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Nov, 2014Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my back garden in Chelmsford. I am a self taught photographer and taking images of pets is always an experience.Time
It was, for once, a lovely sunny afternoon. I took this as a side profile of Farfallina, as with border collies I like to try and capture her smile and the brightness in her eyes.Lighting
I wanted the focus to be on her eyes and her coat. Using available sunlight behind me I shot with a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus.Equipment
I used a Nikon D800 with an 85mm lens shot a 1/250 on iOS 200.Inspiration
I was really keen to capture the intelligence in a Border Collies eyes particularly when they are focussed on something. I was also keen to capture the silkiness of her coat.Editing
To draw the detail of her coat and her eyes I made adjustments in Lightroom on light tones, followed by dark tones, I then converted to black and white applying a post crop vignette to draw the viewer in.In my camera bag
Other than the D800 I almost always carry an 85mm 1.8 this is an old non-gelded lens that has a creamy bokeh and despite its age offers great performance. I also like to carry a nifty fifty for general street portraiture and a polariser to cut out reflection or enhance skylines.Feedback
When shooting images of animals, be prepared for plenty of lost opportunities. The help of someone else is particularly beneficial to grab their attention. Always focus on their eyes and try and focus on what they are doing. Natural light, open air and relaxed attitude go a long way.
