ceciliazuccherato

Let's play together!!

Here this puppy is trying to be a friend of this butterfly , LOL

Here this puppy is trying to be a friend of this butterfly , LOL
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NIKON D750

settings

Aperture f/2.8 ISO 640 Shutter 1/800 Focal Length 2000/10

upload_date

Apr, 2016

Views

5612

Likes

+1.2k

Awards

Lucky 3 Award

Contest Finalist in Spring Photo Contest 2017

Contest Finalist in We Love Animals Photo Contest

Featured

Curator's Choice

Peer Award

+302

Absolute Masterpiece

+108

Superb Composition

+95

Top Choice

+84

Outstanding Creativity

+80

Magnificent Capture

+48

All Star

+16

Superior Skill

+10

Genius

Virtuoso

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo in a public park in Padua, the town where I live; I went there to met my furry model Spugna, a 2 months old French Bulldog, and his human parents. I love taking pictures of dogs, and expecially if they're puppies!! I prefer outdoor locations with natural light, so dogs may run freely and really express themselves.

Time

It was winter, about 20th of December, at about 4 pm. The sun was going down so I shot this at the golden hour, when the light is soft and warm. It was pretty cold so I was wearing an heavy jacket which is pretty soft, so, while I was laying on the ground as I usually do during shootings, Spugna kept using me as his personal dog's bed, and it was very funny!!

Lighting

The picture was taken at the golden hour, so the light was soft and warm, I didn't use any flashgun or reflector, only the sunlight coming behind the subject. It's the time of the day that I prefer, the light is soft and warm, so I avoid harsh shadows on my subject and the result is always very delicate.

Equipment

I used my Nikon D750, a full frame camera with a very well performing Auto Focus system, that for me is very useful when shooting dogs, they're fast when running and also in shooting portraits sometimes they suddendly move so it is difficult to keep the focus on them. The lens was my beloved Nikkor 70/200 2.8 VR2, I love it, it's fast and with his 2.8 aperture it gives me perfect focus on the subject and blurry effect on the background. I shot this handhelding, no tripod, no flash, nothing else but my camera and the lens!

Inspiration

I was making Spugna play with a little ball, asking his owner to throw it towards me trying to take a picture of the dog running, but for a brief moment he tried to take the ball from his owner's hand standing in that curious pose and I could catch it with my camera. When I came back home I saw the RAW file and it immediately inspired me a creative editing, and so I did.

Editing

Yes! The original pictures was Spugna and his owner holding the ball in his hand, I removed the owner with Photoshop, then I added some light effects and finally the butterfly. I also played with contrast and sharpness, then I added a dark vignette. I wrote a blog about removing stuff with Photoshop using this picture as example, if you'd like to read more about it here is the link to my that blog: http://www.ceciliazuccherato.com/blog/2016/1/how-to-remove-unwanted-background-elements-using-lasso-tool-in-photoshop I like creative editing, so when a picture lends itself to it I try to unleash my creativity!

In my camera bag

My super Nikon D750, I love it !! It has a very fast AF system and a 24 mpx sensor, so it matches the image quality with performing AF; my Nikkor 70/200 2.8 vr2, very fast and sharp lens, for me, a perfect couple to shoot dogs, both portraits and action!! I bring also my Sigma 50 1.4 Art, I use it when I shoot close to the dog or for indoor locations and when I want to achieve artistic effects such as narrow but extremely sharp depth of field and blurry foreground and background, it' s a fantastic lens for portraits! A towel and a cleaning spray to keep my gear clean, a polarized filter that I use when the sunlight is very bright, it avoids highlights clipping, 2-3 SD card, and a sheet to lay down on the ground without getting dirty!

Feedback

First of all, find the right model :) It has to be a small size dog so it is easier to have him standing on his hind legs when you grab his attention with something such as a treat or a toy. Try to shoot with a neutral background, such as the sky, an hedge , so it is easier to edit in a creative way if you want. Be patient and fast when shooting, a dog doesn't usually keep an uncomfortable pose for long time, so it could be necessary to try more times.

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ceciliazuccherato

ceciliazuccherato

Let's play together!!

Here this puppy is trying to be a friend of this butterfly , LOL

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow ceciliazuccherato

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