Challenge 1 Jen Dixon

Despite being away from their mother, our porcine pals didn’t take long to loosen up, and were very good company. Jen seemed particularly bowled over – perhaps she was considering putting her name down on a waiting list for one.

“This little pig was frolicking all over the place, and was so excited to be snuffling among the hay,” she says.

“I laid on the straw patiently, waiting for the right moment. Eventually, curiosity got the better of him and he turned and looked at me. I had a second to get this shot, then he was off with his playmates again.

“The light levels in the barn varied slightly, but for this shot I opened the aperture up to f/2.8 with a 1/800 shutter speed at ISO 400. Afterwards in Photoshop, I cropped out as much of the background as possible without losing space around the pig.

“Then I lightened the image slightly, trying not to lose the detail of the pig’s fur, and gently sharpened the image.”

Expert opinion

When it comes to photographing micro pigs, it’s not an easy challenge. They don’t stop for the camera, they dart off in many directions, and have a mind of their own! Jen has done a great job of capturing one heading towards her camera; unlike Olivia, she’s gone for a wider composition, which gives the pig breathing space.

The light is good, and Jen has taken the background into account, selecting a low angle to ensure she doesn’t include any distracting clutter behind the pig.