One for C&C

swatpup32 · Apr 23, 2009

Usually she avoids me when I have my camera out. Note to self dogs do not like flash.

arkuro · Apr 23, 2009

nice clarity .. nice DOF... but a reddish tint.. looks like to me.. may be WB if off...

bigtwinky · Apr 23, 2009

Nice picture. I rarely see pictures of pets that I like, but this one I do.

I think her left eye (camera right) is a bit underexposed though, losing some sharpness in the eye.
I like the composition and the red collar on red couch

gian133 · Apr 23, 2009

i like this. nice DOF. it seems to me though that her eyes are not crisp.(maybe its just my eyes though

)

Samanax · Apr 23, 2009

Black dogs are tricky to expose for correctly but I think you did a good job. Using a reflector (or something white...white cardboard or foamcore) to redirect the light from the left (window?) to the dog's face might have helped.

Nicely composed shot. Cute dog too. What kind of dog is it? Lab?

ccssk8ter11 · Apr 23, 2009

I like this one alot.

suki · Apr 23, 2009

adorable pup and pic! i think it looks great, definitely wall hanging worthy!

Samanax, when you posted about redirecting the light, where would you position the cardboard/foam?

DemonAstroth · Apr 23, 2009

I think it's some sort of cocker spaniel, but I'm not sure, the owner should know best.

I like the picture a lot too! Good job

swatpup32 · Apr 23, 2009

Thanks everybody. I tried to brighten up the right side of her face in camera raw, but I could only do so much before noise started to appear. It never occurred to me at the time to brighten up her right eye. When I took the shot I wasn't really thinking to much about lighting outside of getting a decent shutter speed, but I guess that's a noob error. I would also be interesting in learning more about reflecting light. Would a white sheet work as well? I really can't afford any more camera gear at the moment so anything on the cheap is good by me.

I did get a 11x14 print from york photo that came today, but it came out rather underexposed. However, they did say that I could send it back and adjust the exposure.

Btw, she's an English Spaniel. The breed is a little bit smaller then an American Cocker Spaniel. They are also somewhat less independent then their American cousin.

bigtwinky · Apr 24, 2009

swatpup32 said:
.....I would also be interesting in learning more about reflecting light. Would a white sheet work as well? I really can't afford any more camera gear at the moment so anything on the cheap is good by me. .....

I hear ya on the getting more camera gear... its an expensive hobby hehe.

I would think a white sheet could do. Although a sheet is pretty flexible and thus may be harder to work with, which is why foam or some other hard service would be easier to position.

Anything that is reflective can work. Shooting indoors, people usually bounce their flashes off the walls and such to control the direction of the light coming from the flash.

No harm in trying! set something up by a window, making sure you have one side well lit and the other darker. Get a sheet, or whatever you want, and use it to reflect the light onto the darker side.

bdavis · Apr 24, 2009

Nice picture, but kinda looks a little soft focus. Also one half of her face looks quite a bit darker than the other. I'd try to bounce some more light on that side of the face. Overall though I kind of like the setting the dog is in.

pokopelo · Apr 24, 2009

I like it a lot, but agree on the bounced light needed, but still I like it as it is... well done

Samanax · Apr 24, 2009

swatpup32 said:
I would also be interesting in learning more about reflecting light. Would a white sheet work as well? I really can't afford any more camera gear at the moment so anything on the cheap is good by me.

A piece of stiff cardboard painted white, silver or gold would work. For portraits some people like to use gold reflectors to add warmth to the shot.

swatpup32 said:
I did get a 11x14 print from york photo that came today, but it came out rather underexposed. However, they did say that I could send it back and adjust the exposure.

Are you using a calibrated monitor?

swatpup32 said:
Btw, she's an English Spaniel. The breed is a little bit smaller then an American Cocker Spaniel. They are also somewhat less independent then their American cousin.

Cute dog.