Ann Von Pentz
April 2026 - Mare and Foal
Original
About the Image(s)
I took this photo one evening along the Salt River. As the sun was beginning to set, a mare and her foal began crossing the river. I took several shots of them, but this image was one of my favorites due to the softness of the light, the tonal layering of the background and the intimate positioning of the rim lit horses.
In LRC I cropped, brought down highlights, increased shadows, played with exposure, added contrast, clarity, saturation and adjusted color temperature. I masked the horses adding texture and clarity to the faces and shoulders.
Nikon D500, Nikkor 18-300mm 3.5-6.3, 300mm, 1/2000 sec, f/8.0, ISO 400
5 comments posted
Ann, you've captured a compelling subject that evokes emotion, and that's about the highest compliment in photography - the image creates a soft and pleasing mood and really holds the viewer's attention. The relationship between the adult and juvenile is terrific storytelling and the rim light is special.
I also see from the original that you warmed up the image quite a bit - good thought and nice job with that. In my VF I took that a step further and used the Skylight filter in the Nik Suite at 50% opacity to take it up a notch.
The image was a touch soft but considering the subject matter I don't think it's that big of a detriment. Nonetheless, I sharpened it a bit and added texture, clarity and dehaze in LrC to help separate your subjects from the background. Your title is Mare and Foal - but most of the image comprises background trees, while they make for a beautiful scene the background also pulls the eye from the subject, so I cropped in tighter and made into a slight pano. Lastly, and I struggled a bit here, but I feel your horizon line is a bit canted right and I straightened it slightly.
None of those are deal breakers, so back to my first comment, you evoked an emotion - outstanding!
Posted: 04/01/2026 15:30:03
I also see from the original that you warmed up the image quite a bit - good thought and nice job with that. In my VF I took that a step further and used the Skylight filter in the Nik Suite at 50% opacity to take it up a notch.
The image was a touch soft but considering the subject matter I don't think it's that big of a detriment. Nonetheless, I sharpened it a bit and added texture, clarity and dehaze in LrC to help separate your subjects from the background. Your title is Mare and Foal - but most of the image comprises background trees, while they make for a beautiful scene the background also pulls the eye from the subject, so I cropped in tighter and made into a slight pano. Lastly, and I struggled a bit here, but I feel your horizon line is a bit canted right and I straightened it slightly.
None of those are deal breakers, so back to my first comment, you evoked an emotion - outstanding!
Posted: 04/01/2026 15:30:03
Ann,
I love so much about this image. You caught the two horses nicely separated. I can see all 8 legs. Love what the backlighting is doing to the manes and tails. Also love that the color of the foal matches some of the colors in the trees.
You could crop it down from the top, but it is a toss up.
Great picture! Posted: 04/02/2026 18:27:55
I love so much about this image. You caught the two horses nicely separated. I can see all 8 legs. Love what the backlighting is doing to the manes and tails. Also love that the color of the foal matches some of the colors in the trees.
You could crop it down from the top, but it is a toss up.
Great picture! Posted: 04/02/2026 18:27:55
There is much to love about this image but for a moment I would skip the camera work and highly compliment the behind the scenes editing work. The editing shows exceptional skills and even greater insight that results in an exceptional end product. In the various courses I teach I try to impress upn student to "use" light for more than just obtaining an exposure. This image is a master class in demonstrating that skill. I find the cohesive, and limited, color palette greatly intensifies the overall impact of the image. The image seems to be soft and mystical and the softness produces a feeling of serenity that drives the image. I think it is interesting that in the original the mare seems to be the more visually dominate of the two horses, but the editing and color palette along with the backlighting, has made the foal the focal point. Those warm colors and the rim lighting really are wonderful. For me the rusty colors you have brought out in the upper trees and added to the water compliment the foal and hold this image together and give it impact. It lacks the drama of some of you other horse image display with their intense action, but I could look at this all day, and come back and enjoy it again tomorrow. Posted: 04/02/2026 19:11:58
I appreciate all the kind and constructive comments from everyone. Larry, you are so observant! Yes, to me this image is more about the colt (which is also in lead position) so I did emphasize the colt in post-processing, lol. Posted: 04/07/2026 03:46:43
I love the backlight on this, not just on the horses but also the way it highlights the background vegetation. I wouldn't crop any more of the background because having the saguaros there gives a real sense of place and the habitat.
I'm really impressed with what you achieved in the post processing. Warming it up has really added to the moodiness, as well as making the foal more dominant. Beautiful!! Posted: 04/18/2026 23:42:07
I'm really impressed with what you achieved in the post processing. Warming it up has really added to the moodiness, as well as making the foal more dominant. Beautiful!! Posted: 04/18/2026 23:42:07