Mans best friend portrait

92sir · Nov 30, 2009

This is a shot of my dog Cody let me know what u think.

Mastino · Nov 30, 2009

Too abstract for me.. Neat idea, but way too weird.

thebeatles · Nov 30, 2009

Are you using a strobe? I am fairly new to photography and wasn't sure if this was the type of lighting you are using here.

92sir · Nov 30, 2009

I used a vivitar 283 flash. Too abstract? the only processing done was in photoshop I used three layers with the middle layer black and white. Then changed the top layers to soft light. Its really not a dramitc effect. If you have a monitor that is really contrasty then it will look really weird.

Jankster · Nov 30, 2009

i dig it

JohnnyL · Dec 1, 2009

Yeah I think it's wicked! Must have been a lot of effort setting up the lights and waiting for that expression on the face.

stefanderson · Dec 1, 2009

Jankster said:
i dig it

Exactly what I said!

Great photo.

92sir · Dec 1, 2009

It took a few tries and a couple treats lol. Thanks for the compliments guys!!

rufus5150 · Dec 1, 2009

Are you using a strobe?

I know he's already answered but there are a two key clues you can look for in the future if you feel like light sleuthing: first, the quality of the light and the amount it has illuminated the parts of the subject that are lit and the second is the eye. If you'll notice, the pupil is huge. If this were always-on light, the pupil and iris would have adjusted to the ambient light. With a flash, it doesn't have time to, thus remains fairly wide open (for many pictures of people, the wider pupil gives a very warming look to their portraits, but I've sometimes referred to it as "Strobist Eyes"

). You can also tell why only part of the dog's face is illuminated due to the size of the catchlight. In relative terms, the light was very 'small' thus producing no wrap.

To the OP: I think the photo is really cool, but I would try crops with different uses of the negative space. I think the amount might be fine, but where it is might be the problem. You also might want to take a minute in post and make sure there's no CA or fringing in the catchlight. It's hard to tell with the smaller jpg but it might be more prevalent in the full size image. It may just be picking up the natural color of the eyes, though.