Photographing Dogs

[Shadowman]

Those of you who post shots of your pets already have your technique down pat. Thought others might find this article helpful.

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Learn-And...ter-article1lm

[NorthernFocus]

Interesting that they refer to a sunny day as "good light". Sometimes I wonder about Nikon. Not their technical people, but their marketing really stinks it up. Then again they don't write those articles for experienced photographers so who's the wiser?

[Manfred M]

Much like Kodak gave instructions to have you shoot with the sun behind your back. They perhaps forgot to mention that you wouldn't get a lot of good pictures of people, with everyone squinting at the camera. I often wondered if these instructions were just a way of selling more film; people knew that they would have to take two or three shots, in hopes of getting one good one.

[Colin Southern]

Interesting that they refer to a sunny day as "good light". Sometimes I wonder about Nikon. Not their technical people, but their marketing really stinks it up. Then again they don't write those articles for experienced photographers so who's the wiser?

OMG - sunny days are the WORST days for photography; hard shadows everywhere - yuck yuck yuck. Give me an overcast day and some fill light any day!

[Shadowman]

So you guys are the ones who run for the pubs when you see a bit of sun.

[Digital]

OMG - sunny days are the WORST days for photography; hard shadows everywhere - yuck yuck yuck. Give me an overcast day and some fill light any day!

In portraits you can always utilize shade with fill light. If you want to, you can always increase your SS to darken the background.
Sunny days are not a complete waste.

Bruce

[Colin Southern]

In portraits you can always utilize shade with fill light. If you want to, you can always increase your SS to darken the background.
Sunny days are not a complete waste.

Bruce

- It's not so much a case of "you can always" (etc) as it is "you HAVE to".

- Increasing shutterspeed doesn't just darken the background - it decreases the ambient light on the subject, thus relying more on artificial augmentation. Why would we be increasing the SS in such a situation? ... because the ambient light was crappy quality!

I'm not saying we can't get a good shot on a sunny day ... what I am saying is that - for quality portraiture - it limits choices and makes it a lot harder.

[Digital]

- It's not so much a case of "you can always" (etc) as it is "you HAVE to".

- Increasing shutterspeed doesn't just darken the background - it decreases the ambient light on the subject, thus relying more on artificial augmentation. Why would we be increasing the SS in such a situation? ... because the ambient light was crappy quality!

I'm not saying we can't get a good shot on a sunny day ... what I am saying is that - for quality portraiture - it limits choices and makes it a lot harder.

Colin, you are right. Increasing your SS underexposes the ambient light hence your background is not as bright.

Also, cloudy days are like a big softbox.


Bruce

[NorthernFocus]

So you guys are the ones who run for the pubs when you see a bit of sun.

We had the sunniest summer this year out of my 13 in Alaska. And I had the highest reject rate on photos due to lighting that I've ever had. I've been shooting under overcast skies for so long it was almost like starting over this year. Almost...

But sanity has returned. This morning it was 48F(9C) and drizzling rain. Only photographers and vampires complain about the sun

[Shadowman]

We had the sunniest summer this year out of my 13 in Alaska. And I had the highest reject rate on photos due to lighting that I've ever had. I've been shooting under overcast skies for so long it was almost like starting over this year. Almost...

But sanity has returned. This morning it was 48F(9C) and drizzling rain. Only photographers and vampires complain about the sun

In recent movies even the vampires are dying to get a little sun.

[pnodrog]

OMG - sunny days are the WORST days for photography; hard shadows everywhere - yuck yuck yuck. Give me an overcast day and some fill light any day!

A sunny day under our clear southern skies should not be confused with a sunny day in the northern hemisphere where the light is softer .

[Colin Southern]

A sunny day under our clear southern skies should not be confused with a sunny day in the northern hemisphere where the light is softer .

Smog huh

[NorthernFocus]

In recent movies even the vampires are dying to get a little sun.

That must be why they're all moving to Washington DC.

[NorthernFocus]

Smog huh

That and we still have ozone up here

[Manfred M]

Smog huh

Must be related to that pub noted in #5. Or is that fog? The two seem so similar sometimes.

[pnodrog]

Smog huh

Colin what happened to your manners? I was deliberately avoiding using that word. Now I can blame you if we upset someone.

P.S. That ozone comment was a bit below the belt.

[Colin Southern]

Colin what happened to your manners? I was deliberately avoiding using that word. Now I can blame you if we upset someone.

Oh I'm always upsetting people these days - I'm just a grumpy old b'stard.

I blame child abuse - my children are always abusing me!

[NorthernFocus]

Colin what happened to your manners? I was deliberately avoiding using that word. Now I can blame you if we upset someone.

P.S. That ozone comment was a bit below the belt.

The ozone comment was PURELY technical in the context of how much more light you have down there

[PhotoByTrace]

LOL! Love the way this thread kinda meandered off topic and gave me a good laugh along the way.

Out of curiosity I had a read of the short article. In its defence it is mostly referring to dog's in motion and faster shutter speeds to freeze that motion rather than portraits per se.

But have to agree, light in the middle of the day is harsh. Even for agility and frisbee I much prefer overcast days... not that we see many of those here in the tropics over Winter; 27oC today, blue sky, white puffy clouds, lightest of breezes, no smog or ozone . Tomorrow while I have my camera in hand and dogs in action in front of me I'll be cursing those conditions LOL.

[pnodrog]

The ozone comment was PURELY technical in the context of how much more light you have down there

I have just received thank you emails from Australian Customs, Border security and Bio-security thanking me for the tip off regarding your planned visit.
You should get plenty of opportunity to take photographs of drug detecting, plant/food sniffing and explosive sniffing dogs. I am hoping(or is it hopping in Australia) for a big reward.

All the best for your trip.