Why in pics do people hold the rabbit's face down ?

[HOWsMom]

I love looking through the pics of everyone's rabbits !
But I've noticed that in a LOT of pictures, people are kind of holding the rabbit's face down with their hand on it's head.

I'm sure there is a reason for this - I'm just not sure what it is !

Help ?

:bunnyhop:

 

[Susie570]

:lol: :lol:
I was trying to think of some witty, smart Alex reply, but I can't think of anything.

They are holding the rabbit in a ' show pose', to show the rabbit's conformation. To properly evaluate the rabbit, you should also see a picture from the front, the top and from behind.

Of course, that doesn't help if you don't know what you're looking for, but that's something to learn over time.

 

[HOWsMom]

I guess that makes sense - but for a newbie, does it ever LOOK odd

Thank you!

 

[LPH_NY]

I didn't get it at first, either. I WANT to see the rabbit's face! Lol. For a lot of bunnies, it's the only way to keep them still long enough to snap a clear picture of their coat.

 

[HOWsMom]

I didn't get it at first, either. I WANT to see the rabbit's face! Lol.

Same here - they are so cute and expressive !

But for me - that's because I'm looking at them as pets, right ?
As opposed to how a breeder or shower would look at them ?

 

[Zass]

Depends on the breeder, and to a lesser extent, the breed.. but yeah, anyone who shows needs to be be able to evaluate a rabbits "type" to make sure they are not breeding any flaws or just poorly structured animals into their line.


The harlequins I've seen are posed differently for pictures, face on, because they are judged primarily on markings instead of body structure, and the facial markings are the most important.

 

[HOWsMom]

I'm not even sure what a harlequin looks like

The vastness of my ignorance (as in - true meaning of the word - lack of knowledge) never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Zass]

This page has some cute little drawings at the bottom.
http://anhrabbitry.weebly.com/harlequins.html

My own japs(orange and black harlequins) have lost a lot of modifiers from breeding to magpie(black and white), so their rufus is washed-out looking...hmm..
The intent is to eventually have a line of just magpie though, and for that, I don't really have to worry about rufus in this generation.

I'd want to start with different (but hopefully related) rabbits for a jap line...which IS rather tempting.

 

[Schipperkesue]

As a meat breeder, a picture of what is behind the head is more important to me. :lol:

I am guessing that for those who raise their meat breeds for show the point value for bodies is very high.

 

[Zass]

As a meat breeder, a picture of what is behind the head is more important to me. :lol:

I am guessing that for those who raise their meat breeds for show the point value for bodies is very high.

Yeah, type is very important with meat breeds.

It's a shame they can't be judged growth rate, milk supply or fecundity in general.

 

[Miss M]

Rufus = genetic modifiers that make red redder, correct?

 

[Schipperkesue]

It's a shame they can't be judged growth rate, milk supply or fecundity in general.

Ah, but they are.... by ME!

Yes, sadly the judges can only evaluate what is set in front of them!

 

[Prisma]

Good well typed rabbits should not "have" to be held in place. It is generally helpful to keep flash out of the poor buns eyes though, and if you look closely they aren't actually forcing their head or holding them (or at least should not be). Those that "hold" into a pose, really aren't "typed" correctly to hold it on their own IMO and need a different look at them. If I look at some thing that's for sale and constantly has to be literally held, I as for a posed one without them being held to see TRUE type. If they can't or wont'...not interested. The head is just as much a part of type as what the rest of the rabbit is, don't want snipy, wrong sized, wrong structure of crown, etc either. Youngsters can be a big challenge but same still applies; a good typed rabbit should never have to be "held" in a pose to see "good" type.

 

[Schipperkesue]

What bothers me about seeing this kind of pose in a photograph is that often people have done a little adjusting of the aspect ratio and make the rabbit look much rounder and meatier than he actually is.

 

[Zass]

What bothers me about seeing this kind of pose in a photograph is that often people have done a little adjusting of the aspect ratio and make the rabbit look much rounder and meatier than he actually is.

There are angles that can make them appear a bit rounder too...

 

[akane]

Usually I had to keep mine from wandering off. They didn't need held to pose correctly. They needed held to pose at all. Otherwise they'd either come investigate the camera or go investigate the edge of the table. Young ones often are extra wiggly. At minimum the head does not stay in the right position to show the shoulder rise as they look around. For commercial rabbits judges usually don't give many of the type points to head. Often hardly any so unless you are investigating a possible show prospect further the head isn't too important to see.

 

[HOWsMom]

Okay - so if I'm reading this properly, it's done :
a) to help keep the rabbit still
b) to show the shape of the rabbits body
c) to protect the rabbit's eyes from the flash
d) out of habit

 

[Susie570]

What bothers me about seeing this kind of pose in a photograph is that often people have done a little adjusting of the aspect ratio and make the rabbit look much rounder and meatier than he actually is.

:shock:
O.m.g.... people do that??? Wow. People suck. <br /><br /> __________ Thu Jun 18, 2015 7:50 am __________ <br /><br />

Okay - so if I'm reading this properly, it's done :
a) to help keep the rabbit still
b) to show the shape of the rabbits body
c) to protect the rabbit's eyes from the flash
d) out of habit

I think you've got it!

 

[Prisma]

That's why you watch the angles at which the photos are taken as well, you can hide undercut, sloping, long shoulders, and many other issues with a skewed photo. That's why some just will not put money on a rabbit to even hold or agree to buy over the net even if the rabbit is coming cross country otherwise like at nationals or convention.

 

[alforddm]

I didn't think they are holding the head so much as covering the eyes.