Took my old Pentax to the county fair and got a shot of a goat wearing a tiny hat

I was at the Clackamas County Fair last weekend, trying to use up a roll of Portra 400. This one goat in the petting zoo had a perfect little cowboy hat strapped under its chin. I got down low for the shot, and right as I clicked, it turned its head and BIT the brim of the hat. The whole roll came back and that frame is just pure joy, no edits needed. Has anyone else had an animal totally steal the show in a photo?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenixd971d ago

Portra 400 really does magic with fur textures, doesn't it? That film stock loves organic details. Your goat story makes me wonder if animals sense the camera's focus somehow. My friend's cat always ruins a perfect portrait by licking its paw right as the shutter fires. Those unplanned moments always end up being the keepers.

jenkins.spencer1d ago

Honestly, I've never bought into the idea that animals know they're being photographed. That goat was probably just bored and the hat strap tasted interesting. The magic comes from being ready with the camera when their normal, weird behavior happens. Getting a good animal photo is more about patience and luck than any special connection.