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Black Dogs Do Photograph Well (And I Know Why and How)
Black Dogs Do Photograph Well (And I Know Why And How)
It is often thought by owners of black dogs that they do not photograph well and that is just the way it it is. There are reasons that they think that way, lighting being a major factor. The fur or coat of black dog absorbs a lot of light and most people take pictures of their black dogs with whatever light is available. If by chance they are taking a picture with the camera’s flash–it is generally weak and comes straight out of the camera on a fairly narrow beam of light.
So why do my portraits of black dogs look so different, with detail and separation? First off I use multiple strobe lights bounced out of reflective photographic umbrellas. These lights are very powerful and give a very nice wrap-a -round light that showcases and accentuates the rich, black fur. Plus, my black dog portraits are (as are all my other dog portrait) in total sharp focus. In addition, I always use a light colored background to help highlight the black dogs, too.
There are many reasons to hire a professional portrait photographer who specializes in pet portraits (as I do) and the above information is just another reason why.
The Loving Dog Mom (and Dog) Portrait
It is always a pleasure to take pet portraits like this one that show the contentment and love between the loving dog parent and their beloved dog.
Pet portraits like this one don’t automatically happen during a session. Sometimes dogs (like people!) don’t really care for such close contact so I may coach my subject to relax and the work the pose again with subtle changes. When I get the composition of the portrait just right I like to take multiple images so we have a nice selection to choose after the session.
In addition, the soft and gentle expressions they both have in the portrait give the image a strong and lasting mood as we the viewers contemplate the thoughts and emotions of the subjects.
Pet and people portraits that we treasure, like this one that the dog mom treasures, certainly increase in sentimental value as time goes by.
Split Second Timing–Capturing that Perfect Moment.
As a professional people and pet portrait photographer with decades of experience, I pride myself on the ability to capture memorable portrait happenings like this one here.
This of course, was a very spontaneous occurrence that happened while I was taking more traditional pet portraits of the loving dog mom and her dog.
There are ways for me to encourage something like this to happen during the session but no way to know for sure. My camera and lighting system of course are top-notch and I have the fast reaction timing with my camera and right composition to go along with it.
Pet portraits like this one are a fun and treasured addition to the more traditional and classic portraits I always make it a priority to create. Also, as a side note–her clothing color and my choice of background highlight her Chocolate Lab nicely.
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