Dog portraits

My other hobby besides photography is going to the odd dog show and taking portaits of the dogs. I usualy ask the owner to stand the dog at an angle were I get a shot front and side and focus on the eyes and try to get a nice depth of feild to try and provide detail across the body. Can anyone offer more help or ideas please. Also many photographers when taking portraits at these shows seem to use zoom lenses when they have the dog at there finger tips and can posistion the dog anyware I wonderd why when surely a better result would be got using a prime lens say 50 or 70mm.

Great photo, that nobody commented on it!
And thank you for your explanation, did you change things over the years?

The soft colours are really appealing and i like the framing.
Maybe you've up your photoshop skills and can you remove the chain on his neck, because it's so bright and shiny it ask for attention that should go to the dog IMHO.

Hmm I remember this photo, not sure why there were no comments now because I recall a discussion about why the chain was so tight. Phil explained that it was a common way to show a dog which gave it a good posture or something like that. Perhaps this was a double post originally?

Tim this photo was before our time though 31/05/2008, maybe indeed he reposted the photo or a similar one?

Ian, i was so free to edit your photo, i hope you don't mind.
remove the chain and added a bit more contrast.
[IMG]http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk244/Anvh/Brett3x.jpg[/IMG]

Too much work to add some grass, sorry

I must say i do prefer to see a dog relaxed, and off the leash. But the background is good, and the DOF is nice. I like Stefan't edit although now the tension in the collar is unexplained!

Hi Philstaff

I was asked to photograph our local dog show (Ty Mawr) this Summer - most of my 'formal shots' were crap (my opinion) but then I started mucking about a bit an in my view they got better.

Here's two of them, I prefer this type of thing but that's just personal taste. The shots from my 50mm prime were sharper but it would seem that sharpness certainly isn't everything with dogs (I have very little experience to draw on though)

Informal shot with hardly any pp - 18-55 kit lens




Another informal shot again with the kit lens and minimal pp




I tried post processing - even shots with my Sigma 50mm f2.8 EX DG Macro seemed better some how when only slightly adjusted - again though this is just my taste (raw conversions).

For the record I don't think there is much if anything at all wrong with your shot, Stephan has helped it along a little though, dependant upon taste and in my view I would say that your shot above is better than both of mine it just seems a lot more, dare I say it, professional


Cheers




Stu

But you also have the DOF to content.
If you've a suitable stock image it might be simpler to select the dog out of here and paste it in on the stock photo.

Thanks Gareth

Morning Stefan forgot about this post it was quite some time ago it seems from very early times that when photos have been taken of this breed the Staffordshire bull terrier the preferd pose is as above. I still take my portraits in this pose unless asked to change things a little. I have recently purchased a 135 3.5 m lens which I think will work very well for this type of work if we can keep them still long enough.

Morning Stu some nice head shots there I do take head studies also but most of the owners prefer there dogs in a show stance I find.
Ian

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/philstaff/10s.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/philstaff/HD3A.jpg[/IMG]

These were taken about a year ago.
Ian

Hi Ian

Both head photo's are spot on - number one would be my preferred one.

When I tried the formal stuff I just didn't like what I was getting(my fault) yours look great though.

I supppose it's the boredom I feel with formality

I really enjoyed moving away from the formal stuff inbetween being 'needed' at the 'ring' at the dogshow and started taking shots under chairs, on owners knee's, by the exercise area etc etc.

If anyone was paying for a photo of their dog I am pretty certain that the owners would be queing for your pictures rather than my informal approach

Cheers

Stu

I know what you meen Stu re the formal stuff I managed to get these shots of a Plumber terrier at work in the feild I think it shows the charicter of her terrier instinct far better than a pose.
[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/philstaff/plumer10.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/philstaff/IMGP0401.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/philstaff/IMGP0405-1.jpg[/IMG]
She is an excelent ratter and used by farmers in the area for the purpose and has a few battle scares to prove it but she is a lovely girl.
Ian

These are far more in line with my taste

I really like the last one