My doggies

Fidge · Sep 10, 2007

I'm new, be kind! Well, you don't have to be kind, just not too brutal
I'm shooting with a A540. I cant tell you what settings I used as I was continually messing with them. No flash though, the flash on this camera is the debbil.

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Fidge · Sep 11, 2007

That bad huh...

Corry · Sep 11, 2007

Certainly not! It's still early! Give it time!

I was going to comment last night, but was heading to bed when you posted...am currently at school and probably shouldn't really be online now.

So I'll give you some detailed comments when I get home tonight.

Corry · Sep 11, 2007

Ok, to start, the onboard flash of pretty much any camera is the debbil, so you are right on there.

Natural light all the way, baby!

I'm not the best in the world at giving critique, but I'll do my best.

The first one is a pretty great pic....that could be even better. You captured a wonderful expression, which, that in itself can be very challenging. Overall the shot seems a bit overexposed...white fur is hard to expose for. I think it could have benefited from having a background that contrasted a bit more from his (her?) fur, as well. One other thing to point out is the chopping off of the ear...either include the ear, or crop with purpose.

There are a few of the same things going on in the others...such as #3. #3 is a REALLY difficult exposure, because the one thing that is as hard to expose for as white fur....is black fur...and that pup has both! If you noticed, the white spots on him are REALLY white, with no detail....again, over-exposed. However, I wouldn't underexpose that one TOO much, as you risk losing detail in the black....this is a case of trying to find the middle ground...may not be easy or even possible to get a perfect exposure on that.

Also on #3...and #5, you've got a bit of close cropping to watch out for.

I'll comment more fully on the rest of them if you'd like me to later...for now I'll step back and let someone else agree/disagree/add to what I said.

I will say that I don't think it will take you very long to pick this up. From seeing your other pics, I know you have a creative eye.

Fidge · Sep 11, 2007

photo 1 the ear thing drives me nuts too. I was shooting in burst mode and he kept staggering out of the shot. This was the best (and least disgusting) facial expression but I sacrificed the ear. The color behind him is gold but it was late afternoon direct sunlight which totally bleached out the color in the shot, i think it's also why his head looks so blown out (of course i could just be talking out my back side).

How do I go about capturing white fur in natural lighting without losing all the detail?

3 I think I'll have many opportunities to practice shooting the black and white together. That's Pickles he's a snarly crabby bossy diva and LOVES having his picture taken. He was in motion and this was also taken in burst mode. The next shot he licked the lens - bleck! I need to get better at framing up a moving object or all my dogs are going to look earless.

4 is cropped to remove an exposed electrical socket. I dont have photoshop or anything fancy like that so I cropped it out. I think you are right, i cropped it too much!

I need photoshop or to get rid of the sockets, they ruined a whole batch of shots by sneaking into the frame. I was so focused on my subject that i ignored the background, d'oh!

Fidge · Sep 11, 2007

well I took a few this afternoon. When I I watched the ears, I forgot to keep an eye on the toes... sheesh!

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3 (dog looks flat in this one)

4 (flat dog again)

5 (butt looks glowy)

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Corry · Sep 11, 2007

One of the things I liked about your first set is, for the most part, you were down on the dogs level. When shot from standing position, they don't usually seem to have the same pizazz.

Of this second set, I like #4 the best, though I'd have probably tilted the camera up juuuust slightly and gotten a tad less forground and gotten more of the top of beebee's head, maybe....actually, the cropping of his head isn't too bad looking at it again...but losing a teensy bit of the foreground might help.

If I were on my PC and had my photoshop, I'd show you more what I mean.

Just keep shooting and the more you shoot the more you become aware of things. I remember when I first started (and even still now) I'd concentrate on getting a good exposure, and end up getting a not so good composition, or visa versa.

Antarctican · Sep 11, 2007

Wow, cute doggies (and baby) you've got there! The first set is a lovely selection of doggie portraits. My first impression was that the 'pink' on the bulldog was too much, but then from the later shots, I guess it really does have that much pink on its face! #3 and 4 of the first set just make me grin - the way dogs look at you with their bright eyes is really captured there. Nicely done.

I agree with Corry that it's usually better to be on eye level with dogs, than to shoot them from above. The final result is more pleasing to the eye.

The colour version of the shot with the baby and the dog is GORGEOUS...the warm colours, and the way the baby is cuddling right up to the dog really grabs my heartstrings. Love love love that one.

You've got some great subjects to work with there, and I look forward to seeing more of your shots.

Fidge · Sep 11, 2007

Thanks for the input

the bully is very pink. His nickname is 'the pink bastard'

when he's excited he GLOWS pink, it's quite a sight really :lol:

would you believe that dog cuddling with my son has never been exposed to babies before this week and is brand new in our home? She's is an amazing dog. She's got some awful habits we need to break but down in her core she is a very very good dog.

typically I like to shoot on my subjects level. I'm really tall - 5ft 11 in- and getting down there really does make a difference. I dont like being down on the ground when my bully is jumping though. He's 115 lbs of ungainly airborne muscle!

LaFoto · Sep 11, 2007

Hey again!

Of these my personal favourite is the third in the second lot (you know which? Your son with your new dog in colour). Though I still find there is too much floor for which your son's head was "sacrificed", that one is the best POV (point of view) and best exposure.

Of the first lot, I find the very first photo overexposed (camera on AUTO?), the second lacking too much in contrasts (still hope there, PS could bring about what contrasts there are hidden in this photo), the third is nice, his nose almost comes out of my screen, though I find composition too tight. And the fourth of the first lot is blown in parts (too bright sunshine along with very shadowy areas ask too much of just about every camera, really) and too tightly composed, too, I think.