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11 Pipers Piping
1st Place11 Pipers Piping
vawendy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: 12 Days Of Christmas II (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2012 Challenge shots
Camera: Canon EOS-7D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS
Date: Dec 15, 2012
Aperture: 5.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/500
Date Uploaded: Dec 15, 2012

 [Dec. 24th, 2012 12:05:14 AM]

Not only are there actually 11 pipers here, there are many more than 11. This is part of the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps.

If you want to hear a sample of their music, here is a link:

fife and drum and click over on the links on the right hand side of the page.

Children can start in the fife and drum as early as age 10 and continue until they graduate. When we moved to Williamsburg, we were told that you needed to sign up as early as 5 years old to get on the waiting list to make it in when you were ten. We didn't choose to go that route, so I'm not sure if that's still the case. However, it's a very proud tradition, and a very talented, well trained group of musicians. A truly impressive group.

They play once on the weekend, and it's difficult to get a shot, because the don't stay in one place to play -- the march. So you end up running ahead, shooting, running ahead, shooting, and hoping!

I was extremely lucky this day. I shot a lot during the parade, but this shot and some others came at the end, and everything came together. I was floored when I pulled this into RAW and adjusted the exposure -- the lighting just made everything glow. It wasn't one of those days where you knew it was right -- but it was one of those surprises when you got home. The colors and tones took my breath away. I'm truly in love with this shot.

I wanted to crop out the other pipers, but I left them in to give the feel of more pipers piping -- not just one isolated piper.

Thank you for all the wonderful comments. While the parade was going on, I actually switched lenses, trying the 24-105, the 100mm, and the 100-400. I knew I wanted this type of shot, and that the longer lens would give it to me. I set up what I could -- the lens, the aperture, the iso, but when all was said and done, it was really luck -- hitting the right place and the right time. I took close to 200 shots during the parade, close ups on drums, drums in a line, lots of pipers, longer exposure on drummers, etc. (and tripped over a tree root), and there were 5 that I liked.

Here's two others:



and here's the more cropped version:



Thanks again -- This one is special to me. :)

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 22
Avg (all users): 6.9238
Avg (commenters): 8.3846
Avg (participants): 6.9167
Avg (non-participants): 6.9247
Views since voting: 3038
Views during voting: 241
Votes: 105
Comments: 29
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 12/26/2012 01:22:00 PM
Congratulations on the Blue Wendy! For me, this is one of your all-time BEST images ever!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7100
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 12/24/2012 03:57:10 PM
Congratulations Wendy! It is perfect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS
 12/24/2012 11:35:00 AM
Congrats Wendy on your Blue this was my favorite. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
 12/24/2012 10:17:22 AM
Congratulations,and may you have the merriest holiday possible.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z6II
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S
 12/24/2012 09:41:37 AM
Congrats on the Blue; beautiful portrait and best image of all!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 12/24/2012 08:44:57 AM
Wonderful shot! You are right about the light and the tones! I recognized this as you due to your other blue ribbon shot of a man shooting his musket. congratulations on the blue. Any one of your favorite shots would have ribboned here!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z7II
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 12/24/2012 08:42:34 AM
Congrats Wendy; beautiful light and you captured it well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark IV
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS
 12/24/2012 04:18:48 AM
Very well done, congrats on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 12/24/2012 02:57:15 AM
Not only suits the challenge but it is one of the best shots I have ever seen of a piper - my grandson plays - excellent in every way. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R5
Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS USM
12/24/2012 02:32:12 AM
Happy to see the blue for my favorite image in this challenge. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 12/24/2012 01:14:27 AM
Fantastic. Had no doubt this would be the blue. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS
 12/24/2012 12:21:45 AM
Very nice, Wendy. Class image. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Pentax K-1
Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 AF
 12/24/2012 12:10:34 AM
I would have scored it an 8, but had to knock of three since there were not 11 pipers in the shot... But still a great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSLR-A580
Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED
 12/24/2012 12:09:03 AM
After much consideration, my only 10 and bumped in the last 15 minutes :) Truly a gorgeous shot, Wendy. Congratulations on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7000
Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR
 12/24/2012 12:04:27 AM
Beautiful study, Wendy. Congrats on the blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony Alpha a7 II
Sony Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS
 12/24/2012 12:03:22 AM
Lovely image, Wendy. Congratulations on the Blue.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-20D
 12/23/2012 11:21:45 PM
nicely caught 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
 12/23/2012 12:04:12 PM
Bit short on numbers here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 12/22/2012 10:21:37 PM
Terrific sharpness, color. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D810
 12/22/2012 07:55:22 PM
I love the textures on his outfit. Great light. You captured it at the right moment - great face expression. Seems like he really loves what he is doing. The picture makes me wanna hear what they are playing :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/20/2012 02:09:02 PM
Definitely a piper...great portrait!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-550D Rebel T2i
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 12/18/2012 12:15:06 AM
very good...one my favourites
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R
Pentax SMC Pentax-M 50mm 1/1.4 Asahi
 12/17/2012 07:33:37 PM
What an amazing shot. There's something calm and gentle about it I enjoy. Blue Ribbon winner without a doubt.

Message edited by author 2012-12-24 00:57:13.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-6D
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 12/17/2012 06:57:38 PM
I almost wish the other piper were cropped out. The rest of it is lovely! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R6
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 12/17/2012 05:51:55 PM
I like this. The style is very much what I think of when I hear those lyrics.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Apple iPhone 5
Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
 12/17/2012 05:42:24 PM
Given the shot heard round the world . . .

Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
 12/17/2012 12:51:42 PM
Colors are wonderful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSLR-A350
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
 12/17/2012 01:50:00 AM
Very well composed and I'm sure the music was as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 12/17/2012 12:07:03 AM
front page stuff
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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