Treat Catching with Josie
Hey there, the last time I wrote a blog post I realized it had been 6 months since I had posted one. Well guess what, this time it has been over 6 months! It hasn’t been for a lack of shooting, although with the pandemic I obviously haven’t been taking nearly as many portraits as I’d like.
Lately I’ve been enjoying making treat-catching photos. I asked on my Facebook page if my followers would like to see a video of how I make them and there was a big positive response, so even though I’m not usually one to be in front of the camera I made this little video so you can see how I produce images like these:
This style has been popularized by German photographer Christian Vieler. He has amazing treat-catching images so I hope you check out his work. His Instagram handle is @vieler.photography.
Enjoy the video!
I should mention that the images I have posted in the video (and above) have been edited. Because I use a wide angle lens for these shots they get cropped quite a bit. I make them square and do some minor editing (mostly increasing contrast and clarity and adding a vignette).
I plan on offering a “post COVID” package deal on treat-catching sessions once things get up and running again so if you’re interested you can stay tuned for that, or join my mailing list to get notified. To do that click here.
So long and stay safe!
How to Photograph a Black Dog - Courtenay Photographer
One thing I hear often from dog owners is how hard it is to get a good photograph of their black dog. And yes, it is tricky, especially if you are using basic equipment like a phone camera. Like most people I love the convenience of my phone for quick snapshots, but it definitely doesn't measure up to my DSLR. For one thing, the ability to manually control the settings makes a big difference in being able to photograph a challenging subject like a black dog.
Here are a few quick tips that should help you get better results when photographing your black dog, no matter what type of equipment you are using.
1. Even lighting:
Intuitively you might think that to get the best shot of your dog you need really bright light, like the sun. After all, you think, the dog is really dark so that would brighten them right up. That's not actually the best strategy. Soft, even lighting (think clouds or shade), will allow the camera to more accurately record the highlights and shadows, making for a more pleasing image. Too much bright sunlight will cause glare and harsh shadows, which you typically want to avoid. Also try to avoid dappled sunlight on your subject. It's just not very flattering, anytime, anywhere.
2. Have a plain background:
Too much busyness in an image will draw the eye away from your black dog. Also, our eyes tend to be drawn to the brightest part of an image, and that can spell trouble when your subject is dark. So try to keep distractions to a minimum.
If you have a camera that you can adjust the aperture, try opening it up (which means a smaller number), so that you can blur out the background (the image below was taken with an aperture of 2.8).
3. Fill the frame:
What, all you've got is an automatic setting and you're out in the sunshine? Well, try this: instead of including the environment, fill your camera's frame with your dog as the only subject. What this will do is force your camera to expose for your dog only, instead of a bright scene where there will likely be too much light and throw off the exposure. This will help the camera expose correctly and will help you avoid having your dog end up as a "black blob".
I hope these quick tips help you out the next time you are photographing your black dog! As you can imagine, I love photographing dogs of any colour, so please get in touch if you would like information on a professional portrait session for your pet. My phone number is: (250) 650-7389.
I'll leave you with one of my new favourite images, another black dog, Onyx, who just happens to be my next-door neighbour!
Bailey - Courtenay Pet Photography
It seems like I haven't blogged in ages! Life just gets that way I guess. But I did a session a little while ago that I wanted to share, and it was with a lovely dog named Bailey.
Isn't she the sweetest? Bailey's mum Jan brought her to me for a special reason. You see, Bailey is really Jan's husband's dog and he has been out of the province working for several months. Jan wanted to surprise her husband with some professional portraits of Bailey when he got home.
Doesn't she look a little lonely? Bailey's dad even gave her one of his socks for comfort.
Fortunately, the family was reunited around Easter, and now everyone is happy again and getting ready for a new adventure, moving up north!
Piper, who I photographed last year, was waiting in the car. I had go get a few shots of him because he is such a good boy. He doesn't look too enthused about getting left out!
I am so excited that spring is here so that I can start doing more outdoor portraits again. The studio is great, but there's nothing like letting a dog play to really bring out their personality.
In case you didn't know, I have an Instagram account dedicated to dog photography. My handle is @ssniderdogphotos.
Until next time!
Pitty Pups and More - Courtenay Dog Photography
This week I got to meet 6 adorable pups awaiting adoption at the Comox Valley SPCA! I only got to photograph 3 however, because the other 3 had just gotten back from getting 'the fix'. They were so adorable I had trouble deciding which shots to show. I'm sure they won't have any trouble finding homes.
This little gal was my best poser!
Why so glum, chum?
Her brindle colouring is beautiful. And look at those eyes!
Many thanks to Jed my wrangler for the afternoon. This is not a task you can do by yourself. He got rewarded with puppy kisses!
And it's not all about puppies. There are also adult dogs needing forever homes. I love smiling dogs!
This guy had tons of personality and 1 floppy ear which made him even cuter.
Look at those eyes!
These are just a few of the dogs up for adoption. There are still many bunnies and cats available too! Please call 250-339-7722 if you would like more information on any of these animals.
And if you are in the market for some professional portraits of your pets please give me a shout! My phone number is 250-650-7389. I'd love to chat.
Fun Photos With Virginia's Pets - Courtenay Photographer
My daughter works at Woofy's Pet Foods with a gal named Virginia, who we recently found out only lives about 4 doors down from us! Understandably, Virginia is a big pet lover, so this week she brought all her pets over (one at a time) for a photo shoot! It was lots of fun and here are some of the best shots of the evening:
Oliver
Walter
Henry, aka Kitten
Emily
Milo's Cake Smash - Courtenay Photography
Milo is 1! This sweet little boy and his momma Sarah came by for a first birthday cake smash this weekend. Sarah is a baker and made a fabulous cake to accompany the blue and green balloons we had on hand for the occasion.
Photographing a baby is unpredictable at best, but once Milo got his fingers into the cake he had a great time tasting the yummy icing.
Do you know of a baby turning 1? Book a cake smash session today!
The Toohey Family - Comox Family Photography
This week I got to photograph some great people: Jim, Wendy, Tamara and Jordan Toohey. Jordan is heading out to Australia to go to school so they wanted to take the opportunity for family pictures before he left. All the best in the land down under, Jordan!
Jazz - Chilliwack Pet Photography
I've been holding off on this blog post because I didn't want the photos "leaking" out into cyberspace. My friend Joanne booked this shoot so that I could photograph her husband's dog Jazz as a Father's Day present for her husband Michael. Now that he has his prints and album I can show you these cute portraits of a very sweet dog.
