Paris from DogTipper began the 365 Photo Project this year for anyone wanting to learn how to take better photos of their pets. I just purchased a new camera, the Nikon 1J1, and I have the perfect little model so I wanted to join in. I don’t have time to do a picture a day so I decided I would add each of her tips here and then attempt each one when I can so you may find pictures here and there until the end of the year when I hope I have completed each tip.
Feel free to check out my pictures but if you want to join in then just click on each link to go to her post for the complete information and add your pictures. Who knows, by 2013 we may all be professional photographers, or at least look like we are!
NOTE: All tips and information are from Paris. Only the photos of Kirby are my contribution.
98*365: Posing Your Dog with a Costume Headband
Instead of trying to balance the headband on your dog’s head, put it just above your dog’s collar. (This will, of course, only work with large dogs.) Not only will the headband remain straightened instead of constantly tipping forward or backward but your dog just might be fooled into believing the headband is just another collar, at least for a few moments so you can snap a photo…
Kirby will pose wearing anything... as long as I have treats! Just as he starts getting anxious I give him a tasty treat which seems to refocus his attention. Then he realizes it's not so bad.
97*365: Sunset Photography
For super sharp photos after sunset, you need to take your tripod. Whatever you do, though, do NOT fall back on your flash or you’re going to wind up with photos that look nothing like the gently-tinted scene you enjoyed. Don’t put your camera away when the sun goes down!
50*365: Making a Dog Photo Collage
49*365: Rain & Rovers
It all made for some fun photos on a rainy afternoon!
48*365: Grab a Toy!
Take a moment and photograph your dog with a favorite toy, whether in play or while sleeping.
47*365: A Drink of Water
You’ll want a fast shutter speed so, if you don’t have a DSLR so you can adjust for shutter speed, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of light. Natural light is always preferable to flash. It’s interesting to see the motions she goes through while drinking, ones that happen too fast just to see when we’re watching her… …with all the wrinkles… …and flying droplets… Take a moment to take your dog’s photo while drinking.
46*365: The Yawns Have It!
Yawns are a calming signal that dogs use either to calm themselves or to calm others. It shows that there’s some situation underway that your dog’s not completely comfortable with…and often that slight discomfort can come from the stare of the camera lens. So it’s not difficult to get a photo of your dog yawning. Often just the “stare” of that camera can result in a yawn…
45*365: Avoiding Shutter Lag
Sometimes when you’re photographing your dog, you have to work fast. The problem that many cameras have is shutter lag. To prevent that shutter lag, hold your shutter release button halfway down. Unless you have continuous focusing on, you’ll need to do it again to refocus if your dog (or you) move but you’ll be ready to snap that photo as soon as your dog strikes a pose!
44*365: Photographing Dog Shows
Most of all, you’ll want to make sure your camera is shooting fast enough so that you do NOT need to use your flash. If your flash shoots automatically, be sure that you turn it off. Not only is it distracting to the dogs but it will also result in flat photos. That means speeding up your shutter speed. If you have a DSLR, you’ll be able to adjust that shutter speed but even if you’re using a point and shoot or your cell phone, you’ve got some options. Set your camera on the “Sports” setting for a fast shutter speed and often continuous focusing.
43*365: Photo Challenge: One Eye!
Take a photo of ONE of your dog’s eyes, making it almost an abstract photo
42*365: Switching to Black & White
The lighting is way too harsh, the shadows are just too much…and the winter grass is just blah.
But before you hit delete on those dog photos that don’t exactly sit up and beg for your attention, try to convert them to black and white. If you have Photoshop, you can use it to convert to black and white. With some cameras, you can convert a photo to black and white right in your camera. You can also use free and easy online photo editing services like Pixlr.com
41*365: Zooming to Change Depth of Field
Another way to change the depth of field (or the amount of the photo that’s in focus) is to use your camera’s zoom. Whether you choose a deep or shallow depth of field is going to depend on what you’re photographing and your own personal preference for that photo.
40*365: Photographing the Little Moments
Today’s tip is just to be sure to record those little moments.
39*365: Fur!
Your dog’s fur…it’s such a part of your dog’s identity. From silky to curly, short to flowing, we’re all in touch with our dogs’ fur more than we are our own hair. But do you have a photo of your dog’s fur? A closeup photo with fur as focal point? Give it a try. Moving as close as your camera’s lens will allow while remaining in focus, take some closeup shots of your dog’s fur.
38*365: Photograph Near the Window
Whether you have a picture window or just traditional windows, you’ve got a great opportunity for indoor photos with your dog. Position your dog near the window, not so direct sunlight falls on him but just to light him with natural daylight. The window should be at your back or at your side, not directly in front of you (or the dog will become a silhouette.)
37*365: Squeak!
36*365: King Kong
Take a photo of your dog and his Kong or other chew toy.
35*365: Looking Into a Photo
Have you ever seen someone looking at something and just had to look? Photos can give you that same feeling.
This morning I shot these photos with my Blackberry on our walk. In the photo above, you’ll see that Tiki’s looking at something outside the frame of the photo. You can’t see what she’s looking at (I think it was Irie) but you get the sense that she’s looking across the frame, making your eye cross the frame and, in the process, you take in the landscape.
See the difference, though, when you shoot the exact same photo but you don’t give your dog some space for “looking”…
This photo makes you feel like you’re missing something! You don’t notice the landscape and you bump up against the edge of the frame. It’s jarring. If your dog is looking into the photo, leave room in the frame for your dog’s gaze. You’ll get a more restful photo that will make you appreciate not just your dog but the view he or she is enjoying.
34*365: Put the Sun to Your Back
33*365: Put Yourself in the Photo!
Time for a new photo challenge: put yourself in the photo without using the self-portrait mode! Whether you hang out in the grass with your dog or you get a photo of a reflection of you and your dog, see if you can include part of yourself in the photo! Whether it’s your feet or a hand, see what you can include in your photo with your dog.
His favorite spot is in my lap
32*365: Controlling Depth of Field With Your Position
Depth of field makes a huge difference in your dog photos. Basically depth of field refers to how far into the photo objects are in focus. Whether you want a shallow depth of field or a deep depth of field really depends on just what the photo’s all about; you might want a shallow depth of field for a portrait of your dog but a greater depth of field showing all the fun he’s having with other dogs at the dog park. It’s your call. You can manipulate your depth of field by changing your camera’s settings and by zooming; we’ll go into all that later in the year. But there’s one easy way you can change the depth of field with any camera: change your position. By moving in close, you’ll create a shallower depth of field.
31*365: Watch Out For Your Own Shadow!
watch out for your own shadow…which can make a guest appearance in the photo.
30*365: Clean Your Lens!
I always remember to check the lens and make sure there are no smudges on the lens or dust to interfere with the photo. But when I take photos with my cell phone camera, I forget to check the lens! It might be super tiny, but the camera lens on your cell phone gets just as dirty as the bigger camera lenses, if not more so.
29*365: Make for the Shade!
The sunny photo just has too many shadows and the whole scene winds up looking a little washed out.
We headed into the shade. It’s simple, easy, and it makes a huge difference!
28*365: Photographing Your Dog From Above
Taking a photo from directly above your dog! Reserve this angle for dogs you know well that aren’t threatened by you and your camera looming above them.
27*365: Posing Your Dog with a Football
Step One: be sure to get down on your dog’s level. Step Two: focus on your dog’s eyes, not the football
26*365: Paw Print Photos!
Do you have a photo of your dog’s paw prints? If you’ve got snow at your house right now, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to grab a snowy paw print photo! If you don’t have snow, try photographing your dog’s paw prints in sand, etc.
25*365: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling…
Have you ever taken a photo of your dog rolling? The pure delight (theirs, not necessarily ours!) in the roll makes for a fun photo.
24*365: Turn on the Lamps!
So we have lamps (a lot of lamps!) in the main living room/dining room/kitchen area. They make a nice glow to evening photos. Try some shots by a lamp. Even with florescent light bulbs, the lampshade will diffuse the light and help give your photo a warm evening glow.
23*365: A Piece of the Picture
It’s fun to capture your dog in photos…but it’s also fun to capture just a portion of your dog in a shot as well. Thoughtful and almost abstract, these photos of just a portion of your dog’s face are an interesting departure from the usual full face photos. All you need to do is step just a little closer to your dog during the shot…
22*365: From the Ground Up!
Here’s a challenge: lie on the ground to shoot your next photo. Once you dog gets over his excitement, take some photos from this unique perspective!
21*365: Taking Photos in the Snow
Snow photos, for all their beauty, can be tough to take, though. All too often, they wind up bluish…or underexposed (too dark) and bluish.
How can you get around this? There are a lot of fancy ways to get around this with metering and reflectors but, since this column is all about easy ways you can improve your photos with any equipment, let’s look at the simplest way to improve those snow photos.
Focus on something that’s NOT snow. That will allow your camera’s meter to calculate based on the color it sees instead of glaring white snow. Once you’ve got the shot in focus, you can hold that focus and move the camera to take the shot.
20*365: Take Evening Photos!
It’s tempting to put the camera away in the evening as the light of the day fades away…but don’t! Some of our favorite photos of the dogs are taken late in the day after sunset. The light is softer with a golden glow on many days. Except for high action photos, you’ll usually still have enough light for sharp, clear photos of your dog.
19*365: Clean Your Dog’s Eyes Before Your Photos
Before you snap the shutter, be sure to check your dog’s eyes and, if needed, clean them.
It only takes a moment but this simple step can make the difference between a beautiful photo and one that’s distracting and, sometimes, even a little gross. Yes, you could clean up the photo with Photoshop or another photo editor…but it’s much easier to clean your dog’s eyes than clean up a photo!
I have to clean his tear stains almost every day
18*365: Photo Challenge: Buddies
Some of the biggest moments in your dog’s life…or in our own lives…are the smallest. Take, for example, the joy of your dog and his buddies.
17*365: Turn Off the Flash!
A flash (beside annoying your dog) will just about ruin any photo.
Turn your flash OFF for those indoor dog photos, especially if your dog is still or sleeping. You (and your dog) will be glad you did!
16*365: Watch for Distractions!
15*365: Understanding Selective Focus
In a nutshell, selective focus means choosing what item in your photo you’d like to be in focus. Of course, you can play around with the placement of the item in the foreground and your dog in the background. Give selective focusing a try, whether you use a dog toy or treat or two dogs at different distances from your camera!
14*365: Catch the Action!
Dogs mean activity, at least for part of the day. Running. Jumping. Playing. It’s fun to catch in a photo but not always easy. Catching action means getting a fast shutter speed. If you have a DSLR, you can set the shutter speed but with any camera you can catch the fun. We have DSLRs *but* we want to do these 365 photos using the same settings that are available to every camera so these were shot in an automatic mode, just like a point and shoot or a cameraphone.
How? They were shot with plenty of light, actually in full morning sun. You need plenty of light so the shutter speed will be fast. A slow shutter speed means you’ll have a blurry photo. For your next action shot, make sure you’ve got plenty of light. Very early morning or late evening shots are beautiful but can be blurry when it comes to a running dog!
13*365: Shade OR Sun
Although photos in even (not mottled) shade are generally best, like the shade on cloudy days, there are good reasons to take photos in either sun or shade…but not BOTH. Whether you select shade or sun, just pick ONE!
12*365: Catch Them While They Sleep!
It’s fun to capture the energy of your dog in photos…the running, jumping, and pure joy of being a dog. But sometimes the easiest photos to get are at the other end of the energy spectrum (and just as much a part of your dog’s day): the sleepy times.
11*365: Putting Your Dog Up on a Pedestal!
While it’s easy to pick up a small dog for a photo, it’s not possible with large dogs. Regardless of the size of your dog, though, you’ll find that putting your dog on a raised platform can give you an all new perspective for the photo. Think about what platforms you can use around your house, whether a chair, the stairs, or a porch.
10*365: Vertical Photos to Show Height
It’s quick and easy to do and adds a different perspective to your photos!
9*365: Photo Challenge: Your Dog’s Nose!
A great opportunity to really appreciate the fine instrument that is your dog’s nose! This photo challenge will involve several photo tips we’ve talked about in previous days such as filling the frame and getting on your dog’s level.
8*365: Look for a Contrasting Background
Earlier in the week, one of our 365 Photo Project tips was to use a simple background. Besides simple, though, also keep an eye out for a contrasting background. You’ll need to adjust according to your dog’s predominant fur color and pattern. If you have a black dog, a photo in the snow, sand or grass will stand out. By contrast, a white dog in snow is more difficult to photograph (so grab a red dog sweater or red bandana!)
7*365: Take a LOT of Photos
You’re having fun with your dog and capturing precious moments at the same time. So shoot those photos and do the sorting when you get back to the computer. It’s quick and easy to delete unwanted photos but, by shooting a lot of photos, you can catch your dog in mid-action.
KIRBY"S PICTURES NUMBER IN THE HUNDREDS
6*365: Select a Simple Background
You want your dog to be the centerpiece of your photos…but sometimes what looks so good in front of you looks, well, busy once you see the finished photo. What happened? Often a busy background is the problem. When you’re shooting the photo, you’re all caught up in your dog so you very well might not notice all the distracting items in the background. But, believe me, you’ll notice them when you see the finished picture!
5*365: Look Them in the Eyes!
Getting your dog to look directly at the camera can make the difference between a photo that’s good and one that really tugs at your heart. The eyes that look out from that computer screen (or printed photo) are what makes us all fall in love with dogs in the first place and keep us coming back for more.
To get your dog to look directly at the camera, don’t be afraid to make crazy sounds or have an assistant stand behind you and catch your dog’s attention.
4*365: Fill the Frame
Get close to your dog and fill the frame as much as possible with your dog. Don’t worry if a little gets lost in the photo. Be sure to focus on your dog’s eyes, and you’ll have a beautiful photo! The difference it makes in filling the frame versus NOT filling the frame is amazing.
3*365: The Rule of Thirds
A rule that’s used by photographers, graphic artists and painters: the Rule of Thirds. Here’s the Wikipediaexplanation of the Rule of Thirds:
The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design. The rule states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.
Here’s our tip: Basically you want to imagine a tic-tac-toe board over your image. You want the most important part of your photo to be placed at one of the points where the lines intersect.
2*365: Get Down to Your Dog’s Level
Your photos will almost always be better if you get down and see the world from your dog’s point of view! Take a moment and get down and see the world on your dog’s level for your next photo
1*365: Don’t worry about breaking the rules. The general rule of thumb is to put the sun at your back. The opposite result, though, is a fun photo that seems appropriate to the dawn of a new year.
