Got it!
My little dog loves to play fetch.
My little dog loves to play fetch.
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Sep, 2016Views
997
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Pets In Action Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Virtuoso
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photograph in my yard during the late afternoon. My pup feels safe in the yard, which is fenced, and is not distracted by people walking by or neighborhood dogs, and that makes it easier to focus on the photo shoot.Time
This shot was taken in the late afternoon, about 30 minutes before sunset. I love photographing my pup, but his fur gets blown out in anything other than a cloudy day or at dawn or near dusk. I particularly like late afternoon golden hour light in the summer because of its orientation to the yard where my pup plays. In winter, early morning light works best.Lighting
Although the light near sunset can be intense, a light layer of clouds can soften and diffuse the light. That's what I look for when photographing my dog at play during the late afternoon golden hour. On this particular day, the golden hour light was soft enough to not create harsh shadows, my dog was anxious to play ball, and so I saw an opportunity to get a fun shot.Equipment
I used my Nikon d750 for this photo. I wanted to get an action shot of my dog on the run after fetching a ball, and a tripod doesn't work well in this situation. So I took the shot with the camera handheld at a fairly fast shutter speed of 1/1000. I used my Nikon 85mm f/1.4. This is a remarkable lens that can put the subject in sharp focus while creating incredible blurred backgrounds.Inspiration
My pup inspires me, and, in fact, he is the reason I took up photography about three years ago. I wanted to be able to photograph my incredibly cute and loving companion. While my interest in photography quickly grew beyond photographing my dog, I always return to him in moments when I want to feel grounded in what matters. He hates the camera--LOL--but I can catch him off guard when he is playing.Editing
I converted this image to black and white. I also have a color version, but black and white suits this image and the mood it conveys. This is all about the dog and his ball, with a look of concentration in his eyes. I didn't want color to distract from that.In my camera bag
I took this photo in my yard, so I didn't have to carry my usual very full bag that includes a camera body (either Nikon d750 or d810), several lenses, batteries, memory cards, lens cloths, snacks, cell phone, and rain cover.Feedback
It is difficult to get an appealing photo of a tense dog, and so the trick is to be silly and playful until the dog relaxes and forgets about the camera. I have a pocket full of treats when I photograph my dog, but he has to work for them! It is important also to get at least catch lights in the dog's eyes and to avoid blowing out the fur. Here, the time of day, degree of cloud cover, and orientation towards the light makes a huge different. The dog should be facing the light, but not in it. Direct or harsh light usually blows out fur and creates undesirable shadows, and so look for light softened by clouds and low in the sky near sunrise or sunset. Finally, I like to photograph animals from below--for this shot, I was lying prone on the grass.
