Blog
The Senior Dog Portrait
‘Did you say treat?’
Ask any loving dog parent of a senior dog what they fear most and they will tell you that they know the end is coming for their dog and they dread it. I have photographed many senior dog and it is humbling for me to see the love and devotion the owners have for their dogs. I always work to capture with my portraits the strength, dignity and character of the senior dogs so the loving dog parents will have portraits that they will treasure for years to come. In fact, my tagline ‘Don’t say I wish I had, say I’m glad I did.’ came from hearing to many people say to me ‘I wish I had’ meaning their dog had passed away. My message to those who have senior dogs and would like a portrait that they will treasure for years to come is ‘Don’t wait until it is too late.’
The Action Family Group Portrait–How and Why.
Sometime clients want something different for their family group portrait, a portrait that specifically captures the essence of their relationship. We know that families come in all shapes and sizes and indeed this couple and their dog are truly a family.
The idea for the portrait and the goal of it was to capture the energy, fun and energy that the 3 of them often have together as a family and to show it in a portrait.
Preparation was key. Determining the composition beforehand and the body positioning of the couple was critical, too. Also, how Timber their dog was going to be positioned and held. A couple of test shots to double check lighting and we were all set to go. During the action that went on and while I was taking a number of portraits I gave subtle directions to the couple to improve the portraits. Portrait sessions like these do fall apart eventually but while the action is going on it is quite the experience for all involved.
In the end the couple was very happy with the portraits I captured for them and as a photographer I enjoyed the experience very much.
Photographing the Young Family–Making it Fun and Memorable
Fun Family Portrait at the Park.
When I photograph young families, especially in the park, I have a number of objectives. Of course, a major objective is to keep the little ones happy, or at the least interested in what is going and attentive to the camera. Another important factor is the choice of a background which depends greatly on if it a sunny or cloudy day. If it is sunny out then finding sufficient shade without sunspots on the ground is critical. Ideal lighting definitely is a cloudy or overcast day which gives nice soft lighting.
I like close together portraits when there are babies and young children. By having the parents lay down keeps all the faces close together and IMO give it a gentle sense of family intimacy.
When I photograph in the park I don’t limit the young family portrait to one setting or a specific group posing but do 2 or 3 different locations and compositions.
Then at a later date we view the portraits on a movie screen at my studio. It sure is a fun experience for the parents as we narrow the poses down to their favorites and I help them place their order for portraits that they will treasure for years to come.
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