Eureka session

[James Newman]

This is Eureka. She is Pug/Poodle mix and one of the favorite girls in my life. She does not like it when I get out the camera, strobes, and umbrellas, but she puts up with it because she knows she is getting a cookie soon after. I was trying some different things with my lights this weekend and trying to get more comfortable with the off-camera flash and Nikon CLS. Unfortunately for her, she was once again chosen as the model. At least with her, not a lot of time is spent touching up blemishes.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l319/jnewmanco1/0309_Entercustomnameherelighting-1.jpg

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Unfortunately for her, she was once again chosen as the model. At least with her, not a lot of time is spent touching up blemishes.

Lot's of facial hair though, ;-)

Allow me to make 2 suggestions, although I understand the difficulties in pet photography. Getting down to the level of the animal usually helps to improve a 'connection', also in the photograph. Then trying to get the animal to look in the direction of lens also helps for a portrait, unless the subject has a long snout (which may require a longer lens and/or a different angle).

Bart

[Asher Kelman]

Lot's of facial hair though, ;-)

Allow me to make 2 suggestions, although I understand the difficulties in pet photography. Getting down to the level of the animal usually helps to improve a 'connection', also in the photograph. Then trying to get the animal to look in the direction of lens also helps for a portrait, unless the subject has a long snout (which may require a longer lens and/or a different angle).


Bart! You stole the words from my head! Your post appeared first so credit to you! People make the mistake of shooting down on pets and it diminishes them.

James,

Another point is the strength of the pillow is perhaps distracting and I'd like to see a wider aperture to limit focus to the dog or else I'd not open that much but blur the b.g. a little and vignette the illunination in PS.

Anyway, photography work is work, after all, and even Ansel Adams spent hours even weeks or months perfecting one picture!

So extra time in setting this up is a challenge of course but ultimately it will pay off!

This, as you point out is a great start. Double the pay to your model!

Asher

[James Newman]

Yes Bart and Asher...I definitely should have gotten down on her level instead of shooting down like I did. For some reason, that seems to be one of the things I forget the most. I guess I need to tape a little reminder to my camera. I was trying to get her to look at me but she was more interested in my wife and probably wondering why she was holding a light up above her head. I will try again and make better judgements this time on these things. She is a great model though and she never talks back. She deserves a much better attempt than this one was.

[janet Smith]

Hi James

To get my dog to look at me (she hates being photographed too) I have to put my hair in a pony tail on the top of my head and put a "bonio" through the elastic, a little like Wilma out of the "Flintstones" my husband says I'm barking mad but it seems to work.....hah.... how about putting a bonio or something similar poking out of your shirt pocket where she can see it, could help, maybe.....