As we begin a new year and a new bull buying season and a new breeding season we are all pouring over pictures of the new bulls. Whether it is in a bull sale book, on a website or in a print ad, I have noticed that the pictures have gotten better and better. Or so it seems... there is even a blog on here and Ill be the first to admit, a good picture goes along way to promoting a bull, cow, piano, whatever.
My question is how many of these breeders are "photoshopping" the photos? Is there anyway to tell if a photo has been "touched up"? Or is the technology so good out there that a picture may get you interested but you need to actually see the animal in person to know what you are getting. If this is the case, then I can understand the value of a website such as this where people can gather information on steer sires and such.
Being a commercial man myself, I am more interested in the bull sale books. Sure I like to go to the sales but sometimes it doesn't work out. I really don't know much about programs like photoshop other then they are out there. My wife and daughter got some type of program for Christmas to touch up photos and it is amazing from what they showed me. Is it common practice for breeders to do this to make that good shot even better? I guess I don't like to be fooled if I buy out of a catalogue - I want to get what I am seeing in the picture.
A lot of purebred breeders up in Canada picture there bulls in knee deep straw. Makes the bulls look stouter. I noticed last year in one sale book (no I am not naming names this time) that the bulls had no straw on them in the picture. And the straw had a weird wave or a kind of blurriness in the snow in the background. My young daughter said, "dad you are too cheap to buy a proper monitor for the computer - the resolution sucks and that's what the causing the blurriness". The cheap part is right but what was very puzzling to me was none of the bulls had straw on them. If they were in a straw pile - even walking through it there would have to be some straw no? I found it odd at the time and looking at some of the new steer bulls photos (they are all so perfect looking) it got me wondering again if it was common practice to touch up these photos.
I guess it is buyer beware - just wondering if anyone knows how to tell.
Thanks - Happy New Year everyone
My question is how many of these breeders are "photoshopping" the photos? Is there anyway to tell if a photo has been "touched up"? Or is the technology so good out there that a picture may get you interested but you need to actually see the animal in person to know what you are getting. If this is the case, then I can understand the value of a website such as this where people can gather information on steer sires and such.
Being a commercial man myself, I am more interested in the bull sale books. Sure I like to go to the sales but sometimes it doesn't work out. I really don't know much about programs like photoshop other then they are out there. My wife and daughter got some type of program for Christmas to touch up photos and it is amazing from what they showed me. Is it common practice for breeders to do this to make that good shot even better? I guess I don't like to be fooled if I buy out of a catalogue - I want to get what I am seeing in the picture.
A lot of purebred breeders up in Canada picture there bulls in knee deep straw. Makes the bulls look stouter. I noticed last year in one sale book (no I am not naming names this time) that the bulls had no straw on them in the picture. And the straw had a weird wave or a kind of blurriness in the snow in the background. My young daughter said, "dad you are too cheap to buy a proper monitor for the computer - the resolution sucks and that's what the causing the blurriness". The cheap part is right but what was very puzzling to me was none of the bulls had straw on them. If they were in a straw pile - even walking through it there would have to be some straw no? I found it odd at the time and looking at some of the new steer bulls photos (they are all so perfect looking) it got me wondering again if it was common practice to touch up these photos.
I guess it is buyer beware - just wondering if anyone knows how to tell.
Thanks - Happy New Year everyone