John,
thanks for your comment and your perspective. Just let me elaborate why the Rowdy shot is so good -- in my opinion. It has nothing to do with the technical quality of the image. It has to do with Rowdy. In that photo, if I were to color the chin black, nobody would question me if I said it was a photo of one of the top dogs in the Country.

In that photo, Rowdy is over his front; his topline from the whithers to the tail is like a board; his rear is pulled out fully and the hocks are perpendicular to the podium. Not many 10-year-old dogs can be shot well from the side and none look that good from that angle.

Now, do I wish the photo was better quality? Yes. I would not have sent that out. But when the photographer is shooting film, what can they do? They can't eliminate the shadows like I can. They can't sharpen the dog or lighten the blacks like I can. They can't turn an ordinary capture into an extraordinary image. Like I can.

Thanks, John. I'll maintain my standards and hope somebody else appreciates them as much as you .

Jim