My Photo to Critique

[PhotosInParadise]

I have owned my Canon T5i since November 2015, my first venture into improving my skills. I am retired now and have more time. I have always taken photos, captured my 3 kids growing up with a Poloroid. Was happy and gave absolutely no thoughT to things like lighting. Over the last few years I have gotten 2 long haired Shih Tzu, one cream colored, one black. I was taking photos of the cream with my iphone, happily, and then got the black dog. He showed up as having no face detail, sooo, now I have the Canon DSLR. Still trying to capture a good outside photo of him, but I hope to learn more as I go along.

I shoot in raw and am so happy with the photos I take of my cream Shih atzu. This one was shot with my 24-70 mm f/4L. I use these setting because I am also taking photos of the faster moving black one, Tv mode, f4, 1/1000, ISO 400. I use Affinity Photo to PP and am constantly amazed that when I bring up the cream dog's photos, I can just hit Develop, without adjusting anything. Not always but mostly. I am sure as I go along my learning journey, I will look back and see my inexperience showing but for know, I sure wish I could capture my black dog this good. This photo was cropped, nothing else. Please critique.

 

[john.margetts]

There is more space behind the dog than there is in front - would be better the other way around. Getting the eyes nearer to a vertical third would also help.

www.johns-old-cameras.blogspot.co.uk

 

[PhotosInParadise]

Thank you so much. Helps me see that now!

 

[annamaria]

I was thinking the same thing as John margetts. Would be nice to have more room in front of the dog for him to walk into so to speak.

 

[The_Traveler]

Also note that the front of the dog is darker than the rest.
And there seems to be a reflection of the color from his top know onto his muzzle.

 

[PhotosInParadise]

@The Traveler, Not sure I understand what happened here with this pink showing. If I blow up my photo above I see her face as it is in real life, her watering eyes stain the beard slightly red. That's just characteristics of the breed. If I blow up the pic in your post, I see a whiter face, no red stains but with the pink top knot reflection.

 

[dennybeall]

Know where the sun is in relation to your subject and have the subject face the light.
It appears the sun was to the left and back a bit so the back of the dog is better lighted than the face. The colors in the face are correct just need to be a bit brighter. IMHO

 

[PhotosInParadise]

Thanks, I went out today with the dogs. I am always aware of the sun but its hard to get them to cooperate, guess I need more patience.