This week’s theme was natural light. Since I already utilize natural light in photographing dogs, I decided to spice things up a bit by introducing back button focusing. Back button focusing removes the autofocus from the shutter button and puts it on a button typically on the back of the camera. A couple of years ago I played with this option, then forgot I had set it to back button focus – cue baby heart attack!

The weather was warmish but a smidge breezy, though Axle didn’t mind (he could care less if there’s a ball to retrieve) and the biggest obstacle was the giant puddles and small ponds that had appeared each with a crust of ice below their water. My boyfriend, Kris, came with to act as dog wrangler so I could focus on back button focusing. After some navigation of mud, water and ice islands, we found a swatch of grass that would allow Axle to run without risk of slipping.

To start, stood closer to Kris. This meant lots of images of Axle running away from me, as well as coming back with the ball. Axle also has an annoying habit of wanting to play tug with the ball once its brought back…

 

Switched it up a bit by moving down the grassy area and instructed Kris to throw the ball at me (he only “hit” me once with a throw that rolled and bumped into my knees). Knelt on the ground, got a soggy knee and had the most challenge with focusing on Axle moving towards me.

As the sun started to settle into the tail end of golden hour, I moved a few paces closer to my boyfriend and captured Axle running parallel to me, the sun outlining him and the water he was kicking up.

A giant thank you to this wonderful man (who happens to be my boyfriend Kris!) for helping me as a dog wrangler/ball thrower. I appreciate the help a mega ton!

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Next visit Beyond the Fence in New Hampshire to see her take on natural light.

A lovely theme for the 52 Week Project as it is the month of love!

I wanted to created heart bokeh (bokeh = aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens) so I purchased some Valentine’s lights, and a black piece of poster board. Commence cutting smaller squares that would cover the lens and hearts! Lots of small hearts cut out later (smaller hearts are better!) I was ready to do some test shots.

Shaped bokeh is a challenge to create though the process is simple enough. Hold a shape over the front of your lens. Focus closer to yourself so you get a lot of background blur. Put the cut out shape over the front of the lens, viola! Shaped bokeh!

The subject – the semi willing, but squirmy Tootsie, who was all excited that I moved the cat perch in front of the door.

The challenge came in first with my 85mm lens. It has the best bokeh, but keeps me farther away from my subject so they tend to wrangle themselves. Additionally, I was manually focusing on the fly – which with a moving subject is a MEGA challenge! But it seemed to work! Yay!

Wanted to try a strung look to the lights instead of draped so I slung them over the cat perch. Then tried a different heart cutout (looks more like a butterfly/bug) and Tootsie’s modeling went a little topsy turvy…

With an idea that the lights would work, I wanted to try my other idea that involved red poster board. Bender wasn’t quite as thrilled about the theme being love….

Outside didn’t work (poor Bender was freezing his buns off), so we tried for some inside. He’s giving me his best suave “I love you because you have cookies and I’m going to be very close to you and show my impressive lay down when you ask for a sit” skills.

Having a bit of a bust with Bender, I waited a bit until it got dark outside. Switched dogs (Bender & Axle do not get along very nicely so they are on crate and rotate – this is why you never see an image with both of them in it) strung the red LED lights I re-found between the dog crate and table, as well looped the pink Valentine’s lights on the old cat perch, grabbed some treats, and captured the poutiest love pup there ever was…

Next up visit Sandra McCarthy Photography (based in NH) to see how she interpreted the theme of love!

 

This week’s theme for the 52 Week Project was before & after.

What better theme to show the “magic” that happens behind the scenes during the final editing process included in every About A Dog Session. Eyeboogers, leashes, head swaps, trash & dirty snow cleanup, removal of body parts are are no match for my “magic” skills (yes my magic is performed in Photoshop). 

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Mickey & Penny (new re-edits,  from October 2013). Removed the leashes/collars, cleaned up a couple of spots on the wall behind, and removed the light colored stick under Mickey’s tail. Added contrast and lightened eyes and faces.

Mickey & Penny again! Removed leashes and mom’s legs as well as the spot next to Penny’s ear. Added contrast, brightened their eyes and faces.

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The stunning Scout from her session this past December. Removed the extension chord, shovel against the fence, dirt/dark spots in the snow, and toned down the light coming through the fence on the left. Added contrast, enhanced the sun flare, added brightness to Scout’s face and eyes (I love that they are two different colors).

Scout & her nutball sister Parka! Removed the extension cord, cleaned up a couple eyeboogers, enhanced the sun flare and backlight on Scout. Added contrast, brightened Parka’s eyes and face, and brightened Scout a smidge.

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The stoic Rex from this past fall in a classic labrador pose. Leash removed, and the rivet right above his head removed. Contrast added, as well as brightening his eyes and face slightly.

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Margot from her & Eli’s October mini session (mini session info here). Removed mom, removed the leash, added a touch of contrast and brightened Margot’s face & body.

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Tammy & baby Polar from their October mini session. Removed mom, removed leashes, removed shock collar, lightened eyes slightly.

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From Abbie’s 2015 fall session. Removed leash, enhanced golden hour glow, lightened Abbie’s eyes.

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Katie the Colorado dog (new re-edit, from October 2013). Removed leash, added contrast, lightened Katie’s face & eyes.

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Josie, the tender soul from her session this fall. Removed her leash, as well as the dark branch above her head. Added contrast and brightened her eyes.

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JC, the mega adorable Japanese Chin from her session this past fall! She was off leash in her backyard so there was no leash removal. Removed the red dot above her head, removed the little purple flare on her ear,  brightened her white fur, removed her eye stains, and darkened her black spots. Also brightened her eyes.

Pretty awesome “magic” if I may say so myself!

Next up visit Kim with BARKography based in Charlotte NC to see her before and afters!

This week’s theme for the 52 week project is different perspective.

In thinking on it, I wanted to try a very low angle perspective and a very high angle with Bender. It would limit me to a few captures, so I decided I would incorporate a couple of shoot through shots.

The tree in the backyard…

The back step where Bender was on the top step and I lower and shooting up. Those wrinkles!

Inside for a couple more low angle captures….

And a shoot through a Kong….

Bender will run behind the couch like he’s running in a chute and I wanted to capture that perspective. Dropped his Kong behind the couch, wedged myself on the other end and waited… I wasn’t able to capture a good run through the couch chute, but I snagged a before and at the end.

Next up visit Kelly Garin Photography from Columbia, SC.