Wud's project 365 2014
- Thread starter wud
- Start date
Re: Wud's project 365
Mai, the info Lawrence provided is excellent! Please remember your work is gorgeous and captures the essence of the animal. The people listening to you will WANT to know how you managed to take such stellar shots. If they have their own pets or if they are photographers themselves, it will be a learning experience. You want them to imagine benefiting from what you do and have them see the end result in their minds eye of how their own pet would look if you were to photograph it. It's part of sales. Be sure to include such as the f/stop and shutter speed you tend to prefer because some of the geeks will want to know!
Mai, the info Lawrence provided is excellent! Please remember your work is gorgeous and captures the essence of the animal. The people listening to you will WANT to know how you managed to take such stellar shots. If they have their own pets or if they are photographers themselves, it will be a learning experience. You want them to imagine benefiting from what you do and have them see the end result in their minds eye of how their own pet would look if you were to photograph it. It's part of sales. Be sure to include such as the f/stop and shutter speed you tend to prefer because some of the geeks will want to know!
Re: Wud's project 365
Mai, I'm a little late reading about your upcoming lecture, and I hope I'm not too late to give you this input.
1. If I was attending your lecture, a few questions I would love to know (and really would love to know), is how you get the positioning of the action so well?
Recently I had to shoot this little toddler child. No one had ever really been able to get any good photos as she just did not cooperate. I got some great pictures of the toddler. My technique was to have the child fed and in a good mood. Next, mom would place the child where I wanted her. Mom would then run behind me. I would watch the child through the lens of my camera and give mom directions to move left or right to steer the child to the place that I wanted the child for the picture I had in mind.
I'm guessing you might be doing something similar. Would love to hear your technique.
2. Suggestions on what you do with a lazy dog? I imagine the energetic ones are easy to get some action shots of.
3. Suggestions for camera settings with solid white or black dogs?
4. It's great to hear stories behind certain shots. Makes the whole lecture memorable to know the funny behind a few different shots.
Hope this might help for additional discussion areas. I know I could figure all these things out, but they are questions that have crossed me mind when looking through your dog photography.
Good luck and your work is beautiful.
Mai, I'm a little late reading about your upcoming lecture, and I hope I'm not too late to give you this input.
1. If I was attending your lecture, a few questions I would love to know (and really would love to know), is how you get the positioning of the action so well?
Recently I had to shoot this little toddler child. No one had ever really been able to get any good photos as she just did not cooperate. I got some great pictures of the toddler. My technique was to have the child fed and in a good mood. Next, mom would place the child where I wanted her. Mom would then run behind me. I would watch the child through the lens of my camera and give mom directions to move left or right to steer the child to the place that I wanted the child for the picture I had in mind.
I'm guessing you might be doing something similar. Would love to hear your technique.
2. Suggestions on what you do with a lazy dog? I imagine the energetic ones are easy to get some action shots of.
3. Suggestions for camera settings with solid white or black dogs?
4. It's great to hear stories behind certain shots. Makes the whole lecture memorable to know the funny behind a few different shots.
Hope this might help for additional discussion areas. I know I could figure all these things out, but they are questions that have crossed me mind when looking through your dog photography.
Good luck and your work is beautiful.
Scott Murray
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
Great shots as usual
Great shots as usual
wud
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
It went really well! I was so nervous going there, ain't that fond of speaking in front of a group, but on the way I met a good friend and we had a small catch up, and when I got to the place, people were already there, so I talked a bit with several of them - I think that really helped. So when I started, I didn't even sound nervous So glad I did it, as I am sure I will be even less nervous next time.
Have no idea how my start was but it was easy to talk about the images. At some point in the middle, it was a bit hard to figure out what to say, as it also gets a bit of the same, but then I had dog in home and some studio images, so that wrapped it up pretty good. People had some very good questions, also one who, funny enough, asked if it was intentional I got lower than the dog when doing portraits - funny as that was just what you wrote Lawrence. I hadn't even noticed I do that, but for me, clearly thats where the dog looks the best.
About how I do with dogs - as I wrote, its pretty much what Moab Man does too. I prepare before 'adding' the dog to the image. Meaning, placing the dog and owner where I want the dog/letting the owner know where to throw the ball etc, getting my settings in camera right, so when getting the dog to do what I want, I am all ready. Not many dogs wanna do the same over and over, so I try hard to get the shot as fast as possible.
And this image shows pretty clearly what we do, lol. Owner with her hand up - keeping the dog interested with a treat, me in the middle with camera.. and some random taxi driver who stopped and got out to talk with us about his old labrador
It went really well! I was so nervous going there, ain't that fond of speaking in front of a group, but on the way I met a good friend and we had a small catch up, and when I got to the place, people were already there, so I talked a bit with several of them - I think that really helped. So when I started, I didn't even sound nervous
So glad I did it, as I am sure I will be even less nervous next time. Have no idea how my start was but it was easy to talk about the images. At some point in the middle, it was a bit hard to figure out what to say, as it also gets a bit of the same, but then I had dog in home and some studio images, so that wrapped it up pretty good. People had some very good questions, also one who, funny enough, asked if it was intentional I got lower than the dog when doing portraits - funny as that was just what you wrote Lawrence. I hadn't even noticed I do that, but for me, clearly thats where the dog looks the best.
About how I do with dogs - as I wrote, its pretty much what Moab Man does too. I prepare before 'adding' the dog to the image. Meaning, placing the dog and owner where I want the dog/letting the owner know where to throw the ball etc, getting my settings in camera right, so when getting the dog to do what I want, I am all ready. Not many dogs wanna do the same over and over, so I try hard to get the shot as fast as possible.
And this image shows pretty clearly what we do, lol. Owner with her hand up - keeping the dog interested with a treat, me in the middle with camera.. and some random taxi driver who stopped and got out to talk with us about his old labrador
wud
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
Ahh, almost forgot:
2. Suggestions on what you do with a lazy dog? I imagine the energetic ones are easy to get some action shots of.
3. Suggestions for camera settings with solid white or black dogs?
2: I really don't get a lot of lazy dogs! Even a small outburst, can look very good on images. And actually they don't have to run more than 2 meters, to make it look like an action shot
But this dog was a bit lazy, but since they asked for portraits, it didn't really matter
3: I find white dogs harder than black dogs, specially in sunlight, but I make sure to expose so the fur doesn't burn out. And for black dogs, if needed, I will rather under-expose a bit and then when I edit, I can adjust shadows/light on the dog. Under-expose but make sure, the eyes are still visible on the image.
Ahh, almost forgot:
2. Suggestions on what you do with a lazy dog? I imagine the energetic ones are easy to get some action shots of.
3. Suggestions for camera settings with solid white or black dogs?
2: I really don't get a lot of lazy dogs! Even a small outburst, can look very good on images. And actually they don't have to run more than 2 meters, to make it look like an action shot
But this dog was a bit lazy, but since they asked for portraits, it didn't really matter
3: I find white dogs harder than black dogs, specially in sunlight, but I make sure to expose so the fur doesn't burn out. And for black dogs, if needed, I will rather under-expose a bit and then when I edit, I can adjust shadows/light on the dog. Under-expose but make sure, the eyes are still visible on the image.
wud
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
If you have any questions, just ask, anytime Thanks! Pretty proud of myself lol
So pleased it went well, Mai! I love taking shots of dogs and these tips are exactly what I need!
If you have any questions, just ask, anytime
Thanks! Pretty proud of myself lol
wud
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
Almost never. To hard to place the light, as the dogs won't know where to go. For portraits I haven't needed it yet. But maybe that's something to play with during winter.
I am wondering if I would like the soft box for flash better than the umbrella. I find the umbrella to spread way to much = everything is the same tone, and I like having both bright areas and shadows in a picture.
Almost never. To hard to place the light, as the dogs won't know where to go. For portraits I haven't needed it yet. But maybe that's something to play with during winter.
I am wondering if I would like the soft box for flash better than the umbrella. I find the umbrella to spread way to much = everything is the same tone, and I like having both bright areas and shadows in a picture.
Re: Wud's project 365
I agree with George - if you were doing it without knowing then clearly you are a natural and your images are testament to this.
I am so pleased it went well but then I always knew it would.
They thought you were an expert before you started talking, you confirmed it and now they KNOW you are a genius!
I agree with George - if you were doing it without knowing then clearly you are a natural and your images are testament to this.
I am so pleased it went well but then I always knew it would.
They thought you were an expert before you started talking, you confirmed it and now they KNOW you are a genius!
Vixen
Senior Member
Re: Wud's project 365
Wow Mai, really glad that everything went so well for you and thanks for showing us some shots of you "doing your thing" You do take lovely shots of dogs. I feel this means that you have a good understanding of them, and love them. I think that is GREAT
Wow Mai, really glad that everything went so well for you and thanks for showing us some shots of you "doing your thing"
You do take lovely shots of dogs. I feel this means that you have a good understanding of them, and love them. I think that is GREAT 
