Animal photos: I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

drcjc Loc: Berkeley (originally Brooklyn)

I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

Tippy on a pedestal

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

If you want to make Tippy the main subject of the photo I would really choose you background more carefully. Green, white, gray and pink really takes away from your subject. When I think of pedestal I think higher and your looking down in this photo. Good Focus on Tippy, just find better background.

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

drcjc wrote:

I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

I had to "operate" to form an opinion. This adorable dog could be cropped, and slightly brightened, and sharpened, and a few spots and choppy pixels here and there removed, and a slight vignette added. I am posting to see if this is what you were thinking might be done.

Gauss Loc: Earth

I agree with fstop about the background. In that particular location, maybe shifting around to the left so the background was only the grey pavement. Narrowing the depth of field with a bit bigger f/stop would help isolate the subject from the background. Or, if the shrubbery was lighter, maybe more light yellow green, and completely out of focus, shifting around to the right that could have been a good background to contrast Tippy's coat.

The focus and exposure are good. There's a nice bit of reflection in the Tippy's eyes. A lot of colors in the fur, looks nice.

I think getting down to the dog's level would be better. Just like with children, it's often better to be at their level rather than look down on them in the photo.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

drcjc wrote:

I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

I completely agree with Heirloom Tomato's suggestion, by way of recomposing the image. The placement of the dog's face is compositionally correct.
--Bob

Heirloom Tomato Loc: Oregon

drcjc wrote:

I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

Sorry I downloaded your doggie without asking first. I am very touchy-feely in editing and making suggestions. I sometimes can't express an opinion about what to do unless I get in there and poke around so that I can actually form an opinion. Hope I did not offend.

Nightski

drcjc wrote:

I like to photograph animals but often find they don't reflect what I feel. Here is my dog on a pedestal, what could be better?

drcjc, I don't think PP is the answer to the question you are asking. The angle from where you are photographing your dog is what is important. You need to get down on their level. May I show post a couple of pics that I took of my small dogs?
A wide angle Lens works wonderfully for pets if you have one.

drcjc Loc: Berkeley (originally Brooklyn)

Heirloom Tomato wrote:

Sorry I downloaded your doggie without asking first. I am very touchy-feely in editing and making suggestions. I sometimes can't express an opinion about what to do unless I get in there and poke around so that I can actually form an opinion. Hope I did not offend.

Quite allright! I agree with everything I read. This is how I will learn!

Nightski

Heirloom Tomato wrote:

I had to "operate" to form an opinion. This adorable dog could be cropped, and slightly brightened, and sharpened, and a few spots and choppy pixels here and there removed, and a slight vignette added. I am posting to see if this is what you were thinking might be done.

Getting at a low angle is a really cool way to photograph your dogs. I love using my wide angle lens on them. My dogs and I like to play hard, and not worry about getting dirty when we go out in the mornings. :-)

Kramer At the Beach

Zoe at the Pump

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Nightski wrote:

drcjc, I don't think PP is the answer to the question you are asking. The angle from where you are photographing your dog is what is important. You need to get down on their level. May I show post a couple of pics that I took of my small dogs?
A wide angle Lens works wonderfully for pets if you have one.

I agree with this too. You need to get down to their level; same as when photographing children.

jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA

It is usually easier to get down to their level, My dog still hasn't got the knack of stilts to get to my level.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

jdubu wrote:

It is usually easier to get down to their level, My dog still hasn't got the knack of stilts to get to my level.

My son has an 180 lb. St. Bernard; if Abby can get her front feet on anything that will hold her, you will need a step stool to get a head-on shot of her!

jim quist Loc: Missouri

I like getting in close

jim quist Loc: Missouri

or even a portrait

drcjc Loc: Berkeley (originally Brooklyn)

I like what it does for the dog, but I kind of like the pedestal, what do others think?

Nightski wrote:

Getting at a low angle is a really cool way to photograph your dogs. I love using my wide angle lens on them. My dogs and I like to play hard, and not worry about getting dirty when we go out in the mornings. :-)