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Street dogs at the Xmas market in Brussels
Street dogs at the Xmas market in Brussels
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Dec, 2013Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this picture at the Christmas market in Brussels, in either December 2012 or 2013. If I am not mistaken, it was really in the heart of the city, near Bourse/Beurs. The dogs - or puppies - were huddled together, in between two stalls. I didn't see anyone taking care of the poor animals and it was only after I had taken the picture, that people started to notice them too.Time
It was shortly before noon, on a Saturday or Sunday. My fiancé and I were walking around, looking for something to eat, when I suddenly noticed the dogs. It was cold that day and raining.Lighting
The weather was quite somber that day, but there was enough light, so I didn't have to use any flash. I was grateful I did not have to, because I didn't want to wake up the dogs nor startle them. I literally just pointed and shot the picture.Equipment
At that time, I was still using my Canon EOS1100D with its standard 18 - 55mm lens. Since the Christmas market in Brussels attracts a lot of people and we knew we were going to stop regularly to have something to eat and/or drink, I didn't want to carry lots of equipment with me. So, no tripod, no flash, ... Just my camera and its default lens. Sometimes, it is more than enough.Inspiration
That is a very good question! I love animals very much, and especially horses, bears and ... dogs! Since my future husband and I travel very regularly, we have decided not to have any pets. Whenever I see animals, I will "automatically" point my camera towards them. And to be honest, I felt sorry for the poor animals, because they seemed to have been abandoned during that cold and wet day. Actually, every time I see this picture, my heart still breaks a little... Oh, I was also attracted by the very colourful towels in which the dogs were wrapped. I love bright colours.Editing
When I transferred the picture to my laptop and saw how cute it all looked, I decided not to do a lot of post-processing. So, I cropped the picture a bit, because at the top, you could see the feet of people walking by and I thought it disturbed the composition of the picture. Afterwards, I upped the contrast a bit, and that was it. I think, of all the pictures here on Viewbug, this is the one that took the least effort to make and to edit!In my camera bag
Not as much as I would like to have... All my equipment was stolen last year and I am still in the process of replacing everything. Anyway, I have switched to Nikon and currently shoot with a Nikon D7100. I am extremely happy with this camera, although after years of working with Canon, it took me some time to get used to all of the settings. I also own a 18 - 200mm Tamron lens; I chose an allround lens, because I photograph different subjects like landscapes, cityscapes and animals. I also carry around a tripod, ND filters, a cleaning kit, battery charger and a remote control.Feedback
I was extremely lucky with this picture; it only took me one shot. But I think you can enhance your chances by staying alert and keeping your eyes open. I like to observe everyone and everything; I love rich, colourful details, although I like to convert to black and white as well. In general, I have the same approach towards photography as to traveling: some minimal but necessary planning and a lot of improvisation. I always have my camera with me, except in the shower. You never know when you can take a great picture!
