A Doggie Photoshoot

[LynziMarie]

A while back I told all of the people in my bird rescue group that I'm starting to really try and perfect my portrait skills... and famously, animals and children are the hardest to work with... In my opinion, there is no better way to get good at capturing a moment like starting off with animals and children.
Well... I had a taker!! This woman loves her dog and really wanted some portraits taken of her. So she was my first real portrait session... and I rocked it!! haha I'm so proud of myself, and I'm not a bit afraid to admit that!
Here are the best shots of the day.... Only four, but you know... that's pretty good for a shoot, getting four usable shots, especially with a dog that wouldn't sit still! We used all natural lighting, with my nice, new, spiffy flash as a fill light to make her really stand out.. and it was great!
C&C as always (and also like usual... keep it nice please )
Her pup's name is Saffy

This one still needs some work... I had to clone out some cement from the sides, and it's still noticable, so this is just a rough draft

 

[LynziMarie]

gotta love the shameless ::bump::

 

[kundalini]

Does the dog ever not have its tounge hanging out?

One thing that sticks out to me on all the shots is that h/she is never looking at the camera. I'm guessing that the owner is off camera and getting the dog's attention because h/she has a very intent look in all. If this is the case, have the owner get right behind you.

Two things to note on these photos (and I'll try to be nice ) it's easy to to blow out the whites as in #2. If you meter on the white, this will help and if you are still having difficulties, try adjusting you Exposure Compensation to -0.7EV to start and bumping it up or down as required. (I don't know what camera you have, but I'm hoping you have that control setting.) Secondly, it is only my opinion, but your PoV in #4 is too high. I think if you were eyeball to eyeball, you would have a more pleasing photo. The colors also seem a little washed out and could do with a bump in saturation or something. (yes, the cloning it quite apparent.)

Okay, one more ditty. If you get the chance to try something like #3 again, move the dog 4-6 feet (room permitting) and open up your aperture. This will/should give some separation of create a bokeh effect. As is, it looks like the vegetation will soon engulf him/her. Makes me think of Audrey in The Little shop of Horrors.... FEED ME!

All in all, you did a nice job. These were just a few things I see. Your eyes may differ.

 

[LynziMarie]

why thank you for your wonderful C&C and help!!
actually.... on number four I played around with some blur effects to make her stand out more... the colors look pretty okay without that. I'll try that next time, too posing her a little bit farther in front of the leaves.

I found it's harder to work with dogs and cats than children hehe You kind of have to get in your position and just keep shooting. I did get a few of her looking at me, but if her "mom" took one more step away, she followed... so her "mom" is actually just barely out of frame in all of these. I found shooting #2 was the most difficult with the black background and her light colors. it's hard to make it look just right.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[LynziMarie]

Here's one where she was looking at me... I actually think the shots with her looking adoringly at her owner give more depth to her face and she looks much less like a friendly coyote
(this one is one of the first, and I was still focusing... so it's oof)

and an example of number 4 with no work done to it.... I kind of like it better... but still I have to clone the ugly out

 

[kundalini]

Until recently because of a surgery, I volunteer at my local animal shelter taking photos of pooches. In that environment, it's just blast away and hope that you get a few keepers. Not the option of having nice backgrounds like you had. It is a tough assignment and I applaud you for your efforts.

If you take the "rules of portraiture" and apply them to your subject, you won't go wrong too much. The key is to focus in on the eyes. I usually have a set of keys to clink or a treat to grab their attention. But it is imperative IMO to have the animal looking dead on to you for the most affective shots. Keep trying.

 

[LynziMarie]

thanks for all of your advice!!
I'm still learning (obviously ) and every little bit of that helps

I do hope the owner will be pleased. Speaking from the "non-photographer (in training)" side of me... if I wasn't at the point of understanding the basics of photography, or even close to getting there i.e. her owner, they're good enough for me. However, the artist in me, and aspiring photographer doesn't want "good enough" I want better than good enough, I want fantastic. So, thank you for your helpful comments!!! I'm actually making a list of everything I need to remember for next time.