More dog candids for owners

[briansquibb]

Another evening plugging away at getting some reasonable candids of dogs. This time I took the 1Ds3 and the 135 f/2.0 L and two flashes (one on stand, one of hotshoe). This was the first time out for the new camera so it was as much a familliarisation exercise as a photoshoot.

I took the pictures from last week to see how they liked them. Here are two of ten pictures http://www.eos-magazine-forum.com/sh...-too-cute-dogs

It was interesting to see the owners reactions to which ones they liked. They did not pick the good photos but the good images of the dogs, irrespective of backgrounds, leads or collars. So this changed my composition for the evening - gave me a whole new insight into clients needs and preferences

Some information about the environment I was taking the pictures in:

- this was a village hall with horid sodium lighting
- floor was medium oak parquet, rather on the orange side
- open in the middle, chairs, table and waiting people round the outside, so no backdrop to shoot against

Ambient light was about (bit patchy) iso 3200, f2.8, 1/125

I was taking pictures at iso200, f3.5-5.6, 1/125

Unfortunately many of the dogs were black coated and the 1Ds3 struggled a bit to get focus, so most of the black coats were taken on manual focus.

Here are their favourites (showed them on the laptop as I went through)

This is Murphy, a black spaniel that was hyperactive. I suspect this is how the owner wanted to see him


Most of the owners prefered the dogs coming across the diagonal like these two

A Cairn/Jack Russell cross


A non pedigree

[Muscat]

Re: More dog candids for owners

Sounds like it is a challenge to take pictures in that hall with the lighting etc.

Of the three I prefer #2 and #3 but then I am not the owners ;smile:

[briansquibb]

Re: More dog candids for owners

The hardest thing is shooting with two flash at the same time as trying to catch overexcited dogs

[colin C]

Re: More dog candids for owners

Brian

#2 and #3 spot on.

I prefer the portrait of #1, but the very out of focus nose detracts from it for me. I know very well that the eyes must be in focus, but in that particular shot, a sharp shiny nose would have helped.

Colin

[Stan]

Re: More dog candids for owners

As Colin said

Stan

[briansquibb]

Re: More dog candids for owners

With #1 I was keeping the f number as low as possible as the backround was not good - that was taken at f/4 I suspect f/6.3 would have been needed. I find it difficult to get accurate focussing along the muzzle like this - a bit hit and miss. Get the nose and the lose the eyes, get the eyes and lose the nose - accuracy on a jumping dog is difficult :)

[briansquibb]

Re: More dog candids for owners

Last night moved on to experimenting with 2 off camera flash through the umbrella, triggered by Pocket Wizzard MiniTT1 on camera and FlexTT5 on flash stand. These were quite close to the dog (about 1m) - left closer than right to get a bias.

From previous pictures the owner have all chosen that soft dreamy look for their dogs, so I look it on f4.5 to get most of the face in face (or close) whilst the body is softer. This is an interesting experiment - the owners love it as even the worse picture I print are better than they can get.

No sure this is the one I will go with as the head is slight cocked over and the skirting board effectively stops me straightening it. Next week I will be putting up a backdrop to shoot against. The different colour dogs will need different colour backdrops. Taken with 1D4 and 85 1.8



Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Image Date: 2012-01-23 22:23:04 (no TZ)
Focal Length: 85.0mm
Aperture: f/4.5
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
ISO equiv: 400
Flash Fired: Yes (enforced)

[hhcanon]

Re: More dog candids for owners

That last one Brian is spot on tho a little tight on the LHS. My friend has a huge wooly Alsation which I have offered to take pics of but Ive been putting it off LOL