Posing for a Pic

[Casper]

Does anyone have any suggestion for setting up a dog for quality photos. A young man who is showing some talent at painting as offered to do a painting of one of my dogs. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

[PntrRookie]

Do it as naturally as possible...on a sunny day. Put the sun to YOUR back so it is hitting the dog in the face, and the side you are taking the pict from. Keep your shadow out of the picture. Get on the ground so you are shooting UP at the dog.

I like the pictures of dogs without collars on them. Makes the body/neck look more sleek! Although id they are doing a drawing/painting of the dog, they can take a collar out.

If the wind is blowing, the dog may hit the bird further out, thus with a higher head...FWIW

[Don]

I like shooting straight on at the dog best. Up, straight on or down all change perspective. To shoot straight on, you'll have to kneel down and hold the camera at eye level to the dog.

I also like to set up the dog. That means I put a bird out in a trap and control everything. I've done dogs for other people and then always use a trap. If the dog doesn't bang the bird I pop right away and go to another bird. Worked against me a few times as I actually tighten up a competitor's dog! No worry. Don't make the dog stand any longer than necessary to snap a few frames quickly. If you want to change your position, go flush the bird and start over, the longer your dog stands while your fooling around, the softer it will get.

Do pay close attention to the sun. I don't like it over my shoulder, to much chance to get your shadow on the ground for one thing and it gives a flatter look to the shot. If the light comes from about 45 degrees, it flows across the photo and shows more shadow on the dog and better brings the dog to life. Have someone stand in front of you, just a few feet, with the sun hitting them head on. Now have them turn a bit and watch the shadows form. As they form, they create a sense of depth. Morning sun and evening sun are softer and give a nicer photo. Afternoon sun is to harsh.

Notice where the sun is on your avatar. It's to the dogs left a bit. See how the back side of the head and the chest are lit up? Had that photo been shot from the other side of the dog, you'd maybe see individual hairs on the dog. As it is the side facing is in a shadow and detail is lost.

Now if your going to have a painting made, the artist can fix some problems I would think as it will be what the painter sees. What he can't see, he will imagine. But the better the detail in the photo, the better the finished painting. For the person painting the picture, shoot on the sun side of the dog with the dogs head slightly toward the sun, it'll put what's called catch light in his eye's. Get down level with the dog and focus well. The better photo you give him, the better painting he should make. Leave as little as possible to the painter's imagination, he will use it where he has to.

[grant]

Get the dog in stacked position or pointing. Toss something in the direction the dog is facing. They'll raise their head up to look, and snap the pic. It gives a nice focused look. I saw this at a dog show. It was done with Kage in my avitar.

Grant

[AHGSP]

Does anyone have any suggestion for setting up a dog for quality photos. A young man who is showing some talent at painting as offered to do a painting of one of my dogs. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Aw come on Casper! How many times have you looked at John's Avatar of Spot!? Put 'em on birds and start clicking away till you find the one you like!

Couple of tips:
Always try to put the camera angle so that the dog appears to be above you. Shoot the pic from an angle below the dog.

Put the Sun at your back and preferably high in the sky, so as to not cast shadows. Although, some shadows can cast an air about a picture....

That's about all the help I can offer!

[ezzy333]

Posing or stacking as people often call it just takes a few practice sessions with your dog and you will be ok. Depending what you want I would use a bait if you have to stand or a bird will work great if you want a picture with the dog on point,

Ezzy

[schultz's honor]

Keep the camera angle low. Keep the lense at about the same height as the dog. You do not want to photograph the dog at a downward angle.
Here is an example of the camera angle I am talking about.
[img][img]http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/s ... a11307.jpg[/img][/img]

[MOOSE]

We just did this with two of our dogs for christmas. We went to a nice park and had no problem with the GSP. We told him to sit and their were DUCKS and GEESE all over. Being such a good bird dog all he did was watch those birds, ears up and forward the entire time. The gentleman has now offered to do free pictures for us cause our GSP turned out soooo good.

What kind of pose are you looking for?

Here is the image of our dog that was done....

[Don]

Is that a painting or photo of Moose? Like the background.

[MOOSE]

It is a photo of him composed to look like a paiting. Thanks for the comment!

[Don]

Well get ready for one more. That is a leather collar! Looks like one you had made. If not, where did you get it? It looks like double leather with the rough sides sewn inside. I dearly love good leather collars but the leather collars around here are for the most part junk. Same with most I've seen in catalogs. Had one similar to that made years ago for my springers.

[original mngsp]

Don

I havent had any collars from this guy but he is highly reccomended by friends of mine. Check out the link and give him a call.

http://www.snowcanyonoutfitters.com/Dog ... on_tan.jpg

[Dave Quindt]

Well get ready for one more. That is a leather collar! Looks like one you had made. If not, where did you get it? It looks like double leather with the rough sides sewn inside. I dearly love good leather collars but the leather collars around here are for the most part junk. Same with most I've seen in catalogs. Had one similar to that made years ago for my springers.

Don,

Take a look at the Grand National Championship collars that Lion Country sells here.

The leather guys I know can't figure out how they can sell that collar for $7.95 with the nameplate. I've seen far more expensive collars fail but have yet to see this one give out. I just bought one for my pup who's leaving for winter camp next week.

FWIW,
Dave

[MOOSE]

Don-
I got that collar through Just for Dogs. www.justfordogz.com Their website isn't the greateast. They don't show the O ring collar on there but they do have them in O ring. We have them for Moose, Tundra, and Rajah. Blitz hasn't quite graduated to one yet. Maybe this summer. They are very nice thick leather with the nylon sewn on the inside of the collar. My dogs use them for everyday use as well.

[Casper]

Aw come on Casper! How many times have you looked at John's Avatar of Spot!? Put 'em on birds and start clicking away till you find the one you like!

Yes Bruce I have seen it many times. I was thinking more of a setting with the dog rather than just a full frame of the dog. Much like some of the paintings seen for sale in the magazines. Although it depends on this young painter in what he feels he is capable of accomplishing.

[ezzy333]

And the most important part is that both you and the dog say Cheese at the right time.

Ezzy