Front, 1,375,000 were French dead and about 908,000 dead served in the "British Army", 715,000 of those killed being from the UK. The USA, which entered the war in 1917 had about 116,500 fatalities.

 

So yes, we do remember the First War, but of course Remembrance Sunday also covers those who died in the Second war and the other conflics too.

 

Forgive the lecture, I come from a military family.

 

Very best wishes. Peter

Great work on the main subject - good detail and I like the hands as they are. I find the person to the right distracting. With the 70-200 f/4 getting the background right seems almost as important as the foreground as the max aperture does not blur enough. Here he is with a bit more blur.

Hello Colin, I take you point about the face. I quite liked it because it's looking in about the same direction as the man. I don't want to get too much of a crop on him, because he's going to look like Father Christmas!

Un belloretrato Peter,, magnifico trabajo,, luz, color y especial nitidez,, un cordial saludo,,,6/6.http://www.hectorbrandan.com/images/julio-carmona.gif

 

 

Hello Pete.

 

A wonderful expression indeed, a great beard! There is pride and jolity here, which gives comfort to otherwise solomn proceedings on this day. I always feel that we should celebrate their fallen comrades' lives rather than mourn their loss.

 

Could you tell us something of the uniform, as I don't recognise it.

 

Fond regards, Nick.

 

PS I really like Colin's blur!

Hello Nick, this is a rather odd paramilitary organisation called the Horse Rangers. There roots lie in the military and so they wear uniform and have ranks. My wife is a 2nd Lt., even though her role is riding instructor.

 

Interestingly, the Horse Rangers are the only non-military organisation that is allowed to parade at Horse Guards Parade. A splendid, if rather bizarre sight, if you should ever get to see it.

 

Regards. Pete

Great portrait of this Soldier :)

 

Biliana

Let me do the honors this year: wonderful portrait but it's perfectly apparent that this is, indeed, Father Christmas: can't understand why anyone thought this would be an effective disguise.