Saturday, August 6, 2011

Dog-washing

Every quarter the greyhound adoption group that we got our hounds from holds a dog-wash fundraiser. Last weekend I went to see people bring their hounds to get bathed, nails trimmed, ears cleaned, and just fussed over.

I used my 10-24mm zoom for quite a few shots, trying to get close enough to fill the viewfinder. But I also wanted to use the 50mm for some informal portraits. Here are some examples, with the aperture set to f/2 or f/2.5 (to blur the backgrounds) and the D300 set on aperture-priority:

20110731_0022-1

20110731_0042 20110731_0060

20110731_0055 20110731_0046

Here are a couple of examples using the 10-24mm:

20110731_0028-1 20110731_0086-1

When I think I'm close enough to my subject with this lens, I have to force myself to get closer. For me using an ultra-wide-angle lens means getting in close enough to make you feel like you're standing next to the subject, not for getting everything in.

I don't think I used the 18-200mm once. Also, while I had an SB-800 flash mounted, I used it when there were some deep shadows that needed a little filling. But with wet, sunlit black dogs I don't recommend using flash at all on them: they come out too shiny.

Finally, one last shot using the 50mm:

20110731_0105

There used to be a greyhound there.

(Shot with the Nikon D300, the 10-24mm zoom, and 50mm lens; SB-800 flash; normal JPG.)

8 comments:

  1. Ha ha ha! I kept looking at all the pictures as I went through the post thinking, every one is gorgeous, I can't pick a favorite! I love that last shot, though. What a considerate hound to lay down there and be so still so you could get that one!

    I just love how you capture their eyes. It's one of the things that always grabs me when I look at Greyhounds. That brindle in the red collar is just adorable, too! I love that expression on her face.

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  2. thanks, carrie. i would not have seen the wet imprint on the asphalt if someone had not pointed it out to me. and if i had been a little quicker i would have been able to get a more complete imprint. but i do like the gap where the collar is and the arc of the tail.

    focusing on the eyes is one thing i learned early. and it's a tip that you'll read mentioned in articles about photographing animals. i will place a focus spot on the eye and it will track the eye if the subject moves in the viewfinder, so that is a handy feature to have.

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  3. Don't Greyhounds have the most beautiful expressions. I try and focus on the eye too and take lots of photos and hope something turns out good:) But as I'm usually trying to take photos of moving dogs I'm lucky if anything comes out in focus!

    The wet dog imprint on the asphalt is novel:) I had to look at it a couple of times as at first I thought it was a copy of a really old photo with scratches on it. I'm sure I need new glasses!

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  4. if i'd noticed it sooner i think i could've gotten the head imprint. what i keep noticing is where the collar was, as well as what there is of the tail.

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  5. Love that last picture of the water-greyhound.

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  6. thanks! i'm thinking i'd like to get a more complete water-greyhound next time. :D

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  7. Just found you! Love that last picture. I love them all though!!!

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  8. @mad red hare: thanks for your comments, and glad that you found my blog. that last picture has gotten more comments than anything else here.

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