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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
Tips and tricks for capturing your canine's personality with every click of the camera
Simply snapping a picture may not capture the playfulness or spontaneity of a dog. Knowing what kind of equipment, angle, and composition to use while photographing a dog can make all the difference in the character captured in the photo. Dog Photography For Dummies gives you practical and fun guidance for capturing your dog's personality and turning ordinary shots into priceless memories that will last a lifetime.
Covering all the latest and greatest gadgets and accessories available to capture and alter photos of your favorite pooch, Dog Photography For Dummies offers techniques that amateurs and intermediates alike can use to improve their photography skills. This hands-on guide features great examples of dog portraiture, plus tons of ideas for fun new places to pose your furry friend, such as the beach, the park, the car, in the snow, and more.
- Detailed discussions of color versus black-and-white, indoors versus outdoors, composition, and capturing movement
- Advice on how to get a dog to sit still
- Considerations for photographing a shy dog who is scared of the camera
- Guidance on making the most of natural light
- Tips for photographing dogs with black (or dark) coats
- How to photograph people and dogs together
Whether for decorating, memories, or holiday cards, Dog Photography For Dummies makes it easy to capture the best of your four-legged friend.
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Seitenzahl: 453
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011
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Dog Photography For Dummies®
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Table of Contents
Dog Photography For Dummies®
by Kim Rodgers and Sarah Sypniewski
Co-founders of Bark Pet Photography
Dog Photography For Dummies®
Published byJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some content that appears in standard print versions of this book may not be available in other formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit us at www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011936930
ISBN 978-1-118-07775-7 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-17075-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-17076-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-17077-9 (ebk)
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Authors
Kim Rodgers and Sarah Sypniewski co-founded Bark Pet Photography (www.barkpetphotography.com), a Los Angeles-based pet photography business, with a mission of giving back to local animal rescue organizations. In two short years, Bark Pet Photography emerged as an industry leader and was named Los Angeles’s best pet photography business of 2011 by the CityVoter Los Angeles HotList.
Kim, the photographer behind Bark, graduated from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, with a bachelor of arts degree in studio arts. Kim’s images are described as modern, bold, and graphic — a style influenced by her years of working as a graphic designer. Her work has been seen in places like the Wall Street Journal, PeoplePets.com, LAist.com, TMZ, People StyleWatch Magazine, and Popular Dogs Series magazines. When she’s not photographing her clients’ dogs, she’s pursuing her first true love: helping to save animals in need with her pro-“bone”-o work. Whether taking professional photos of shelter dogs, flying with them across the country to their forever home, or adopting them herself, Kim tries to help animals in need however she can.
Sarah, the marketing force behind Bark, left her ten-year career in the nonprofit world to pursue writing, consulting, and Bark on a full-time basis. When she’s not waxing poetic in the Bark newsletter or churning out website copy for her various consulting clients, she’s rescuing animals on a volunteer basis and using the specialized strategy she developed for NinjaDog Concepts (www.ninjadogconcepts.com) to recover lost pets. She writes about all her adventures on her blog, Sarah Leaps (www.sarahsypniewski.wordpress.com). Her poem, “Paws Amidst Pain” — about the therapy dogs she worked with after the 9/11 tragedy — has become a tribute used by service animal organizations everywhere. Sarah holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from DePaul University, which she calls upon frequently when performing such tasks as writing heartstring-pulling adoption bios for her homeless animal friends, calming dogs and humans alike during photo shoots, and using “I” statements.
Dedication
From Kim: For my parents, who taught me what it means to love and care for a dog as part of the family.
For MeMe, who took in a feral cat despite being a “dog person” her whole life and who taught her grandkids that dogs and cats can coexist.
For my current four-legged friends (Kali, Piko, Sammy, and Delilah), who have reminded me throughout this process to pause and take a break every now and then.
And for all the animals I grew up with but never had the chance to photograph as I would today — Teddy, Boz, Norman, Bubba, Kitty, and Duncan.
From Sarah: The hours I spent on this book are dedicated with my deepest adoration and gratitude to all the dogs in my life — especially Sophie, Kali, Piko, Sammy, and Delilah. It is to them that I co-wrote this 320-page love letter.
From both: A huge wet kiss and tail wag go to all the animal rescuers out there who devote their lives to making a difference, one animal at a time. You spend countless hours and sleepless nights being the voice for the voiceless, and you inspire us to keep going. This book really is for you. May it help you find many homes for many deserving dogs.
Authors’ Acknowledgments
We feel extremely lucky to have been able to write this together — there’s no way we could’ve done it alone. Thank you to our Wiley team of cheerleaders and smarties, who let us do this as a duo and made this whole experience a great one: our acquisitions editor, Tracy Boggier, for finding and believing in us all the way through; our project editor, Vicki Adang, for moving the pieces around to maximize clarity, for allowing our creativity to run wild, and for laughing at our jokes; our copy editor, Todd Lothery, for refining our words and catching our errors; and our tech editor, Jenny Denton of Red Hydrant Pet Photography, for making sure our techniques and recommended settings were spot on.
We want to give a big, juicy bone to all our furry clients who lent their cute mugs to these pages and to all the human pals who helped us pick images, promote the book, and just generally supported us every step of the way.
I (Sarah) also want to thank my family — most of all, Mom and Dad — not only for loving dogs as celebrated members of the brood but also for not freaking out (at least externally) when I told you I was ditching my career and paycheck to chase my dreams of becoming a writer. It’s because of you that this book was even possible. A special thanks to Katie, who always was one of my biggest fans. I hope you can see this from where you sit.
A tip o’ the cap also to my muse, for knowing I was a writer before I did and for always giving me a reason to put down words.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Vertical Websites
Project Editor: Victoria M. Adang
Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier
Copy Editor: Todd Lothery
Assistant Editor: David Lutton
Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen
Technical Editor: Jenny Stierch Denton
Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker
Editorial Assistants: Rachelle S. Amick, Alexa Koschier
Cover Photos: Kim Rodgers, Sarah Sypniewski
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Nikki Gee
Layout and Graphics: Claudia Bell, Heather Pope, Christin Swinford
Proofreaders: Betty Kish, Dwight Ramsey
Indexer: Sherry Massey
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Kathleen Nebenhaus, Vice President and Executive Publisher
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director
Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Introduction
They’re just like humans — no two are the same. Some constantly wag their tails, happy just to be alive in their blissful oblivion. Others are curmudgeonly and reserved; they prefer to chew a bone in peaceful solitude, not caring to be bothered with playtime. And then there are those who hear the jangle of their leash and come scrambling across the house, excited to go on a new adventure to parts (and smells) unknown.
Dogs.
They’re complex and simple, funny and serious, hyperactive and sloth-like. But among them all, one common thread runs strong and true: We love them. Whether because of or in spite of these quirks, we love the specific things that make our dog ours.
This book is actually a tribute to them. It’s an ode to those who curl up at our feet, plop themselves onto our laps, lick our tears away, crack us up with their four-legged antics, get us out of the house for walks, teach us new tricks, and school us on what it means to truly care for someone.
Dog Photography For Dummies is a celebration of these beautiful creatures that take up residence in our hearts and share a lifetime of moments with us. Though we can’t make them live forever, with a few photography skills and lots of patience, we can capture the belly rubs, dirty paws, and slobbery kisses forever, before they fade away all too soon.
About This Book
Although they come with their own challenges, dogs make very obvious and interesting photography subjects, and a lot of books are devoted to this topic. But where other dog photography books stop at giving you composition ideas or pages of the author’s own photos as examples to replicate without really telling you how to take them, we start at the beginning and end with a final photo suitable for framing and hanging in a place of honor in your home.
Just like our subject, Dog Photography For Dummies does a lot of sniffing and digging. If you’re a beginner, you’ll find some basic information about equipment and how to use it so you’re ready when your dog does something cute. If you already have some photography experience, you’ll still benefit from chapters that describe different types of dog-specific shots in a fun, step-by-step way to ensure that you capture the moment. And if you already know that dog photography’s your thing and you want to break into the business, we have a full how-to on that, too.
We start with a general photography refresher for anyone who needs it, and then we point out how to take every doggie photograph you want (and even some you don’t yet know you want). We continue on with what to do after you take your photos to get them to look all polished and pretty, and then we tell you what to do if you want to join the ranks of the professionals.
The great thing about Dog Photography For Dummies is that we, your humble authors, are just like you — dog lovers and photography enthusiasts. And we remember a time when we weren’t professionals. With this book, we hope to offer you an entertaining, easy-to-follow adventure through the ever-expanding world of dog photography. We’re glad you’re here and hope you enjoy choosing your own path through these pages.
Conventions Used in This Book
We use the following conventions throughout the text to make things consistent and easy to understand:
New terms appear in italic and are closely followed by an easy-to-understand definition.
We use bold textto highlight keywords in bulleted lists and the action parts of numbered steps.
All web addresses appear in monofont.
Each photo in this book is followed by information in small print that looks something like this: 50mm, 1/500 sec., f/2.8, 100. These are the camera settings used to take the photo. The first number is the focal length, the second is the shutter speed, the third is the aperture, and the fourth is the ISO. (Don’t worry if you don’t know what any of that means; we explain each of those settings in Chapter 4.)
Oh, and one more photography thing regarding those digital cameras that you can slip in your pocket or purse — we don’t call them point-and-shoot cameras here; we call them compact digital cameras (CDCs), which is in line with the current industry standard.
As for how we talk about dogs in this book, we always refer to them as “he,” “she,” or by a proper name (thanks to our clients and fans for letting us “borrow” those names). Also, we don’t use the term owner, but rather, we refer to a person as a dog’s human or guardian.
What You’re Not to Read
No matter how much you love dogs, photography, and reading, we realize that parts of this book matter less to some of you than they do to others. Even though we poured our hearts and souls into writing this just for you, we understand that you may not want to read every word. Really. We get that you may have better things to do than dive into every page. No, no — it’s okay. We’re fine. Those aren’t tears running down our faces; that’s just, er, water.
Seriously, though, we get that you have dogs to photograph, so if you need to skip over some parts so you can pull your nose out of this book, we support that. Here’s what you can gloss over:
Text in sidebars: Sidebars are shaded boxes that usually give detailed examples or provide some information about an advanced technique on the topic at hand.
The stuff about us at the front of the book: This book isn’t about us. It’s about you. And your dog.
Foolish Assumptions
Yeah, yeah, we know what they say about assuming. Nonetheless, keeping this book under a thousand pages is good for all of us, so we had to narrow our audience just a tad. Here’s what we went with:
You love dogs and have at least basic experience with them.
You aren’t afraid of handling cameras and photography equipment.
Your knowledge of dog photography is anywhere from zilch to advanced.
You may want to open your own dog photography business.
You’re up for getting down on the floor, getting dirty, and occasionally getting slobbered on.
You may not be a pro, but you want to take photographs like one.
You have a computer and are willing to use it for the sake of your photos.
Though we debated about what kind of camera you, our readers, are using, in the end, we decided to gear this book toward digital SLR users. If you use a compact digital camera, never fear. We haven’t left you out, fair friends. Most of the guidelines in this book apply to you, and where they don’t (or when we offer additional information specific to compact digital camera users), we note that with a special “Quick Click” icon (see the later section about icons for more details).
How This Book Is Organized
To aid your mission of carving your own path through this book, we divide it up into nice, manageable pieces for you to navigate. We start with parts, which are broad areas of interest. We break the parts down into chapters. Use the table of contents as your map and the index as your compass, and enjoy the journey.
Part I: Heel! The Basics of Dog Photography
This is the place where we go over all the foundational information you need. We cover how to use both digital SLRs and compact digital cameras (and if you don’t have a camera yet, we even outline what to look for in a new one) and what to keep on hand when you photograph dogs. We even throw in a couple of psychology lessons (both canine and human). Start with this part if you want to catch up (or brush up) on your fundamentals.
Part II: Fetch! Go Get That Perfect Photo
This is where the rubber meets the road — er, the camera meets the canine. We give you lots of example photos and tell you exactly how you can achieve similar results. We go through indoor and outdoor shots, posed shots, action shots, and even detail and group shots. If you already know your way around cameras and dogs and you’re ready to start photographing, this is the part for you.
Part III: Sit! What to Do after the Photo Shoot
In this part, we go over everything you need to do to take your photos through their final stages. We usher you through downloading the files off of your camera and onto your computer, editing them, and even uploading them onto your website and other media. We also devote a whole chapter to making a business out of dog photography.
Part IV: The Part of Tens
This part covers a range of helpful topics distilled into informative lists. Here, we dish it all — making photo shoots fun, overcoming common challenges, giving back to the animal rescue world, and drumming up business.
Icons Used in This Book
To make this book easier to read and simpler to use, we include some icons that can help you find and fathom key ideas and information.
This icon is meant to draw your attention to a little something extra we think you’ll find helpful.
This icon points out something that you may already know or that we’ve stated before, but it’s important enough to reiterate by setting it apart from everything else.
This icon signals that the information listed here can save you from potential disaster, whether that’s harm to your dog, damage to your equipment, or injury to yourself.
This icon marks information that is specific to compact digital camera users, so if you use one, pay close attention!
Where to Go from Here
This book is designed so you can start anywhere, end anywhere, and go anywhere! Need a little direction? If you want a nice photo for your holiday cards this year, head over to Chapter 7. If you want a family portrait, jump to Chapter 10. If you want to know how to set up a dog photography business, your destination is Chapter 14.
If you still don’t really know, just start at the very beginning (it’s a very good place to start). Part I gives you a full introduction to dog photography and can give you an idea of where to head to next.
Part I
Heel! The Basics of Dog Photography
In this part . . .
You have a lot to get in order before you start photographing your favorite pooch, and in this part, we cover it all. We detail the tools and skills you need to master so you and Fido can make it all look effortless. The chapters in this part comprise a framework that’s both sturdy and welcoming, whether you’re a novice or an advanced photographer. We take you through all the prerequisites you need — be they camera or canine competencies — to succeed in this fun, furry adventure.
1
The Big Picture of Dog Photography
In This Chapter
Understanding the goals and challenges of dog photography
Using your skills to excel at dog photography
Seeing how different approaches yield different results
People are showing a growing interest in pet photography of all kinds, especially dog photography (exhibit A: you’re reading this book). At the hobbyist as well as professional level, dog photographers are popping up all over. This interest makes perfect sense — we share our lives with our wonderful dogs, but the time we spend together is simply much too short. Those of us who love dogs seem to be on a quest to immortalize our canine friends, to somehow hang on to these moments we share together forever. That’s where dog photography comes in.
In this chapter, we reveal how snapping pictures of your (or someone else’s) dog can change your life, and perhaps even the dog’s life. But before you grab your camera, you should know something about the skills that can make you successful, so we also cover those. And just as your dog has his favorite tricks, you’ll come to have your favorite ways to take photos of your pup. We outline your options at the end of the chapter.
The Scope of Dog Photography
People have different motivations for wanting great photos of their dogs, so your first task is to figure out what that motivation is so you can take the right photo, whether for yourself or someone else. Do you want to capture images of Hercules playing his favorite game? Maybe you want just one nice photo of Hogan you can use for your holiday cards this year. Or perhaps Quimby’s starting to slow down a little and you want to make sure you have photos of him as you two go about your shared daily routine that you’ll one day miss.
Whatever the motivation is, the goal of dog photography is pretty basic: catch those real moments of a beloved dog’s life. The scope of what it takes to achieve that goal is, admittedly, a hearty challenge. You have to understand how dogs think and behave, be willing to get down and dirty with them, be just as clever with the dog’s humans, and employ every drop of patience, flexibility, and tranquility you have. Just like Jesse’s obedience lessons, dog photography takes hard work and practice, but in the end, there’s nothing but tail wags all around.
Capturing moments and stories that are fleeting
The true goal of dog photography (as with any other photography) is to freeze time — to capture those precious moments in a dog’s life for all eternity. When you reflect upon your dog and the relationship you share with her, what stands out? What do you always want to remember about her? When you want to show the “real” Millie in photographs, forgo the commands. Much of dog photography is just about being quick with a shutter button. In Figure 1-1, we caught an unplanned moment in which Henry decided it was time to play tug with his leash, perfectly capturing this little joker’s personality.
One of the unique aspects about photographing dogs is that you can’t really tell them exactly how to pose, and while that can be an obstacle, you also end up capturing some seriously genuine moments. Dogs can’t really fake it; what you see is what you get. Sure, you can tell Jackie Brown to “sit,” but you can’t instruct him to “back up 3 yards and then come running toward me with a happy grin on your face.” If you want that to happen, you have to follow Jackie around with a camera until he spontaneously does what you’re looking for. Of course, there are a ton of tips, tricks, and strategies to encourage your fuzzy pal to do something cute or fun (and we tell you all about those in this book), but being quick on the draw results in your being able to freeze in time some very real-life moments.
Understanding how dogs are like children to their humans
Obviously, you know what your own dog means to you, so remember that feeling when you photograph other people’s dogs. Always respect the humans’ directions (as long as the dog isn’t in danger) and defer to them. You wouldn’t tell others how to parent their human children, nor should you do so with canine kids.
50mm, 1/160 sec., f/11, 125
Figure 1-1: Keep an eye out for unplanned moments like this.
The heart of the matter really is a matter of the heart. People love their dogs, just like you love yours. And that’s probably why they’re letting you take photos of them in the first place. Most times, you fall just as in love with them as their humans have, but sometimes, a dog may try your every last nerve. Just remember: That dog is someone’s child. No matter how Max tests you, don’t get angry and don’t give up. Take a break if you must, but always strive to see Max through loving eyes, just as if he were your own dog (or child). And create images that truly bring out the parent-child bond that many humans share with their dogs.
Keeping your canine subject at ease
Dogs are energy experts. They can read it, they can give it off, and they can detect the most subtle changes in it. Energy is one of their main languages, which means that if you’re stressed, dogs sense it. If you’re calm, they know it. More than that, they mirror your energy.
When you’re photographing dogs, get yourself into a peaceful state of mind and stay there until you’re done. If you get all crazy and hyper (or even demanding and angry), you can expect the dog to do the same. Ever notice how those TV shows about improving pet behavior start with a clip of humans demonstrating a dog’s horrible behavior as they yell at the dog in vain, but then the expert steps in, and suddenly, the dog is heeling, sitting, and ignoring the cat? It’s not magic; it’s energy. And to be successful with your dog photography, yours has to be good.
Different dogs respond differently, of course, so it’s up to you to meet the dog where the dog is. In other words, a big Lab mix may not mind you bending down to give him a big greeting and a solid pat on the back, whereas a small Chihuahua probably doesn’t feel comfortable with someone hovering over her. Your canine subjects need a lot of space, especially at the beginning. Remember that being the star of a photo shoot is probably a brand-new experience for them, so to keep them comfortable and calm while photographing, give them plenty of mental and physical space.
More important, keep the process fun! The more you can turn it into a game, the better your results will be.
Using dog photography in rescue work
Shelters and rescues across the United States (and throughout the world) house millions of homeless dogs just waiting to be adopted. Now more than ever, a good photo of a shelter dog has the power to literally save his life. Websites, social media, smart phones, and e-mail all contribute to the ability to send photos out over state and country lines and even overseas. When people hit the Internet to find their next canine companion, a compelling photo catches their eye and causes them to click a link to find out more.
Overworked shelter employees often don’t have the time or equipment to take good photos of each of the hundreds of dogs in their shelter. Often, the only chance a dog has rests on a grainy snapshot taken while the dog was at his most fearful or injured. The animals waiting for adoption can benefit greatly from your skills as a dog photographer. Your high quality equipment, photography skills, and kind rapport with dogs can save lives when you produce photos that get dogs noticed.
In Figure 1-2, you can see the before and after photos of Sugar, a pit bull who had been abused and then dumped at the shelter. The photo on the top was taken on a cellphone the day she was found, and the photo on the bottom was professionally done. Using the cellphone photos didn’t yield much interest in Sugar; the photos were small and grainy and simply emphasized her scar. The professional photos showed Sugar in a new light, garnering her much attention and support from countless individuals, as well as Molly’s Mutts & Meows, an amazing rescue group that took Sugar under its wing and stood by her through thick and thin.
There’s no better feeling than when someone who’s just adopted a rescue dog says, “Oh, I saw the photo you took of him and just knew he was mine.”
50 mm, 1/500 sec., f/2.8, 125
Figure 1-2: One good photo of an adoptable dog can make a huge difference in how they’re perceived.
Skills You Need to Excel
Just like any new activity, dog photo-graphy takes practice. As long as you’re willing to spend the time learning techniques and trying them out, you can excel. Of course, having a few of these skills helps you produce even better photos:
Creativity: Photography is an art, but dog photography is art with four legs and lots of slobber. Not only do you have to get creative with perspective, style, composition, color, and all that stuff you learn about in art school, you also get to work with subjects that don’t really understand English, which makes things really interesting. From how you get a dog’s attention (see Chapter 2) to how to coax a shy dog to pose (check out Chapter 7) to how you do your final edits (flip to Chapter 12), dog photography really requires out-of-the-box thinking!
Dog handling skills/basic understanding of dog psychology: There’s lots to know about how dogs think and how to best work with them. If you want to photograph them, you have to understand them and be willing to communicate with them in their language. You need to be comfortable with how dogs interact with one another and with people, and you need to be able to direct them to some degree — at least enough to keep them safe and happy during your session. (We give you the skinny on dog psychology in Chapter 2.) Of course, the better you are at understanding and interacting with your canine friends, the better your photos will most likely be.
Proficiency with cameras, lenses, and more: Obviously, you need a lot of technical knowledge and skills to be good at dog photography. You need to understand how the different parts of a camera work together to create the photograph you want. This is especially important with dog photography because the subjects move so fast. If Luca suddenly starts doing something really cute but you’re occupied with fiddling around with your settings, chances are you’ll miss the shot. Knowing where to set your aperture, what lens to use, and how much light you need for any given shot should be second nature. Practice until it is! (Chapter 3 covers photography equipment, and Chapter 4 provides basic information about camera settings and photography techniques.)
Business acumen: If you want to make a business out of dog photography, a love of dogs is a good starting point, but you need much more than that. You have to be a good researcher, manager, marketer, salesperson, planner, accountant, and about a dozen other things. If you truly want to succeed, you have to work hard to develop all these areas. (If this sounds like the perfect career for you, check out Chapter 14.)
Picking the Perfect Approach
Photography is all about options. You can choose how much light to use, where to shoot, what to do, and which colors to use. All these choices contribute to the overall look and style of your photo. One of the biggest choices to make when it comes to dog photography is your approach. You can aim for truly candid moments, candid-looking (but planned) shots, or totally posed portraits. Each approach is different and yields different (but equally delightful) results. As we discuss different settings and ideas throughout this book, keep in mind these different approaches and choose which one works best for you.
Capturing candid moments
Candid shots are all about capturing and conveying what sets Libby apart from, say, Butch. These are the spur-of-the-moment, unplanned pictures that capture life as it unfolds. You don’t need to use many commands or tell the dog what to do (well, not too much, anyway). You should let Libby do whatever it is she wants to do and just shoot. Anything goes! Portraits are nice, but the true joy of photographing dogs is getting those images that instantly say something about your specific dog. You want to be able to look at these photos and exclaim, “Oh my gosh! I captured Charm’s ear thing perfectly!” or, “Aw! That’s totally Sundance’s dinnertime look!” You get bonus points if you make tears of recognition well up in your own eyes upon viewing the final images. Getting these images, though, takes equal parts persistence, patience, foxlike cunning, and just pure luck.
The first rule in capturing candids is to always have your camera, and always be ready to point it at your dog when the moment strikes, no matter what time it is. Most humans would probably punch you if you tried to stick a lens in their face before they’ve had their coffee. Luckily, dogs don’t drink coffee, so you have more options when it comes to breaking out the camera. But that doesn’t mean all hours are created equal.
Think about what your dog is like at different times of day and what you want to capture. If he’s sleepy during the day and you want to get some shots of him curled up on his favorite bed or lounging around in his favorite sunny spot in the yard, try the afternoon. If you’d rather get shots of him playing fetch or running around, choose a time when he’s most energetic — perhaps right when he wakes up. The key to getting the most genuine images is to follow your dog’s natural daily routine.
Candid shots are great because they can happen anytime, so long as your camera is within reach! These shots aren’t posed, so it’s just a matter of keeping your eyes open for the right moments. Maybe you’re with your dog at your favorite corner hangout when you notice how amazing the lighting is. Or maybe you discover him napping in the funniest position while you’re cleaning the house. Figure 1-3 is a candid moment we captured at the end of our photo shoot with Flora. As we were packing up, we saw Flora plop down on the carpet and begin burying her tired eyes in her paws, so Kim quickly got down at her level and continued shooting. When shooting candid photos, quickly and accurately choosing your camera settings is important, so make sure you do your homework (see Chapter 4 for details about camera settings)!
50mm, 1/250 sec., f/3.5, 500
Figure 1-3: Candid moments can happen at any time!
Planning candid-looking images
Don’t think you have to wait around for something to happen, though. You have some not-so-candid ways of making things happen that still result in a candid-looking moment. This is a good approach to use with dogs that like to play games and listen fairly well.
To pull this off, the first thing you need to do is set the scene. Because the photo is candid-looking but not really candid, you can take your time to make sure the lighting and background is how you want it to be. After you set that up, the real fun begins — getting the dog to do what you want her to do.
Take Figure 1-4, for instance. You may think that Kim was serendipitously in the right place at the right time to capture this perfectly composed photo of Mac traipsing across the patio. Mac looks natural and is in his own world, paying no attention to the photographer, but what you can’t see is one of Mac’s humans standing to the right of the frame, calling his name so he runs to her. You also can’t tell that this one photo took 20 minutes of Mac essentially playing “monkey in the middle” and cruising back and forth between members of his family.
What can we say? Sometimes the best candids aren’t so candid after all!
25mm, 1/640 sec., f/3.5, 100
Figure 1-4: With an extra person or two and a little bit of persistence, you can plan shots that look totally spontaneous, even when they’re not!
Posing for perfection
Sometimes you just want a nice, posed photo of Violet in all her regal glory. Maybe you want that nice holiday card or something you can hang above your mantle. Or maybe you want to enter Violet into a cutest dog contest.
When you go this route, you should do so at a time when Violet has low enough energy that she’s likely to listen to your commands but not so little energy that she sleeps through the session! (For more about doggie portrait sessions, head to Chapter 7.)
This approach typically takes a lot of mental energy for both the dog and you, so be prepared to take it all in stride. If your dog’s obedience class rank is anything like our dogs’, you have to use a lot of treats to persuade him to keep his position. Others, like Mya in Figure 1-5, are natural-born models.
25mm, 1/200 sec., f/2.0, 125
Figure 1-5: Mya strikes a pose.
2
Dog Photography: It’s Like No Other Animal!
In This Chapter
Getting hints from your dog’s behavior
Considering your dog’s physical traits and motivation
Taking steps to ensure a calm, successful photo shoot
If you’re reading this book, you’ve probably had lots of amazing moments with your dog that you want to capture with your camera. Either that or you’re getting sick of having to ooh and aah over everyone else’s baby photos and you want to silence them once and for all with the beauty that is Shorty! Or maybe you’ve already attempted to photograph some favorite activities only to discover that the otherwise clingy and underfoot Lakota heads for the hills when he sees a camera. Whether you want to capture spontaneous images, create profound artistic statements that will impress your baby-toting friends, or just stop chasing Bear around the house with your camera, you must first master the ins and outs of working with your canine friend.
Remembering That Fido Isn’t Human
As much as you may feel like he is, your dog isn’t human. As dog lovers and guardians ourselves, we know that notion is pretty hard to buy into sometimes. Our dogs are complete members of the family, with all the privileges and rights thereto: They eat their dinner as we eat ours, hang out on the couch and watch TV with us, and even hog the bed once in awhile. Yes, we admit it — we treat them like people. And treating them like people actually works out just fine for the most part, unless you count Kali’s clever trick of barking her face off when we’re not fast enough with the treats (who’s training whom here?). These kinds of moments have a way of reminding us that we actually are a different species and that sometimes we have to interact with a dog like, well, a dog.
This is an important little nugget to remember as you embark on your dog photography journey because photographing your dog is very different from photographing your family picnic. Little Oliver can’t say “cheese” or turn a little to the right and look off into the distance wistfully. In order for your endeavor into photography of the canine persuasion to be successful, you have to remember that it’s a dog’s world.
Dog Psychology 101: Figuring out the canine mind-set
In general, dogs are social, externally motivated sponges. They want to be part of the group (or pack in dogspeak), follow your lead, and please you. They like to have their minds and bodies challenged, and they have an amazing capacity to learn new skills when given the chance. All these characteristics make them a good match for photography if you know how to use them!
A smart approach is to turn a photo session into a game that you and your dog play together. Games really appeal to your dog’s natural tendencies, so the first rule of dog photography is always make it fun for your dog to achieve something! Dogs are similar to human children in that they push your limits as they learn what’s okay and what’s not, and a photo session is no exception. Because dogs respond well to positive reinforcement, be sure you incorporate plenty of it into your photo session, whether it’s treats, hugs, or toys. Keep in mind that this is a very general peek into a dog’s mind, but it comes in handy when you break out the camera.
Dogs want to learn and achieve, so all you have to do is be patient and consistent, kind yet firm. For example, if you want Rudy to sit and look at you so you can snap a photo, hold a treat near your camera until he looks. But don’t give him the treat for free or you’ll lose your leverage. And on the flip side, reward him as soon as you get the behavior you want; don’t delay it. Say you put Rudy in your favorite leather chair and give him a sit-stay command. He does it like a champ, but you realize you have to fiddle with your camera for a few minutes. Don’t wait until after you’re done adjusting your camera to treat him. You must reward him right away so he can learn what you want from him. If you don’t, he’ll get confused and frustrated and won’t want to work with you.
Sensitive or fearful dogs may not take to this new activity right away. In fact, the camera can be downright scary to some dogs. With lots of patience on your part, your dog can overcome his fear of the camera. We talk more about camera fear in Chapter 4, but for now, just remember to keep things fun with lots of rewards! The bottom line is that you are your dog’s companion, and he wants to be with you, feel safe, and be rewarded.
Understanding how dogs communicate
Even though dogs can’t talk, they have plenty to tell you, as long as you know how to listen. They’re keen observers, interpreters, and givers of nonverbal cues. They know how to read energy, and they say a lot with their faces and body posture. Knowing your pooch’s cues is invaluable to your efforts in photographing him. Ignore his cues and one (or both) of you can end up hurt. Even if he’s never so much as growled at you before, be humble and cautious. Sticking a camera in his face for the first time can prompt aggressive behavior to surface (like growling or biting) that you’ve never seen before. To keep both of you happy and safe, read his body language so you know when to stop before things escalate to a dangerous level.
Ears: Ears that are perky signal that your dog is relaxed or interested. If your dog’s ears are flattened against his head, that probably means he’s scared or stressed out. If you see flattened ears during your photo session, stop what you’re doing and take a break.
Eyes: Dogs naturally see eye contact as threatening, but eye contact is a little different with your own dog because you’ve built up years of trust, and he understands that you aren’t challenging him with innocent eye contact. Still, try not to hold his gaze for minutes on end as you adjust every little setting on your camera to get exactly the right shot. Try looking at his nose when you’re giving him commands and getting him to hold his pose. If he won’t look at you straight-on at all, that could be a sign of fear or discomfort. That sideways glance when you see the whites of his eye is dubbed the whale eye and usually signals insecurity, so you may want to take a few steps back until he’s more comfortable with the camera.
Mouth:
