Enjoy the pics and do let me know why you think and if you’ve ever known an Otter Hound, or even seen one, they are quite rare.

As my whole ethos of pet photography is to capture the animals at their best and that means not stressing them in any way (well that’s obvious, who wants an image of a stressed dog and I don’t know anyone that would enjoy that process) I decided to set up without Jacob being present.  Simples.  So I chose a chair that was perfectly positioned, stacked up a bunch of cushions to act as my static dog model and then set up the camera and light.  I shoot with a Canon 5d MkII (yes, I really want the Mk III) and chose my trusty 24-105mm lens – it’s a pretty boring lens, but it does the job and to be honest, does it pretty well.  I used 1 Canon Speedlite 580 EX II with the Gary Fong Power Snoot to give a narrow beam of light.  The technique I wanted to practice was the invisible background that I picked up from Glyn Dewis.  So far so good………….apart from the fact that none of it worked

I could not get the background to go completely black, there was too much light bouncing off the walls, so lots of twiddling with the Speedlight, adjusting power, different ways to minimise the spread of light etc etc etc.  I did actually work backwards and tried a Lastolite Ezy box and an umbrella not completely open.  Eventually I got it to just about OK with the Power Snoot and accepted the rest would have to be done post production.  Phew.  Now it was time for Jacob to hop on the chair for 5 minutes whilst he had his pic taken.

That’s when the fun started.

I got Jacob on the chair – he didn’t like that at all and so got down and moved to the sofa on the other side of the room <sigh>.  Back to square one.  Previous set up was now a complete waste of time.  Moved light, quick practice whilst keeping Jacob amused – although watching me and my antics was probably sufficient.  Jacob got bored.  He laid down.

Eventually got light to approximate position.  Now to get him sitting up and alert.  Squeaky toy didn’t work.  Funny noises – nope.  He’s done this all before and isn’t amused – a real Prima Donna.

Anyway, at some point a cushion feather drifted past -WOW, now that was interesting. Of course I wasn’t  ready and missed that shot.  So I spent a couple of minutes blowing feathers.  Now if you have ever tried to blow a feather and take a picture,  you will know it isn’t as easy as it sounds (did it sound easy?!).

Feather got boring and I still hadn’t got the shot.

Then, upstairs hubby was in his office and was coming downstairs with the rest of the pack (2 more Rhodesian Ridgebacks and a Chocolate Lab, Molly, Rooby and Bess).  It was dinner time.  Jacob was now very interested.  I had seconds left to get the shot.  So I used the professional approach and well known technique of begging.  I pleaded with him to just sit there for just a second longer then he could go.  Many footsteps were approaching, Jacob looked at me “Why??” he said with his eyes.  I got the shot!!

It was worth the effort.  What do you think?

2. Get down to their level, so simple to do and can make a huge difference; also creates a more natural look as you’re shooting from their perspective.

3  Shoot from above Whilst a contradiction to the previous point it helps to get a different look, in fact shoot from all angles.  A lot of people take pictures from the position they are stood and at that level – get higher, get lower, move closer, take from a different perspective, just change it about and see what you get.

4.  A little bit of planning can go a long way.  Have an idea of what you want to achieve before you take the photo and then make it happen.  – it may not turn out exactly the way you hoped, but the outcome may turn out even better.

5.  Aim to capture their personality – as a dog owner you will know their strengths – play up to these.  If your dog is athletic, work with this, freeze the action (see next point).  If you have a more sedate or maybe an older dog, get some relaxed shots on their favourite chair, looking out of the window or basking in the sunshine in the garden.  If they have a cute look, you will know when it happens, make it happen and be ready with your camera.

6.  Know your camera!!  This is important whether you are using a compact camera aka point & shoot (P&S) or a dSLR.  Whatever camera you own, whatever level you are at, it really helps to know your camera – as tedious as it may be, but RTM is probably my best tip (read the manual!).

If using a P&S, rather than just use on fully automatic mode, use the creative modes – Sport Mode would be ideal for action shots.  The Portrait Mode will help blur the background and your dog in focus, which can make a very pleasing image.  This may take a bit more practice but worth the effort.

If you own a dSLR and haven’t got off fully automatic mode yet, a sleeping dog is an ideal opportunity to practice portrait style photography using Aperture Priority.

For those more experienced with their camera, use shutter priority mode (or fully manual) and shoot at speeds at least 1/500 (minimum 1/250) to freeze the action.   However, I do like slower speeds to produce a pleasing motion blur which done right I think is even better.  For action shots always use A1 Servo to focus in motion (Nikon equivalent is Continuous Servo AF)  A funny term but just means it will track focus and was developed for sports photographers – so a particularly useful feature for pet photography.

7.  Be aware of the background - a cute picture is going to be ruined if next week’s ironing is perfectly focused in the background. I know from experience that it’s not always possible to have a perfect setting, sometimes the moments just happen when something unavoidable is in the background.  This is when shooting wide open (or for compact camera users, shooting in portrait mode) is a huge advantage as the background is blurred and therefore less obvious.

8.  Have someone to help you.  It will be very difficult to handle your dog and take the pics,  So get somebody to help position them making sure it is someone who knows your dog – and more importantly someone who your dog knows.  Two people to help could be even better as the third person could be the one who gets their attention at the right moment, ideally stood just behind you so your dog is looking towards the camera.

To help get action shots, have your “assistant” throw a ball directly behind you, this way your dog is going to initially run directly at you and you can have your camera set and ready to catch the moment.  Make sure it is set on rapid fire to get a series of shots.  Always be aware though of your own safety, certain breeds are very powerful and run at great speed, younger dogs in particular do not have full spacial awareness and can clip you as they run past.  Always make sure you can get out of the way if necessary.

9.  Be patient, very, very patient.  It can take a lot of time to get the shot you want but with a bit of perseverance it is well worth the effort.

10. Finally, it is important to have fun.………….and even more important that your dog has fun too,  If you nag your dog into sitting and standing for too long when he wants to play, whilst he may co-operate up to a point, there is a risk he will get bored and the resulting image will also be boring.  Enjoy the moment, enjoy the time with your dog and not only will you capture some lovely images, you will create and capture beautiful memories.

This done, I then took a few shots to check lighting levels, angles and to generally get a feel of my location and a chance for everyone to settle down – which all sounds terribly serious – which of course it isn’t, as usual, it’s just a lot of fun.  Which is what do really, go and see people, have fun and help make people feel good about themselves – not a bad life at all!

Here’s a few of the beautiful images I took – I have so many more, including some comedic ones.  I will ask permission and maybe share them in another post later.

This shot was taken whilst traveling from the north island to the south island and to be honest it could be anywhere,  but the light was beautiful, that gorgeous diffused bright light just before or after the rain.  I saw these 2 trees and loved the simplicity and balance and had to stop to grab a shot.

Btw, they actually had more clothes on than it looks, they were covered at all times, it’s just clever positioning that makes them look naked

The couple, Sarah & Andrew are friends of mine and agreed to do this shoot in order for me to practice – something that is always necessary in order for me to push the boundaries and experiment.  Also, I prefer to do this in a relaxed way and don’t think it’s a great idea to practice on paying clients!  They kindly gave me a whole day of their time (and a hunting lodge!!!) and were repaid with some beautiful images and a memorable occasion.

I love these images and form of photography.  What do you think?

In the meantime, here’s a little pic which sums up how I feel about doing my tax

Did you think this was a glamorous life?  Maybe I’m dispelling a few myths and can state quite simply it’s not………….but it is a lot of fun and that was definitely the overwhelming atmosphere.

Here’s a sample of some of the images from the evening – I think it gives a good impression of the evening, the conditions, how much fun everyone was having and of course, how gorgeous the girls were, even in their curlers.

Would love to know what you think, do leave a comment if you wish.

Meet Laura & Martin, I have got to know these 2 lovely people over the last couple of years which has been a great pleasure as they are 2 of the nicest people I know and their wedding was beautiful – although I confess, I do think all weddings are beautiful (I always cry at weddings, maybe I should be embarrassed, but I’m not, I love being part of the day and get very involved).  I first met Laura when she asked me to do a shoot for her and Henrietta, her horse, a wonderful, characterful mare.  I took many beautiful shots that day, 1 which I entered into the monthly SWPP (Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers) competition which won a Gold Award, something I was very proud of.  Laura was obviously equally delighted with the results and entrusted me with the honour of being their photographer for their special day.

Here’s a small selection of the images from the day

This year is no different and I’ve made the usual resolutions, more life/work balance, more time with family and friends, exercise etc.  However this year I have also made the decision to not use any products that have been tested on animals.  I feel this is a small step I could easily take but one that could make a difference.  Most things we do in this hectic, technological life we lead these days doesn’t require much thought, we don’t question what goes on behind the scenes before that product hit the shelves.  These little decisions we make when we buy a make-up product or grab some floor cleaner off the shelf do however make a difference to many, many animals that live their short lives in total misery.  So I have subscribed to Uncaged a reputable organisation to help me make ethical choices.

You may be wondering what  this has to do with photography.  The simple answer is that my business is me and whilst I’m no purist I do try to be as ethical as possible.  The 2 main album companies I use (Folio & Sim2000) are both produced in the UK, my car choice is based on fuel consumption for ecological and economy reasons and many other small choices.  I know it’s not much in the grand scheme of things and I feel that we are bailing out a sinking ship with a teaspoon, but only being able to do a little is no excuse for doing nothing at all.  So back to my resolution to avoid all products tested on animals – I am also a Pet Photographer, I love animals and share my life with 4 large dogs and realise it would be hypocritical to knowingly contribute to their misery.

So that’s my little step in the right direction – it feels so right and in line with my values so that’s got to be a good thing.

So on the subject of Pet Photography, here’s a few picks from a shoot I did recently – an adorable schnauzer cross poodle – yes, it’s a schnoodle