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Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat

1. zoom capability While we are on the topic whether you have a full frame or a DSLR with a smaller sensor recommend considering a fixed focal length 50mm lens These lenses are light compact and afforda ble good quality models with wide maximum apertures f 1 8 to f 2 8 are available for about U S 5100 200 If you check the camera info you ll notice that quite a few of the photos in this book were shot with a 50mm lens w1 10 Macro lenses or cameras with a macro mode allow you to create close up images that are in focus On point and shoot cameras and video cameras a flower icon is generally used as the symbol to engage the macro shooting mode Another option that I ve used to make macro images are screw on close up lenses which are compatible with DSLR lenses as well as some point and shoot lenses These attach to existing lenses are very affordable and they can also be used for pets though you will generally need to TRAIN YOUR CAMERA get within about a foot of your subject for them to work properly That makes them great for images of sleeping dogs or cats and a tripod is recommended to help you get sharper photos Some times a step down adapter ring is needed to make them fit your particular lens or camera w1 11 Other options worth a look are the lenses from LensBaby w1 12 They make multiple models for DSLRs and other cameras that allow for creative focus similar to what you can produce with view cameras
2. Find the right software options and learning tools for working on digital files There are many alternatives for processing and retouching your digital files starting from free options that come with computers such as Apple s iPhoto comes with all Apple Macs to inexpensive but powerful options like Adobe Photoshop Elements and Corel Paint Shop Pro Another free option to consider if you use a Windows computer and shoot in JPEG is Picasa Though Picasa will view and process RAW files from some cameras recommend other applications in Tip 86 for processing RAW files Some online printing services like Shutterfly com and Snapfish com offer a fair number of image editing options to help you edit your photos for online galleries books cards prints etc without the need for any additional software Of course Adobe Photoshop is the big dog when it comes to software used for retouching image files And for good reason it s an extremely powerful tool and there are a tremendous amount of learning tools available for it for free and for a fee through online video and DVD based learning programs like those offered at Lynda com PhotoshopUser com Kelbytraining com Software Cinema com and TotalTraining com Many of these companies offer excerpts of some or all of their tutorials for free so that you can sample the quality and content A list of links to these and other Adobe Photoshop resources can be found on the companion W
3. Lens Focal Length Nikkor 50mm 1SO 200 Aperture unrecorded Shutter Speed 145 sec Lighting Notes The lighting for this image is coming almost entirely from the windows A few lightbulbs inside the home add to the warm tone of the image spot from now on photo O Andrew Darlow 137 Pet Photography 138 Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 33mm ISO 200 Aperture f 6 7 Shutter Speed sec Lighting Notes A single flash unit studio monolight strobe with a 40 inch translucent white circular reflector in front of it placed about 4 feet from the subject provided most of the lighting on the dog A second studio monolight provided lighting for the background which was about six feet behind the dog Additional lighting came from natural daylight coming from windows to the right A white reflector card was placed camera left just out of the frame photo Andrew Darlow BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Tip 75 Use a Tripod or Monopod in Low Light Situations A tripod and in some cases a monopod can be an invaluable tool for any photographer covered tripod related tips in Chapter 2 Tip 21 In addition to stabilizing cameras tripods can also serve as light stands reflector holders or background stands and many tripods have quick release plates that you can attach to your camera When you are ready to use the tripod the plate quickly attaches to the tripod and y
4. Many point and shoot and DSLR cameras have color modes that you can set that allow you to shoot in black and white B8W sepia negative etc but would discourage the use of them because you usually will be discarding the color information in your images Instead you should shoot in color mode You can always make adjustments to your images in the computer or even at the lab where you bring your card or CD for output w1 17 Other picture modes available on many point and shoot and DSLR cameras allow adjustments to overall contrast sharpness and saturation in your images These adjustments generally won t change your RAW files they can later be reset to defaults in a RAW processing application but making adjustments to these modes will affect your JPEG files so consider that before you make adjust ments to your camera s settings w1 18 Some common shooting modes that can be found on most DSLRs and many point and shoot cameras are Program Auto Manual Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority cover the last three in more detail in the following two tips 15 Pet Photography Use Aperture Priority Mode or Manual Mode to Control Depth of Field Aperture priority mode is an extremely powerful and creative way to control the look of your photographs When shoot using avail able light almost always have my camera set to aperture priority mode the symbol for it is usually A or Av depending on the camera model
5. The reason like this mode is because like to control the depth of field in my photos Aperture priority adjusts your shutter speed for you based on your camera s meter readings as you change the f stop on your camera Keep in mind that if you set the aperture to a level that causes the shutter to adjust to a very slow speed your images may be blurred and that can lead to out of focus puppies and kittens To remedy this you can add more light set your ISO to a higher level or open the aperture to a wider f stop for example from 1 8 to 1 4 Manual mode puts a lot of control in your hands and many pho tographers use this mode almost exclusively For cameras that have no built in internal meter like the Hasselblad medium format film camera used for the photo in this tip you can either guess the exposure use a hand held meter or you can use a camera with a built in meter to get a pretty accurate reading which you then set on the camera that has no meter Manual mode on many point and shoot cameras is not entirely manual many cameras will still use their built in meters and will do their best to make proper exposures Check your specific camera to see what options are opened up to you when you switch to M An example of how used a wide aperture to control depth of field can be seen in the photo on the facing page focused on the back of the head of a Chihuahua on a street in New York City and shot with an f 2 8 apertur
6. Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat ANDREW DARLOW e Pet Photography 101 Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat Andrew Darlow AMSTERDAM BOSTON e HEIDELBERG e LONDON NEW YORK e OXFORD PARIS e SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE SYDNEY e TOKYO EN ELSEVIER Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive Suite 400 Burlington MA 01803 USA Linacre House Jordan Hill Oxford OX2 8DP UK 2010 Andrew Darlow Published by Elsevier Inc All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher Details on how to seek permission further information about the Publisher s permissions policies and our arrange ments with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licens ing Agency can be found at our website www elsevier com permissions This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher other than as may be noted herein Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing As new research and experience broaden our understanding changes in research methods professional prac tices or medical treatmen
7. 127 TotalTraining com 157 Towel camera stabilizer 76 Tracing paper 56 Trade shows 124 125 Training software 157 158f 159f Treats pet reactions 91 Tripods low light shots 139 perspective shots 36 shallow depth of field 70 T shirt camera stabilization 76 as chew toy 100 TTL see Through The Lens TTL flash systems TV sleeping pet shots 83 U Udler Eric 108 Umbrella bracket 44 creative lighting 140 141 with flash 62 133f 140 141 rain shots 45 Underwear chew toy 100 Valentine s Day 8 Vantage point 70 Venetian blinds 56 Versace Vincent 153 Vertical blinds 56 Video cameras 2 3 Vignetting 175 177 Vivitar 285HV flash 41 43 148 149 174f Ww Water shots 105 Wedding photos 127 Weimaraner 29 108 White balance setting 14 White card 14 White paper 31f 56 Wide angle lens 61 Wide angle view 35 Wilhelm Imaging Research 184f 185f Wind effects 51 WinZip 163 Wireless flash trigger 148 149 Witch costume 120 2 Zigview 33 Zip files 162 163 Zoom in shots 62 Zoom lenses 110f 111f
8. Believe me when say you want to avoid this problem Some cameras add a random string of text to the beginning of every file on every new card that you format which should solve the problem but this is rare Instead after downloading your images recommend renaming your files in one of many applica tions that have the capability often use Adobe Bridge which comes with Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop Elements also has this capability Links to file renaming tutorials can be found on the companion Web site w9 5 When renaming recommend choosing the capture date followed by a _ Key command Shift plus the minus key and the original file name That way the application will read the metadata of the file see when it was shot and put that date in the beginning of the file name You will then know while browsing through your images exactly when the photos were taken The result can look something like this with my preferred date format YYYYMMDD 20091125_IMG_1234 CR2 That means that the image was cap tured on 11 25 2009 Some applications even allow you to search for text and remove it during the file renaming For example you could have the IMG_ removed so that your file becomes 20101224 _1234 CR2 Regardless how you rename your files don t use any spaces or special characters Keep it to letters numbers and underscores like the one used in our example THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 85
9. Chapter 9 photo Andrew Darlow 99 100 Pet Photography Tip 55 Photograph Your Dog Chewing on Something This tip and the title of this chapter arose because a client s dog which you see here decided that a nearby sock would make for a great chew toy think that the expression is priceless and it was no easy feat for the dog s owner to get the sock back Other items that fall into this category include t shirts scarves men s or women s underwear including bras and perennial favorites designer shoes and expensive sneakers There are always safety considera tions with pets chewing on items that are not considered safe toys so this tip is more a recommendation to capture the moment quickly if it happens instead of setting it up on purpose Safer options that you can explore include stuffed animals made for dogs and colorful chew toys only had a chance to get one exposure before the moment was gone and because the lighting was low the photo was not very sharp did some sharpening in Adobe Photoshop which resulted in a bit of extra grain in the photo Sometimes that s just fine grain is not bad as long as you like the final look Other retouching done to this photo included cloning out a piece of a chair s leg on the bottom left and reducing saturation in the blue carpet and wood table in the back left of the frame To finish things off the edges were darkened slightly to draw attention towa
10. Point and shoot 35mm film cameras 35mm SLR Single Lens Reflex film cameras and specialty film cameras including swing lens panoramic cameras that can produce some amazing images Other options include pinhole cameras as well as the Holga and Diana which help to produce very artistic images that must be seen to be believed w1 2 35mm DSLRs 35mm DSLR s have become the most popular camera type for professional photographers and many non pros also use them because of the many features they offer w1 3 Digital Point and Shoot Cameras Excluding camera phones digital point and shoot cameras are the most popular cate gory of digital camera One of the main features most digital point and shoot cameras have that most DSLRs lack is video but that gap is closing fast Video Cameras with Still Photo Modes There are many video cameras on the market today that have very good quality still picture modes and the lines are blurring between video cameras and point and shoot still cameras w1 4 Please also note that when refer to point and shoot cameras in this book TRAIN YOUR CAMERA am also referring to most video cameras with still photo modes e Camera Phones The popularity of the camera phone is nothing short of incredible Whereas just a few years ago only a small percentage of the population carried a camera today over a billion people worldwide have a camera at their side inte grated into their phone smartphone The
11. s me on the floor directing the supermodel The lens shade helped to increase contrast in the image and reduced the chance of flare from the light hitting the lens A gobo or some light blocking material could have been placed between my lens and the flash unit and it would have done the same thing However that would have made it difficult for me to adjust the flash unit from shot to shot as reviewed the images on the camera s LCD photo by Paul Kessel BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Tip 77 Determine What Flash Mode to Choose on Your Camera As discussed in Chapter 1 Tip 5 many point and shoot and DSLR cameras have shooting modes to help you make better photos in low light situations One that is particularly helpful is called slow sync flash mode On some cameras it is called night scene or night portrait mode w8 9 The icons generally have a star or a moon in them but they vary from camera to camera so check your manual When you use night scene or night portrait mode the camera will fire the flash but will keep the shutter open for longer than it would if you set it to auto mode This longer exposure time will allow for some ambient light from the background of a city or room to be captured which usually results in more natural looking flash expo sures However it is important to hold the camera steady or place iton a tripod so that your backgrounds are not blurred The photo in Tip 80 is an example of this
12. softbox to your subject the softer the shadows will be Depend ing on what height and angle you choose side lighting or light placed directly in front of your subjects the look of the light and shadows will be very different e How wide the coverage of the light will be e The size and shape of the catch lights You can use tape to create the look of a window by putting a few pieces in a tic tac toe pattern over a softbox You can also place a black circular mask over a square light box or make one with gaffer tape if you want the catch lights to be round w8 8 BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF photographed this distinguished looking feline at a client s home at about in 3 P M in April The cat was resting on a rug so decided to use a very simple but effective lighting technique placed a 40 inch diameter 102 cm Lasolite All In One Umbrella camera right and fitted with its white insert on the ground about 4 feet 120cm from the cat and used a Nikon SB 900 Speedlite unit off camera aimed toward the umbrella to create the not too hard yet not too soft lighting The low perspective offers a very interesting view of the cat rug and background Had moved the light closer the shadows would have been a bit softer TOWN 144 9909 Camera Nikon D300 Lens Focal Length Nikkor 24 70mm 24mm ISO 640 Aperture f 13 Shutter Speed 25 sec photo O Andrew Darlow Pet Photography 142 That
13. you can process the same RAW file twice once for the highlights and once for the shadows then combine the photos in Photoshop or another application as described in Chapter 9 Tip 95 00 Camera Nikon D300 Lens Focal Length Nikkor 24 70mm 70mm ISO 640 Aperture f 5 Shutter speed 425 sec Lighting Notes Lighting came from a combination of daylight from a large window as well as a small flash unit Nikon SB 900 shot into a 40 inch diameter 102 cm Lastolite All In One Umbrella camera right and fitted with its white insert That produced most of the light on the right and some of the catch lights in the eyes photo Andrew Darlow 134 Pet Photography Choose Higher ISOs with or without Flash but Consider the Noise When you shoot in relatively low light situations and turn off your flash many creative options are possible However unless you have a tripod and your subjects don t move you need to find a way to make short exposures so that your pictures are sharp espe cially when photographing active subjects like dogs and cats The key is not to adjust your ISO so high that your photos contain excessive noise You can judge what is excessive noise by looking at your photos at a few different zoom levels as well as in prints There are also some software programs that can effectively help to reduce noise w8 1 The tips related to action and sports pho tography in Chapter 1 Tip 11 can also b
14. 172 fill light addition 30f hand colored look 180 highlights shadows 173 multiple image combination 64 66 noise reduction 6 online resources 185 retouching 96 sharpening 100 102 silhouettes 58 as software option 157 training options 158f 159f vignetting 175 Adobe Photoshop Elements color management 169 color temperature adjustment 167 dust checks 170 file renaming 156 file size 172 software choices 157 Adobe Photoshop Lightroom black and white images 176 color temperature adjustment 167 RAW processing 132 160 160f 161f AdobeRGB 168 169 Agility events 122 Al Servo AF 19 AKC see American Kennel Club AKC Alien Skin Exposure 2 176 Ambient light from background 135 136 city 139 and exposure time 143 rain shots 49f and shutter speed 122f 123f American Kennel Club AKC 122 Angel wings 106 Animated slideshows 164 Aperture Priority Mode 16 78 Apple Aperture 160 167 Apple iPhone 3G 6 6f Apple iPhoto 157 Apple Mail 162 163 162f 163f Artificial silk 137 Artwork pet juxtaposition 90 Auto exposure bracketing 19 Autofocus mode 51 Axius Basix Magic Shade 43 B Baby pacifier 106 187 Background ambient light 135 136 143 blurring 171 dark 143 144 depth of field 70 hand colored look 180 lighting 118f 119f 138f materials 93 out of focus 16 78 108 pavement as 45 perspective 141 pet coordination to 99 simple props 106 standing out from 102 116 subject dist
15. 1S 28mm ISO 200 Aperture f 5 6 Shutter Speed 72000 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight on a clear day provided all of the lighting photo Andrew Darlow J E T S Go JETS 118 Pet Photography Tip 64 Photograph Your Pet with Bunny Ears for Easter or Halloween Easter is observed by more than a billion people worldwide and like Christmas it is a religious holiday that in some countries has a component to it that is celebrated even by those who are not of the Christian faith Easter egg hunts coloring Easter eggs and exchanging candy are some examples of how Easter is celebrated The Easter Bunny is a part of that tradition and because of that adjustable bunny ears are sometimes worn by people and pets around Easter w7 1 Halloween is another time that bunny ears are commonly worn though you should not expect them to stay on very long haven t met a dog or cat who enjoys wearing them That being said the photos you can get of dogs or cats wearing bunny ears is nothing short of hilarious For this photo of a Doberman Pincher photographed indoors during a Kennel Club dog show asked the dog s owner to put the bunny ears on him always the best option if you don t know the dog or pet very well really like the expression on his face and how the ears sit on his head selectively sharpened his eyes a bit to draw a bit more focus there however the focal point is clearly on his nose whic
16. 44f Live view option 33 Low light shots cable release mode 146 flash modes 143 144 high ISO 134 mirror lockup mode 146 natural looking photos 135 136 and RAW mode 132 red eye 147 self timer mode 146 tripods 139 wireless flash trigger 148 149 LumiQuest Big Bounce light modifier 60 148 149 174 Lynda com 157 158 M Macro lenses 10 1 Magic hour 40 Maltese 19 64 66 102 136 Manfrotto Camera Umbrella Bracket 143BKT 44 Manual focus 80 139 Manual Mode 16 Masking 180 Media cards backing up 9 cases 154f date based management 155 file naming 156 options 22 storage and reformatting 153 Megapixels 22 162 Micro SD card 7 Milk acrylic 56 Milk plexi 56 Mirror no flash 135 136 Mirror lockup mode 146 Modifiers 56 60 148 149 174f Monopods 139 Monsterpod 76 Mouse pad 76 Multiple pet posing 96 102 Muslin 137 N Natural looking photos 135 136 Negative scanning 165 New Year shots 114 Night portrait mode 143 Night scene mode 143 Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 176 Noise 134 Noise reduction mode 143 O Omnipod 76 Online backup service 152 Online galleries 164 Online resources 185 Outdoor shots cloudy days 52 dramatic light 40 flash 41 43 jumping pets 46 power of scale 48 rain 45 reflectors 43 44 snow 49 wind effects 51 Overhead shots 31 P Painting pet juxtaposition 90 Paint with light 136 Papillion 137 Parades 126 Partial p
17. Di I1 48mm ISO 400 Aperture f 10 Shutter Speed 200 sec b Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm ISO 400 Aperture f 10 Shutter Speed 2200 sec Lighting Notes The lighting for both images is coming from the early evening setting sun as well as an off camera diffused flash placed slightly camera right photos Andrew Darlow ERA 13 Pet Photography Take control of your color temperature and learn how to set gray balance Color temperature is an important consideration in photography By learning what types of light have what approximate color tem perature you can more easily choose a color temperature and balance your lighting For example daylight at about noon in New York City in the summer is approximately 5500 K Kelvin and most traditional lightbulbs and gallery halogen spotlights are about 3500 K If you were to photograph a scene under those two lighting conditions you would generally choose the daylight color temperature setting for the 5500 K light and the tungsten color temperature setting for the 3500 K light When you do that in a perfect world all the neutral colors grays in your photo will be reproduced as neutral Alternatively you can use a gray or white card of some type to make a custom white balance as long as your camera has the capability There are many gray cards on the market from very small ones that are integrated into lens caps to
18. JPEG compression That will result in files of about 80 200 k kilobytes Also be sure to embed the sRGB profile which will be an option inside the RAW processing application If you use AdobeRGB your colors will probably not look good on the recipi ent s monitor Another option for Apple Mail users comes free with all Macs is to just drop your camera s JPEG files into a body of a new Apple Mail message then choose small medium or large from the bottom right of the message window where it reads Image Size The Mail application will then resize your images for you and on the left side you will see the size of the message Other email applications may have a similar feature However don t try to resize a PDF file in this way it will get corrupted and you won t be able to be open it This Apple Mail message shows an image about to be emailed with the window that allows you to size down the compatible files such as JPEGs selected Note the file size readout on the left side Photos in email message Andrew Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE The zip file format allows you to compress one or more files of just about any file type and send them via email or through an FTP server with little chance of them getting corrupted The best way to make a zip archive is to make a new folder with a name like PhotoArchive01 then create the zip archive using your compu ter Macs have a built in way to do this by right click
19. RSS of Completion RETI Certificates Gift Subscriptions Latest releases of Completion Bridge CS4 10 Things Designers Get your just rewards for Give the gift of lynda com Es Need to Know each Online Training with Anne Marie Concepcion Library course EY duration 1 17 hours completed earn a Certificate of Completion 1 ED sce b o o Transferring data from www lynda com 1 of 27 gt eee Q QO Pro ween software cinema com TRAINING HOME The PERFECT Print a professional level workshop series of 5 DVDs by master printer Randy Hufford NOW 20 OFF ANY OR ALL PERFECT PRINT TITLES The Perfect Print Calibration The Perfect Print Ink amp Media NEW The Perfect Print Digital Art Enhancements The Perfect Print Finishing Techniques The Perfect Print Marketing Giclee NEW Use promo code SCW509 at checkout Offer valid May 6 May 20 2009 Software Cinema Photography and Photoshop Training Home Photo amp Design Training Programs on Disc or On Demand At Software Cinema our Adobe Photoshop tutorials and photographic lighting training programs teach practical and proven techniques for Photoshop photography lighting and design Our highly acclaimed trainers specialize in Adobe Photoshop Adobe Bridge Adobe Lightroom and studio or location lighting techniques for photographers and designers We also offer artistic and creative Corel Painter programs
20. The lenses take a bit of practice to get used to but once you play with them for a little while you will quickly see how they can help you produce images with a very interesting look and feel photographed the two images of a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier shown on the next two pages from the same spot with a Tamron 18 200mm lens on a Canon EOS 20D at about 8 P M in June The camera s sensor is not a full frame 35mm size and its multiplication factor makes it approximately equivalent to a 30 320mm lens in 35mm terms should note that the wide angle image is not cropped and about 10 percent of the top and 10 percent of the bottom of the close up view have been cropped From left to right a Canon EF 28 135mm f 3 5 5 6 IS zoom lens with a Sima CapKeeper 2 attached The CapKeeper 2 attaches to the barrel of a lens and the front of your lens cap to help keep the lens cap from being misplaced Attached to the front of the lens barrel is a screw on collapsible rubber lens shade available from a number of different companies b Canon EF 50mm f 2 5 Compact Macro Autofocus Lens with the barrel fully extended to the 1 1 Macro level c The Lensbaby 3G and accessories The Lensbaby Control Freak is an updated version of the Lensbaby 3G photo Andrew Darlow 11 Ls AA COLDPLAY XEY colar 9 den 161 06 07 05 86 coon TRAIN YOUR CAM a Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm
21. applications 160 Pet Photography Tip 86 Consider a RAW Processing and Workflow Application This tip is related to Tip 85 but deserves its own space because applications that can be used for RAW file processing and general file organization a k a asset management have come a long way in a short time These applications include Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Apple Aperture and Adobe Camera Raw comes bundled with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Aperture both have trial versions available for download and both have many free and fee based tutorials available Adobe Camera Raw is an excellent RAW processing application but it does not allow for extensive photo organization of files that are located both on and off your computer as Lightroom or Aperture do One important item to realize is that Lightroom is available for both Mac and Windows and Aperture is available only for Macs As did in Chapter 1 when describing different cameras I ve written a lengthy article on the companion Web site covering many of the advantages of using either Lightroom or Aperture Each program also has unique features that are discussed in the article and on other Web sites 9 7 The Lightroom Library interface is shown here with the metadata search filter feature enabled As you can see you can select from many different criteria including lens labels or capture date The photos in this specific folder are offline so they show a question
22. articles as well as on the Web site of Wilhelm Imaging Resource w9 25 The standard image file shown on the opposite page contains color and black and white images sized to 280 PPI on a 4 x 6 inch approx 10 x 15cm canvas and saved with the sRGB working space The file is in the sRGB working space and Photoshop PSD format so that you can experiment without degrading the image quality saving a JPG on top of a JPG is not advisable because you will be creating more and more artifacts each time The image also includes some text which helps to judge the sharpness of the lab s output Please Note For this system to work properly it is important to instruct your lab to turn off any color correction most labs keep correction on by default or you won t be able to properly control the color and density of your prints It is also important to view your prints under controlled lighting about 4000 5000 degrees Kelvin is recommended See Tip 91 earlier in this chapter and Chapter 1 Tip 4 for more on the importance of lighting and color temperature photo Andrew Darlow Collections to Large Institutional Archives Long Term Preservation of Photographic Originals and Digital Image Files in the Corbis Sygma Collection in France By Henry Wilhelm WIR Cedric Gressent Corbis Sygma France and Drew MacLean Corbis USA June 2008 Posted May 10 2009 Download 9 Page PDF Erom SAT Archiving 2008 Conference Corbis
23. cards such as CompactFlash cards and SD SDHC cards are a modern miracle Unlike most commodities their cost per gigabyte has dramatically fallen over the last 10 years The read write speeds of most cards have also been increased both with regard to image capture as well as download speeds You can find some extensive speed tests online as well as many user reports w1 23 The question of how many megapixels one needs is primarily up to the user Some people will be perfectly content with a 2 megapixel camera phone and others will require a 20 megapixel DSLR to do what they want to do with their pictures The best advice can give is not to base your decision solely on megapixels Some 5 or 6 megapixel cameras will produce far better images with less noise than 12 megapixel cameras at the same or similar camera settings In general to make a good quality print up to 11 x 14 inches without much post processing you should have at least a 6 megapixel point and shoot or DSLR camera with a good quality lens It is also important to realize that you don t have to always shoot at the full resolution that your camera offers If you know that the pictures you are taking never need to be larger than about 1000 x 1500 pixels 4 5 megapixels you can choose a resolution close to that number even if you have an 8 10 12 or 14 megapixel camera Look in your camera s menu to make the adjustment If you are shooting in JPEG also note that ther
24. ground A folded towel or t shirt can work well and a thick mouse pad is another option because of the way it gives support w5 1 Beanbags of all types have been used for years and you can make your own from a few resealable bags w5 2 There are also some interesting products made specifically for this purpose and similar purposes including the POD w5 3 Monsterpod w5 4 Omnipod w5 5 and Cam Pod w5 6 Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed o sec Welcome to this Lighting Notes Lighting came wee k S ep i sod e of primarily from a single off camera diffused flash camera left Some Cat Nap Yoga de natural light from a large window also camera left provided additional light and some household lightbulbs added some of the warm light on the cat s paws as well as the warm shadows photo O Andrew Darlow 78 Pet Photography Tip 42 Get Some Bed Shots and Vary Your Aperture One of the best places to capture pets napping and in deep sleep is of course in bed That could include a traditional pet s bed a combined cat scratching post bed or like in so many homes any bed that has humans sleeping in it In Chapter 4 Tip 36 included a photo of a woman sitting with her four dogs in bed and two were sleeping which believe adds a lot of warmth and reality to the image For this image of a Chinese Crested Chihuahua mix
25. just followed the dog around until she stopped to take a peek outside took at least 10 photos as she adjusted her tail here and there Within just a few moments she was on to her next adventure which is common with pets so it s important to be prepared and shoot a lot when the moment is right Hurry please see a squirrel who wants to play Camera Minolta X 700 Film Kodak T400CN Lens Focal Length Minolta 50mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded Lighting Notes Diffused natural light from the sun provided much of the light but the inside lighting from standard household bulbs and other windows helped to balance the exposure photo O Andrew Darlow 62 Pet Photography Tip 35 Zoom In and Use Windows Like Big Softboxes One of the most visually interesting things about close up portraits are the range of catch lights that you can capture in your subjects eyes Studio photographers often use umbrellas or softboxes with electronic flashes usually made of a material with a diffused white fabric front in a wide range of shapes and sizes w4 6 They not only produce a certain quality of light they also produce catch lights in the eyes in a variety of sizes and shapes Window lighting also offers this opportunity and depending on how close you are to the window and at what angle you photograph your subjects you can produce some great effects Interestingly a related tip is
26. libraries in developing countries www elsevier com www bookaid org www sabre org ELSEVIER BOOKAID Sabre Foundation This book is dedicated to the memory of Chachi Cupid Jiro Lady Madel Muffet Penny Regal Shaney and the many other dogs and cats who have made an impact on my life as well as the lives of so many others We miss you This page intentionally left blank Foreword Preface About the Author This page intentionally left blank Foreword La Photography is an art The ability to set the scene capture the moment and have others connect with the emotion and beauty of the picture is what makes a photographer great As an amateur photographer love taking pictures of my favorite subjects my four legged family The walls in my home are covered with pictures of my pets and nothing gives me more joy than seeing their faces throughout my house as move from room to room Anyone who has shared a special love with an animal knows what mean They come into our lives for a relatively short time and when they are gone our hearts ache But they can live on forever in their photos and their pictures are often a source of great comfort when they leave us Andrew Darlow is one of those rare photographers who have a talent to see things through a tender eye He is passionate about his work He has sensitivity toward animals and people that is transparent in his photography met And
27. masks and painting in the area that you want to replace Even better than processing the same file twice especially if the file does not have enough highlight or shadow detail is to use the bracketing techniques described in Chapter 1 Tip 8 to capture multiple images at different exposures preferably using a tripod so that images will be in perfect registration which means that they will line up perfectly when placed on top of one another On a related note high dynamic range HDR photography is very popular these days and you can create very realistic or really wild looking images with this technique The approach usually works best when you take pictures of the same image at different expo sures in perfect registration Special software can then be used to expand the dynamic range And because expanding dynamic range is such a popular topic there are links to tutorials about combining multiple files as well as HDR photography on the com panion Web site w9 16 For the image of a client s two dogs on the following page used a tripod and processed the file twice in Adobe Camera Raw The first file was processed to capture detail in the overall room and for the dogs and the second was processed for the window then combined them in Adobe Photoshop using layers and a layer mask and painted in the window detail to achieve the look you see 173 Pet Photography 174 990 Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Le
28. modes 16 sleeping pet shots 78 stretching pets 76 Digital single lens reflex DSLR see also Cameras 2 3 Diopter adjustment dial 3f Dirt 170 Doberman Pincher 118 Dog Legs Erwitt 104 Doorway framing 74 Dramatic light 40 61 DSLR see Digital single lens reflex DSLR Duke 124 Dust 170 Dust and Scratches Filter Photoshop 170 DVDs 9 152 Dye sublimation prints 183 E Easter shots 118 Elwood 4f 40 83 88f 89f 93 104 171 E mail 162 164 Erwitt Elliott 104 Exposure compensation 19 49 Exposure options 19 Eye to eye shots 28 F Fabric window lighting 56 Facebook com 132 Feet photographer s 5 Fill cards outside shots 43 white board as 4f white paper as 31f Fill flash outdoor shots 41 silhouette shots 60 snail s eye view 34f snow shots 50f Fill light from bench 166f from lightbulbs 90f via Lightroom 88f 89f from off camera flash 114 from overhead light 78f 81f 96f 97f from pavement 32f via Photoshop 30f from picture window 128f 129f from pop up flash 29f from white carpet 120f 121f from windows 84f 171f Fill window lit silhouettes 60 Film cameras 2 3 Fixed zoom lens 110f 111f Flashlight dappling effects 102f 103f no flash photos 135 136 paint with light 136 silhouette images 60 Flash mode options 143 144 Flash units see also Lighting examples high ISOs 134 low light situations 139 mounting 3f natural looking photos
29. on a stand camera left provided dramatic light on the model and her dog and the slow exposure o sec allowed for some of the city lights and sky to be recorded photo O Andrew Darlow e y Bask in the Sunshine or Rain Outdoor Lighting Tips Ahh the great outdoors Rain or shine winter spring summer or fall opportunities are everywhere for taking great photos of your pets and their people friends Since most house cats stay in the house these tips for getting better outside photos in any type of weather will feature dogs but the same concepts can apply to cats other pets and of course people Please note When you see notations like w3 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page Andrew Darlow see Tip 25 for image information Pet Photography Tip 22 Shoot Early or Late in the Day for More Dramatic Light Someone named the time period just before sunrise and just after sunset the golden hour also known as the magic hour and it was for good reason The light that one finds in most areas is lovely at those times and the nice light usually continues for a few hours after sunrise and before sunset The color temperature at those times is generally warmer than at midday which produces a warm tone when your camera is set t
30. option is to shoot from the inside with your pets outside You can even spray some water on the window or door using an atomizer to create some interesting effects For this photo of a Basset Hound Beagle mix photographed on a May afternoon around 3 P M was inside and noticed the dog peering in The hazy look that was being created by the sliding glass door and the light streaming through it combined for a great photo opportunity After just a few exposures the dog walked away Open please lve so exercise for this Camera Canon EOS 5D wee k Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm ISO 640 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter Speed 6000 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight provided most of the lighting but light from inside the kitchen helped illuminate the dog s front side photo Andrew Darlow o i Se mamaaa e 5 Fine y Oe Let Sleeping Dogs and Cats Sleep There are few sights more adorable than a resting or sleeping dog cat puppy kitten baby or child or a mix of them sharing time together In this chapter suggest ways to photograph people and pets relaxing or sleeping and also offer ideas for lighting them effectively And promise not to be offended if you doze off while reading these particular tips Please note When you see notations like w5 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found
31. plate to the camera without having to use a coin like many other quick release plates photo Andrew Darlow 139 140 Pet Photography Tip 76 Use a large softbox umbrella or a reflector with a flash or continuous light for effective lighting A large softbox umbrella or reflector about 2 x 3 feet 61 x 91cm or larger with either a flash head or continuous lighting fixture inside can produce a beautiful soft light similar to diffused window light Alternatively a large disc reflector about 24 50 inches 61 127cm in diameter can be placed in front of a small flash unit such as those made by Canon Nikon Sigma or Vivitar to produce a similar light w8 6 Alternatively a photo umbrella can be placed in front of the subject and light can be reflected into it to produce a very attractive light usually with very distinc tive looking catch lights due to the metal weblike construction of most umbrellas There are hundreds of lighting units available I ve put together a list of some popular brands and accessories on the book s com panion Web site w8 7 Another quick tip to remember is that many on camera accessory flash units often have an autofocus assist light that can help you focus faster in just about any lighting condition The distance you place the softbox umbrella or translucent reflec tor from your subjects will affect the following e How hard or soft the shadows are The closer you move the
32. sharing time with and photographing dogs and cats Throughout my childhood spent hours playing with many dogs and cats at the homes of family and friends Later in life at the age of 18 lived with a family in Japan where shared the house with a very special Akita named Jiro see the following page for more about Jiro Since then I ve spent time with and have had the honor of photographing hundreds of dogs cats and their people friends from New York City to Tokyo Japan Whether I m photographing a dog or cat while on vacation on the front lawn of a neighbor s house or during a commissioned assign ment at a client s home find that my most memorable photos are not posed pictures with a paper or fabric background They are the pictures that happen spontaneously like a photo of a dog s face with his tail wagging happily when he reacts to the voice of a family member or a photograph of a cat while she s in a zenlike state of relaxation perched on a window sill always strive to capture the spirit of pets and the people with whom they share their lives And that s my goal for this book to help you make better pho tographs of your loved ones that you and your family will cherish for many years If you take even one photo that is influenced by what you read here and if that image brings a tear to your eye or a smile to your face then I ve done my job Hopefully you ll be making many more than just on
33. the tips Please note When you see notations like w1 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Important note Also included with most of the tips is a description of the lighting used and the month and time of day that the photos were taken to help you better determine when you might find a certain quality of light Unless otherwise stated all photos were taken in the northeast United States New York New Jersey area Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 1 for image information Pet Photography Choose the right camera for your needs and the needs of your pets You ll definitely need a camera of some type to take photographs so that s why this is the first official tip of the book Overviews of the five most popular types of cameras used today are described below Because there is so much l d like to cover within each cat egory go into more detail with all the camera types listed below in an article available on the book s companion Web site w1 1 Some cameras made today can be placed in multiple categories but most people consider these to be the major categories Film Cameras Most people including me learned photogra phy using film cameras Film cameras have been produced for over 100 years and many types and models have been made These include Single use plastic film cameras
34. to soften the light and to create a warmer overall tone Most of the light came from the LED headlamp which was held about 3 feet 91cm from the cat Both photos were taken with the LG enV cell phone photos Andrew Darlow TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Tip 2 Decide Whether You Want to Shoot in RAW JPEG or Another Mode The decision to capture your images in RAW JPEG a combination 9 of the two or another mode is an important one Shooting in your camera s RAW format gives you the ability to edit your images more effectively generally shoot RAW files only and process my files through a RAW processing application so that don t have to store and archive multiple originals However there are reasons why you might choose to shoot JPEG only or RAW plus JPEG The main reasons for shooting both RAW and JPEG at the same time are the following e You can quickly make an online gallery from the JPEGs and email the files without having to process them though they may be quite large if not resized e You can bring the JPEGs on a media card or CD or in some cases a DVD to a photo lab or use your own inkjet printer to make prints without having to process them in a RAW processing application If the photos are important I d highly recommend backing up the files in two places such as your computer and an external hard drive before inserting your card into any photo lab machine e You can achieve a secondary backup of your
35. well so consider taking some photos when your human loved ones share their affection with pets Pic tures taken from above when a dog or cat is in one s lap is one option and another option is to shoot from a very low angle as someone pets the dog or cat on the head You can also get a range of great expressions such as tail wagging purring or yawning as you pet different areas This can be hilarious at times like when a dog shakes one of his legs in a funny way when being pet For this photo of a Weimeraner captured him leaning in for some love from his owner took this photo shortly after the Hero shot of the same distinguished dog shown in Chapter 2 Tip 14 It is amazing how many different looks and emotions you can capture if you keep shooting LET SLEEPING DOGS AND CATS Tip 45 Gather the Troops on the Couch and Utilize the TV As they say or at least as say the more couch potatoes the merrier and that certainly rings true for sleepy dogs and cats Whether your pets find themselves on a big couch love seat or a chair that swings when they get sleepy photo opportunities soon appear Feel free to invite your people friends as well to join in the fun Keeping the TV while shooting can help in a few ways It can provide a good amount of light especially in the evening in a darkened room and depending on the size of the screen and the angle it can help produce catch lights in your subjects eyes
36. word LU N C H 2 on in the home The light on the chair is a bit blown out but like that look because it makes the image feel as though it is full of warmth and light on a sunny day The key is not to let it blow out too much see Chapter 3 Tip 28 for more on that photo Andrew Darlow 74 Pet Photography Tip 40 Look for Interesting Framing Opportunities Around the Home In Chapter 4 window related tips were discussed including a tip about including windows as architectural details in your photos There are many other features found in homes such as attractive doorways fireplaces and staircases Pets seem to often place them selves perfectly in these locations to take cat naps so you just need to look for opportunities and be there to capture the moments photographed these two cats at a client s home in February at about 3 P M guarding the living quarters much like the stoic lions outside the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue The wide angle lens made all the difference here because of the way it helps to bring in so much of the surroundings Because used a zoom lens 16 35mm was able to get many different looks very quickly including both vertical and horizontal shots The cropped final version shown on the facing page left side is quite different from the uncropped version on the right Cropping is extremely important and every photo can be altered dramatically wi
37. 135 136 options 21 outdoor portraits 41 43 red eye reduction 147 silhouette shots 58 60 and softbox 62 with softbox umbrella reflector 140 141 on umbrella bracket 44 wireless triggers 148 149 Flickr com 132 Flipbac 33 Flip out viewfinder 33 Focus options 19 Food stands 126 Foreground out of focus 16 70 shadows 56 snail s eye view 34 French door light 61 Fuji Color Negative film 72f 73f 99f 110f 111f Furniture pet juxtaposition 90 G German Shephard 104 Ghost costume 120 Glass no flash 135 136 Glass door shots 66 Gobo 142f Goggle props 88 Golden hour 40 Gray balance 14 Gray cards 14 167 The Great American Mutt Show 122 Greeting cards 1 128 157 H Halloween shots 120 Halogen lights 14 28f Hand colored look 180 Hasselblad 500ELX 17f Hats 106 HDR see High dynamic range HDR photography Headlamps 7 8f 135 136 Hero shots 29 108 High dynamic range HDR photography 173 Highlights camera alert feature 49 details 173 silhouette shots 58 from sun 94f from windows 99f 132 Holiday shots see also Event shots Christmans Chanukah New Year 114 Easter 118 Halloween 120 Hot shoes 139 148 l mpact Telescopic Collapsible Reflector Holder 43 nkjet printers 128 183 nternational travel photos 110 SO general and aperture 16 low light shots 135 and noise 134 on the fly shots 32 RAW mode 132 and sharpness 51 and sh
38. Beagle with a 10 meg apixel Canon point and shoot digital camera at about 2 P M on a May afternoon A photo of the same dog photographed in similar lighting but not shaded under trees can also be found in this chapter 99 Camera Canon PowerShot SD790 IS Lens Focal Length Built in 6 2 18 6mm 1S 14mm ISO 320 Aperture f 4 5 Shutter Speed 1600 sec Lighting Notes Lighting was natural daylight filtered by trees photo Andrew Darlow ERA Pet Photography This photo of the same Beagle was shot in the parking lot of a restaurant with an Apple iPhone 3G The overall quality is surpris ingly good for a smartphone camera ran the reduce noise filter in Adobe Photoshop on the dark portion of the dog s fur to reduce some of the color noise in the photo es Camera Apple iPhone 3G Lens Focal Length built in Aperture fl2 8 Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded Lighting Notes Lighting came entirely from natural daylight photo Andrew Darlow TRAIN YOUR CAMERA A Few Camera Phone Tips e In the camera settings menu if your camera phone has one set it to the highest native picture resolution and quality if you want the best possible results The highest resolution shown is usually the native resolution and the manual should note if it is not e f your camera has a slot for external memory such as a micro SD card buy a card and set the camera to record to the exter 7 nal c
39. Bogen 3361 It is lightweight and very strong Attached to the top of the stand and circled in red is an Impact Telescopic Collapsible Reflec tor Holder It has two strong clamps and it is holding a collapsed and open version of an inexpensive 25 x 28 inch 63 5 x 71 cm car windshield sun protector called the Axius Basix Magic Shade Notice how one side is shiny silver and the other side is matte The shiny side will produce a more focused intense light similar to aluminum foil and the matte side will reflect light more softly It should be noted that the Impact Collapsible Reflector also comes with a swiveling stand adapter not shown Circled in blue is a small Bosh 12 inch 30 cm diameter translucent circular reflector It folds up into a small circle and comes with a black protective zipper case also shown in the photo A number of companies make similar reflectors 43 44 Pet Photography Circled in green is a Manfrotto Camera Umbrella Bracket 143BKT which is supporting the reflector holder One way to use the camera umbrella bracket is to attach a small flash unit to the 1 4 20 standard thread shown in the photo using a hot shoe mount like the Stroboframe Shoe General Purpose At the bottom of the frame is a gold sunshield which can be found at auto supply stores or online In addition to being used to reflect light the translucent reflectors like the one circled in blue can be used to shoot light through either sunli
40. France Press Release May 15 2009 Corbis Opens Sygma Preservation and Fi Download 2 Page PDF Choose Language WIR Technical Articles About Image Permanence Test Methods and the Permanence of Digitally Printed Photographs 2006 International Conference On Digital Printing Technologies Denver Colorado USA September 19 2006 A 15 Year History of Digital Printing Technology and Print Permanence in the Evolution of Digital Fine Art Photography By Henry Wilhelm Downloac 9 pace POF Postec September 25 2006 Essay Excerpted from ti Book Nash Editions Photography and the Art of Digital Printing By Graham Nash with essays by Richard Benson R Mac Holbert and Henry Wilhelm Edited by Garrett White A History of Permanence in Traditional and Digital Color Search O www www wilhelm research com WIR Print Permanence Ratings for 3rd Party Consumer Inks Papers and General Interest Image Permanence Articles Press Release Premier Imaging Products and Wilhelm Imaging Research Announce Comprehensive Testing of PremierArt GenerationsFine Art Papers and Canvas Print Permanence Ratings for Harman Inkjet Papers with HP El and Canon pigment Inks Download pace POF Posted October 22 2008 Print Permanence Ratings for Hahnemuhle Inkjet Papers with Epson UltraChrome K3 Pigment Inks Ratings for Desktop Printers 4x6 Inch Dedicated Photo Printers Silver Halide Digital
41. ISO 400 Aperture fl7 1 Shutter Speed 00 sec Lighting Notes The sun is slightly overhead and camera right which created the highlight and shadows you see No reflectors were used photo Andrew Darlow WHERE D MY SOCK GO Tip 51 Get Your Feet in the Game This idea is related to the previous tip and it involves a little foot work The range of shoes sneakers sandals and of course unique in this world makes the inclusion of one s feet in the frame with a dog or cat both fun and interesting It s easiest to do this when 95 sitting but it s also possible to include your feet in the shot when standing In that case a wide angle lens generally works best A related option would be to shoot someone else s feet with a dog or cat looking up at them For this photo of a yellow Labrador Retriever photographed in mid December at about 4 P M pointed my lens in the dog s direction and was rewarded with a smile My lens was set to nearly its widest focal length 17mm which is equivalent to about a 25mm lens in 35mm terms with the camera used The f 2 8 aperture contributed to the relatively shallow depth of field Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 1 7mm ISO 400 Aperture fl2 8 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes Lighting came entirely from outdoor natural light filtered y N through the clouds NO photo Andrew Darlow Need a shine Pet Photogra
42. It can also serve as a common focal point to encourage the pets to look in the same direction as long as everyone is interested in what s on In the photo on the following page shot on the same day as the images in Tips 42 and 43 we politely asked some of the home s resi dents to join their brother Elwood center on the couch in front of the TV It was just after 5 P M and it had been a long day for every one as you can tell from everyone s expressions They all held in there nicely throughout the session Some retouching was done including reducing the redness in the front two dogs eyes adding some catch lights to the black dog s right eye darkening the corners and top of the image and increasing contrast on Elwood and the dog on the left Many of these retouching tips will be discussed in Chapter 9 Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon They don t call us 16 35mm 16mm Man s Best Friend ISO 400 Aperture f 9 5 Shutter Speed 5 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight on a partly cloudy winter day was the only lighting photo Andrew Darlow for nothing SLEEP 83 84 Pet Photography 099 Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm ISO 800 Aperture fl7 1 Shutter Speed Yo sec Lighting Notes Lighting came primarily from a single off camera diffused flash placed slightly camera right Natural daylight from a few windows located on the right an
43. LED flashlights are bright inexpensive and very efficient w4 4 Just be careful not to use a light that is too bright for your subjects eyes To avoid that problem and to soften the light a small piece of diffusion material or even a napkin or piece of paper over the light can help a lot Products normally designed for flash units like the LumiQuest Big Bounce can also be used with LED flashlights w4 5 In this photo taken a few minutes after the photo from Tip 32 my friend used a small LED flashlight with some diffusion over the light to add the catch lights and bring out detail in the dog s face and fur as photographed her dog from different angles positions and focal lengths from 16 35mm Do I have anything in my teeth Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 400 Aperture fl2 8 Shutter Speed 1250 photo O Andrew Darlow I DO WINDOWS WINDOW LIGHTING TIPS Tip 34 Include a Large Window or French Doors for Some Dramatic Looks Continuing the theme of including a window in your images if you 61 have a distinctive looking picture window or French doors try including them in your photos If the light is not much brighter outside compared with inside you can get a very nice overall look without losing detail on your subject For this photo of a client s Dalmatian which captured handheld at a beautiful home on a snowy day with a wide angle lens
44. Minilabs Article from IS amp T s 2007 International Symposium On T For Digital Fulfillment Las Vegas Nevada USA March 5 2007 A Survey of Print Permanence in the 4x6 Inch Consumer Digital Print Market in 2004 2007 By Henry Wilhelm Includes WIR Data for the NEWEST 4x6 inch Printers from Dell Lexmark Canon Hewlett Packard and Epson Also Includes WIR Display Permanence Ratings for Digital Minilab Silver Halide Color Papers WIR DPR Ratings Years 40 Fujicolor Crystal Archive 19 Kodak Edge Generations 17 Konica DNP Impresa HP Photosmart Express PE1000 Retail Kiosk Printer with HP Vivera Pigment Inks Updated 2009 Free Public Bata of WIR Star Comparativo Imago WIR Print Permanence Ratings for Medium Format Tabletop Inkjet Photo Printers and for Large Format Inkjet Photo Printers Print Permanence Ratings for HP Designjet 23200 ind Vivera Pigment Inks With Chromatic Red Ink Print Permanence Ratings for Epson Stylus Photo R2880 Printer and New UltraChrome K3 With Vivid Magenta Inks E 8 1 Posted February 16 2009 Epson Stylus Photo R2880_ Download 8 Page POF Print Permanence Ratings for Epson Stylus Pro 7900 Printer and New UltraChrome HOR Inks THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 101 Find More Online Resources Experiment and Have Fun Learning the ins and outs of a digital camera imaging software and working with a photo lab or your own printer can get f
45. Notes Natural daylight camera right provided all of the lighting photo O Andrew Darlow 51 52 Pet Photography 4 Tip 30 No Sun No Problem Use Cloudy Days to Their Full Extent You may think that a bright sunny day with a clear blue sky offers the best lighting for outdoor photos It s true that clear blue skies can look great especially early and late in the day but cloudy days offer softer more diffused lighting that can be very flattering to your subjects Even on cloudy days the sun will usually produce directional light that creates soft shadows so use the same basic techniques described in earlier tips in this chapter And of course there are all kinds of mostly cloudy or partly sunny days which provide for an ever changing palette of light and shadows This photo was taken in a wooded area near a client s home in mid December at about 5 P M Although it was cloudy the sun camera left was just about ready to set and it created a slightly warm soft and directional feel This is exactly how my Dog of o the Year statue Camera Canon EOS D60 shou Id look Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm 1SO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed 4a0 sec photo O Andrew Darlow y Oe Do Windows Window Lighting Tips Windows can be found just about everywhere and with some help from the sun they can produce a beautiful quality of lig
46. OS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 400 Aperture f 9 5 Shutter Speed sec photo Andrew Darlow BASK IN THE SUNSHINE OR RAIN Tip 24 Use reflectors when shooting outside and use the sun like a lightbulb Using one or more fill cards often referred to as reflectors can do wonders for your photographs A fill card helps to direct light onto the subject Reflectors can be white foam boards white walls posters aluminum foil for more dramatic effects or anything else that helps to fill in or add drama to the main light The sun shades often used to keep cars cool can be excellent fill cards and some even fold up nicely into a small circle like more expensive options from photo related companies w3 3 If you think of the sun as a lightbulb you can create many effects with natural light Start by locating the sun in the sky Then have your subjects turn slightly away from the sun or find a place without direct sun so that the sun does not make them squint their eyes Then use reflectors to direct light toward them It helps to have an assistant hold the reflectors and always be careful outside when using any type of stands tripods etc especially when they have a reflector attached because they can easily get blown over by the wind Sand bags or backpacks can be used on the legs of tripods or light stands to keep things more stable The light stand model shown on the following page is a
47. S D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro ISO 200 Aperture fl2 8 Shutter Speed 42 sec Lighting Notes Lighting came primarily from natural daylight from a few windows located camera left and in front of the cat photo Andrew Darlow 182 Pet Photography Consider Ordering Continuous Tone Prints from a Photo Lab or Retail Store Continuous tone digital prints from photo labs or from many of the retail stores that offer this type of printing are a great choice for a few reasons 1 You can have sharp vibrant long lasting prints made afford ably from wallet size to over 40 x 60 inches 2 The prints are very water and smudge resistant and have an expected longevity of about 20 60 years if displayed under typical gallery lighting much longer in dark storage before noticeable fading or color shift based on longevity testing from Wilhelm Imaging Research Prints made on some types of photo papers fared better than others as you can see on their Web site w9 21 3 There are many online companies that offer continuous tone digital printing including Shutterfly Snapfish Kodak Gallery and others w9 22 There are some steps you can take to help ensure that you get consistent high quality results from your lab and I ve written an article that covers the topic in depth w9 23 One important part of the article includes using a standard image to test all of your devices from monitor to print An exa
48. Speed 145 sec Lighting Notes Most of the lighting came from two small off camera flash units which created the two catch lights seen in the dog s eyes Some additional fill light came from a large picture window photo Andrew Darlow y Barkness on the Edge of Town Low Light and Creative Lighting Tips Photography is all about capturing light and throughout the book l ve covered various lighting tips for photographing pets by describing the lighting used In this chapter present tips for getting better photos in dark and low light situations with differ ent types of cameras and for lighting with flash units whether the flash is built into the camera or separate To delve deeper there are many books and Web sites that cover creative lighting including camera specific books that go over the nitty gritty of exactly which buttons to press on your specific camera and or flash unit and where they are located w1 26 And of course there s the user s manual which always makes for exciting reading Please note When you see notations like w8 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 80 for image information 132 Pet Photography Tip 71 Shoot in RAW Mode for Best Results This tip is also covered in Chapter 1 Tip 2 but it i
49. Training Programs gt gt Be sure to check out our blog for tutorials news and other articles of interest to photographers and designers THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE ABOUT CONTACT Select area to search z MEMBER LOGIN Welcome And View FREE Tutorials Aa RSS SUBSCRIBE For News Articles Events 159 Read Product Reviews on SC Training Programs 3 Dimensional Contrast receives 5 3 Hot One Eddie Tapp Create IT Fix IT Mask IT amp Finish IT in Photoshop CS4 20 OFF NEW RELEASE In this 2 part program learn powerful techniques for Photoshop CS4 that will empower you to handle the most difficult imaging projects Included are 4 sections that deal extensively with image creativity enhancing masking and printing There is also a bonus sections illustrating 3rd party filters and a section devoted purely to Photoshop CS4 new features HOW to WOW Jack Davis PS CS4 ACR 5 amp LR 2 Use promo code 56 509 at checkout Offer valid May 18 May 30 2009 c http www software cinema com training adobe photoshop eddie tapp 59 create it fix it mask it finish it in photoshop cs4 Screenshots of three popular fee based training options that offer training both online and through DVDs Lynda com Kelbytraining com and Software Cinema com Each one covers Adobe Photoshop extensively and recommend checking out their offerings for many other
50. a distinctive chair or bench Many compa nies make chairs and benches especially for kids and pets and some companies produce very elegant furniture designed for pets w6 9 photographed this Pug puppy outside under a tree at about 1 P M in late August asked the dog s owner if she would place the baby pacifier in the dog s mouth That s not something would recommend anyone do unless they have a very close relationship with the dog or cat The pacifier was new and clean and brought it with me in a plastic bag It s always best to clean any toys in advance that you plan to offer to a dog or cat Where did sign up Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro 1SO 400 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed 160 sec Lighting Notes Shaded natural daylight provided all the lighting and the tree provided the nice dappled light effects photo Andrew Darlow for this RYAN AS 108 Pet Photography Tip 60 Capture Some Interesting Profile or Partial Profile Views This tip is one that is very easy to do but it is often overlooked Look for opportunities to photograph the profiles of your pets as they turn to look in different directions There are full profile views partial profiles and everything in between It s especially interest ing if the dog or cat is looking at something or someone that you also include in the photo such as a cat looking at a dog For this photo
51. all WHERE D MY SOCK GO Tip 54 Coordinate Your Dog or Cat to the Background A background can make all the difference in a photo so recom mend taking a quick walk around your home including the bath rooms and outside and see what areas might work well for this approach For example bright orange 1960 s d cor can really make a statement when your pet complements the look Bed sheets and bedspreads can also make for great backgrounds For this photo of a client s Dalmatian the carpet and the dog had similar patterns but were very different in color which made for an interesting overall look The overhead view and shallow depth of field also added to the effect Camera Nikon N90 Film Fuji Sensia 200 Color Slide Lens Focal Length Sigma 28 105mm approximately 28mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO Spots are the new 3 ighting Notes Light was streaming in stri pes 4 from a large window camera right which created the strong highlights and slightly cool tones A few lightbulbs were on in the home and they added to the warmth of the picture especially on the dog s head No retouching was done apart from some minor dusting The darkened corner effect was created by the shadows made by furniture in the room If only a few corners were dark probably would have darkened the other corners in Adobe Photoshop to create the balanced look you see in this photo Vignettes are covered in
52. ance 137 Backups 152 Bandana 106 Bath toys 106 Bathtub shots 105 Beach shots 105 Beagle 5 Beanbag camera stabilizer 76 Bed sheets 56 Bed shots sleeping pets 78 Behind the subject shots 30 Benches as props 106 Black and white images 176 177 179f 180 Bogen 3361 light stand 43 Boston Terrier 114 128 The Brady Bunch 127 Bubble level 139 Bulldog 34 Bunny ear props 118 Burst mode 19 Butterfly wings 106 Cable release mode 146 Camera phones 6 7 6f 8f Cam Pod 76 Canvas 137 CDs compact discs 9 152 Chair props 72 106 Chandler 108 Chanukah shots 114 Chew toy shots 100 Chihuahua 16 17f 45 78 96 104 122 Chinese Crested 46 51 78 96 116 Christmas shots 114 Close up framing 70 93 Cloudy day shots 29 52 108 Cockapoo 58 Color laser prints 183 Color management 168 169 Color matching 168 Color modes 15 Color schemes 126 Color temperature 14 167 CompactFlash cards 22 153 Competitions 122 Continuous light 140 141 Continuous tone prints 182 Corel Paint Shop Pro 157 188 Index Couch shots 83 Creative lighting 137 140 141 Cropping black and white images 179f sleeping pet shots 74 76 software applications 175 Cupid 114 128 D Dalmatian 61 72 99 Dappled lighting effect 48f 56 62f 63f 98 102f103f 106f 107f 136 Dark frame subtraction 143 Date based management system 155 Depth of field shallow 70 and shooting
53. ard Then purchase a card reader or use the one built into your computer if you have one an SD card adapter is usually included with every micro SD card It will allow for much faster transfer speeds and will avoid potential data charges from your cell carrier e Turn off the camera phone s internal flash most of them do a poor job and go outside during the day to shoot turn the lights on in your home or use continuous lighting such as a lamp or diffused LED light for better overall results w1 7 See Chapter 8 for much more about lighting e Use your opposite hand the hand not holding your phone to cradle and help stabilize your phone while taking pictures This can dramatically improve sharpness especially in low light situations took the photo on the following page of a friend s black and white cat in low light with an LG enV cell phone The camera provided little metadata for the image resulting in none of the shot information aperture shutter speed etc being recorded However was able to choose the white balance setting and opted for Daylight because the LED light used was similar to daylight about 5500 degrees Kelvin see Tip 4 for more about color temperature The largest file size 1600 x 1200 pixels was selected in the camera s menu Pet Photography a The LED headlamp that used for this picture can be seen above in Figure b taped a piece of warm colored diffusion material over it
54. at flashes it very well may trip the flash that has the photo cell enabled For this photo of a woman and her Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier photographed at about 10 P M in June on a building in New York City used a Quantum Radio Slave 4 wireless transmitter and receiver The camera was about 15 feet from the flash and the flash unit Vivitar 285HV was diffused using a LumiQuest Big Bounce accessory placed on a stand about 10 feet from the sub EDGE OF TOWN ED m jects camera left w8 18 The shadows falling on the woman s face were lightened a bit and selective sharpening was done to draw more attention to their faces as well as the woman s hair and scarf 149 990 Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm Di 11 38mm ISO 800 Aperture fl7 1 Shutter Speed 3 sec photo O Andrew Darlow The Digital Canine and Feline Technical Tips and Printing Advice Digital and photography are two words that go together like cats and sleep Digital Photography encompasses many topics including using a digital camera to capture and display images shooting with a film camera and then scanning the originals retouching images on a computer regardless of where they originated printing final works of art on a printer of some type and outputting new film or paper on a device and using it to make prints with traditional methods for example outputting new negatives to make photo prints
55. at next to him experi mented with a few angles and both of them handled the assignment well Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro 1SO 640 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed Yo sec Lighting Notes Lighting came primarily from a single off camera diffused flash Vivitar 285HV placed slightly camera right Natural daylight from a few windows located behind the camera provided some additional light photo O Andrew Darlow Hey Elwood say cheeeeese WHERE D MY SOCK GO Tip 58 There are countless opportunities for photographing dogs near the water including lakes rivers pools the beach outside in the sprinklers on a summer day or even in the bathtub Watch your gear during the inevitable power shake that so many dogs like to perform after they get wet A clear screw on skylight filter can be invaluable in those situations to help protect your lenses w6 7 and some companies make special bags and housings for cameras w6 8 106 Pet Photography Tip 59 Use Simple Props to Make a Picture Much More Interesting Simple props scarves bandanas hats angel butterfly wings pool bath toys and just about anything else that complements your pets and their people friends can transform an otherwise average photo into something far more interesting Furniture can also be a prop and it works especially well if you keep the back ground simple and use
56. autiful but all too often we keep our cameras inside when we re outside in the snow with our pets and other family and friends Some snowy photo ideas include close ups of a dog s whiskers covered with tiny icicles photos of a family wearing the same style of sweater as their lap dog and a dog and a child on a sled with snow covered mountains in the background Most camera meters treat everything as if it is medium gray so if your camera has the capability set the exposure compensation to about 1 or 1 5 EV when outside in the snow for better overall exposures w3 8 If your camera has a highlight alert feature that makes the blown out areas blink on your LCD screen enabling it can help to let you know when the snow or sky is overexposed w3 9 Also shooting in RAW mode instead of JPEG can help to retain detail in these cases photographed the lovely Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier on the following page at about 2 P M one afternoon a few days after a big February snowfall kept shooting as zoomed in and out with my lens and my feet made sure that my exposure was okay but didn t worry too much about what the images looked like until we were both inside in a more comfortable temperature When time is limited it s better to get the shots and review them later It also usually makes for some great surprises much like when shooting with film cameras The Exposure Compensation adjustment area on a Canon point and shoot cam
57. by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 40 for image information 70 Pet Photography 4 Tip 38 Get Low Get Close and Use Shallow Depth of Field A low vantage point shallow depth of field and close up framing like you see in this image are some of the techniques that can be combined to help make photos of resting or sleeping pets much more interesting photographed this sleeping kitten at about 6 P M in mid March at a client s apartment in New York City The low vantage point and shallow depth of field f 3 5 aperture caused the couch cushions in the foreground and background to be out of focus The front cushion is particularly significant because it leads the viewer s eyes to the kitten s face without being distracting A tripod can help keep things sharper in these cases and manual focus can also be helpful if you are trying to pinpoint a specific area such as the kitten s nose The 50mm macro lens chose is ideal for these types of pictures and it creates an effect equiva lent to about a 75mm lens on a full frame 35mm camera See Chapter 1 Tip 3 for more on lenses and the multiplication factor Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro ISO 400 Aperture f 3 5 Bea uty sleep Ta Shutter Speed 120 sec Lighting Notes Diffused natural light from the sun through the room s windows camera right provi
58. camera without any wires between them That s a much safer option com pared with having wires between your camera and an external flash Wireless triggers are available in numerous types shapes sizes and price points w8 13 They can be used with just about any camera that has either a hot shoe or a PC terminal but an inexpensive adapter is needed if your camera has a hot shoe but no PC terminal w8 14 The PC terminal has traditionally been used to connect a studio flash directly with a wired sync cord but it can be used to plug in a wireless flash trigger Some cameras include built in wireless functionality for their own company s flash units For example the Nikon SB 600 and SB 800 Speedlites can be triggered wirelessly by the Nikon D70 D200 D300 and other Nikon DSLRs with no additional equipment w8 15 Some camera manufacturers sell transmitters that attach to the camera s hot shoe that can fire flash units wire lessly An example is the Canon ST E2 Speedlite Transmitter for Canon 580EX Il 430EX and 430EX Il Speedlites w8 16 Like many accessory flash units the ST E2 can also improve autofocus in almost any light Other options for firing flash units wirelessiy include built in or accessory optical photo cells on flash units These photo cells a k a optical slaves can sense other flashes and when they detect them they fire as well w8 17 The main problem with these is that if anyone else has a camera in the area th
59. ce the overall look of the image using Adobe Photoshop photo Andrew Darlow About the Author gt Andrew Darlow is an award winning author and photogra pher whose love of cats and dogs began at a very young age His pet photography has been featured in numerous publications and on air broad casts including Animal Fair magazine the News 12 New Jersey television program Rangefinder Magazine and the AKC Gazette the official magazine of the American Kennel Club Andrew Darlow Photo by Jorge Julian Over more than a decade Darlow has been commis sioned to photograph people and their pets in both formal and informal situations He has photographed numerous dog shows including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City and he has donated his photo and custom printing services to a number of causes including the Susan G Komen Foundation Women s Venture Fund The Seeing Eye the world s oldest exist ing dog guide school and the garden tour for Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons a no kill shelter for dogs and cats He has lectured and conducted seminars and workshops around the world at conferences and for photography organizations and schools including the Arles Photo Festival School of Visual Arts Columbia University and the International Center of Photography ICP in New York xvi About the Author Andrew Darlow relaxing with one of his four legged models at a cli
60. ch is important to know since natural light will generally be different in other regions of the world at different times of the year Jiro my host family dog photographed in Nara Japan Jiro means second son in Japanese and he quickly became like a second host brother to me when lived with a wonderful host mother father sister and brother in Japan as an exchange student In this photo Jiro looks quite pleased with the small gift gave to him earlier that day There are a few tips from the book at work here including e Tip 60 Capture some interesting profile or partial profile views Your subject doesn t always have to be looking right at the lens as you can see from this photo Tip 89 Get your old negatives slides and prints scanned or scan them yourself scanned this photo from a 4 x 6 inch approximately 10 x 15 cm print on an inexpensive flatbed scanner Tip 93 Sharpen with care sometimes selectively depending on the subject For this photo the entire image was sharpened moderately but selectively sharpened Jiro s eyes and fur to help draw attention to those areas xii Preface Who This Book Is For This book was designed primarily for those who want to make better photos of pets and people regardless of your photographic or computer skill level The book was designed to give you the information needed to get started or to continue on your journey toward making better photograph
61. chive and to be able to share with family and friends via email online galleries and through digital prints Understandably it can be a daunting task to choose which photos you might want to scan from hundreds or thousands espe cially if they are in negative form This is another topic that is very broad in scope with many options To best describe some of the many ways in which you can bring your archives into the 21st century I ve written an extensive article on the topic on the companion Web site It includes scanning options for do it yourselfers as well as companies who scan prints negatives and or slides w9 10 photographed the poodle on the following page Hasedera Temple in Nara Japan with a point and shoot camera on a beauti ful spring day in the early afternoon when the flowers were in full bloom The digital file was produced by a drum scanner from a small 4 x 6 inch 10 x 15 cm color glossy print A scan from the original negative would have resulted in a file with more detail but this image looked fine even when printed up to about 16 x 20 inches 41 x 51 cm ScanCafe How scanning works Screen shot from a popular EEE TRIER scanning service company gt eae com gt A 0 Se 1 You Order 2 You Ship to Us 3 Scan 4 You Review 5 We Ship lo You 6 You Enjoy amp Share 166 Pet Photography If this background s too busy know a great spot nearby Came
62. creen protector And don t forget video cameras Many have flip out screens and good quality still image capture modes Any camera with a live view option can help expand your creative options by allowing you to hold the camera at different angles such as directly over your pet Or be adventurous by just setting the camera to autofocus or use the distance scale on your camera or lens then shoot by pressing the shutter button manually via self timer or from a remote shutter release and check the results on the LCD screen Isn t technology wonderful The Flipbac Angle Viewfinder in the closed and open position photo courtesy Flipback Innovations 33 Pet Photography af Tip 19 34 By getting low on the ground and shooting up toward your sub jects you can create some really dramatic imagery If you are outside it s a good idea to bring along some plastic bags to kneel or lie on while taking these types of pictures one gallon resealable bags work well Just roll up a few and pack them away for when you need them You can also find foam kneepads at most home improvement stores look in the carpet or painting section they are good if you will be standing then kneeling because they usually attach via a recloseable fastener For real die hards heavy duty skateboard kneepads are another option took this photo of a friend s bulldog at a park from a very low viewpoint just after noon in early September really like
63. d le FEATURED CS4 ONLNE RANNG OTHER CSACOURSES Now Available Now Available ed Mastering Color in Online Photo tan net Photoshop CS4 Portfolios with Creati Lightroom 2 and Stango website with Decor cs4 Adobe InDesign Photoshop Elements more info ACODE Acrobat On Sale ems view all O O Sa a 66 Tutorials Online Training lynda com Q Q O http wwew tynda com Subscribe to a world of knowledge our time Save your moNey KA6Wall the features of your software login subscribe Presentations Online Training Library ao storials wi ine u 375 Premium f sok d design topi Learn int Design oka py 25 Monthly Project Online Training Multi user Your Thoughts Blog ram Videos about Library solutions lynda com Learn the latest tools and Solutions for We would like to hear Latest Entry Guided Tours techniques in digital organizations with 5 or from you in order to media design and more people improve your experience Dinner Choose a video tour development at lynda com Subscribe Now learn more Customer Testimonials Eres Sample Training Corporate solutions Podcast Choose a viceo E Latest releases Academic solutions Take the quick Gift Subscriptions Case Studies Watch the Iynda com Certificates Contact Us It really Is quick podcast via iTunes or
64. d by the AKC American Kennel Club Others like The Great American Mutt Show are much more casual w7 3 I ve photographed many dog shows over the years and for those who have pets competing they can be a great place to meet other dog owners and to pho tograph your pets Even if your dog or cat does not win a ribbon or trophy there are always a few good spots around the facility where you can take pictures The benching area where pets and their handlers get ready is a great place because you can take photos as the pet is getting prepped The transformation that some dogs and cats undergo is nothing short of amazing Photographing agility events properly takes some planning and expertise These events include lure coursing and agility weaving in and out of poles and jumping through rings The best general advice can give for photographing agility events is to follow the action and sports photography tips in Chapter 1 Tip 11 photographed this woman and her adorable Chihuahua mix at an event called The Great American Mutt Show w7 4 Despite the show s name purebred dogs are also welcome to participate A portion of the proceeds from their shows always goes toward sup porting animal rescue and awareness and this particular show was held during one of the Super Pet Expos Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm 1SO 400 Aperture f 6 7 Shutter Speed sec Lighting Notes A single diffused on cam
65. d left provided some fill light photo Andrew Darlow LET SLEEPING DOGS AND CATS s Tip 46 Don t Worry About Looking Perfect Take Pictures of Real Life saved this tip for last in this chapter because it fits in well with the idea of photographing our pets and people friends when relax ing or sleeping We re often conditioned to get set up and made up when we know people are going to take our pictures In fact many people don t even think of taking pictures unless they go on vacation or have a party or family gathering Instead con sider taking photos of your loved ones on a Sunday morning in their pajamas just after they ve brushed their teeth and grabbed or fetched the weekend paper or late at night while watching a movie or in the yard covered with dirt Most pets seem to always be ready for their close up but they rely on us to grab the camera If the moments are special to you then those are the times you should be taking pictures SLEEP 85 y Where d My Sock Go Tips for Setting Up and Capturing Fun Photos always enjoy looking at collections of photos based on themes A theme could be a series of images related to a topic like cats who scuba dive or a picture collection of firehouse dogs from around the world l m trying to stay on topic here In this chapter present a series of tips that read like themes or photo assignments And unlike many of the assignments t
66. day you are working outside on a laptop in the bright sun and the next day you are in near darkness you are not viewing your screen in a consistent environment and you probably won t get the results you want A common question that comes up often is whether people should set their camera to the sRGB or AdobeRGB working space an option on all DSLR and some point and shoot cameras Ado beRGB has a wider gamut than sRGB so if a printer and paper combination has a very wide gamut and your picture has very bright colors you should be able to print more possible colors from images if you have the AdobeRGB working space profile embedded and use proper color management For those who shoot RAW files it really doesn t matter what you set your camera to because you will determine your file s working space when you export the files If you shoot only in JPEG or TIFF then it is impor tant and for most people I d recommend sRGB if you don t want to have to convert the files to sRGB to have them printed at a photo lab or when posting them online However there is a good argument for using AdobeRGB even if you only shoot JPEGs because of the additional colors that you can retain in your file especially if you plan to make prints using inkjet printers Also if you shoot only JPEG or TIFF with sRGB embedded and then THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE convert to AdobeRGB you won t get back the bright saturated colors you ve already lost As me
67. ded most of the light and some household lightbulbs in the room added to the overall lighting progress photo Andrew Darlow 72 Pet Photography Tip 39 Share Your Chairs with Your Four Legged Friends A pet relaxing on a chair with or without a few companions can make for some great photos It doesn t really matter from which angle you photograph your dog or cat sitting on a chair but especially like a straight on perspective or from above And if you have a few chairs a few dogs and a deck of cards you can recre ate a classic velvet painting For this photo of a client s Dalmatian photographed the dog relaxing after a long run with her owner like a focal length of about 20 30mm in 35mm terms for these types of angles and images and a zoom lens helps allow for more experimentation Another quick tip in a situation like this is to walk completely around the chair shooting from about the same angle of view that you see in this picture Then move the camera more overhead when you get to the back of the chair since it will otherwise block the shot Camera Nikon N90 Film Fuji Sensia 200 Color Slide Lens Focal Length Sigma 28 105mm approximately 28mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded Lighting Notes used the available Was that a dream sunlight that was streaming in from or d id hear the large windows primarily from the 9 left plus a few lightbulbs that were
68. design eliminates light leakage from the back photos courtesy Tailored Lighting Inc 170 Pet Photography Check your image quickly and effectively for dust dirt etc If you ve ever scanned your own prints negatives or slides or had a lab scan them without dusting them for you you ve probably had some experience with the clone tool That s because almost any scanned image will have dust hair and other unwanted stuff on your images There are a number of ways to handle this issue including using a dust and scratch removal tool such as the Dust and Scratches filter found in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements A few tutorials that cover dust removal can be found on the book s companion Web site 9 13 Regardless of what tools you use you ll need to check your image effectively The way that I ve been doing that for years is to first fill the screen with your image then zoom to 50 66 7 100 or 200 percent in your imaging application depending on the resolution how detailed the image is and how large you plan to display or print the file Note that 50 100 and 200 percent are also known as 1 2 1 1 and 2 1 respectively in Lightroom and some other applications Then starting at the top left work from top to bottom inspecting the whole section of the image that you see in that area Using the space bar in Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Ele ments you can turn the mouse into a hand and quickly move
69. detailed work w8 11 Just remember that on most cameras the first press of the shutter release or cable release will engage the mirror lockup and the second press will make the actual exposure It s also a good idea to wait 2 5 seconds after engaging the mirror lockup before making your exposure to allow for vibrations to be reduced Custom Timer 4 Delay E sec 7 Ne 1 Shots 3 shots Custom Timer S OK MENU To MENU BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Tip 79 Reduce or Eliminate Red Eye with a Few Techniques Red eye or green purple blue eye as is the case with many pets can be very distracting in photographs This problem is usually caused when photos are taken with a flash in a dark environment and the issue can be avoided or greatly reduced with some of the following techniques 147 e Turn off the flash and use some of the shooting and lighting techniques described in Tip 73 e Separate the flash from the camera lens by at least 6 inches This is usually only possible with more advanced cameras such as DSLRs Moving the flash unit off camera is the best option e Use a red eye reduction feature This approach is often not very effective and it can scare your pets if it uses an approach that uses multiple flashes of light The preflash red eye reduc tion mode is also famous for tricking people into thinking the photo has already been taken so you may end up with closed eyes or expressions that you don
70. down to the bottom as you clean up the file When you reach the bottom move the image to the left using the space bar so that a new section is visible Then continue moving up and cleaning the image until you reach the top Then repeat this process until you re done then recommend taking one quick look again using the same technique at either the same zoom level or one zoom level closer THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 93 Sharpen with care sometimes selectively depending on the subject Sharpening is a critical step whether you are preparing files for 474 display on a large computer screen DVD presentation Web page printed brochure or fine art print Properly sharpened images will look much better than over or undersharpened photos Though it may seem simple this is a huge topic with many options and the article links provided should help you to better determine which options to consider and which options to try For example in one article that I ve written on the topic demonstrated in the photo of Elwood seen here describe how blurring parts of the photo can create the appearance of increased sharpness in an image w9 14 In this photo of Elwood in a hero pose selectively blurred the background and his right ear and sharpened his eyes a bit more than the other areas of his face to draw more attention toward his eyes wonder who Mommy will bring home next for us to play with Came
71. e In the photo the background is very much out of focus and parts of the foreground are also out of focus because chose such a wide aperture If had changed the aperture to f 8 the look of the out of focus areas would have been different more of the scene would have been sharp Finally my lunch order has arrived Camera Hasselblad 500ELX Film XP2 B amp W film Lens Focal Length 80mm f 2 8 Planar T CFE ISO 200 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed unrecorded Lighting Notes The lighting for this image is entirely from natural light on a sunny afternoon in the spring or summer photo Andrew Darlow Pet Photography Tip 7 Use Shutter Priority Mode to Control Your Shutter Speed Shutter priority mode is another powerful shooting mode It allows you to keep the shutter speed at one specific value and as you change the shutter speed the aperture will adjust automatically based on what the meter reads in the scene The symbol for it is usually S or Tv depending on the camera model The advantage of this mode is that it can help you keep your images sharp which is important when photographing active pets children and others Try setting the shutter speed to between 2425 sec and wo sec to begin If you choose too fast a shutter speed and if your camera can t set the aperture wide enough to expose the scene properly everything will be too dark In that case add light increase the ISO
72. e saturation change the overall colors and adjust the masking if you ve painted outside the lines One way to get the hand colored look is very fast and simple just reduce saturation Saturation can be reduced using virtually any photo editing program and depending on how much you reduce the saturation of your image you can make your photo look like it s from a 1970 s color magazine ad or a faded color print from the same time period Also as touched on in Tip 85 any tutorial for Photoshop Elements can be done in Adobe Photoshop with the same or similar tools and many Adobe Photoshop techniques can be duplicated in Photoshop Elements Another approach is to keep a dog or cat his or her natural color by masking him or her out in a photo editor Then make the back ground completely neutral or a warm toned black and white Some links to free hand coloring tutorials for a few different applications can be found on the companion Web site w9 20 For this photo of a friend s cat liked the look of the cat but didn t like some of the strong colors in the background decided to retain some color by reducing the overall saturation in the image then just selected the cat s eyes and made them a more aqua color tone using Adobe Photoshop s Replace Color tool go to Image gt Adjustments gt Replace Color THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Hurry up Oprah s on in two minutes 181 99 Camera Canon EO
73. e Vignette settings shown in the screenshot to illustrate those two features The vignette settings are provided so that you can see the adjustments before and after processing 177 b k THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Lens Gorrection a The before photo in color prior to cropping and converting to black and white b The image after cropping converting to black and white and applying a vignette in Lightroom c The vignette adjustments made in Lightroom for the black and white image to the left Camera Nikon D300 Lens Focal Length Nikkor 24 1SO 640 Aperture f 5 Shutter Speed 25 sec Lighting Notes Lighting came from a combination of daylight from a large window as well as a small flash unit Nikon SB 900 shot into a 40 inch diameter 102 cm Lasolite All In One Umbrella camera right and fitted with its white insert That produced most of the light on the right and some of the catch lights in the eyes photo Andrew Darlow 179 180 Pet Photography Tip 98 Create a Hand Colored Look in Your Images Hand colored black and white prints have been popular for over 100 years The look can be very striking and nostalgic but you don t need special paints or a paintbrush to do it Almost any image editor will allow you to produce great looking hand colored images The key is to use layers or other nondestructive workflow options so that you can revisit the image to increase or decreas
74. e applied to low light photography And though many adjustments can be made later to RAW files such as color temperature settings it is important to choose your ISO wisely in the camera before you shoot Also even when using a flash unit it s a good idea to choose an ISO that is not too low so that your flash doesn t have to work as hard this is especially important with battery powered flash units If you use less power your flash should refresh faster Waiting for a flash to refresh can be frustrating when you are getting great expressions from your subjects Displayed here are a few of the flash options for the Canon PowerShot SD790 3 digital camera In this camera s Manual M or SCN scene modes you have the following three options displayed from j left to right Auto flash the camera Off engages the flash if it thinks it needs it MENURA Flash on very useful for fill flash as described in Tip 33 and Flash off as described in Tip 73 photo Andrew Darlow BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Tip 73 Turn the Flash Off in Certain Situations for More Natural Looking Photos Most people set their camera to automatic mode and trust it to expose scenes acceptably But in many situations it s far better to turn your flash off and use a few techniques for getting more natural looking pictures of your pets and other family members Most cameras even fancy DSLRs will take a reading and if the l
75. e is usually a high medium and low quality option available at dif ferent resolutions Experiment to see the differences on a large screen and be sure to check your resolution settings before start ing a shooting session Some DSLRs even have RAW file capture options that are smaller than the full resolution of the sensor For example the 21 megapixel Canon EOS 5D Mark II offers not only a 21 1 megapixel RAW but also a 10 and 5 2 megapixel RAW This is a big advan tage over just having smaller sized JPEG options TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Tip 11 Learn Techniques for Capturing Action and Sports Photos Getting great action shots of pets whether they are running through the yard or at a competitive event can be a challenge Here are a few tips to get you started e The important thing to realize is that action shots don t have to be tack sharp Blurs of all types can look great so experi ment with different shutter speeds try shutter priority mode as well as the tracking technique described in Tip 7 e Shoot at a relatively high ISO level but not so high that you will introduce unwanted noise e Use a long lens from about 100 300mm in 35mm terms if you want to take detail photos from a good distance but don t forget to pack a wide angle lens for the environment shots for example a dog or cat standing in the middle of a football field e Use a tripod or monopod to help increase stability with longer lenses e Tr
76. e memorable photo filling digital or actual photo albums and frames using the advice contained in the book have so many people and furry friends to thank for helping make this book possible To help express my gratitude I ve included an acknowledgement section on the companion Web site It also con tains links to more information about many of the people and of course the pets who have made a positive difference in my life Preface How the Book Is Organized This book is organized in nine chapters and 101 tips beginning with information about different cameras lenses and the nuts and bolts of photography including color balance removable card storage options and various shooting modes Most of the book s chapters center on a theme such as lighting and creative photog raphy with tips related to that theme To help illustrate the tips most of them are accompanied by one of my photographs and a description of the overall setting as well as camera shooting data for example shutter speed and ISO Also included with most of the tips is a description of the lighting used including from where the sun and or other lighting is coming Important note In most cases I ve also included the month and time of day that the photos were taken to help you better deter mine when you might find a certain quality of light Unless other wise stated all photos were taken in the northeast United States New York New Jersey area whi
77. e or in front of a Christmas tree or Chanukah candles lights e A photo of the whole family in the front of a home decorated for the holidays day or night e Photos taken around your local town or even in front of shop ping store displays during the holidays such as the famous displays at Macy s in New York City can capture the spirit of the holidays in so many ways photographed this Boston Terrier Cupid just before Christmas outside her family s home under some trees at about 1 P M See Chapter 2 Tip 16 and Tip 70 later in this chapter for two indoor photos of Cupid The sleigh was the perfect size for Cupid and it looked as though she and her assistant were ready to give Santa a helping paw or two or four also selectively sharpened Cupid s face to help her stand out a bit more Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 1S 28mm ISO 200 Aperture f 11 Shutter Speed 125 sec E Lighting Notes Natural daylight up this bad boy shaded by trees provided much of the lighting and a single diffused off camera flash provided some fill light The off camera flash also provided the catch lights in everyone s eyes photo Andrew Darlow Mr Snuggles fire Pet Photography Tip 63 Photograph Your Family When Watching or Participating in Sporting Events Pets and team merchandise can be a very funny and expensive combination You can express your love for your favorite t
78. eam LR below Se se as 123k 276k 1 92 5 gzs nie 12 375 2 25 sq 164k 30 esak B47 3k Ba ns 1 835 2 5575 25 725 _ Eee 960k 1 2675 5 3 8325 EE 125 BS 875 me 75 E 129 is as Er 24 15 5 3475 E E 7 2075 38 175 52 575 73 8 115 35 304 65 rare a 9 15 48 45 66 75 93 75 146 475 386 85 531 6 945 075 Hei 13 725 30 9 549 72675 100 125 140 625 219 75 580 2 797 4 WHAM NA 20 625 46 35 82 425 108 975 150 15 210 975 329 625 77 25 137 325 181 65 NA NA NA NA _274 65 363 225 500 55 703 125 NA NA NA NA NA 697 425 961 125 NA NA NA NA NA NA A A A NA MM A NA A downloadable PDF of this resolution chart is available on the book s companion Web site w9 15 Resolution chart Andrew Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 95 a Borrow from multiple images to expand highlight shadow detail or for other creative uses including HDR photography One of the most powerful ways to improve your images is by expanding the dynamic range of your photos by combining mul tiple photos To do that you can process the same file twice once for the highlights and once for the shadows RAW files are much better for doing this because they can usually be adjusted more than JPEGs less visible artifacts noise etc Then combine the photos in Adobe Photoshop or another application by using
79. eams by outfitting your dog or cat with shirts jackets or other gear specifi cally made for them or you may be able to use or alter human clothing slightly to make it fit Even more photographically inter esting is to have pets match the rest of the family on game day However don t just limit the fun to professional team wear Con sider making outfits with the same colors as the Little League baseball or football teams in which your family participates or buy shirts or sweaters with matching colors Then hit the field or back yard and capture the color coordinated fun Consider the low light and action tips in Chapter 1 Tip 11 as well as in Chapter 8 for when you are photographing moving people and pets photographed this man and his Chinese Crested at about 2 P M in April at an outdoor dog agility event in which the dog was par ticipating asked for his permission and then photographed both of them from a number of different angles and in both horizontal and vertical orientation chose this image because think it cap tures the special bond between a man and his sports loving pooch added the catch lights you see in the dog s eyes to help give more sparkle and life to the photo also selectively sharpened the dog s face to draw more attention to her eyes and made her face a bit lighter and more contrasty so that she would stand out more from the background Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm
80. eb site w9 6 If you are not ready to invest in Adobe Photoshop but would like to start learning the program so that you are better prepared should you want to upgrade Photoshop Elements shares many of the key commands layer controls and other features of the full version of Adobe Photoshop In addition Photoshop Elements offers an incredible array of features including slide shows with fantastic effects including the ability to make a DVD with images and music downloadable scrapbook pages calendars and book templates You can even order cards with your images embedded design photo books and send away for photo prints all from inside the application 157 Pet Photography eee Training for Photographers Graphic Designers Illustrators Multimedia Artists and Hobbyists Kelby Training e QUO lt i 2 Kelbyiraining E HOME BOOKS DVDs SEMINARS ONLINE TRAINING LAYERS MAGAZINE NAPP amp PHOTOSHOP USER nw Details ONLINE TRAIN E Remember me pew nere Account Login 158 Shopping Cart THIS MONTHS FEATURED ONLINE TRAINING COURSE Your cart is empty Design Effects with Adobe Photoshop CS4 with Corey Barker This course goes beyond using Photoshop as a Training Categories photography tool and teaches you how to create eye catching design effects with photos and even from scratch L Acone CS4 TRAINING E des
81. ediately with regard to this suggestion w7 10 By having the signs in the photo you will more easily be able to recall where and when the photos were taken Camera Nikon N90 Film Kodak 61005 color slide Lens Focal Length Sigma 28 105mm Good thing had my hair approximately 50mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded Ay Lighting notes Lighting was entirely from direct do ne yeste rd ay natural sunlight almost directly photo Andrew Darlow HOLIDAZED AND CONFUSED Tip 69 Consider Including Your Pets in Your Wedding Ever since Tiger from the Brady Bunch made a mess of Mike and Carol Brady s wedding dogs have had a difficult time getting on guest lists Places of worship may have specific pet policies and the wedding reception is usually not the best place for a pet but both are options to consider when planning a wedding Another idea is to consider bringing the family dog or cat to the rehearsal dinner for a few quick group photos Some quiet photos with a groom or bride alone with his or her dogs or cats can also be priceless and perfect for the wedding album If you look for shooting opportunities before after and during a wedding or any other event for that matter you may be surprised how many satisfying images you will come home with At about noon on a perfect October day while in San Diego for a friend s wedding we came across the Blessing of the Animals ceremony o
82. een costumes available in stores and online w 7 2 For this photo of a friend s black and white cat photographed in May at about 4 P M asked his owner to place a soft black top hat on his head which adjusted slightly to make it look more like a witch s hat The top hat was part of a cap and tails outfit for dogs cropped the photo fairly tight to focus on his expression and the hat You don t always have to include every square inch of a costume or a pet It s the overall look and impact that a photo makes that is most important You ve got 12 O seconds before my next scheduled nap Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 2000 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes All lighting came from daylight streaming through a large window with vertical blinds that were opened slightly The window was about 8 feet 2 4 meters from the cat and it produced one catch light seen in the cat s right eye the catch light in the cat s left eye was added in Adobe Photoshop by cloning the catch light from his right eye to his left eye Some additional fill light came from the white carpet which acted like a reflector photo O Andrew Darlow 122 Pet Photography Tip 66 Take Photos At a Dog or Cat Show or Related Event There are many many dog and cat competitions held around the world Some are very organized like the events sanctione
83. ent s home after a photo session Photo by David Levy Darlow is editor of The Imaging Buffet www imagingbuffet com an online resource with news reviews and interviews covering the subjects of photography printing and new media His book 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers Course Technology PTR was chosen as the winner in the Photography Instructional How To category of The National Best Books 2008 Awards sponsored by USA Book News For more information and to see more of Andrew Darlow s work visit www andrewdarlow com Andrew Darlow photographing a client s cat in New York City Photo by Paul Kessel This page intentionally left blank y Train Your Camera but Don t Make It Roll Over Great photos of dogs and cats can be found almost everywhere including magazines billboards and greeting cards But getting similar image quality and expressions from the pets you share your life with can be a challenge I m here to help In this chapter cover some of the basics of photographing dogs cats and the people who love them including camera selection accessories and ways to get started quickly regardless of your camera or current experience level also reference some of the images and content in other chapters of the book as well as Web sites that relate to the tips presented So without further ado and with a friendly bark and a meow on with
84. era flash provided much of the lighting but additional lighting came from the natural daylight coming from the windows as well as some fixtures above The shutter speed allowed for a nice balance between flash and ambient light photo O Andrew Darlow HOLIDAZED AND CONFUSED 123 124 Pet Photography Tip 67 Take Pictures at a Pet Expo Trade Show Pet expos that allow leashed dogs and cats are a great place to get some unique images One such event that I ve been attending and photographing at for years is the Super Pet Expo held in various locations throughout the year in the eastern part of the United States w7 5 At many of their shows pets on leashes are welcome to bring along their owners if pets could drive I m sure they d do just that Here are a few suggestions for taking pictures at a pet related expo e Look at your pet to see what he or she may be interested in doing If he or she seems to want to play in a specific area such as an enclosed dog run take some photos of your pet there e f your pet finds a furry friend or two very common at these shows take a few photos of them together with the permis sion of their owners of course e The lighting at expos is generally not very bright so the low light tios in Chapter 8 should come in handy when dealing with this issue e Capture photos of booths that represent causes that you support and about which you want to spread the word Many pet
85. era is circled in red photo Andrew Darlow 49 50 Pet Photography Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark Il Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 1S 28mm ISO 200 Aperture fl11 Shutter Speed 40 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight on a clear day was the only light used A fill flash or reflector can also be used effectively in this situation photo O Andrew Darlow BASK IN THE SUNSHINE OR RAIN Tip 29 Whether Mother Nature provides it or whether you create it in some way our furry friends and anyone with some hair or loose clothing can appear as though they are flying or just enjoying a day at the beach with help from wind Wind effects can be created with an electric fan or from an open window while in a moving vehicle Of course always use caution when in any vehicle with pets or when using any electrical devices Pets can easily trip over just about any cord and some fans can pose a risk if pets try to get their paws on them This windy photo of a Chinese Crested was taken in mid winter on a very windy day shot the photo handheld and held my camera as steady as could Autofocus mode a fast shutter speed and relatively high ISO helped ensure good sharpness in this image and most of the photos from the session Hey who turned out the lights Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark Il Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 1S 28mm ISO 640 Aperture fl5 6 Shutter Speed 72500 sec Lighting
86. everyone will be happy This shot was taken on the way to a park along the Hudson River in New York City at about 7 P M in June love how animated pets can be It may take a lot of shutter clicks to get pictures you are really happy with so keep on shooting Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm Di 11 18mm 1SO 200 Aperture f 5 6 Shutter speed 4600 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight provided most of the lighting and the light gray pavement offered some nice fill light photo O Andrew Darlow love New York IT S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE Tip 18 Use Technology to Get the Shot from Unusual Angles There are only a few digital cameras that allow you to see what you re about to shoot without having to look through a viewfinder or at the LCD s live view Live view is a video representation of what your photos will look like before you take a shot One way to expand your options is by using a flip out viewfinder which can be found on some DSLR and point and shoot digital cameras from Sony and Olympus Another option is from Zigview w2 2 The product is a digital angle finder that attaches to many SLR cameras that have live view and video out Also available is an inexpensive and ingenious mirror attachment called the Flipbac w2 3 It pro vides a way to hold your camera at a low angle while viewing a reflection of the live image on the mirror lt also doubles as a s
87. expos including the Super Pet Expo have booths with specific breed rescue organizations such as Greyhound Rescue groups w7 6 general rescue groups like Rogers Rescue w7 7 or animal protection organizations like the Humane Society w 7 8 took this photo of the Pets with Disabilities booth w7 9 and one of its mascots named Duke at the Super Pet Expo in New Jersey The organization does outstanding work and like so many other nonprofit rescue and rehabilitation groups they need a lot of support to operate By taking photos like these and sending them to friends and family more people can learn about organizations that are working hard to help others HOLIDAZED AND CONFUSED chose a low viewpoint for this photo and would not be con cerned if a dog or cat has something or someone in front of them it can make for a very interesting image This type of photo is similar to what you might find in a newspaper It isn t posed and the subjects look like they are hard at work spreading the word about their organization and l m pretty sure that they were chose the cropping you see because of the way it helps focus the eye on the main subjects Yes I m that hunky dog on the cover of our calendar Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 400 Aperture f 4 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes Lighting from overhead fixtures inside the exhibition hall provided most of the l
88. g white balance adjustments Once you make adjust ments to one image you can quickly apply the same adjustments to many other images if your imaging application has the feature such as Aperture Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw In some applications including Photoshop Elements you can use a curves or levels adjustment layer to set a neutral color by sam pling the neutral gray card with the midpoint eyedropper Once you ve made those color adjustments you can then drag and drop the adjustment layer to other images photographed under the same lighting to achieve a similar result in other pictures w9 11 167 168 Pet Photography gt Use proper color management and select sRGB AdobeRGB from your camera menu The whole topic of color management can seem overwhelming The key to understanding and using color management is to first understand that all devices including your camera monitor and printer paper combinations have a certain number of colors known as the color gamut that they can capture display or print Dealing with the differences in gamut between devices is a big part of color matching and proper printmaking By making custom profiles for our monitors and specific printer paper combinations we can help to come closer in color between the different devices Also it s important to note that every device must operate consist ently and in a stable environment for color management to work properly If one
89. ges 165 Scarf props 100 106 SD SDHC cards 7 22 153 Self timer mode 146 Set paper 137 Shadows dark corners 99f details 173 hard soft 140 lightening 148 149 Lightroom processing 88f 89f 132 soft 31f 52 140 from sun 40 94f warm 76f 77f from window hangings 56 wireless flash triggers 148 149 Sharpening step 171 Shoe chew toy 100 Shooting modes 9 15 16 Shower curtains 56 Shows 122 124 125 Shutterfly 164 182 Shutter speeds flash modes 143 144 jumping shots 46 wind effects 51 Side by side size contrasts 104 Silhouettes 58 60 Silk 137 Sitting pet on pet 96 Skylight filter 105 Slide scanning 165 Slideshows 164 Snail s Eye View 34 Snapfish 164 182 Sneaker chew toy 100 Snow shots 49 Sock chew toy 100 Softboxes 62 140 141 Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier 11 20f 21 49 148 149 Software Cinema com 157 158f 159f Speedlites 141 148 Sporting events 116 Sports shots 23 Spotlights 14 74f 75f Sprinkler shots 105 sRGB 168 169 St Patrick s Day parade 126 Staircase framing 74 Standing pet on pet 96 Statue pet juxtaposition 90 Still Photo mode 2 3 Storage see Media cards Straight on shots 28 Street fairs 126 Stroboframe Shoe General Purpose 44 Sun as lightbulb 43 44 overhead 88f 89f shadows from 40 94f Sunglasses props 88 Super Pet Expo 108 122 124 T Terrier mix 98 Through The Lens TTL flash systems 143 TIFF format 132 168 169 Tiger
90. ght Also it helps to let your people subjects know not to worry whether the dogs are looking toward the camera It s important that people look at the camera so that they look great but the photographer or an assistant should be the ones helping get the pets to cooperate This is a tip you can use in many situations especially with babies and young children For this photo of a client and her four dogs three Maltese and a mixed breed the sun was streaming through a nearly wall sized window camera left and provided most of the light Some warm lightbulbs in the bedroom provided the rest of the light and added to the warm look and feel placed my camera on a tripod so that could focus manually and get the framing liked It wasn t easy to get good expressions on all the dogs in just one photo so ended up borrowing from a few images and assembled them in Adobe Photoshop to get the results you see That s a little secret covered in more detail in Chapter 9 Camera Nikon D1X Lens Focal Length Nikkor 50mm ISO 200 Aperture unrecorded Shutter Speed o sec We are fam i ly photo Andrew Darlow 66 Pet Photography 4 Tip 37 Shoot Through a Window or Glass Door from Inside or Outside Windows and glass doors can be great for shooting through For example if you are outside your home looking in you can photo graph your cat or dog on a window sill or ledge near a window Another
91. ght or flash to produce catch lights and beautiful soft light More reflectors as well as links to all companies mentioned can be found on the companion Web site w3 4 BASK IN THE SUNSHINE OR RAIN Tip 25 Let It Rain in Your Photos but Not on Your Camera Rain can put a damper on one s day but it can also offer many great photo opportunities As long as your camera and lens stay dry you will probably soon discover why images of your pets and other loved ones taken in the rain or just after it rains can be so rewarding A resealable plastic bag can help keep your camera dry just cut a hole for the lens and if you are so lucky a large umbrella held over you and your gear by a friend or family member can make a huge difference Some go as far as using an underwater housing device to keep their gear dry w3 5 A soft clean cloth for your lens or even better a package of photo wipes such as Pec Pads w3 6 stored in a small plastic bag can be invaluable for keeping your lenses clean and dry 45 took this photo of a little Chihuahua named Rosco one evening at about 11 P M in June for the AKC Gazette s Dog Day America Special Issue It had been a long rainy day and the pavement was an ideal background for him to strike a pose in his uber chic yellow raincoat Pm too sexy for my coat Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 400 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed
92. h think is interesting This takes patience of course so be persistent if you want to get usable images And if the dog or cat is very uncomfortable with the whole process recommend trying something that doesn t require placing anything on the pet s head Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 200 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes Lighting came from a studio strobe light flash unit placed behind a large translucent disk reflector That produces both a soft light and nice catch lights in the eyes A second strobe light was used for the background See Chapter 8 for more on tips for lighting with studio strobes photo Andrew Darlow HOLIDAZED AND CONFUSED Get my agent on the horn NOW 120 Pet Photography Tip 65 Photograph Your Pet in Halloween Garb Halloween is also a holiday celebrated by millions of people world wide Many celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costumes so consider making or purchasing a costume for your pets Some quick costume ideas include e A ghost a white costume can be made from a sheet fabric or t shirt e Awitch a small hat can be purchased and optionally a black costume can be made from a sheet other fabric or t shirt e Jack o lantern an orange costume can be made from an orange sheet or other fabric with cut out black shapes glued or sewed onto the fabric There are a multitude of pet Hallow
93. h is usually a lightning bolt press the flash button until you see the lightning bolt stay on A removable flash unit that sits in your camera s hot shoe or an off camera flash are best for fill flash or for flash in general when outside That s because you can separate your camera lens from the flash which reduces the chance of red eye or green eye as is the case with many pets plus you can create larger catch lights in your subjects eyes by using a diffuser over the flash such as the LumiQuest BigBounce diffuser w3 2 An off camera flash has the added benefit of allowing you to light from any angle When using a DSLR with an external flash unit fill flash can usually be controlled in a way that won t overpower the natural daylight unless that s the look you re after Check your manual to find out how to set fill flash properly photographed this little girl and her Pug shown on the following page on a sunny day at about 1 P M in late August An off camera compact flash unit Vivitar 285HV was placed slightly camera right with a large diffuser about two feet 6 meters from the subjects asked the girl and her dog to stand under a tree to avoid most of the very bright areas you see in the background some sun came through but think it adds to the overall look used manual mode on the flash and camera to find the right balance between the natural light and flash 41 42 Pet Photography Camera Canon E
94. hat we ve all had in school promise that these will be fun should you accept the challenges Please note When you see notations like w6 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 48 for image information 88 Pet Photography Tip 47 Photograph Your Cool Cat or Dog in Some Shades Sunglasses or goggles can turn any feline or pooch into an instant star at least in your photos and the look can be absolutely hilari ous There are thousands of styles and options on the market and here are a few quick tips for working with sunglasses e Use children s sunglasses or special sunglasses made for pets The advantage to pet sunglasses is that they usually are safety tested and they often have adjustable straps with a Velcro or similar hook and loop fastener e Use a glasses neck strap to hold the sunglasses because they usually have soft caps to hide the sharp edges of the frames e Tie a rubber band or mini elastic hair band to the back of the neck strap after taking up the slack to hold it more securely to your pet s head Just be sure not to make it too tight In all cases check the glasses to ensure that they don t have sharp edges or contain any glass both can be potentially dangerous For this photo of Elwood sporting some very cool shades we were
95. he s at home BARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Tip 74 Choose Backgrounds and Place Them a Proper Distance from Your Subjects Using backgrounds such as muslin set paper a k a seamless artificial silk and canvas can help make your photos look as though they were photographed in a professional studio There are hun dreds of options for backgrounds from inexpensive curtains from a store like Ikea see Chapter 6 Tip 52 for an example to hand painted canvas with intricate designs w8 3 The distance you choose from your subjects to the background is important Generally more distance is better which may require the use of a separate light or two just for the background Advan tages of more distance from subject to background are that you can light it independently from the subjects and it can be made to go out of focus so that any defects or unwanted creases are minimized Many materials can be dewrinkled by using a hand held steamer w8 4 photographed this lovely Papillion p 138 at about 4 P M on a clear day in March The background was a light brown hand painted muslin and it was hanging about six feet behind the table really like the way it contrasts with the soft red fabric that s on the table The dog s face and body were selectively sharpened and some cloning was done on the background in Adobe Pho toshop to reduce some of the lines and wrinkles ad proclaim this my Camera Nikon D1X
96. he ambient light in the background especially if the background is far away like at a concert or from the stands at a dog or cat show 135 136 Pet Photography e Any time you want to capture the look of the light you see in front of you Examples of lights you can use include overhead lights flashlights or even car headlamps Most modern digital cameras have a live view LCD or live view option so seeing a good approximation of what you are going to get on a 2 or 3 inch screen is a big plus Another tip is to paint with light by shining light from a flashlight or other light on your subject and moving it as you expose the image used this technique in Chapter 6 Tip 56 to create a dappled light look as well as Chapter 4 Tip 33 You will almost always want to place your camera on a tripod so that you can set the exposure from about o sec to more than a minute This will retain sharpness in the areas that do not move Manual mode is usually the best option when using this technique Just keep in mind that anyone who moves will be blurred if the shutter speed is not fast enough w8 2 took this photograph of a client s Maltese resting in a very nicely decorated home in New York City at about 4 P M in May The sun light streaming in from the windows of the home was magnificent and really like how the light falls on the chair and furniture The dog is relaxing in the shade under the table and definitely looks like
97. her in the back of his pickup truck which raised her position and allowed me to photograph her without having to crawl around on the ground not that there s anything wrong with that As is the case with most of the photos in the book there are mul tiple tips from the book that are represented in the image and some minor retouching was done to produce the final image Apart from cropping the photo for the cover selective sharpening was done on the dog s eyes and fur and some contrast enhance ment was done on the dog s eyes by first selecting them and then using the curves tool in Adobe Photoshop Also a catch light was added to the dog s right eye by cloning it brushing in the detail by copying it from another location in Adobe Photoshop using the catch light in her left eye I ve included the before image here because believe that these small adjustments to her eyes alone have a dramatic effect on the overall image You can use a similar process to improve the photos in your collection that might benefit from the same techniques xiii xiv Preface Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50 mm macro ISO 400 Aperture f 4 5 Shutter Speed so sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight from the sun low in the sky provided all of the lighting The primary catch light in the dog s left eye is the reflection of a boat covered with an off white tarp parked in the driveway The catch light was then cloned to enhan
98. how the foreground becomes an important part of the overall picture It s a good idea to experiment by including different amounts of fore ground in your photos when shooting close to ground level Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 28mm 1SO 200 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter Speed 4000 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight on a clear day at about noon was the only light used A fill flash can also be used effectively in this situation photo O Andrew Darlow proclaim this land Bulldogsville IT S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE Tip 20 Photograph Your Pet in Your Home Using a Wide Angle View Time does not stand still but if you can get your dog or cat to stand still for a moment you can photograph them in time and have memories of the places that are important to you Follow them around the house to capture multiple locations Wide angle views using cameras with wide angle lenses help to fit more in a scene but try not to make your photos too busy It s great to see how your pet other family members and even furnishings change over time Another way to get a wide angle feel is to crop a photo so that it looks like a panoramic image either horizontal or vertical This photo opportunity presented itself to me when a client s kitten decided to stroll across her couch at about 5 30 P M on a sunny March afternoon particularly like the additional cat in the photo
99. ht that can be used in many different ways Another bonus to window lighting is that pets often love to sit on window sills or near windows which can make for many impromptu photo ops Following are some tips to help you use window lighting effectively to make better photos Many of the tips can be applied to other situations as well such as when you are shoot ing with electronic flash or even when you are outside Please note When you see notations like w4 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page Andrew Darlow see Tip 34 for image information 56 Pet Photography Tip 31 Use Modifiers to Control Window Light Effectively Windows with no shades or drapes can transmit light very nicely but there are many ways to use window hangings to expand the creative possibilities For example if you have Venetian blinds or vertical blinds beautiful dappled light can be produced very easily Look closely at your pet and other family members to see how the light changes as you make adjustments to the blinds w4 1 Depending on the weather time of day and time of year the intensity color and overall look of the light will also change Translucent fabrics are often used to filter window light which can help make the light very soft elegant and flattering to both people and pets If y
100. ighting and some daylight from windows surrounding the exhibition hall added to the overall lighting photo Andrew Darlow 125 126 Pet Photography Tip 68 Photograph the Action at a Parade Fair or other Event Parades fairs and other events are great places to bring pets as long as they are permitted and as long as they can handle crowded situations One big concern at street fairs and parades is that pieces of food are often dropped on the ground as people walk and eat and some dogs become walking vacuum cleaners in those situations If one person is the dog walker and the photographer or another family member acts as the food cop you will have a better chance of avoiding unpleasant issues later on Here are a few specific ideas for taking photos at these types of events e Dress up your pets to match the theme of the parade For example for a St Patrick s Day parade dress them in green and for a Thanksgiving day parade outfit them in pilgrim cos tumes You will definitely get some attention from others e Holdup your dog or just photograph him or her on the ground in front of interesting color schemes such as a wall of t shirts or in front of various food stands such as a big sign that reads HOT DOGS e Take pictures of your pets and other family members with the event s banners and or signs showing New York City s San Gennaro Feast held each September in Little Italy comes to mind imm
101. ighting appears too dark to the camera s meter to produce a sharp photo the camera will either cause the flash to fire or it will engage the pop up flash to let you know that it is about to fire when you press the shutter release This is especially important with camera phones as discussed in Chapter 1 Tip 1 As mentioned in Tip 72 the first place to start when you want to take pictures in a low light situation without the flash is by setting your camera s ISO to the lowest value that allows you to get the types of pictures you want with a level of noise that you find com fortable That may be as low as ISO 100 if you have a tripod and are shooting static objects or as high as ISO 3000 if you want to freeze action in certain low light situations Then turn off your flash on most point and shoot cameras look for a lightning bolt icon and press it until you see a line go through it Some point and shoot cameras won t let you turn off the flash when the camera is in auto mode so you may need to go into the menu to turn off auto mode and then the flash For DSLRs with a pop up flash check your camera s manual to see how to best disable it Manual mode is also an option in these cases Below are suggestions for situations when you ll probably want to turn off your camera s flash e When you have a large window mirror or glass in front of your subjects because the flash will create a starburst effect e When you want to capture t
102. images and this is especially helpful for people with cameras that have two separate memory card slots The camera can be set so that one card can be used for RAW files and the other for JPEGs More on this topic can be found in Chapter 8 Tip 71 Also included there are some of the reasons why a JPEG only workflow may be right for you Pet Photography Consider your lens options carefully Warning This can get expensive The number of lens options currently available especially for DSLRs is staggering This is a topic that is discussed widely in many books and online and I ve put together some links to sites that specialize in lens ratings w1 8 as well as a comprehensive article to help you determine what things to consider before buying a lens w1 9 For virtually every photo in this book you will see information about the focal range and focal length of the lens used Keep in mind the multiplier effect when you read the lens info If you use a 50mm lens on a full frame 35mm DSLR like a Canon 5D the same lens will approximate the focal length of a 75mm lens in 35mm terms on asmaller APS C sized sensor camera such as the Canon 20D or Canon 50D Some point and shoot cameras have accessory lenses available that either replace the existing lens or screw onto the front of the lens This can make for very nice effects such as a fisheye look great for close ups of dogs or a telephoto option that extends the lens
103. in which is another tip to consider Camera Nikon D1X Lens Focal Length Nikkor 50mm 1SO 200 Aperture unrecorded Shutter Speed 0 sec Lighting Notes The lighting that created the subtle edge light on the left of the frame came from a I m the cutest large picture window camera left A bare bulb N 0 am lightbulb placed in a lamp camera right and two ek 2 et flashlights added interesting catch lights and No am dappled lighting effects to my client s face as well as her dogs The mixed lighting different color temperatures created a warmish glow on her face and on the dogs when setting the camera to daylight color balance The daylight was about 5000 K and the lightbulb and flashlights were about 3500 K See Chapter 1 Tip 4 for more about color temperature photo Andrew Darlow 104 Pet Photography Tip 57 Capture Dramatic Side by Side Size Contrasts When think of size contrasts and pets in photos Elliott Erwitt s well known black and white 1974 photo entitled Dog Legs comes immediately to mind In the photo shot from a very low perspective a Chihuahua stands next to a woman with black boots and she is standing next to a very large dog If you have a few pets of varying sizes get them together and shoot from various angles to emphasize their size differences For this photo of Elwood and his brother a large German Shep hard we encouraged Elwood to take a se
104. in a dark room In this chapter will cover tips related to the wide world of digital photography presented in the following order 1 Organization and imaging software options 2 Scanning and retouching 3 Black and white photography 4 Printing Please note When you see notations like w9 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page Andrew Darlow see Tip 98 for image information 152 Pet Photography Tip 81 Back Up Your Digital Files in Multiples This is the first tip in this chapter because it is so important Digital images can easily be lost if a laptop is dropped if a hard drive stops working or if a CD or DVD on which you have your photos stored just goes bad And the possibility always exists of fire flood or other damage In addition to keeping one copy on your working computer for a while back up your photos to at least two external devices for example a hard drive and DVD and keep one of them separate from the other preferably in a different town or city You will have both piece of mind and a better chance of not losing any of your life s memories and or assignments if you are a profes sional photographer Another option for a third backup would be to use an online backup service many are very affordable and some are free or a shared or dedicated ser
105. indow provided much of English Translation at the light and an overhead light in the kitchen w6 12 provided the rest photo Andrew Darlow cial pinar fuen the fom heii Sips Br eal Pet Raby Malt obese Sich dow St hows Ho Holidazed anq Confused Photo Tips for Holidays and Events Holidays and events are an important part of so many of our memories Weddings holidays birthday parties school trips and other events and celebrations all make for great photo opportunities In this chapter make specific suggestions for capturing memories of holidays and events And even if you don t celebrate some of the holidays mentioned there will be generic tips throughout the chapter that will hopefully help make your photos even more memorable Please note When you see notations like w7 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 70 for image information 114 Pet Photography Tip 62 Capture Memories of Christmas Chanukah and the New Year The winter holidays of Christmas Chanukah and the New Year summer holidays in the southern hemisphere are filled with opportunities to take pictures of our pets and other family members Photo ideas include e Pictures of just the pets or with other family members near the fireplac
106. ing or Ctrl clicking on the folder and choosing Create Archive of Most Windows Vista computers also allow you to make a zip archive by right clicking on a file or folder then choosing Send to Com pressed ZIP Folder Otherwise some Windows applications are available including WinZip that will create zip files To uncompress a zip file just double click on it Of course make sure that you know the sender before clicking on any file that you receive A number of free services for sending files are also available One that I ve used successfully is sendthisfile com Hi Karen from Andrew e 2 e O Send Chat Attach Address Fonts Colors Save As Draft To Ce Bec Reply To Karen Quigley Subject Hi Karen from Andrew Signature AUTHOR Bj 163 164 Pet Photography Use online galleries and animated slideshows to present your images Sending files via e mail works well but for security reasons many companies restrict e mail with attachments Also e mail attach ments take time to download and too large an attachment can cause someone s e mail inbox to fill up a sure fire way to get someone upset Instead it s generally better to create a Web gallery or animated slide show and just send a Web link to the gallery or slide show to your friend or loved one Below are a few options for creating a Web gallery or Slide Show Use an online photo lab printing c
107. l Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm 1SO 400 Aperture f 19 Shutter Speed 425 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight plus fill light from the built in pop up flash produced the lighting photo O Andrew Darlow 30 Pet Photography Tip 15 Photograph Your Dog or Cat from the Back Many of my favorite photos are those captured from behind the subject This perspective often gives a cinematic look that shows the viewer what the subject is seeing You can work with this approach at many levels from super wide to a macro view captured this image of a cat and a few birds at a client s home on a sunny February afternoon at about 3 P M My goal was to have the viewer think about what the cat was thinking at the time These types of photos can often tell a story and they can be completely random or set up like in a movie The f 2 8 aperture helped to keep the focus on the main characters in the image Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed s0 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight from the windows provided the lighting and some additional fill light was added on the cat in Adobe Photoshop photo O Andrew Darlow Birdies are friends not food IT S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE Tip 16 Go for the Overhead View By photographing your pet from a slightly more overhead angle than normal or totally overhead you can create some reall
108. large black white and medium gray cards that are also collapsible reflectors w1 13 Here s a quick tip If you don t use a custom white balance set your camera to the cloudy white balance setting look for the cloud icon when shooting outdoors lt is an excellent starting point that will give most of your outdoor photos or window light photos a slightly warm tone which is great for photographing pets and people More info on white balance can be found in an article on the book s companion Web site w1 14 and additional links to articles on color temperature and filters can also be found there w1 15 TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Tip 5 Learn Your 5 Various Shooting 5 Most point and shoot cameras and some DSLRs have a number of special camera shooting modes for example Canon calls them special scene modes to help you take pictures in certain situa tions without having to set the camera manually Examples include Landscape Portrait Beach and Night Portrait and each generally has a descriptive icon such as a face runner or mountain These can be helpful to know and are worth learning about especially if you are not concerned about the science behind the modes The best way to learn about what each mode does is to refer to your camera s manual or books Web sites that go over each mode step by step w1 16 Also check whether specific modes will force your camera into JPEG shooting mode You may not want that
109. lash doesn t go off For those who want more control if you expose for the highlights and bracket plus and minus one stop that should give you a good range of photos with which to work Also try not to blow out the highlights You can always increase contrast later in an imaging program like Adobe Photoshop Be aware that flare on your lens which is usually caused by light falling on the front of your lens can reduce contrast and produce unwanted light streaks though it can also make for a nice effect A lens hood a k a lens shade can do wonders to reduce flare w4 3 took this photo of a friend s Cockapoo on a mid January day at about 1 P M The room was dark except for bright sunlight coming through a few windows used aperture priority mode and set the exposure compensation to 1 EV Even after reducing exposure and using the recovery slider in Adobe Camera Raw the highlights were still blown out in places but was very happy with the overall look of the lighting as well as the glowing highlights on the dog s fur Camera Canon EOS D60 Is this the talent Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm portion of the ISO 400 Aperture 1 10 show Shutter Speed s sec photo O Andrew Darlow Pet Photography af Tip 33 60 To follow up with Tip 32 a silhouetted image can be modified by adding fill flash fill cards reflectors or continuous lighting such as a handheld flashlight For example
110. left and Chinese Crested right was able to get a range of expressions and angles as they both drifted in and out of their doggy dreams see Tip 43 next for another shot from the series shot this on a beautiful spring day in May at about 2 P M The 50mm focal length on a full frame 35mm DSLR helped create the feeling that the front dog is very close She was about 12 inches 30cm from my lens The f 3 5 aperture contributed to the out of focus background shallow depth of field By using aperture priority mode and chang ing your f stop you can alter the depth of field dramatically in just a few seconds Chapter 1 has more information on using aperture and shutter priority modes with many types of cameras Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm c ISO 640 Aperture f 3 5 Please do not Shutter Speed 200 sec disturb unless of Lighting Notes Natural daylight camera left from a large glass door course you have 29 provided most of the lighting and treats some overhead light from inside the room helped provide some fill light photo Andrew Darlow 80 Pet Photography Tip 43 Capture One Pet Awake and One Asleep When you have a few dogs or cats around there are bound to be times when one is snoozing and the other is awake This makes for a nice contrast between them as in this photo of the same two dogs photographed in Tip 42 A related tip is to vary your aperture so that
111. left eye Last darkened the upper and lower left two corners of the frame very slightly to help bring the viewer s eye more toward the center of the frame w6 5 Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm es H an g te n o d u d e ISO 320 Aperture fl10 Shutter Speed 25 sec then pease Lighting Notes Natural daylight camera left get off me from the large glass door provided most of the lighting and some overhead light from inside the room helped provide some fill light photo Andrew Darlow SAC Pet Photography Tip 53 Look for Distinctive Tongues and Cheeks It is of course bad manners for people to stick their tongues out at one another But when dogs and cats do it it is quite natural and can be very funny photographed this Rhodesian Ridgeback mix with his large distinctive tongue and his Terrier mix friend at a client s home at about 3 P M in September To me it looks as though his tongue was handcrafted in a men s tie factory And there is no shortage of tongue flapping in this book with Elwood and some of his friends gracing many of the pages Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm 1SO 200 Aperture f 5 6 Shutter Speed 2s sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight provided all of the lighting and the trees helped provide the dappled lighting effect photo O Andrew Darlow Guinness Book people I m waiting for your c
112. mark next to each icon That allows me to still search the thumbnails and when want to access the high resolution files can just attach the hard drive where the images are stored In some cases re linking files is necessary which is described in this article on the companion Web site w9 8 Photos in Library Andrew Darlow x 1 p a Lightroom File Edit 000 T Uahtroom 2 Catalog ircat Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Library EM iciiroom 2 Library Develop Slideshow Print Web Navigator Histogram CL snm srin Quick Develop lt Collections Keywording Keyword Tag iter Keyworth E 162 Pet Photography Size down the files you send via email and consider the zip file format As megapixel counts get higher on point and shoot cameras and even some camera phones it is more difficult for people to open large files Even if you shoot JPEG and think that the files are not too big maybe 2 3 megabytes MB each when the recipient of your photo tries to open the file they could be 20 30 MB in size in their uncompressed form There are a few ways to deal with this First don t send RAW files most people can t open them especially through an e mail application instead batch process them in a RAW processing application A good size to choose for processing is 800 pixels on the long side with medium to high quality
113. mple of a good standard image is shown below and the link to download it can be found in the article wos 66 MM Jo wo2 sd 1134010Ud MMM 2 5 OJUL IOW JOY Images from Fuji and Kodak test targets Sepia image A Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 100 Make Your Own Prints at Home or in Your Studio The subject of making prints from digital images is a topic very 183 near and dear to my heart There is nothing like making a print of your dog or cat framing it and giving it to a friend or another member of your family The options for printing at home are exten sive and there are many options from small printers that you can take anywhere and that are made primarily for printing 4 x 6 inch approx 10 x 15cm prints to printers that can output fine art prints 64 inches 163cm in width or larger Many books have been written on the topic of printing digital images and can recommend at least one from someone know pretty well Seriously I ve linked to a number of books and articles on the companion Web site that can help with choosing and using inkjet and other printers w9 24 One of the articles is entitled 5 Things to Consider before Buying Your Next Inkjet Printer Other articles and resources take you step by step through the printing process The issue of print longevity is one of great importance to many people including me and that is covered in detail in many of the
114. n its standard color mode you can produce great quality black and white images using a number of different applications Adobe Photoshop and Light room share a similar and powerful black and white adjustment tool that allows you to pinpoint a specific color range and make it lighter or darker throughout the image Some plug ins and standalone applications have been created to help photographers create better black and white images from color or existing black and white files These include Alien Skin s Exposure 2 and Nik Software s Silver Efex Pro They both make it easy to approximate the look of different classic in some cases discontinued film types Trial versions are available for just about every plug in and standalone application you can imagine and links to a number of black and white tutorials and software options can be found on the companion Web site w9 19 For this photo of a client s cat originally in color as shown on the facing page used Lightroom s powerful black and white conver sion tool to convert the image To do that first hovered over the center of the cat s right cheek with the target adjustment tool in grayscale mode and moved the tool up as pressed the mouse button That darkened the cheek area as you can see in the final image then made some adjustments to the white balance to THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE lessen some of the noise noticed also used the crop tool in Lightroom and used th
115. nd you ll need to take your finger off the shutter release and depress it again to take another picture Continuous shooting called burst mode on some cameras will allow you to take multiple photos without taking your finger off the shutter release until you fill your camera s buffer w1 20 Another autofocus option found primarily on DSLRs when in auto focus mode is Al Servo AF This mode allows you to track a moving subject like a running dog about to leap to catch a Frisbee or other flying object Follow the dog by pressing the shutter button halfway until you are ready to take the shot or multiple shots Al Servo AF mode will keep changing the focus point for you until you take your finger off the shutter release w1 21 Exposure compensation and Auto exposure bracketing are two very useful controls found on most DSLRs and many point and shoot cameras Like some of the more complex topics presented throughout the book I ve written a detailed article about both features on the companion Web site w1 22 Exposure compensa tion is also covered in Chapter 3 Tip 28 The photo on the next page of a client s Maltese relaxing on a white bedspread is a high key or predominantly white picture that required me to increase the exposure about 1 5 EV in order to make a proper exposure used exposure compensation to make the adjustment and could have used auto exposure bracketing 19 Take your time I m not goi
116. ng anywhere 9 Camera Nikon D1X Lens Focal Length Nikkor 50mm 1SO 200 Aperture unrecorded Shutter Speed 60 sec Lighting Notes The lighting for this image is coming almost entirely from natural light through the windows camera left A few lightbulbs in the bedroom add some warm light to the dog and bed photo Andrew Darlow TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Tip 9 Know Your Flash Options There are many flash lighting options available for cameras from using the built in flash on a point and shoot to multiple off camera flashes with a DSLR With a little research and experimentation you can start making incredible photos of your pets and other 21 family members using flash photography and it can be done on virtually any budget Creative lighting is covered in more detail in Chapter 8 This photo of a woman with her Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier demonstrates how you can blend outdoor lighting with flash The lighting is coming from the early evening setting sun as well as an off camera diffused flash placed slightly camera right Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm Di 11 149mm ISO 400 Aperture f 10 Shutter Speed J400 sec photo Andrew Darlow think can dig up an extra Hollywood ticket for you as well 22 Pet Photography Determine a removable storage option as well as the resolution settings for your needs Removable digital media
117. ng to be very wary of what the wolves next move might be only had time to take a few shots before she decided to retreat The vertical orientation helped make the photo more interesting because of the way the cat is tightly framed with the picture The original image was not exactly square because it all happened so fast so straightened the photo when cropped it which leads to another tip Don t throw out or overlook potentially strong photos just because the horizon is not perfectly straight Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro 1SO 640 Aperture f 2 5 Shutter Speed oo sec Lighting Notes Lighting came primarily from a few windows located camera left Some household lightbulbs provided additional fill light Keep in mind that if you take a photo like this and use an on camera flash the flash will probably reflect back in the glass like when shooting a flash into a mirror photo Andrew Darlow Ummm need a mascot for your team perhaps WHERE D MY SOCK GO Tip 49 Offer Some Treats and Photograph the Ensuing Action lt goes without saying that dogs and cats like their people friends love food and some dogs will do almost anything for a treat Dog trainers know this and often use food as a reward for good behav ior Here are just a few ideas for using treats e Have someone stand just behind you with a treat to capture the dog s anticipation as you ph
118. ngth Canon 50mm macro ISO 200 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed 46 sec Lighting Notes Lighting for the dogs came from a mix of natural daylight from the windows located behind the dogs as well as a Vivitar 285HV flash unit with a LumiQuest Big Bounce light modifier on it to soften the light and create some of the catch lights you see in the dogs eyes photo Andrew Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 96 Experiment with different cropping and vignette options This is nothing new in the world of photography but cropping a photo can have a dramatic effect on its overall impact And virtually every image editor allows you to crop your photos One great way to determine what cropping might look like is to just zoom into different areas of your image regardless of what image editor you are using Once you see something you like grab the crop tool and crop it Be sure to first save any edits that you ve made up to that point and consider naming the file something that differenti ates it from your cropped version Vignetting control is another powerful tool found on some image editors Vignetting also called falloff means a reduction of an image s brightness in or near the corners of an image It occurs in many photographs due to light falloff from a camera s lens A number of applications have built in ways to lighten darkened corners or to create the vignetted look One versatile third party application
119. ntioned most photo labs expect incoming files to be con verted to sRGB You can convert all lab bound files to sRGB in Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements by choosing Edit gt Convert to Profile gt sRGB Other applications also have this capa bility In Lightroom Aperture or another color management aware application choose sRGB when exporting 169 There are countless articles and many books available on the topic of color management including reviews of and information regard ing different monitor and printer calibration and profiling hardware and software options the importance of lighting as well as related topics like whether to retouch and print in 16 bit versus 8 bit color mode w9 12 On the topic of lighting few things are as important as understand ing and controlling lighting at all times Pictured below are a few excellent products from SoLux often use SoLux Clip On Fixtures during my workshops to explain color temperature and lighting options for display or proofing Proofing essentially means check ing your work and if you don t use a consistent lighting system including having consistent lighting in the room where you are working you will have a difficult time achieving proper color management a The original SoLux Task Lamp shown in three configurations All ship with a SoLux MR 16 bulb b Two SoLux MR 16 halogen bulbs are shown here The top bulb is called the Solux Black Back Its
120. o daylight white balance mode Also at those times the sun s rays tend to produce a softer light and the sun casts longer shadows since it is not as high in the sky There is also much less of a chance of getting raccoon eyes which can occur when the sun is high in the sky because of the way the shadows fall just under the eyes This photo of Elwood and his mom Karen was taken on a mostly clear day just after 4 P M in May Notice how the setting sun camera right produces very nice light on Karen s jeans And because of where Elwood is standing just enough light is coming through to Elwood s face and body to create a very dramatic effect Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro ISO 640 Aperture f 11 Shutter Speed 1400 photo Andrew Darlow seem to recall the promise of a treat BASK IN THE SUNSHINE OR RAIN Tip 23 For Better Portraits Use Flash When Shooting Outdoors Electronic flash has many uses when outside On the topic of raccoon eyes mentioned in the previous tip there are a number of ways to avoid the problem One way is by using fill flash when outdoors Fill flash can be enabled in several ways by using the small flash found on many point and shoot cameras by using a DSLR s pop up flash with a detachable on camera flash unit or with an off camera flash unit w3 1 The icon on most point and shoot cameras to turn on fill flas
121. of Eric Udler founder and President of the Super Pet Expo and his Weimaraner named Chandler the dog looked away for a moment and was able to get this shot with Eric slightly out of focus in the background w6 10 It was photographed in a park on a partly cloudy day at about 1 P M in late December Here s another tip Have your people subjects sit or stand just behind a dog or cat to allow the pet to be the focal point of the image If the pet looks away and the person looks at the camera it can produce a great effect In Chapter 2 Tip 14 also included a photo of Chandler when describing a hero shot In that case a profile view was combined with a low viewpoint for a very dif ferent look and feel My sidekick is a amp Y nice guy but call the shots around Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm Macro ISO 400 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed 2400 sec Lighting Notes Daylight diffused through the clouds in the sky provided all the lighting photo Andrew Darlow here 110 Pet Photography Tip 61 Photograph Dogs and Cats When You Travel Live or Work in Other Countries I ve been fortunate to have lived studied worked and traveled in Europe Asia and North America Just about everywhere I ve been I ve seen dogs and cats in homes walking with their owners on the street and in some cases I ve seen them just roaming around on their own There are r
122. ompany This option is often free and the companies who offer this service include Shut terfly Snapfish and Kodak Gallery Check each one to see which one works best for you before uploading hundreds of pictures Also make sure that you don t make your images available for viewing to the general public unless you want to Each company handles the sharing security of galleries books etc differently and in some cases the number of images or total file size is limited Once you are ready to share your gallery and or slideshow most providers make it easy for you to send an invitation directly from the Website to your contacts Because of the high incidence of e mail phishing schemes you may want to let your family and friends know ahead of time that they will be receiving a link from the online lab Use an application that has built in tools for creating an online gallery and or animated slide show There are many many software options on the market that can be used for these purposes A list of many of them including links to tutorials can be found on the companion Web site w9 9 THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 89 Get your old negatives slides and prints scanned or scan them yourself Most people have decades of negatives slides and or prints in 165 shoeboxes albums slide carousels and frames Wouldn t it be great to have your favorite photos from the past available in digital format both to have as an ar
123. one blastoff Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 85mm ISO 640 Aperture fl5 6 Shutter Speed 7500 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight camera right was the only light used photo Andrew Darlow Pet Photography nf Tip 27 The great outdoors offer us an incredible array of trees mountains and man made objects in which to frame our pets and other family members Like Tip 20 in Chapter 2 about including parts of your home when photographing a pet when you re outside you can also include parts of your house backyard or other surroundings This photo was taken during an assignment at a client s home at about 3 P M on a September afternoon let the pets roam around and captured this image of her Rhodesian Ridgeback enjoying a glorious day in her backyard near some majestic trees Today s high quality zoom lenses make it easier to shoot at a number of different zoom levels whether the lens is built into your camera or removable 09 Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm 1SO 200 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter Speed 00 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight provided most of the lighting and the trees helped provide the dappled lighting effect photo O Andrew Darlow rs L CS MUS Lento BASK IN THE SUNSHINE OR RAIN Tip 28 Let It Snow Then Capture Your Pets In and Around It Snow can be incredibly be
124. or lower the shutter speed until your photo is properly exposed Another good use for shutter priority mode is when you are doing tracking or following the action of a person and or pet This is a great effect that makes the subject look as though he or she is running at supersonic speed To use the tracking technique set your camera to shutter priority and about 72 sec to begin Then pan and follow the motion of a walking or running pet maybe during a brisk walk as you depress the shutter button w1 19 Tip 8 covers some of the exposure focus options that can be helpful when using this technique The dial on this Canon DSLR is set to Shutter Priority mode Tv Other popular modes such as Manual M and Aperture Priority Av can also be seen on the dial A few Basic Zone Modes as Canon calls them are also available including Portrait Landscape and Sports mode Other cameras have very similar options but they are often selected and displayed on an LCD screen instead of a dial photo Andrew Darlow TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Tip 8 Take Control of Your Exposure and Focus Options Setting and controlling your exposure and focus options are impor tant if you want to get the most from your camera If you plan to use manual focus or autofocus on your DSLR or point and shoot camera the main modes to choose between are single shot or continuous shooting Single shot will allow you take one photo at a time a
125. otograph the moment e Throw the treat toward the person who has the camera so that they can capture some action moving toward them e Throw the treat up so that your pet jumps to get it and capture the moment when he or she is in the air e Make a line of treats over a specific area and photograph your pet as he or she travels from location to location to retrieve them e Hide a treat in an appropriate toy and capture the fun that ensues For the photo on the following page shot on a cloudy day in mid December at about 4 P M watched as the dogs were given some treats and then decided to capture the moment really like the angle of view in this photo and how the dogs emotions come out The look was achieved with a wide angle lens and got pretty close to the dogs about 20 inches 50cm away Every lens has a minimum focus distance which is the distance from the film plane or digital sensor to the closest point at which you can achieve a sharp image For the Canon 16 35mm f 2 8 lens used the minimum focus distance is about 11 inches 28cm 91 92 Pet Photography These are the low carb gluten free treats right yo Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed sec Lighting Notes Lighting came almost entirely from the available lighting in the kitchen which was an assortment of about six lights in different sizes You can
126. ou don t have any window coverings there are other diffusion materials that can be used including tracing paper sheets of white paper shower curtains bed sheets or milk acrylic often called milk Plexi w4 2 Venetian blinds can be purchased inexpensively and are especially versatile just attach them to a light stand place them in front of your windows and you re ready to go photographed this image of a client s cat in New York City in late January on a sunny day at about 5 P M The lighting came entirely from a bedroom window and was modified by some fabric window hangings The window hangings primarily helped to produce the shadow on the foreground and they held back some of the light falling on the pillow in the background Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 47mm ISO 200 Aperture f 5 6 Shutter Speed 750 sec It s funny cause it s true photo Andrew Darlow 58 Pet Photography 4 Tip 32 Shoot with a Window Directly Behind Your Subject to Create Silhouettes Silhouettes in photos can be very captivating and dramatic If your main light is coming from a window and if that light is much brighter than the light falling on your subjects from the front you can easily create a silhouetted image Determining proper expo sure can be a bit tricky but most cameras set to automatic mode will result in a silhouetted image Just be sure that your camera s f
127. ou re good to go A related tip is to bring a bubble level with you when you use a tripod to make sure that the horizon is straight Some levels have a hot shoe adapter that can be inserted in the camera s hot shoe Hot shoes are the small brackets located on top of many DSLRs video cameras and some point and shoot cameras They are nor mally reserved for on camera flash or continuous lighting units w8 5 By keeping things level portraits and landscape images will be easier to process later on One of the best uses for a tripod is to set up a scene much like the director of a film would First prefocus using manual focus or use autofocus if your camera has no manual focus option and then stand next to the camera as you watch the action through your eyes instead of having to constantly look through the view finder or LCD display Tip 78 has more suggestions for helping keep things tack sharp Shown here left is a Bogen Manfrotto 3265 Grip Action Ball Head On the right is a Canon DSLR with a matching quick release plate in the camera s tripod socket Circled in red is a built in bubble level and circled in green is an adjustable locating pin that allows you to keep the quick release plate in more securely on cameras that accommodate it It can be unscrewed until it does not show for cameras that have no locating pin socket In the center of the quick release plate you can see a small handle that flips down to allow tightening the
128. ough not complex describing the process takes a considerable amount of space so I ve written an extensive step by step article on this process that you can find on the companion Web site w9 3 This is the system use and the system that I ve set up for many of my consulting clients I ve also created a zip file with a set of named and organized folders for Mac or Windows ready for you to begin using to help you organize your new images as well as your archives w9 4 This screenshot illustrates from left to right how the folder structure might look for the date based system described in the article on the companion site You may want to add remove or rename the folders depending on the type of work you do 155 156 Pet Photography Tip 84 Rename your image files to avoid overwriting files Most digital cameras produce file names with four digit numbers and you generally have two choices the camera s counter will keep counting up and then start over after you ve taken 9 999 pictures known as Continuous or Sequential File Numbering or it will reset when you insert a newly formatted media card known as Auto Reset For example IMG_1234 CR2 might be a RAW file name that the camera would produce The problem is that if files with the same names are used in any asset management system it can lead to problems including possible deletion of files because you may think that the files are duplicates
129. out 3 P M asked him to sit on a bench near a window and he soon discovered what a nice spot it was to soak up some rays show this image to demonstrate some of the advantages DSLR cameras have over most point and shoot cameras First I m using a super sharp 50mm macro lens which discuss more in Tip 3 It is of higher quality and has wider maximum aperture compared with most point and shoot camera lenses Next shot the image at ISO 640 which results in considerably more grain on most point and shoot cameras Finally the DSLR used shoots at a faster frame rate and l m able to capture more images without having to wait for the camera s buffer to catch up compared with just about any other point and shoot camera That s not to say that you can t get great images and good frame rates with a point and shoot camera It just helos sometimes to see why people go out of their way to carry and use DSLRs and in some cases multiple lenses Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm ISO 640 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter Speed 1600 sec Lighting Notes The lighting for this photo comes almost entirely from the windows just above Elwood s head though used a white board clamped to a light stand camera left as a fill card to direct the light coming into the room back toward Elwood photo Andrew Darlow Pll be right with you TRAIN YOUR CAM took this photo of a friend s fun loving
130. outside on a beautiful day in May just after 4 P M had him stand on a small table so that could get a straight on shot without having to lie on the ground shot it handheld without a tripod and was able to get a variety of different looks including a number of profile views The sunglasses were made especially for pets w6 1 and Elwood didn t seem to mind wearing them cropped the photo here to a square but it was originally shot as a horizontal image Camera Canon EOS 5D to an i mals Hd Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro 1SO 400 Aperture f 6 3 Shutter Speed 1600 sec Lighting Notes The sun is slightly overhead and camera right which created the lighting you see No reflectors were used but the Fill Light slider was moved to the right about one third of the way in Adobe Lightroom when processing the file to help open the shadows on Elwood s face w6 2 photo O Andrew Darlow Be super cool by being super kind Pet Photography Tip 48 Capture Interesting Juxtapositions Between Pets and Artwork As demonstrated earlier in the book Tips 20 and 31 artwork and other furnishings can be used in your pictures to complement the actions and expressions of your pets Some examples of art include quilts distinctive pillows statues framed photographic prints and paintings In this photo taken at about 5 P M on a sunny day in May the cat was just hanging out on top of the couch appeari
131. phy gt Tip 52 Stack em Up Photograph a Pet Sitting or Standing on Another Pet If you have multiple dogs or cats you may occasionally find them sitting or standing on one another As long as it is safe for everyone involved the situation can make for very entertaining and heart warming pictures Little cats standing sitting or sleeping peace fully on the backs of big dogs are especially amusing to me For this photo photographed on a sunny day at about 4 P M in May the Pit Bull was just trying to get some sun next to the sliding glass door when her Chinese Crested Chihuahua mix sister dropped in for a little surfing practice on her back Everyone well at least the surfer appeared to enjoy the experience hung a curtain just behind them that purchased from Ikea w6 4 It had some wrinkles in a few spots so did a little retouching on it using the clone tool in Adobe Photoshop also selected the fabric and applied a slight Gaussian blur in Adobe Photoshop which is a tip covered in Chapter 9 Tip 93 that can be used to draw focus more toward the subjects and away from the areas you blur Many software programs have the ability to make selections and blur selected areas In addition lightened the top dog s face by selecting it in Adobe Photoshop because it was considerably darker than her body then lightened the Pit Bull s head a bit because it looked a bit too dark and added a catch light in his
132. proach can be used in conjunction with the tip above turning over the card for a second level of protection For SD SDHC cards to enable the lock function just slide the small plastic switch down You will need to move the switch up to copy data from the card to a computer or other device and of course you ll need to move the switch up before you reformat the card in the camera and start shooting again 153 Pet Photography 154 099 These two media card cases were promotional items given out at various photo trade shows You can find many inexpensive card carrying cases at photo retailers w9 2 photo Andrew Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 83 Manage your cards and files properly from the beginning with a date based system Many people just copy a folder full of images from their media cards to their desktop and leave it there until their hard drive is filled but that s not a very good choice There are some very basic approaches to organizing your media cards and images that will help you to take control of where things are stored and how they are archived Also consider that at some point you will need to make room for new photos on your computer Having a good system in place will help make that possible with little risk of losing precious images later on The main suggestion have to help reduce the problem of losing images is to create folders for your image files organized by date Th
133. quality of camera phones varies dramatically Some are even capable of produc 3 ing images that rival the image quality of good quality point and shoot digital cameras w1 5 Some tips for using camera phones can be found later in this tip Before making a camera purchase it often helps to read the advantages and disadvantages of one type of camera compared with another I ve put together a few detailed articles on the book s companion Web site that compare the cameras discussed through out this section w1 6 For example most DSLRs have a traditional optical viewfinder instead of just a video representation of what you are about to capture as found on most point and shoot cameras That can be helpful because the built in diopter that accompanies most optical viewfinders can be easily adjusted for your shooting eye Also putting the camera against your face when shooting can help stabilize it Having a true optical view finder can also make manual focus and burst mode photos in quick succession of a moving subject like a jumping cat much easier The diopter adjustment dial on the Canon EOS 5D Mark DSLR circled in red is similar to the diopter adjustment on most cameras that have an optical viewfinder Above the viewfinder is the camera s hot shoe for mounting flash units and or wireless trigger devices photo Andrew Darlow Pet Photography For this photo of Elwood photographed on a sunny May afternoon at ab
134. r resources on the companion Web site w1 26 First one to get Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 35mm ISO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed 2422 sec Lighting Notes Outdoor natural light provided all the lighting photo Andrew Darlow over there wins y It s All about Perspective Tips for Composition and Camera Placement So often we see photos of pets and kids from an adult s per spective which can be charming and beautiful but at the same time a bit predictable dare say even a bit boring In this chapter suggest some tips for mixing things up and making your photos look like you ve been floating around a movie set with a million dollar camera rig Please note When you see notations like w2 1 it means that a related Web link and usually additional information can be found by visiting the book s companion Web site at www PhotoPetTips com Photo on facing page O Andrew Darlow see Tip 16 for image information 28 Pet Photography Tip 13 Photograph Your Pet Straight On Eye to Eye You can get great photos of your dog or cat or a group of pets by sitting on a low chair or staircase step and looking directly into their eyes or by having them sit on a chair or table to raise them up to a level that allows you to take their photo straight on without having to crawl around on the floor It also helps to have someone else entice your pe
135. ra Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm ISO 320 Aperture f 11 Shutter Speed 425 sec Lighting Notes Lighting came primarily from a single off camera diffused flash placed slightly camera left Natural daylight from a few windows located on the left provided some fill light and much of the light for the background photo Andrew Darlow Pet Photography Tip 94 Choose an appropriate resolution depending on your output The question of what resolution or how many pixels per inch ppi your files should be at their final print size is a common question always recommend testing to see what works for your images print most of my work around 200 300 ppi at final size to inkjet printers and continuous tone photo machines like those found at professional labs However 150 200 ppi or even lower has also worked well for me in many cases especially when making larger prints Your file s image quality plus the paper printer amount of sharpening and final output size will all contribute to the final quality of your prints You can check just about any file size quickly in a variety of imaging programs For example you can choose File gt New in Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements Then enter the dimensions ppi and color mode for example grayscale RGB 8 bit or 16 bit etc and you will see your file size in megabytes appear at the top of the box File Dimensions aera E am T
136. ra Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm Film Color Negative Lens Focal Length Fixed zoom 38 90mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded Lighting Notes The lighting for this image is coming entirely from natural light and the bench that the dog is standing on is providing some fill light photo Andrew Darlow THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 90 Adjust color temperature settings quickly with the help of gray cards covered the camera portion of this tip in Chapter 1 Tip 4 Assum ing you have a captured digital photo or scanned photo with a gray card or other product designed for gray balancing in the scene you can use the gray balance tool in almost any imaging application to click on the gray area so that the software knows what should be neutral In a perfect world once you do that all the other colors will fall into line and you won t need to make any additional color adjustments Of course the world is not perfect so you may need to make some adjustments to either the white balance tint slider if available or other color adjustment options once you set the white balance One good option is to use a photo editor that is nondestructive like Apple Aperture or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom even if you shoot entirely in JPEG mode because you can make changes to the white balance settings regardless of the file type However RAW files will retain better overall quality compared with JPEGs when makin
137. rd the center of the frame Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 800 Aperture f 2 8 pairs so can t we e Speed sec share ighting Notes Indoor lighting from household lightbulbs provided all the light because everything happened so fast and there was no time to set up any special lighting They come in photo Andrew Darlow 102 Pet Photography Tip 56 Photograph Someone Happily Holding Multiple Pets Multiple pets whether of the same breed or various mixes can be cute when held one at a time but even cuter when multiple pets are held up for the world to see Of course use care when holding multiple pets it s not a contest You can also have a few people stand or sit next to each other each holding a few puppies or kittens for a more continuous look and feel For this photo of a client and her three adorable Maltese she wore a beautiful dress and while sitting in her home in front of a fire place she held her dogs all together and very carefully took about 25 exposures of the group and even then had to borrow from a few different images to get good expressions for all the dogs because they were constantly moving Other retouching included some color correction to make the dogs more neutral in color Also selective sharpening was done in Adobe Photoshop to make the dogs stand out from the background and to avoid sharpening the woman s sk
138. rew after my dog Elwood won the 2007 World s Ugliest Dog Contest and lucky for me Andrew was quite interested in photographing Elwood and the rest of my family Andrew spent hours at my home painstak ingly photographing Elwood as well as my other furry kids When Andrew sent me the proofs was overwhelmed the photos he took were the most beautiful pictures of Elwood had ever seen He captured Elwood s true beauty Andrew saw the gen tleness of the little dog fell in love with when first rescued him and through his lens he brought out Elwood s tenderness and splendor as well as the special bond that Elwood shares with everyone in our home The photos were artistic beautifully com posed and just lovely Foreword Pet Photography 101 will allow photographers of any level to hone their skills with easy to understand information and techniques Many of the models featured in the book are rescued animals that were once homeless Now they are special loving compan ions for many families Thank you Andrew for sharing your talent with others and for bringing beauty to the world through your magnificent photography viii Karen and Elwood Quigley Sewell New Jersey www EveryoneLovesElwood com Karen Quigley with Elwood and some of the other adopted mem bers of her family all of whom are rescues Photo Andrew Darlow Preface La love photography And as long as can remember I ve loved
139. riority or manual mode you can control the way your lighting will look instead of just leaving it up to your camera Know any good sushi places around here Camera Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm Film Fuji Color Negative Lens Focal Length Fixed zoom 38 90mm Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO unrecorded photo Andrew Darlow Pet Photography Tip 78 Use a Cable Release Self Timer or Mirror Lockup Mode A wired or wireless cable release allows you to keep your hands off the camera during an exposure which can help to reduce movement during a shot when your camera is on a tripod or a stable surface A self timer is often more convenient to use but it s not nearly as easy to get a shot at a specific moment in time Some cameras have a timer option that s just a few seconds instead of 8 12 seconds which is very helpful if you are right next to your camera Just depress the shutter gently and in a few seconds the shutter will fire 146 Mirror lockup is a feature available on many DSLRs By engaging mirror lockup often through a custom menu you can reduce vibrations inside the camera because the mirror does not have to flip out of the way to expose the film or sensor This can result in sharper images when you have the camera on a tripod have seen a subtle but discernable difference when using mirror lockup on various cameras This tip is primarily for those who are doing macro or other
140. rofile shots 108 PC terminal 148 Perspective 29 36 Pet expos 124 125 Pet parts 93 Pets with Disabilities 124 Photo cells 148 Photographer s feet 95 Photographic print pet juxtaposition 90 PhotoKit 175 Photo lab prints 182 PhotoshopUser com 157 Picasa 157 Pillow pet juxtaposition 90 Pit Bull 96 Pixels per inch ppi 172 Planar lenses 17f Plug ins 175 176 POD 76 Point and shoot cameras 2 4 Poodle 165 166f Pool shots 105 Pool toys 106 Portraits 41 43 62 Power shake 105 ppi see Pixels per inch ppi Printmaking 182 183 Profile shots 108 Props 106 Pug 41 43 42f 106 Q Quantum Radio Slave 4 wireless transmitter 148 149 Quilt pet juxtaposition 90 R Raccoon eyes 40 41 Rain shots 45 RAW format color management 168 169 file renaming 156 file sizes 162 high ISO 134 highlights shadows 173 vs JPEG 9 lighting tips 132 processing applications 160 INDEX 189 190 Index resolution choices 22 snow shots 49 software options 157 Real life shots 85 Red eye reduction 147 Reflectors 43f 44f Reformatting media cards 153 Relaxing poses 64 66 Removable storage see Media cards Replace Color tool Photoshop 180 Resolution settings 22 172 Retouching 74 76 Retro looking images 176 177 Rhodesian Ridgeback 48 98 River shots 105 Rosco 45 5 San Gennero Feast 6 Saturation 180 Scale outdoor shots 48 Scanning ima
141. rustrat ing at times Always know that there are others who are probably experiencing the same problems so I ve put together a list of online photo related forums and groups to consider visiting w9 26 Also use search engines they can be invaluable If a certain search term doesn t get your question answered try a dif ferent one with quotes for example Adobe Photoshop sharpen ing and sharpening with Adobe Photoshop will give you some of the same links but many will be different And most of all have fun Dogs cats and our family and friends have a way of bringing out the most wonderful emotions in us and photography helps us to cherish and share those special moments in so many ways Wilhem Imaging Research wilhelm research com has a wealth of good information not just about longevity testing but also about the technology and inks used in the printers that are discussed The right column contains most of the information regarding late model inkjet printers You can view the information on screen or download PDFs 185 This page intentionally left blank A Action shots parades street fairs 126 sporting events 116 techniques 23 Adobe Bridge 156 Adobe Camera Raw color temperature adjustment 167 multiple image processing 173 RAW processing 160 silhouette shots 58 Adobe Photoshop backgrounds 137 black and white images 176 color management 169 dust checks 170 file renaming 156 file size
142. s in many different situations from simple but dramatic photos of a pet just waking up in the early morning sunlight to a family photo on the beach in the late afternoon lit with the help of a portable flash unit wrote the book with as little jargon as possible and in many cases when wanted to elaborate or include more information about a topic created a reference link which you can find on the book s companion Web site Companion Web Site The Internet offers an incredible amount of free and fee based information about photography digital imaging dogs cats and just about every related topic The book s companion Web site www PhotoPetTips com contains hundreds of links to more infor mation related to the tips presented in this book as well as addi tional information about photography retouching and much more Just look for notations like w1 1 throughout the book created these reference links to reduce the number of Web URLs that would otherwise have to be printed throughout the book The links also reduce the amount of typing necessary to get to the information To navigate to a link just click on the chapter number on the main page of the companion Web site and then click on the specific link reference number What You ll Need To get started you ll need a camera though even a camera phone will do In Chapter 1 explain why prefer digital single lens reflex cameras DSLRs for most of my image making but
143. s so important that added it as the first tip in this chapter When you use your camera s RAW capture mode you can edit your images much more effectively because the RAW files retain more information and generally exhibit less noise at the same ISOs compared with shooting in other modes such as JPEG or TIFF In fact you may be surprised how a very dark or contrasty photo can be adjusted and look great because you shot it in RAW mode That being said some cameras do not have a RAW capture option and many people understandably like the convenience of being able to just take pictures and upload them quickly to a blog or site like Face book com or Flickr com Others just want to bring their media cards to a lab or retail store to have prints made quickly without having to process RAW files through a special application Whatever options you choose it s really about selecting and using a system that allows you to make photos that you can share with friends family and future generations For this photo of a client s cat photographed in front of a window some of the highlight areas would probably have been blown out and unable to be retrieved had this been shot the same way in JPEG mode By shooting in RAW was able to retain detail in both the highlights and shadows by making some adjustments in a RAW file processing application in this case used Adobe Photoshop Lightroom For situations when there is a very wide contrast range
144. sec Lighting Notes An off camera flash camera left about 10 feet from the dog provided most of the lighting but the relatively slow shutter speed allowed some of the ambient street lights and house lights to play a part in the overall look of the image photo Andrew Darlow 46 Pet Photography Tip 26 Might as well JUMP Capture Airborne Action Outdoors Photos of jumping dogs and cats offer a great opportunity to prac tice your reflexes and capturing those moments in time can result in some truly amazing images Some ideas for getting pets to jump include throwing a Frisbee or similar toy holding a treat or toy up high or by just saying Jump On a more technical note the best way to freeze action is by using fast shutter speeds ooo sec or faster and a steady hand or tripod That being said some blur can be interesting so experiment a bit until you get something you like It may take some time to get photos you are happy with but it will be worth the effort Also consider using your camera s continuous exposure burst mode Many cameras can shoot between three and eight frames per second photographed this jumping Chinese Crested outside on a Febru ary afternoon at about 4 P M Lower vantage points like this help to add to the drama You can also experiment with including or not including the ground in your photos either when shooting or when cropping Three two
145. see a number of the circular catch lights in the dogs eyes created from the kitchen s lights photo Andrew Darlow WHERE D MY SOCK GO Tip 50 Photograph Some Pet Parts On a number of occasions throughout the book I ve suggested shooting at different zoom levels focal lengths to expand your creative options when photographing your pets and other family members This tip builds on that idea and covers the wonderful world of photographing pet parts That means you should look for interesting parts of your subjects to frame such as close ups of the nose eyes mouth paws teeth or a curly tail Another related idea would be to just photograph a part of someone but at the same time include all of a dog or cat in the shot For example someone could be holding a dog or cat in his arms but you can frame the photo so that you only see the person from his neck to his waist A good example of that can be seen in Chapter 7 Tip 63 For the photo of Elwood on the following page shot on a beautiful day at about 4 P M in May placed a silky black piece of cloth on the ground and quickly noticed his distinctive curled tail This shot was my favorite from the group Having a few background materials ready for times like these is another tip to consider w6 3 also cropped the photo slightly to keep the focus on Elwood 93 Pet Photography 099 Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro
146. t may become necessary Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information methods compounds or experiments described herein In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility To the fullest extent of the law neither the Publisher nor the authors contributors or editors assume any liability for any injury and or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability negligence or otherwise or from any use or operation of any methods products instructions or ideas contained in the material herein 9 Recognizing the importance of preserving what has been written Elsevier prints its books on acid free paper whenever possible Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Darlow Andrew Pet photography 101 tips for taking better photos of your dog or cat Andrew Darlow p cm Includes index ISBN 978 0 240 81215 1 pbk alk paper 1 Photography of animals Title TR727 D393 2009 778 9 32 dc22 2009024691 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 0 240 81215 1 For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www elsevierdirect com 09 10 11 12 13 54321 Printed in China Working together to grow
147. t want e Have your subjects look into a relatively bright light for a few seconds before taking the photo This may be difficult for dogs or cats to do so if you quickly illuminate the whole room for a few seconds then turn off the lights this technique can help e Fix the red eye in a software application many can do this effectively This is definitely a solution but it should be your last option w8 12 a Shown here is the Custom Timer menu for the Canon PowerShot SD790 digital camera Many other cameras have similar features It also controls single shot mode shown as a single rectangle or high speed continuous shooting which will allow you to take multiple photos with a single press of the shutter button shown as three stacked rectangles Next is a 10 second self timer then a 2 second self timer great for when you have the camera on a tripod bean bag etc without a cable release Last is a custom timer option which when selected brings up the menu to the right b In that menu the number of seconds 0 10 seconds 15 20 or 30 seconds in the case of this camera and the number of continuous shots to be fired can be set If the flash is used in this mode the camera will wait to shoot until the flash recycles photo Andrew Darlow 148 Pet Photography Use a wireless flash trigger both for safety and to expand your lighting options Wireless flash triggers enable you to fire a flash from your
148. technique but photographed it using my camera s manual mode and an off camera flash Shutter priority mode is another good option for these types of situations because it allows you to choose how long the shutter will stay open Mixing that with flash can be tricky but today s Through The Lens TTL flash systems make it much easier In Chapter 3 Tip 23 discussed fill flash which is another way to improve your photos as well as your overall creative options Some cameras also have a long exposure noise reduction mode The disadvantage is that the noise reduction process sometimes can take the same amount of time as the actual exposure because it employs what s known as dark frame subtraction For this technique and for most long exposure photography you should also have the camera on a tripod for best results w8 10 took this picture p 145 of a distinguished looking white cat in Kyoto Japan one evening in 1990 when was out with friends used a 35mm point and shoot film camera with no special settings and because of that the background is quite dark because when the flash fired the camera chose a very short shutter speed prob ably about Moo sec Even so like the way the cat stands out in 143 144 Pet Photography the scene and show this image because sometimes a dark back ground when shot with flash will look fine By learning how to make some adjustments to your camera using a night shutter p
149. th cropping so experiment a bit You may also notice that a little retouching was done to remove the bottoms of the frames that were at the top of the photo also removed the hinge from the door on the right don t normally do much retouch ing on my pet photos but sometimes a little bit of work like this can improve an image dramatically Camera Canon EOS 20D Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 400 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight cha ng ng of the provided much of the lighting but g uard 1 additional light from lightbulbs around E the home and in spotlights just behind the cats helped add to the overall lighting photo O Andrew Darlow think we slept through the 76 Pet Photography 4 Tip 41 Photograph Your Subjects Stretching in Outrageous Ways Dogs and cats often seem to defy the laws of physics with the ways in which they can stretch out and twist themselves up often while sleeping This black and white cat was very very relaxed when snapped this photo of her with my camera placed directly on the carpet for stability and to get the low vantage point These kinds of moments happen all the time in many homes so have your camera ready The shallow depth of field f 2 8 definitely helped to enhance the overall effect There are many things you can use when in a situation like this to help steady the camera when you are low on the
150. that has a number of vignette options is PhotoKit an Automate plug in toolkit for Adobe Pho toshop The software has a total of 141 effects and is well worth trying out PhotoKit EL is a similar toolkit that is available for some early versions of Photoshop Elements w9 17 See Tip 97 next for an example of an image before and after crop ping and vignetting The example is subtle to show how just a few small changes can make an overall difference in the look and feel of a photograph Other before and after cropping examples can be found in Chapter 5 Tip 40 as well as in the book s Preface see the section in which describe the cover photo And more crop ping and vignetting tips and tutorial links can be found on the companion Web site w9 18 175 176 Pet Photography Create outstanding black and white and retro looking images from your digital files The look and feel that s possible to achieve with images that are black and white is truly amazing Dogs and cats can look especially good when transformed into black and white and it s important to note that black and white is not just about neutral gray images it encompasses a wide range of toned images from brown toned prints with a sepia tone that look like vintage darkroom prints to cool toned bluish images that look like hand coated 19th century cyanotypes Whether you work from a scanned print or slide or whether you capture an image with a digital camera i
151. to add black heat resistant and removable tape to a softbox to simulate the look of a window Just two pieces about one inch wide attached in a cross like pattern over the face of the softbox can produce great effects photographed this kitten in an apartment in New York City in mid March at about 6 P M moved in very close to her and cropped even closer which made one of the room s windows more clearly visible in her eyes Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length 50mm 1SO 200 Aperture f 2 8 Shutter Speed Mso sec thin g is hard Lighting Notes Natural daylight work 22 provided most of the lighting and a few lightbulbs in the room added to the overall look This modeling photo O Andrew Darlow s P J 2 E SE APLI La ATA a TE a the ALAS ea oo 7 7 j a aw we a AR eS 4a a es eo at d ig to gt Cea AA PO Pet Photography 4 Tip 36 Photograph Your Loved Ones Relaxing in Bed or on a Sofa Lit by Window Light One of the best times to photograph furry friends and other family members is while they are relaxing on a sofa the floor or a bed That s a primary advantage you have compared with going to a photo studio to pose for a photo The window light found in many bedrooms and living rooms is beautiful and the standard sugges tions for getting sharp photos in relatively low light pertain here see Chapter 8 for more on low li
152. ts from behind the camera with toys or noise makers or by calling their name photographed this kitten at a client s home playing on her scratch ing post The height of the post made it easy to capture this image eye to eye without crawling on the ground Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm macro ISO 200 Aperture f 2 5 Shutter Speed o sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight plus room light from some halogen lightbulbs provided the lighting photo Andrew Darlow First one who blinks buys the catnip IT S ALL ABOUT PERSPECTIVE Tip 14 Lower Your Perspective and Make Your Subject a Hero To create what is known as a hero shot so named because it often makes the subject look more majestic all you need to do is lower your perspective so that you are a bit lower than the pet s eye level how low will depend on the pet and experimentation is key Like in the previous tip toys and noisemakers work well to help create different poses 29 In this photo of a Weimaraner photographed in a park on a partly cloudy day at about 1 P M in late December his owner was right next to him when took the shot cropped it to a square because liked that look much more in this case That s a bonus tip that will be covered again in Tip 20 and other places throughout the book use cropping to your advantage It s good to be the king Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Foca
153. ules of etiquette and possibly laws governing photography in different countries so recommend doing some research about the places you are visiting and if the pet s owner is there always ask permission It s a good idea to write down the translation for a statement like Excuse me may photograph you and your dog or cat There are many questions that come up regarding model releases and what type of publication use is per mitted for such photos so recommend reading some of the resources on the book s companion Web site w 11 took this photo of a neighbor s cat who often came to visit my apartment near Osaka Japan when was an exchange student during college love these types of photos because they include details that are very different from my home country such as the Japanese style sliding windows and the hot water heater over the sink also really like photos that are not posed and that just capture moments in time Of course you can use these tips wher ever you find yourself Just look for scenes like this as you go about your day while cooking cleaning relaxing traveling to work and while you re just living life Camera Minolta Freedom Zoom 90 35mm H mmm how do Film Fuji Color Negative pee 5 Lens Focal Length Fixed zoom 38 90mm say miru k u on egal Aperture Shutter Speed and ISO 5 h i masu Z Ta unrecorded Lighting Notes The natural daylight that came through the sliding w
154. utside a church After asking permission took a few photos of this beautiful dog was shooting film and didn t note the aperture but it was probably about f 4 due to the shallow depth of field 127 128 Pet Photography IL Tip 70 Take a Few Valentine s Day Photographs and Create Your Own Cards Valentine s Day is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people worldwide and the history of St Valentine and Valentine s Day is very interesting w7 11 The color red is a symbol of love and the predominant color of Valentine s Day so consider dressing up your dog or cat in something red even a red scarf or boa will do Like the photo in Tip 16 in Chapter 2 photographed this Boston Terrier named Cupid inside her home for a full page feature in a magazine s February issue photographed her from a few dis tances with a fixed focal length 50mm lens and this was the one that was chosen This photo was also used for a number of cards that printed for the dog s mom using an inkjet printer and inkjet compatible prescored papers She then distributed the cards to friends and family around Valentine s Day and at other times There are many fantastic inkjet and laser compatible prescored papers for making cards or you can make your own by printing cutting scoring and folding them w7 12 0909 mine Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm ISO 800 Aperture f 3 5 Shutter
155. utter speed 18 J Jack o lantern costume 120 JPEG format color management 168 169 file sizes 162 highlights shadows 173 and Picasa 157 vs RAW 9 132 resolution choices 22 Juxtapositions 90 K Kelbytraining com 157 158f 159f Kennel Club dog show 118 Kodak Gallery 164 182 Kodak T400CN film 61f L Labrador Retriever 95 Lake shots 105 Lastolite All In One Umbrella 133f 141 179f LCD screen perspective shots 33 Learning resources 25 LED flashlights 60 LED headlamp 7 8f LensBaby 11 Lens options 10 11 Lens shade 142f LG enV cell phone 7 8f Lighting examples bare bulb lightbulb flashlights 102f 103f cloud diffused daylight 108 7 cloudy days 52f 53f exhibition hall 125f flash reflector 118f 119f glass door light overhead light 78f 81f 96f 97f incandescent lightbulbs fill cards 31f kitchen lights 92f lightbulbs 100f 101f natural daylight 6f 32f 34f 46f 48f 98 116f 117f natural light 166f off camera flash city lights 36f 37f off camera flash street lights 49f outdoor natural light 95f overhead sun 94f overhead sun Lightroom processing 88f 89f setting sun off camera flash 12f 13f shaded natural daylight 106f 107f snow shots 50f sunny afternoon 17f through glass door shot 66f 67f tree filtered daylight 5f tree shade light off camera flash 114f 115f wind effects 51f window light 62f 65f 181f Lighting units creative lighting 140 141 Light stand 43 43f
156. ver that you manage yourself Some backup services as well as a number of books and other resources that discuss both backing up and overall digital asset management can be found on the companion Web site w9 1 CEA AAA AAA ae m OZY Mozyhome MozyPro Sign Up Log In News Press e Hard drives crash Viruses attack Important documents get lost Home Frightening news for any computer owner lt Login Fortunately Mozy has made online backup possible for everyone News with an affordable secure solution that s easy to use gt Mozy for Business MozyPro Download and install Mozy lo ensure your photos music Outlook documents Sign Up files and other i re safely backed up at a fi e secure remote location About Us Unlimited Backu oe Mozyhome 5 per month CO Need to back up your office MozyPro is the simple secure and affordable backup solution for businesses Make Your World a Safer Place Caption The screen shot above from mozy com highlights the company s Mac or Windows compatible online backup services including a non business backup plan for under 5 per month THE DIGITAL CANINE AND FELINE Tip 82 Store Your Cards Properly and Reformat Them in the Camera This tip covers two important things making sure your cards are stored properly in a card case or bag so that you know their current status and making sure that you prepare your card properl
157. which leads me to another tip Include real and not so real pets in your photos for an added twist Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 16 35mm 16mm ISO 200 Aperture fl2 8 Shutter Speed 145 sec Lighting Notes Natural daylight from a large window camera right and inside lighting from household lightbulbs combined to produce the lighting photo Andrew Darlow 35 36 Pet Photography gt Tip 21 Use a tripod or similar device to stay sharp and extend your creative options A tripod or other device that holds your camera can do wonders in many situations One approach is to set up a scene set a self timer and run into the scene to capture yourself with your furry friends instant modern photo booth Other devices are available that allow you to attach a camera and extend it to allow for inter esting camera angles or to take a photo of you and your loved ones Two companies that make such products are the X Pod w2 3 and QuikPod w2 4 In this photo of a woman and her Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier photographed at about 10 P M in June on a rooftop in New York City placed my camera on a tripod to help ensure sharpness as well as a level horizon line Next time get to O wear the green 12 Camera Canon EOS 20D dress Lens Focal Length Tamron 18 200mm Di 11 18mm 1SO 400 Aperture f 6 3 Shutter Speed 40 sec Lighting Notes An off camera flash placed
158. y aperture priority mode to control depth of field Generally you will set your aperture to the widest setting for example f 2 8 or f 4 to allow the maximum amount of light in for your lens Throwing a ball or other object that your dog likes to fetch or having someone swing a toy from a stick to entice your cat are great ways to practice this technique Links to action photography articles can be found on the companion Web site w1 25 For the action packed photo on the next page photographed a client s dog playing with her neighbor s dog in her yard in Decem ber at about 5 P M Both dogs had a favorite item in their mouths and l m not sure where they were headed but they were going there fast Pictures like this are a lot of fun to make and share with friends and family 23 TRAIN YOUR CAMERA Find other appropriate learning resources including photo groups conferences and books There are many ways to learn about photography from books to 25 group workshops to individual training by a professional in the field There are also many groups and organizations around the world that you can join Some have monthly meetings with an average group of less than 20 people and others conduct confer ences in which thousands attend To delve deeper into the art and science of photography from capture techniques to asset man agement to retouching and printing l ve compiled a list of sug gested groups books and othe
159. y dra matic looks Like in the previous tip this approach can work at many levels from super wide to a macro view 31 photographed this Boston Terrier named Cupid at about 1 P M in December for a magazine s February issue you can probably guess which holiday it was for photographed her from a number of different angles but this overhead view was chosen for the magazine The rose petals and soft material it s a tablecloth com plemented Cupid and her big brown eyes perfectly Don t hate me because I m huggable Camera Canon EOS D60 Lens Focal Length Canon 28 135mm 1S 28mm ISO 200 Aperture f 8 Shutter Speed sec Lighting Notes Multiple incandescent lightbulbs were placed camera left with a large sheet of diffusion material w2 1 in front of them to create the soft lighting and the big catch lights in the dog s eyes Large sheets of heavy white paper fill cards surrounded the subject to soften the shadows Some daylight from windows camera left added to the overall lighting photo Andrew Darlow 32 Pet Photography Tip 17 Shoot from the Hip A walk through a city or town with a friend or family member is a great time to take photos of your dog Fast shutter speeds and higher ISOs are key here unless you are after creative blur or motion blur Don t worry if you don t get everyone s head in the picture As long as the four legged subjects get proper coverage
160. y for shooting after downloading In the days of film it was easy to know which rolls were new and which were exposed That s not the case with removable media cards like SD SDHC and CompactFlash cards One good way to let you know that you ve already filled a card is to turn it over and put it in a separate place from the cards that you haven t used yet learned that from Vincent Versace when viewed the online Epson Print Academy All cards I ve seen have one side that has a company name and another side that has a black and white label or it is blank There are many media card cases available and use a few types In the photo on the following page you can see two of the card cases use with new cards ready to be shot with on the left and cards that have been shot but not yet downloaded on the right After downloading and backing up your files to a computer and after reinserting a card back into your camera you should always reformat your card in the camera not the computer Virtually every digital camera has a card format option accessible through its menu though you may not find the option on some cell phones In those cases consult the manual or ask the manufacturer how to properly erase or reformat a card s data Some media cards including SD SDHC cards have a Lock func tion that can be enabled after you ve filled a card or any time you want to keep data from being written to or from the card This ap
161. you can get more or less of the scene in focus prefocused on the left dog by half pressing my shutter release and then moved my camera to the right slightly to produce the framing and look you see Manual focus could also have been used which would avoid the need to recompose as did Many point and shoot cameras have face detection that detects subjects and generally avoids the need to focus and recompose in these types of situations That being said like to be in control of the focus points whenever possible You really can t set up these types of special moments but if you look for opportunities like these you ll start seeing and capturing them more Chapter 1 covers some more related tips and links about exposure Camera Canon EOS 5D Lens Focal Length Canon 50mm 1SO 640 Aperture f 4 5 Shutter Speed o sec May 00 back to Lighting Notes Natural daylight camera left from a large glass door provided most of the lighting and some overhead light from inside the room helped provide some fill light photo Andrew Darlow sleep now 82 Pet Photography Photograph a Person Petting a Relaxed Dog or Cat The act of petting a dog or cat has been shown in laboratory tests to reduce blood pressure and think we ve all experienced the relaxing benefits that come with petting our furry friends Although maybe not quite as potent pictures of people petting dogs and cats can be quite relaxing as
162. you ll also see why a good quality point and shoot camera or video camera with a still picture mode may be perfect for all your needs It s all about making pictures that you and your family can enjoy and not about how many megapixels you can capture or how many pounds of PREFACE gear you can carry A late model computer running Mac OSX or Microsoft Windows is highly recommended though not necessary thanks to the many resources available today at photo labs and retail stores With regard to software mention Adobe Photoshop a lot through out the book because utilize the program in some way for much of my retouching and image preparation but Adobe Photoshop is not necessary to perform the vast majority of what cover and demonstrate in the book Also unless otherwise noted when mention Adobe Photoshop am speaking of Adobe Photoshop CS2 CS3 CS4 etc In Chapter 9 Tips 85 and 86 discuss a few free and inexpensive retouching software options as well as some powerful image processing programs Apple Aperture and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom that work differently from Adobe Pho toshop and that should be considered by anyone who is serious about photography and who would like to work more efficiently About the Cover Image On the following page is the unretouched version of the book s cover photo took this photograph of a beautiful 11 year old Labrador mix on a clear day at about 5 30 P M in April The dog s owner placed

Tips for Taking Better Photos of Your Dog or Cat

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