Mike Patterson
December 2025 - Driving the Herd
About the Image(s)
This is another image I took in October of a shepherd and his dogs driving a band of 1,000 sheep through the mountains of central Idaho, using a 70-300 mm lens. The dogs, sheep and shepherds are always moving, so it’s impossible to pose anything. The best way to capture images is to shoot and shoot and shoot and hope that something decent turns out. I like this one because it depicts the rugged, steep terrain, the hundreds of sheep streaming down a mountainside, the shepherd and the dogs. To me, it tells the story of how they move, or trail, the sheep ??“ an ancient practice still in play today.
2 comments posted
Mike, if this image doesn't tell a story nothing does! Really like your catch or placement of the Shepard, his dogs and the sheep in this mountainous terrane. Perfect crop and angle for this image. Do the sheep stop at night? Excellent composition. Posted: 12/04/2025 18:07:16
Mike, this is definitely an image that tells a story, and it goes very well with the one you posted last month. I think your composition is spot on. You have a triangular-shaped foreground, with the white sheep set against a darker background.To me, the image feels a little soft, and it could be improved by increasing clarity in some areas. You might also consider selectively darkening the foreground slightly, as it is quite bright.
I also would like to share my thoughts on your statement that the best way to capture an image in this situation is "to shoot and shoot and hope something decent turns out." I confess that up to about ten years ago, I worked the same way. Then I started working with great photographers, some of whom were still using film. They forced me to rethink the idea that, since it doesn't cost much, you should shoot as many images as you can. They taught me that we should click only when we feel it's right, that it's important to previsualize the image in our minds and, anticipate what we want to achieve.
I've been working this way ever since, and I have to say it has helped my photography a lot. I just came back from a two-week trip to Bhutan dedicated solely to photography, and I returned with 1,900 images in total. Ten years ago, I would have come back with 20,000, and most of them would have been useless.
Please note that I'm not saying this is the way to work-I simply wanted to share my experience and stimulate discussion.
Best wishes
Michele Posted: 12/13/2025 13:41:44
I also would like to share my thoughts on your statement that the best way to capture an image in this situation is "to shoot and shoot and hope something decent turns out." I confess that up to about ten years ago, I worked the same way. Then I started working with great photographers, some of whom were still using film. They forced me to rethink the idea that, since it doesn't cost much, you should shoot as many images as you can. They taught me that we should click only when we feel it's right, that it's important to previsualize the image in our minds and, anticipate what we want to achieve.
I've been working this way ever since, and I have to say it has helped my photography a lot. I just came back from a two-week trip to Bhutan dedicated solely to photography, and I returned with 1,900 images in total. Ten years ago, I would have come back with 20,000, and most of them would have been useless.
Please note that I'm not saying this is the way to work-I simply wanted to share my experience and stimulate discussion.
Best wishes
Michele Posted: 12/13/2025 13:41:44