Portrait of Xena 5.jpeg
Xena, a 4-year old Leonberger dog.
Xena, a 4-year old Leonberger dog.
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Jun, 2019Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
The image was taken on our backyard sun deck.Time
The image was taken around mid-day; however, the lighting was pretty flat and diffused, so it limited any areas of sharp contrast and blow-outs.Lighting
Lighting is everything. This image had the benefit of an overcast day that smoothed out the light and created a nicely diffused light source.Equipment
The image was shot with the Sony a99II 42.2MP full-frame camera. I used a Sony 135mm portrait lens, no flash, handheld, and no filters.Inspiration
Xena is a Leonberger dog. She is a large and majestic animal that stands tall and tips the scale at over 150lbs. I have always loved Leonberger dogs, and Xena is a particularly attractive representative of the breed.Editing
This image went through quite a bit of post processing. The workflow included bringing it into Lightroom for basic editing, then transferring it across to Topaz Labs 1 for photo enhancement. The main adjustment there was to place a color matched vignette around the subject so as to provide balance and alignment with the subject itself.In my camera bag
I normally have in my bag a Sony full frame camera (either the a99II or the a99), with the a99II being the main, and the a99 being the back-up. I typically have three lenses: 1) the Sony Zeiss 24-70mm; 2) the Tamron 15-30mm; and, I will switch up the last lens in the bag depending on the shoot. If I am going to need a longer lens I will include the Minolta AF 80-200mm F2.8 HS APO G. I also like to shoot macro, so if I am going to shoot that genre I will include my Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM. I will also include my NiSi filter system, spare SD cards, and spare batteries. I typically also bring a tripod and an intervalometer.Feedback
Dogs can be a challenge to photograph. I have shot quite a few. Some are easy and willing. Others are flighty and difficult to pose. The Leonberger dog is a wonderful subject as they love to pose...and they look amazingly good doing so. Not all dogs make easy and great subjects. The trick is timing and being able to grab the dogs attention long enough to capture a moment.
