We are dog sitting my wife's friends dog this week. She asked if I could do some dog portraits while she's away. Not much into shooting animals, but game for anything... this dog is a little yapper that does not sit still for anything..... bounced a simple flash off the ceiling and got whatever I could during about 30 minutes... c&c if you choose, but this was for fun and a few turned out ok.
larhouser wrote:
That is not a happy dog. How far away were you while shooting? I'm feeling like you were crowding his/her space.
Pretty much had to. I was about 3 feet away, if I got any further, the co-dependant guy wanted to be at my feet. Any attempt to shoot from across the room resulted in too much movement where I could not get any focus. Outside was a bust due to the fact that the dog is a runner, like I said, I did the best with what I had. I am not a dog shooter by any means and not keen on the best poses or tips for shooting doggy portraits. Would have loved to have shown a happy dog, tried to hold his ball over my head to get him to show excitement/eagerness instead of sadness.... glad I don't shoot doggies for a living.
I appreciate your comment, if I ever do shoot a little dog like this again, I will try to be aware of the crowding issue and the look of the dogs facial expression, always good to keep those things in the back of the mind....
larhouser wrote:
Is what it is eh? Fair enough, I think that breed is pretty high key so getting a relaxed happy look probably takes an act from god.
A buddy does pet photography and I have no idea how she enjoys it. I assisted her once and the level of chaos was just amazing.
I think it must take a different breed to want to do Pet Photography as a main photographic ambition... I mainly shoot landscape myself and dabble with the Senior Portraits from time to time..... you are right, the level of chaos would drive me dog - gone mad...
I'm sure different breeds are better, especially in the comfort of their owners presence, but to often get the hyper breeds on a planned shoot (not just cool candid shots) I think would be a challenge to ones patience, it would be to mine at any rate. The saying "to each their own" rings sorely true in this regard me thinks.
