Seeking to learn - Photographing my Dog

[Sailorstu]

Hi, I am new to CiC and have been enjoying photography for a few months since getting my DSLR as a retirement gift. I have mainly been learning online, dabbling by taking lots of pictures, and now I have some books to pour over to start getting better at the theory and techniques. I am also off to do a half day Canon Rebel 101 Course at the end of the month. In the mean time I am keen to learn from the massive amount of experience that resides here in CiC. One of my main learning photos subjects has been my dog, who at least initially was cooperative. She now runs when she sees me with the camera!

I would certainly appreciate advice and critique of the three enclosed photos of Ceilidh, the soft coated wheaton terrier.

The data for these photos is as follows:

Shooting with a Canon Rebel T5i, Canon EFS 18-55.

Photo 1 - f 6.3, 1/100 sec, ISO 400, 47 mm focal length (shot outdoors, overcast snowy day)
Photo 2 - f 5, 1/5 sec, ISO 800, 50 mm focal length (shot indoors, sun streaming in through a window)
Photo 3 - f 5, 1/4000 sec, ISO 800, 105 mm focal length (shot outdoors, overcast during a snow fall)

[Shadowman]

Nice portraits, which mode are you shooting in, aperture, shutter priority, AUTO? Be careful with the slow shutter speeds, they'll increase motion blur when shooting handheld. If your pup is basically stationary, and you are well braced for the shot then aim for the eyes to get the most engagement between you and the pup. 1st image is the best of the bunch technical wise, the other two just have a lot of character.

[Sailorstu]

Hi John, thanks for taking the time to comment / critique. Much appreciated. I was in Manual for all of these as I decided from the get go to try to learn using Manual. Fully appreciate your comment regarding shutter speed as I have had to discard more than a fair share of blurred photos. Also acknowledge the need to get the eyes as the main focus point...I still haven't mastered this yet but will continue to work on it. Again, thanks for the constructive feedback. Stu

[Geoff F]

For some reason #1 doesn't work for me. It isn't just the vignette, there is something about the angle which seems wrong. Possibly too square on to the dog?

#2 would work except for the over exposure area in the bottom right corner. Would a different crop, to square or 4 x 5 ratio, manage to reduce or remove the problem?

#3 works fine.

[rpcrowe]

#1 - tends to have some distortion which is perfectly normal when you shoot a long nosed dog straight on with other than a long focal length (see my image below shot at 165mm). The nose in your image looks quite large in proportion to the face. Shooting from a lower angle also contributes to the larger looking nose...

#2 - I really like this shot even though it is relatively soft (due to a slow shutter speed). I would recommend that you obtain a hotshoe flash. Bouncing that flash indoors and modifying the light with a reflector/diffuser (such as the Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro www.dembflashproducts.com) would result in natural looking lighting but would also result in less visible camera shake.

#3 - I like this image best of all! The snow really makes it unique. I think that a bit or PP sharpening would improve the image but, it is certainly great as it is. Normally, I like to see the dogs eyes in a shot but, in this case, the snow around the dogs muzzle really makes the image.

Our friends have a Soft Coated Wheaten and, although it is somewhat shorter in height, their Wheaten looks a whole lot like my Goldendoodle, shown in the image below. Both dogs have a lot of hair over their eyes which casts the eyes in shadow. Using bounce flash with the Flash Diffuser Pro is able to reduce the shadows somewhat and add catchlights to the dogs eyes. Bouncingthe flash gives the natural looking lighting while adding the Flash Diffuser Pro directs some of that light forward to fill in the eye sockets under the dog's heavy brows. Although this was an outdoor shot, I used fill flash.



Here is a shot outdoors without fill flash. The eyes are lost in shadow...



BTW: although it is nice to know how to shoot manually, I almost never do it (except when I am using studio strobes or occasionally when doing night shots). Most of the time I will shoot in Aperture Priority (Canon's AV mode).

[Sailorstu]

Geoff and Richard, thanks for the feedback. Richard you have confirmed what I was thinking regarding some of the challenge shooting Ceilidh with her long nose when looking straight on and the eyes that are often hidden by her brows and nose hair. I also have many shots where her nose in focus, and the eyes aren't, I believe because my focal length didn't afford adequate DOF looking at her straight on. I will also look at the reflector/diffuser. Finally, I'll give the other modes a chance, in particular Aperture Priority to see if that will help.

Geoff, below is the cropped version you suggested. And you're right that taking out the bottom right corner on #2 helps out.

Thanks again, Stu

[rpcrowe]

In photo #2, you might have increased the ISO beyond 800 and use some sort of noise reduction software to reduce any noise that the higher ISO generated. I would rather see a bit of noise than a soft image. Adding some brightness and contrast to the dog's left eye would show it more.

I played with image #2 a bit. I brightened the eyes and added contrast. Darkened the nose. Generally sharpened the image and added a vignette. Finally, I thought it might look a bit better with a simple border. Of course, PP is all in the eye of the beholder. What might be right for me might not be right for you or other viewers...

[jcuknz]

The snow shot appeals to me [#3] and since I started when manual was the only mode available I know a bit about working in manual but rarely do. Normally in A [AV] mode not for any artistic reasons but to lock the aperture to the mid point of its range or a couple of stops closed down [ I am using a slowish zoom]. The main point or awareness in using A is that on taking half-trigger ahead of taking the shot I look at the shutter speed that the camera has picked for me. In working this way I do have the advantage of a bridge or MFT camera in generally having more depth of field than the DSLR, with its longer lens for a given view, has. I do not consider working in manual has anything to justify it when it is not needed.

As for focusing ... nose and eyes .... if we assume that at close distances one has equal DoF ahead and behind the focus point [ as opposed to the 1/3-2/3 normally quoted which applies to more distant shots] I came up with the idea of focusing on the nose while taking half-trigger and then moving slightly forward [ half the distance between nose and eyes ] and then pressing the trigger fully down for the shot.

[Sailorstu]

Richard - I love the PP you have used. Thanks for taking the time to do this and explain to me what you did. I'm fairly novice and learning in the PP department as well - so your advice is very helpful and the photo certainly looks more attractive.

J for John - I also prefer the snow shot despite the dog being so shaggy that I didn't capture the eyes. I am definitely going to do some shooting in A (AV) mode to better look at shutter speeds. Also will dabble with your suggestion of focus point.

Thank you both for taking the time to offer your insights and help me out.

Stu

[rpcrowe]

As I mentioned:

I brightened the eyes and added contrast. (I selected the eyes using the NIK Software Viveza control points and increased the contrast a bit)

Darkened the nose. (using the burn command)

Generally sharpened the image (using the unsharp mask)

I added a vignette.

I thought it might look a bit better with a simple border. (.1 inch black and 2 inch white)

Another way to get used to the correlation between shutter speed and f/stop is to place the camera in "P" or programmed mode. The camera will select the shutter speed and the f/stop depending on the subject and the ISO selected. However, you can switch the shutter speed or f/stop and the camera will maintain the same exposure by switching the other value. You can just go through the entire set of f/stops and "P" will show you the shutter speeds needed....

[mugge]

Looking at your images I think you have an eye for photography. Knowledge will come.
Cheers Mugge

[Sailorstu]

Thanks Mugge! I'm too stubborn to give up.

[Sailorstu]

As things have warmed up to a balmy -9 C here in Ottawa and the drive way snow is shoveled I thought I would take another shot at improving the dog's photo. This one is in Aperture Priority, ISO 800, f 2.8, 1/4000 sec, 50 mm. Any C and C appreciated on this one as I have tried to apply lessons highlighted above. I call this one "Ceilidh Watching the Snowflake Fall".

[jcuknz]

Here I am reminded of the guy who used to poke a fine needle through the eyes of his transparenies when he wanted a catchlight But in digital days we have the paintbrush with a small circle or square to do the job ...I did first lighten the eye area. Not painting pure white but a light grey at 50%.



There is already a light area which possibly could be raised to give 'life' to the eye but I wanted to mention the 'idea'

[NorthernFocus]

Hi, Stu. Something not adding up with the EXIF that you posted. Based on the equipment that you're using how do you get 105mm as indicated in the third shot of f2.8 as indicated in the fourth one? Also in the first shot you don't mention it but it looks as if the flash fired. Since I can't make heads or tails of the numbers, I'll stick to commenting on content/composition.

No.1 is a pretty nice portrait. From a technical standpoint the nose is just barely sneaking out of the depth of field and is slightly soft. A soft, wet nose is great in person, not in a photo. Also it may be an improvement if the dog were slightly farther to the left in the frame so that it "looks into the frame". That's a good general rule for things with eyes.

No.2 is really great composition. Others have already pointed out the issues with techs.

No.3 is a rare situation where the eyes not being visible is OK. For one it's part of the dog's character. Plus the snow is a large part of the shot. Again compositionally might be improved if the dog was centered better in the frame.

The last shot posted is nice and just needs some post processing. It seems you are enamored with the snowflake in the dark spot but frankly it's so far in the edge of frame that all it does for me is cause a distraction. I'd just clone over the dark spot. In PP brighten the eye up a bit and overall sharpening. Not sure what software you're using but increasing "clarity"(aka micro contrast) overall would help with apparent sharpness.

You've got a great subject to practice on there.

[rpcrowe]

Very nice image but like most digital imagery, it can benefit from some sharpening. However, instead of sharpening, I used the NIK Software, Viveza structure slider and also a bit of contrast with the Viveza Contrast slider...



I agree with John that catchlights are beneficial but, instead of adding a catchlight, I placed a NIK Viveza control point over the pupil and lightened the eye, added structure and some contrast...

[NorthernFocus]

Nice edit, Richard.

[Sailorstu]

J for John, Dan, and Richard: Thanks for taking the time to chime in to help me out.

John - Thanks for the suggestions on the eye enhancements. I'm going to play around with this in order to improve as it is becoming abundantly clear that getting the eyes right is key to an attractive shot.

Dan - Thanks for all of this feedback. Not sure what I did to mess up my capture numbers in the first case. I'm using PhotoPlus X7 for PP which is Serif software that came with a newly purchased PC. I still haven't mastered it yet but I'm using the tutorials to gradually improve. Now that I have seen Richard's awesome processing improvement and crop I fully agree that the snowflake and the darker patch in the top right corner are distractions.

Richard - thanks for that improvement, it is beautiful and really brings out the best in my beloved subject.

I'll keep working at learning the software on another photo subject. Thanks again for the invaluable assistance.

Stu

[rpcrowe]

A suggestion... Outdoors, try using your built-in flash as fill. You will need to keep your shutter speed at or slower than the camera's maximum sync speed but, it will add some catchlights to the eyes and liven them....

[Sailorstu]

Thanks Richard, I'll give this a try!