Pictures with Tounges out....

[Moosie]

So..... I'm putting the Finishing touches on the DHI 1/4ly Magazine again and this time we have had alot of pictures sent in. Only 2 problems I see.

1. 80% of the pictures sent in have the deer with the Tounges hanging out.

2. SEE #1

Do I take the Time to try to clean up the pictures and then put them in or do we jsut put in the pictures becuase it's a Members magazine and they took and sent the pictures in that way.....

Lemme hear your .02.

I can post the pictures but you know how they look, we've all taken them or seen them before. Some aren't bloody but the tounge out and some have blood in them with no tounge either. I'm jsut wondering what to do or what grounds (if any), to set.

 

[justdada]

I say, use your best judgement.
It's a tough question, but as long as the animal isn't all bloody, I don't think just the tongue hanging out is too bad. But you dont' want to give the anti-hunters any ammo with gross pictures either...
Definately avoid the blood-bath shots though, IMO.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Fix the tongues or reject the pictures in favor of people who know how to take pictures.

 

[wilecoyote76]

Here's what the New York State Big Bucks Club has to say about quality pictures (some are friggin funny too!):

A GUIDE TO QUALITY HUNTING PHOTOS

Each edition of the Record Book is exciting for men and women in New York that enjoy hunting whitetails. Reading through the records is enjoyable but looking at the photos of the trophy deer is what makes the Record Book special for hunters. Unfortunately too many lucky big game hunters take horrible photos of their once-in-a-lifetime trophy.

The excitement of finally tagging a trophy big game animal takes longer to wear off than a roll of film will last in the camera. There are seven very simple steps you need to follow while you are still excited that will insure quality photos.

1. TAKE THE PHOTOS OUTDOORS

If the buck was brought home before you found someone with a camera, take the deer outside for the photos. Nothing looks worse than a buck on the garage floor with cans, pails, lawn mowers and tires in the background.

2. TAKE THE DEER OFF THE CAR, OUT OF THE TRUNK OR OUT OF THE PICKUP TRUCK.

Unless you are showing off a deer you hit with your truck do not include a vehicle in the photo.

3. TAKE THE ANIMAL DOWN FROM THE TREE AND REMOVE THE ROPE.

Numerous deer and bear photos a rejected from being used in the record book because the photos show the animal suspended above the ground.

4. SELECT A NEUTRAL BACKGROUND

In the excitement of taking trophy photos no one ever look beyond the animal or hunter. Houses, barns, tractors and powers lines all ruin the quality of the photo. Use an evergreen tree, a screen of brush or hills and woods for the background. Find a color that will highlight the antlers - not hide them. Don’t let them blend into the background.

5. GET CLOSE - NOW GET CLOSER!

All you need in the photo is the animal and the hunter. Make sure the subject fills the frame. Fill the viewfinder with the subject. Most photos used in the record book have at least 50% of the photo cropped off to remove empty background.

6. TURN THE CAMERA SO THE PHOTO IS VERTICAL

The hunter and the trophy will fill the frame and eliminate most of the empty background. It is also the format used for magazine covers and most framed pictures.

7. USE A FLASH IF THE SUN IS GONE

Dramatic results often occur when subjects are highlighted and the background is totally black. All that you see is the desired subject. Be sure to stay far enough away from reflective objects so ghosts don’t start to appear in the background.

 

[mtmiller]

7. USE A FLASH IF THE SUN IS GONE

Dramatic results often occur when subjects are highlighted and the background is totally black. All that you see is the desired subject. Be sure to stay far enough away from reflective objects so ghosts don’t start to appear in the background.

Try a couple shots with the flash even with full sunlight. Actually, shoot most of them with the flash.

As for the tongue/blood issue, I think the tongue is an easy fix and should always be done. I have many shots with the tongue hanging out and kick myself when I see it. I have never printed off a picture with the tongue hanging out, as I would never put it on the vanity wall for a great memory. I could give a shit how PETA or anti-hunters will view it, but more about it taking away from a good field shot opportunity.

BLOOD. Well I screw this one up often. Many times it is difficult to set up the camera with a timer and control the blood. Obviously the less blood the better, but that is something that is not always controlable, or at least not at easy at the tongue issue.

So to answer your question, and only my opinion, tongue out may be OK on the board, it is not worthy for the magazine.

I would rather have a shot of one of my little critters with a well set up shot than one of a monster with with a bloody carcass and a tongue hanging out. Just me.

EDIT -- I have to disagree with #5. Sure the close ups are great, but take a few with a scenic background. Maybe NY leaves a lot to be desired, but there are some great opportunites in this part of the county. Greenie has one of the best I have ever seen, but I didn't save it before he pulled it. I would love to see it again, but not posted on the net. ;-)

 

[sreekers]

One of the biggest mistakes that gets made is not being aware of where the sun is. When taking video or taking a picture, the best shots allways come with the sun behind. Often when you shoot towards the sun it adds a glare, it also draws attention away from person or animal being filmed/photographed.

 

[cornfed]

I'm not big on the tonge hanging out either but we all make mistakes now and again.Just depends how tight of a ship you want to run.I agree with mtmiller on taking some a little farther away with lots of background views in it.Those pictures will mean the most in the years to come by bringing back the memories of the hunt and where it happened.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Before you take a single picture, grab the damn tongue, pull it out, reach into it's mouth with a knife and cut it off. Problem solved.

 

[GatoMan]

I would'nt worry about it in a DHI magazine, its members only , and if 80% of the pics are this way it probably represents about 80% of the members, maybe post the pics then have a picture taking tips column.

 

[The Hedgehog]

There are worse pictures than with a tonge hanging out. How could this one have been salvaged? Maybe not using the flash??

 

[JoseCuervo]

BLOOD. Well I screw this one up often. Many times it is difficult to set up the camera with a timer and control the blood. Obviously the less blood the better, but that is something that is not always controlable, or at least not at easy at the tongue issue.

Greenie has one of the best I have ever seen, but I didn't save it before he pulled it. I would love to see it again, but not posted on the net. ;-)

Miller,
Grab a handful of dirt and wipe the blood, and then some more dirt and throw it on the blood. It will knock down the reflection of the blood in the camera, and if you do a good job, it will also not appear in the pictures. Also, with blood, be aware of the blood on the ground/snow.

I have copies of the picture you are referring to of Greenie's, and I have given it to everybody I know in Montana and they have helped me pinpoint the location of that one. There is about 30 of us planning on hunting there this fall....

 

[TheTone]

Great advice Greeny. I share the same advice with most of the people I hunt with when it comes to photo time. Once its dead is there really any use for a tongue?

 

[Moosie]

Tonges were left in the pictures. Hopefully we don't have any complaints.

 

[danr55]

How can that be the best deer hunting story on the net if one of the pictures has the tongue hanging out?

 

[Dangerous Dave]

Good question, Moosie. Whenever a camera comes around, I go to work prying jaws and jamming tongues back where they belong. Takes only a couple of seconds, and rubbing a little dirt, grass or brush removes lung and aorta blood pretty well. On one hand, hunters can put up with gore all day, but I don't want to intentionally antagonize anyone who might be a tad over-sensitive. A deer with its tongue hanging out is a good thing... as we all know it usually is a sure sign that Mr. Buck ain't going anywhere -and that his brain isn't working anymore. But if we are going to make him pose later with us for a couple of photos, we might as well try and make him look presentable. Too bad the same thing can't be done for myself to make me look better. DD

 

[Delw]

I did a bad one 2 years ago with my daughters lope, I really wish I would have tied the jaw shut, oh well in all the excitement I completely forgot about it.


Delw

 

[browtine]

Hmm, I would have tried to fix them.. thought you were going to send em?!?!?!?

 

[Moosie]

Was gunna..... But I got lazy

 

[AKBound]

THIS IS A NO BRAINER!!!!!! If we set a standard that requires the tongue to be in the mouth then stick to it. They should be in. You very seldom see them in the Mag's because it matters. If you took the time to take the pic then take the time to put the tongue in the mouth. Don't put them in and if someone complains they have only themselves to blame.

 

[sneakem]

I'm kinda partial to photos with dead animals and toungues sticking out....without the toungue would just be "tasteless"..

Yeah... all joking aside they definitely look better with the tongue gone....