NSFW Game shooting Gun Dog pictures ( WARNING some mildly graphic images )

suggs

suggs

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Harry
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Its that time of year again when i'm invited to cover game shoots in and around my village in Norfolk, this is my first shoot of the season. Agree or disagree with hunting it certainly lends its self to some great photo opportunity's....


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SAT_6685-Edit by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

2
SAT_6682-Edit-2 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

3
SAT_6660 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

4
SAT_6631 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

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SAT_6630-2 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

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SAT_6573 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr

7
SAT_6572-2 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr
 
A good set of images and I do like #1, composition, expression and textures all work very well ... #3 is very different with the two dogs competing (?).
Not a lover of sport shooting TBH but I do appreciate the set. :)
 
Nice pics Harry. Can I ask do they just want the pics as a record of their time or do they do something with them? Lots of hunts round here, I wondered if it was common to have a tog go along for the day, if they might like the idea if someone offered etc. How did it first come about for you - did you approach them or they you, etc.

PM me if you'd rather, I do understand some don't agree as you say. Personally my feelings are it happens, I live in the country and it's all around me. I've ridden out with drag hunts in the past purely for the fantastic riding - not been on a horse in nearly 25 years I must add, couldn't get my leg over a horse these days, if I'm honest I struggle to put my socks on! I've not shot before and I don't really fancy it, but I do fancy the photography side. I enjoy taking pictures of people doing their thing, whether that's at work, in their tool shed, on their bike or out with a gun I find people fascinating and it makes for very interesting documentary photography.
 
@NDevon member @EdwardL also works along with local gun dogs in the Hereford area so I imagine quite a few togs do this type of work :)
 
gramps said:
@NDevon member @EdwardL also works along with local gun dogs in the Hereford area so I imagine quite a few togs do this type of work :)
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Thanks, I'll find out a bit more. We had 40,000 pheasants bred locally, I've possibly run over* half of them I reckon, it's ridiculous, you can't turn a corner without a demented pheasant charging at the car.

My neighbours on the farm here have working dogs, mostly for the sheep and cows to do the leg work (though not the milking - that would be silly...) and I plan on going out with them sometime to 'try' and capture them at work. They have a semi-retired black lab, she's a lazy thing and so lovely, but she's a good gun dog apparently and relishes the chance to work if they let her. I do think working dogs are very clever, not so much those that can pick up a dead bird, but rounding up sheep and knowing what to do without being called is fascinating to watch. When they pen the sheep in the yard and some get out the dogs get them back in in such a slick fashion, they don't even have to be asked. I want to get some images of the shearing too, I think they will make good pictures.







* I obviously haven't, I did hit one but he got up and waddled off, however there have been a lot of close shaves and I really shouldn't be swerving into bushes and risking injuring people for stupid kamikaze birds.
 
NDevon said:
Nice pics Harry. Can I ask do they just want the pics as a record of their time or do they do something with them? Lots of hunts round here, I wondered if it was common to have a tog go along for the day, if they might like the idea if someone offered etc. How did it first come about for you - did you approach them or they you, etc.

PM me if you'd rather, I do understand some don't agree as you say. Personally my feelings are it happens, I live in the country and it's all around me. I've ridden out with drag hunts in the past purely for the fantastic riding - not been on a horse in nearly 25 years I must add, couldn't get my leg over a horse these days, if I'm honest I struggle to put my socks on! I've not shot before and I don't really fancy it, but I do fancy the photography side. I enjoy taking pictures of people doing their thing, whether that's at work, in their tool shed, on their bike or out with a gun I find people fascinating and it makes for very interesting documentary photography.
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It can be hard to get into as some shoots dont like strangers especially with a camera, but if there local people in your town or village then just ask and see what they say. Some bigger commercial shoots will actually pay you for the day and then you supply a CD to everyone or a photo book but these are hard to get as normally already have a tog. The smaller shoots wont pay a fee so just a case of selling your pics online after and seeing what happens, with this shoot its run by a local farmer who i know so i just asked him and he said yes but wasnt sure, he loved the pictures so now he invites me to all his shoots and normally buys a load of prints which get given to the Guns ( shooters ) and some go up in his house and farm shop also some end up in a local Pub framed on the wall as the owner shoots with us. From these shoots i was invited to some others on a large estate and again have sold prints and books to them. I enjoy the days and the people ive met, the dogs and traditions that come with it plus lovely food and drinks and the images i get. Selling some is just a bonus really....
 
gramps said:
A good set of images and I do like #1, composition, expression and textures all work very well ... #3 is very different with the two dogs competing (?).
Not a lover of sport shooting TBH but I do appreciate the set. :)
Click to expand...


thanks i too loved the image, he is a very interesting Game Keeper and has worked for the Royal family and currently is keeper for a certain Lord and Lady !
 
That sounds good, I don't know them personally as I'm new to the area, but everyone else knows everyone, so I'll have a chat with my neighbours and see if they can introduce me. As you say I'm sure they will be unsure of a stranger with a camera, but I've done some stuff for the village and the school so hopefully they will at least have a chat about it with me.

Happy to give them the pics in the first instance so they can see if they like them and build some trust, if we all get on next time I'll see if I can make a bit of money, but for me it's the images I can capture that I'm interested in and the people and dogs and experience - like you I guess.

Hopefully the fact I live in the middle of it all and are trying to integrate into the community (kids at local schools, wife works at local hospital etc) will mean they trust I'm not out to cause them bother. I know it can be a difficult subject obviously, but I respect what they are doing - if they don't kill the birds I'm really going to have to run some over!
 
suggs said:
thanks i too loved the image, he is a very interesting Game Keeper and has worked for the Royal family and currently is keeper for a certain Lord and Lady !
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I too like that image, and I like 4 & 7 for the dogs being totally tuned in to their handler and their job. 4 is watching to see the slightest twitch of his handlers face so he knows to go, 7 is watching the birds to see where his next run out will be.

It looks like a really interesting day, I'll let you know if I manage to get anywhere - thanks for the tips :)
 
Thank you, Roger for tagging me - much appreciated (@gramps)

What a great set, Harry, and exactly the sort of shots (oops!) I try to capture. Only tiny issue is in 9, the lab has a blue cast to it but other than that, I really enjoyed these. When I photography I try to include more scenery and landscape photographs and some of the birds. It's not happened as yet, but I was planning to create a photobook with many landscapes and detail pics, dogs, etc then have a team photo which would change from book to book. Just mentioning this if you're interested.

Love #3 - that's a cracker.
 
EdwardL said:
Thank you, Roger for tagging me - much appreciated (@gramps)

What a great set, Harry, and exactly the sort of shots (oops!) I try to capture. Only tiny issue is in 9, the lab has a blue cast to it but other than that, I really enjoyed these. When I photography I try to include more scenery and landscape photographs and some of the birds. It's not happened as yet, but I was planning to create a photobook with many landscapes and detail pics, dogs, etc then have a team photo which would change from book to book. Just mentioning this if you're interested.

Love #3 - that's a cracker.
Click to expand...


thanks, this is just a small selection from one shoot day. I do also like to take group shots from each day even though its the same people half the time lol, this is from the same shoot. if you look back from this time last year on here you will see some more of my shoot day images

SAT_6693 by Harry Picturebike Lessman, on Flickr
 
Really good set, and not normally a subject I would view!
The last one is good, the expressions on both the dogs - do I get any of this?!

Doesn't really bother me this type of hunt as at least (presumably) the game is used for meals etc?
Just not keen on fox hunting.
 
thanks and yes it all ends up on the dinner table, especially as the organiser of this shoot is a butcher and game dealer with a farm shop.

Actually two gun dogs retrieving the same bird is a no no on a shoot but does happen as they get excited, does make a good picture though..
 
Fab set Harry, hard to fault any (so I won't :)) - glad te here the game gets eaten, that's how it should be :) The dogs are excellent.
 
Like the extra take on the 'twin' dogs, in any other situation I could imagine a squabble ... how did it end?
 
fantastic set Harry, I have often wondered if I could take a camera instead of my dogs, I might ask of I can on a couple this year, (mostly forestry so dark and hard going), if i can get anything half as good as these I will be happy!
 
Love the 'first' No3 and 15, excellent (y)
 
Good set of photos.
I dont mind them at all, its part of country life, nothing gets wasted, the birds have had a good life eating wild food with the sun and rain on their backs, not like the mass produced 6 week old chickens we all eat that are fed on who knows what to make them pile on meat in an un-natural way.
 
Nice set of shots, can I ask what lens you use for this type of photography ?
 
Nice set of photos covering a difficult topic to publicise.
Personally i dont have a problem with the photos as i cover a few shoot days my self, and its a great opportunity to get out in the countryside for the day and get some good sporting shots.
I take it no3 photo with the hen pheasant was from last season 1st October to 1st February ;-)
 
No problem Harry, keep the photos coming now the seasons are getting started.
 
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