Floyd
This gorgeous neapolitan mastiff is named Floyd. He big dog, but a gentle giant. He belongs to one of my good friends and I begged her to let me photography him...
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This gorgeous neapolitan mastiff is named Floyd. He big dog, but a gentle giant. He belongs to one of my good friends and I begged her to let me photography him. He is actually quite scared of cameras, we had to get him to spend some time with it before I could get this close.
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Sep, 2016Views
731
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Best Dog Photos! Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Emotions
Happy
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photograph of Floyd was taken in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia.Time
I love this image from my time working as a professional pet photographer. Floyd belongs to friends of mine and I begged them to let me photograph him. The shoot began in their backyard around 8.30am and I didn't get this shot until an hour later. I had to work hard to get close to this gentle giant as he was scared of the camera. I left the camera on the ground and let him come and check it out. After a while he seemed to relax a bit and let me get a little closer. I found laying on the ground and slowly moving toward him worked best. Then he just laid there and allowed me to take as many pictures as I wanted.Lighting
I initially wanted to capture the strength and size of Floyd and had him out in direct sunlight. After spending time with him I realised that he is really sweet and quite shy. Capturing him in such harsh light only made him look big and tough and it didn't really say anything about his personality. I decided to photograph him in a shaded area. This worked perfectly as he looked so much softer and lovable.Equipment
This was shot on a D7100, with a Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens. I did not use a tripod, or flash. The image was captured using only natural light.Inspiration
I have know Floyd since he was a puppy and I was always taken by his size and strength. I remember thinking how beautiful he was when I first saw him. I knew he would be fun to photograph.Editing
I did decide to get a little creative with this image. I split-toned it using Adobe Lightroom going for a warm sepia feel. I thought this really made the focus of the shot all about the eyes and added a more sensitive element to the final result.In my camera bag
Unlike most professional photographers I started my business with a Nikon D7100, a Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8G lens, a Nikon DX 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens, and a Nikon DX 8-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. I have used this for the last year and I have to admit the results have surprised me. I have been very happy with this camera. Although I am now in my second year as professional photographer and I have just ordered a Nikon D810 and I am also upgrading my lenses.Feedback
If you want to photograph any animal I recommend focusing on capturing it's personality. You could nail that action shot, but to get a glimpse of how your subject is feeling or their personality can be quite powerful.
