Dogphoto.art

Dog Photography Hints

by Jennifer Floyd

Who hasn’t admired the elegance, beauty, handsomeness, or just plain amusing goofiness of their dog that they would like to have captured on film? How many times do you actually succeed at this, though? There are a few basics to dog photography that will help you capture that perfect image of your dog.

Beyond your type of camera, which is probably something you already have, the type of film that you are using can make a big difference in your result. What you may not know, is that the color balance is different in different brands of film; Kodak brand, for instance, is heavier on orange/yellow tones, making fawn dogs appear too yellow, and increasing the density of black shadows on a dog. I have found that Fujifilm brand (which is heavier on the blue/green spectrum) gives me much better results with animal photography. Colors are more true, and I get less problems with heavy shadows outdoors. The most versatile film speeds are 100 (for sunlight) and 200 (general multipurpose), so that is what I usually keep in my camera.

ARBA, ASDI, ASDCA, RBKC Ch. Shahbazin Alp Arslan C.D., P.C., C.G.C., V.C.C.X.

Also, you should keep the sun to your back, so that your subject has the light full on them. If in a dim area, such as a barn or indoors, you should use a flash. Think about the angle of the sun - noon and late afternoon light is too harsh, but early morning is usually very good, and mid-afternoon, particularly if partially cloudy, is great. Winter or fall is often better than summer, in that the light is usually milder, and the dogs are in better coat, with less tendency to pant open-mouthed. Keep your background in mind; when looking through the viewfinder, don’t be so taken with how good your dog looks that you fail to notice the garden hose, the trash can, the manure pile or the utility pole right behind him or her. Also, look seriously at you dog - do the legs look good? The topline look OK? Is there some mud on the face, or a sticker stuck to their side? You may not notice it while taking pictures, but you will when you get your prints back, unless you examine your background and subject first. Get down to your dog’s level, sitting or kneeling on the ground to get a balanced picture. Photos taken standing upright tend to make the legs appear short. Make sure that the image of your dog fill the frame, that you are as close as you can get and still fit the whole dog in the viewfinder.

Helpers are invaluable when doing photography with a pet. Even if you dog is trained to a rock steady stay (either down, sitting or standing) your helper can wave food, throw toys or a crumpled ball of paper in the air in front of the dog to get their attention, make squeaky noises, etc. And, if your dog is not trained to stay, they can pose the dog nicely and hold their head up. Two people can be even better than one - one to hold the dog, one to throw things and make noises, to get those ears and tail up and get an interested look on their face.

Remember to praise the dog heavily for their cooperation with your project, and to give food rewards if appreciated. Try different times of the day, and different sorts of light and backgrounds to find where you dog photographs best. And the final bit of advice - don’t be afraid to use up film - the more often your camera is with you, and you are ready to get that great shot, and the more pictures you take, the more likely you are to get that one really terrific picture. If you have a good background, and a willing subject, try photographing them from several different angles, and if your camera has manual adjustments, several different F settings. Sometimes the photos you think are going to be great don’t work out, and vice versa. Happy picture taking!