Escaping the Heat
Feb, 2014Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
My wife (Kelly) and I, were on a hike at a very large dog park near Verona, WI. Our dog, Lucy, was doing her thing running ahead of us. It was pretty hot that day, so whenever Lucy had a chance, she would stop in the shade for a brief rest.Time
This was around 1 o-clock in the afternoon in late July of 2013. It was probably the hottest time of the day. I know it was around halfway through the trail loop.Lighting
The only lighting used was natural sunlight. I subsequently had to move with the shadows to get the best exposure.Equipment
This was taken before I upgraded my equipment. The camera was the Nikon D5100 with the Nikkor 55-300mm lens. Pretty close to the kit equipment. No tripod or flash used as this was handheld on our hike. I usually shoot my photos handheld due to being on hikes. It is a little cumbersome to carry the tripod when hiking, or walking longer distances. I use the Cotton Carrier when walking as it takes the strain of the camera strap off my neck. I recommend purchasing one to anyone who does a fair amount of walking/hiking :)Inspiration
I enjoy taking photos of animals, as they usually show a more sincere emotion. I thought that the path provided a nice leading line. Lucy was certainly enjoying the walk, but loved the shade at that moment. She was panting heavily with the perfect "tired dog-joy" look. Her placement in the brush somewhat hid her from view. It just looked like a perfect example of a hot summer day. I got down low and tried to place her within the frame somewhat near the bottom third. The resulting image was hopefully worth the shutter click :) I used this image as the cover for a calendar for my wife, and she loves it!Editing
Originally I used Windows Photo Viewer with Photoshop Elements 12 later. I am pretty naïve when it comes to Photoshop. I know I upped the contrast a little and switched to black and white. The color version is nice, but Lucy sticks out a little too much. The switch to black and white allows her to fit into the surroundings better. It also gives it a more lazy day feel to it than the color version.In my camera bag
Nowadays I carry a backpack with my Nikon D7100, Tokina wide angle 11-16mm 2.8, Tamron SP 90mm macro VC USD 2.8, Sigma 50-150mm 2.8, Sigma 150-500mm 5.6, and the Tamron 18-270mm all around lens. I also bring the Cotton Carrier, a few UV filters, some cleaning equipment, and my bird ID books. Oh, I can't forget about the non-scented mosquito spray in the summer!Feedback
I find that when I am bringing my camera along with an eye to get something specific, the images come out less interesting than the spontaneous ones. So in this case, be prepared, and be willing to photograph shots that you may not originally intend to take. I have many shots of Lucy, or other dogs when running, but her positioning in the vegetation made this a more enjoyable image. When shooting animals or children, I prefer getting lower for an eye level view. Lastly, don't be afraid to try the image in B/W as it may be a more dramatic image.
