48 Comments
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perfectlight's avatar

i like the shadows on ben

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thanks! They were such an eye catcher!

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Björn Bremer's avatar

Me, too. Nice one 👌🏼

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you, Björn!

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Lin Gregory's avatar

These are wonderful Susanne - beautiful colours throughout! My favourites have got to be the diptychs and of course that wiggly tree...it's got a few tales to tell I'm sure! Oh and I have to say Ben was being very good today - I could see his right ear twitching as he heard something but didn't move. Could he have been torn between chasing a squirrel and some treats in your pocket?! 😊

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you for your comment, Lin! It is actually the place where I made the photos for my "tree leporello" a while back. Those trees are amazing!

Ben's ears and nose are always working, but I put a lot of work into training him not to chase anything. And he doesn't. Birds, squirrels, and cats don't bother him at all. If we see hares or deer, he will look at them, then he will come to me. He is such a good boy!

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Juliette's avatar

What a good boy!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Sometimes, I wish he would just do his thing, but I guess THAT is his thing...😂

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Juliette's avatar

😂

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Lin Gregory's avatar

I thought it looked familiar! Sounds like your training has paid off - I love gundogs ... I used to have a golden retriever, Sophie, who was lovely. With more time on my hands soon I'm tempted to give a home to another one.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Sophie - what a lovely name for a dog! They make such great companions!

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Mary Martha's avatar

Ben + Birdsong = a perfect video! I also loved the blue diptych- it is a solitary feather or leaf on the left?

Thank you for sharing another lovely walk.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you for looking and walking along, Mary. It is a feather in a pond we walked by. I couldn’t get closer without getting wet feet.

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James Hider's avatar

Lovely to see your images with a background of bird song Susanne.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

It was so peaceful and quiet, I wanted my readers to experience that. Happy you enjoyed it!

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Maybe: Tyler's avatar

gorgeous shadow play

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you, Tyler. Ben’s back is the perfect backdrop for it! =)

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Yasumi Toyoda's avatar

The fern shadow! On fur....oh wow.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you, Yasumi!

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Todd Haughton's avatar

Beautiful, Susanne! The diptych with the ferns—and the shadow of the ferns on Ben—is spectacular. I love both images; they work so well together. I also really like the shots of the tree shadow and the ants on the piece of wood—both are lovely.

Does Ben get a treat after he comes and poses in front of the camera?

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you for your feedback, Todd! The shadow play works so well on his short fur. He looks like the perfect camouflaged bird dog now! 😃

He sometimes gets a treat, yes. I guess that trained him to stay close to me. Or did he train me to give him a treat when he stays by my side? Probably latter!😂

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Todd Haughton's avatar

Shadows get lost in my dog’s long black fur, and although I think he can be quite photogenic, he almost always looks away when I point a camera at him—unless he’s being bribed with treats, of course. 😀 On the plus side, he’s well trained to stay close to me and not chase wild animals.

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Juliette's avatar

Bennnnnnnn!!! I was so excited to meet him in video! BIG smiles! Thank you for making my evening, Susanne. My favorites (aside from Ben) are the last five or so. SO lovely!!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

I just wanted to record the chirping of the birds, but then he stepped in front of the camera and sat down. He cracks me up sometimes. Happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for your lovely feedback!

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Erica Wheadon's avatar

Those yellow flowers are divine!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thanks, Erica! They only bloom around this time of year and are a real treat for the eye.

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Paul Votava's avatar

I couldn’t help but chuckle when I saw Ben staring at me. 😆 These photographs showcase an array of images that beautifully illustrate the vastness of what we can observe in our surroundings. The ferns, the trees, the play of light and shadow—all elements are expertly captured here. 👏🏼👏🏼

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Oh, he likes to stare…🤣

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback and kind words. Nature has been changing so much in the past few weeks and with the change of weather and light - there is always something you haven‘t noticed before, even if you have been to a place a dozen of times.

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Paul Votava's avatar

That is so true about familiar places and how much they change throughout the year.

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Shital Morjaria (she/her)'s avatar

The shadow of the tree caught my eye!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Mine, too! =)

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Mark Foard's avatar

Beautiful photo series, Susanne, and I love the video of Ben.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thanks so much, Mark! I thought about adding just an audio, but I thought you guys might enjoy seeing Ben…

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søren k. harbel's avatar

I love the squiggle tree! Really nice, and Ben is looking good!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

The squiggle tree is one of my favorites there.

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Scott Gilbertson's avatar

Nice work. I especially enjoyed the diptychs.

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thanks, Scott! So great to hear!

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Ralph Turner's avatar

These are lovely! 😃

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thank you, Ralph! It was a lovely morning walk! =)

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Xavi Buendia's avatar

Gorgeous set, love the light and colours in this one!

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Susanne Helmert's avatar

Thanks, Xavi! Good to hear you like them!

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