close iframe icon
approved icon Steve-n-Ning avatar PRO+
Steve-n-Ning
The Kindest Eyes - Sofia - 2012-2021 - RIP
Banner

The Kindest Eyes - Sofia - 2012-2021 - RIP



behind the lens badge

Sofia was so powerful, her jaws could explode a tennis ball. Yet she and her 100 pounds always had the most gentle, loving nature. Her eyes truly were the windo...
Read more

Sofia was so powerful, her jaws could explode a tennis ball. Yet she and her 100 pounds always had the most gentle, loving nature. Her eyes truly were the window to her soul. Ning captured her brilliantly on 3-12-2019. Sofia passed away on Feb 20, 2021, and she will be in our hearts forever.
Read less
cameraCanon EOS 80D

settings Aperture f/2 ISO 2000 Shutter 1/50 Focal Length 35/1 

locationMesa, Arizona, US

upload_dateMar, 2019

Views

3291

Likes

Awards

People's Choice in Dog portraits Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Silentiumgrapho Karl-Heinz DrPhrogg phillipmarshall Edgargo khoitranduc artwade +153
Top Choice
Rockyw cherylhealy JohanHDeGrauwe terryacregan-leidigh Linda49 Kodalynn95 DIXIEDOLLYMAMA +28
Absolute Masterpiece
nadezhdagribanova_0336 tinoskiee MaryMarie TamWilliams Sakilchowdhury HusnaTayyab patriciaosmond +22
Magnificent Capture
shukriabduljalil gabrielejones DutchTouch jleosadauskas geophotos mikemoran mleskiw.wildlife_EC5E +17
Superb Composition
jettahlily008 RobZucho Ricardo_MGF anstef JePePhoto doubleplay Happier_now_kim +16
All Star
Sheri_Stanley travel4ever mjbranscome onyanita FeatherstonePhotography themisinglink MrKTPhotography +6
Outstanding Creativity
charlesdpeters ChrisHPhotos aj250gto thatwaseasy Txilekoa holland1954mb Hood +1
Virtuoso
LIL-THANGS Confalonieri mcampi
Superior Skill
richardpetersen kirkmills
Genius
Kuriousphotos

Emotions

Impressed
gman176 rahulksatria RebCea jasoncashio alexlevinsky mcampi andy46flo +18
Happy
JCoombs staceygensel chrisfarrington geophotos Servar RonnieD
Relaxed
snowdon journeyer50 lukas_strout

Top Ranks

Pet Paparazzi Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Fill The Frame Photo Contest 2023Top 30 rank week 1
A Pet Portrait Photo ContestTop 10 rank
A Pet Portrait Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Brown Theory Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
View more
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol14Top 10 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol14Top 10 rank week 1
Light Eyes Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Light Eyes Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Eye Beauty Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Eye Beauty Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Thankful Photo Contest 2021Top 20 rank
Thankful Photo Contest 2021Top 20 rank week 1
Capture Pets Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Capture Pets Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Animal Faces Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Animal Faces Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
My Best Capture Photo Contest vol2Top 20 rank
My Best Capture Photo Contest vol2Top 10 rank week 1
Capture Brown Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Capture Brown Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Inside Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Inside Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
My Cute Pet Photo ContestTop 10 rank
My Cute Pet Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
My Best Capture Photo ContestTop 30 rank
My Best Capture Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Capture The Eye Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Tones Of Brown Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Tones Of Brown Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Capture The Eye Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
A Pet World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
A Pet World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Adorable Pets Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Adorable Pets Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Swag Image ProjectTop 20 rank
Portrait Magic Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Curious Pets Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Curious Pets Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Around The World Photo Contest Digital Camera WorldTop 20 rank
Looking At Faces Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Looking At Faces Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Low Vantage Points Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Low Vantage Points Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Low Vantage Points Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
My Favorite Pet Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Portraits And Depth Marketplace ProjectTop 10 rank
My Favorite Pet Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Portraits And Depth Marketplace ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
Exposures Marketplace ProjectTop 10 rank
Covers Photo Contest Volume5Top 10 rank
Exposures Marketplace ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Volume5Top 10 rank week 1
Portrait Galore Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Portrait Galore Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Inspiring Portraits Photo Contest get inspired magazineTop 10 rank
Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Anything Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Soft Tones Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Soft Tones Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
My Best New Shot Photo ContestTop 10 rank
My Best New Shot Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Covers Photo Contest Volume 3Top 20 rank
My Best New Shot Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Volume 3Top 10 rank week 2
Natural Light Portraits Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Volume 3Top 10 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Volume2Top 20 rank
Covers Photo Contest Volume2Top 10 rank week 2
One Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Covers Photo Contest Volume2Top 20 rank week 1
One Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Portraits With Depth Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Portraits With Depth Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1

Categories

12 Comments |
Deejay10
 
Deejay10 March 15, 2019
Beautiful 😊
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning April 30, 2019
Thank you. Be well.
Kjenora
 
Kjenora March 31, 2019
She has angel eyes!
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning March 31, 2019
Thank you. Her eyes reflect her soul. Thank goodness - it is scary to think of a dog this big and powerful being anything but gentle.
alyssaehuston
 
alyssaehuston April 03, 2019
Beautiful baby!!
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning May 01, 2019
Thank you.
jimhelmick
 
jimhelmick April 23, 2019
Superb portrait.
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning April 23, 2019
Thank you, Jim. I appreciate you keeping in touch with my site. Ning did a great job capturing this portrait.
Arzhtatiana
 
Arzhtatiana January 11, 2020
Gorgeous!
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning January 11, 2020
Thank you. She is one of my babies.
toddjudd Platinum
 
toddjudd January 16, 2020
Thanks for entering my challenge, this was a close runner-up! Love the eyes!
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning January 16, 2020
Thank you. I am happy to enter this photo whenever I can. My wife took it while laying on the floor in front of the dog and setting her camera directly on the floor for support. Sofia is the kindest dog I have ever had, despite her 100 pounds of bulk. Her eyes definitely reflect her soul.
yorkielad PRO+
 
yorkielad February 06, 2020
beautiful dog steve i see what you meen by your 100 pounder
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning February 06, 2020
She is my baby. I have had her since she was 5 weeks old and fit in the palm of my hand.
yorkielad PRO+
 
yorkielad March 06, 2020
beautiful capture love it
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning March 06, 2020
Thank you. My wife did a fabulous job laying down in front of the dog with her camera resting on the floor for stability.
geophotos
 
geophotos June 18, 2020
Excellent presentation! You've used the technique of getting down to Sofia's level to get the best perspective and detail. We see a gentle soul who loves you, as you love her. A worthy winner too! :))
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning June 19, 2020
Thank you for your kind words. Ning literally laid down on the living room rug in front of Sofia, and she set her camera flat on the floor for stability.
muddyvalley Platinum
 
muddyvalley December 11, 2020
Sofia is a sweetheart! What a cutie.
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning December 11, 2020
Thank you. She is 8 years old and is a 100 pound cutie! About 15 minutes ago, I posted two old photos of her taken when she first came home at 5 weeks old.
jyotikarnik_7173
 
jyotikarnik_7173 August 29, 2021
Patience is a virtue
Steve-n-Ning PRO+
Steve-n-Ning August 29, 2021
Thank you. Sofia was a very patient and gentle giant. Sadly, her kidneys failed and she had to be euthanized in February, 2021. she will be in our hearts forever.
jyotikarnik_7173
 
jyotikarnik_7173 August 16, 2022
She had a trident on her forehead which means she was indeed special😊

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#animal #canine #dog #mammal #pet #sofia
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in our living room.

Time

This was taken in early afternoon.

Lighting

We used natural light coming through the living room window. The living room faces North, so the light hitting the window was reflected off of other surfaces in front of the house.

Equipment

This photo was taken by my wife, Ning, using her Canon EOS 80D and Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens. The camera was set flat on the floor for support, so a tripod was not necessary. The aperture was wide open at f/2.0 for maximum bokeh. The ISO was 2000 with a 1/50th second exposure.

Inspiration

Sofia was a beautiful 100-pound American Bullweiler, which is a hybrid of American Bulldog and Rottweiler. Her personality was very sweet, but she was difficult to photograph head-on because she always seemed to be pointing in the wrong direction. Ning caught the dog napping in the middle of the floor and took advantage of this rare opportunity. Ning laid down on the floor several feet in front of the dog and waited for Sofia to look into the camera.

Editing

Post processing was minimal, consisting of cropping and highlight/shadow enhancement in Adobe Lightroom.

In my camera bag

Ning's camera bag consists of her Canon EOS 80D, her EFS 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM and her EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lenses. Plus, she has access to all our other photographic equipment. My Canon EOS 5D Mark IV always has my Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens mounted on it. That is my go-to lens for the majority of my photos. I also carry several lenses: Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM and a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. I try to shoot with natural light all the time, but on those occasions where I need an external light source, I use either a Neewer CN-216 LED panel or a Canon Speedlite 580EX. I have tripods by Slik, 3Pod and Manfrotto. I have a Canon EOS 10D, a Canon EOS 30D and a Canon EOS 7D, all of which I still have and use as appropriate.

Feedback

Taking candid photographs of animals can be hit or miss. Many photographers specialize in studio shots of pets, and many of their wonderful photos appear in ViewBug. However, candid photos of animals of all varieties are all over the place in terms of pose, lighting, focus, bokeh, esthetic qualities, etc. Best advice I can give is to be patient, take many photos, then pick the one or two that show the animal at its best.

See more amazing photos, follow Steve-n-Ning

User photo
It’s your time to shine! ☀️

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Already a member? Log In

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, and acknowledge you've read our Privacy Policy Notice.