doggietalesphoto

John Boy & Rikki

Oh nothing to see here. Just two polar opposite, bestest buddies on a back country road in the Provence region of France. Just another ordinary day. ;)...
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Oh nothing to see here. Just two polar opposite, bestest buddies on a back country road in the Provence region of France. Just another ordinary day. ;)
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Oct, 2017

Views

2205

Likes

+499

Awards

Contest Finalist in Creative Compositions Photo Contest Vol5

Runner Up in Opposites Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Opposites Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 42

Peer Award

+377

Absolute Masterpiece

+19

Superb Composition

+15

Top Choice

+14

Outstanding Creativity

Magnificent Capture

All Star

Virtuoso

Superior Skill

Genius

Emotions

Impressed

Happy

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

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Top 10 rank

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Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 20 rank

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken on the grounds of a vineyard in the South of France...just outside the quaint little village of Uzes. I was on a dream come true photography adventure through France and Italy.

Time

I got this shot just at the start of golden hour...about an hour before sunset. The pups were shaded on the road by the building to the left but light was catching and bouncing off of the verdant grape vines and foliage. It was glorious.

Lighting

Normally at that time of day I love to place my subjects directly in front of the setting sun, especially when photographing dogs because their fur catches an amazing rim light...in that case I use off camera flash to compensate for shaded faces. In this shot I really wanted to capture the dogs in natural light and feature a soft golden glow in the background. I shot wide open at 2.8 to keep the focus on the subjects and turn the background soft and dreamy.

Equipment

This was the first trip out with my Canon 5d Mk IV and I can't say enough great things about it. I was positioned pretty far down the road from the dogs so used the Canon 70-200 2.8 II which compressed the scene nicely. When photographing dogs I always shoot handheld which is a departure from my landscape work...I'm always on a tripod. No OCF or filters here, all natural light.

Inspiration

These dogs were so amazing! Both were rescues and polar opposites in stature and personality but they were brothers and totally in sync. I wanted to capture an image that would show both their differences and compatibility in the same shot. Dogs are constantly teaching me life lessons. We have so much to learn from them as a species. I'm troubled by the world in which we live where so many are starkly divided by differences. This image reminds me that there can be beauty, grace, understanding and acceptance, even between opposites.

Editing

I shoot raw so all of my images are processed. I made basic adjustments to tone, contrast, color and slight capture sharpening in Lightroom. I finished in Photoshop by fine tuning tonal contrast, adding a glow to the highlights of the image and fine adjustments to bring out the eyes. I also added a slight vignette to draw the eye to the subject. I finished with output sharpening for final polish on the web.

In my camera bag

I shoot on the Canon 5D Mk IV but when traveling, especially abroad, I always carry a backup body. Right now that's the 5D Mk III. I had a friend travel for a shoot in Alaska only to drop his camera in an icy parking lot before he ever got off a shot. That backup body gives me peace of mind and it's worth the extra weight. My go-to lenses for dog photography are the Canon 70-200 2.8 II (great for action and shy pups who don't want me in their space), Canon 24-70 2.8 II (good all around piece) & Canon 135 2.0 prime (think amazing portraits with creamy, dreamy bokeh!). My favorite landscape lens, the Canon 16-35 2.8 III is also fantastic for dog photography. Get really up close and personal with them and the result is a whimsically wonderful giant bobble-headed pooch! My shoots are predominantly outdoors which means I have to control lighting in a lot of cases. I use the Profoto B1, usually with a beauty dish. No cords and packs enough punch to overpower the sun. Downside is it's heavy...I almost always need an assistant with this. I also can't live without B+W Polarizing filters, especially when shooting in water. Rounding out my pack are landscape tools...Remote trigger release, Assorted Lee Filters (I live for the 10 stop Neutral Density on long exposures) and my RRS TVC 33 tripod.

Feedback

The first tip to great dog photography is to understand dogs and their behavior. You can be the world's best photographer but if you aren't able to work with a dog and put him at ease you will never be able to capture his true personality and spirit. Taking a dog behavioral class is a great way to begin. Lots of snickey-snacks, squeaky toys and noise makers help to grab attention. Be calm, kind and above all patient. A dog photographer requires the patience of a saint when working with both the dog and the doggie parents. When shooting in natural light avoid harsh shadows by placing your subject in the shade. Use light to create a lovely background. Shoot wide open 2.8 or lower if possible to place focus on the subject and create that creamy, dreamy, bokehlicious background. Above all...when working with doggies, relax, have fun and realize you're living a dream!

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John Boy & Rikki

Oh nothing to see here. Just two polar opposite, bestest buddies on a back country road in the Provence region of France. Just another ordinary day. ;)... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow doggietalesphoto

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Oh nothing to see here. Just two polar opposite, bestest buddies on a back country road in the Provence region of France. Just another ordinary day. ;)...
Read more

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