Point of View: Control Your Lines - Project 52 Week 17

This week our assignment was to consider our point of view in order to control your lines.  Leading lines are something photographers consider when taking photographs.  Leading lines 'lead' your eye to the subject in a photograph.  Changing your point of view as the photographer will change where those lines lead. Most of the time when I think about leading lines, I think about lines on the ground (roads, sidewalk lines, brick paths, etc) but I used a different tactic this week. I was recently taking photos of dogs in front of doors and many of the doors had a lot of detail and lines on them.  In looking back at the photos, my point of view certainly affected the images and how I feel about them.

This is Louie.  A dachshund from NJ that now lives in Barcelona.  This first image is edited and the second photo is the exact same image straight out of the camera.  You can see I removed his leash, I cropped the photo and I actually extended the door behind him.  I didn't care for the wall on the left side.  In the photo, the lines on the wall distracted me.  If I would've changed my point of view when I was taking the photo, I could've eliminated having the wall on the left in the photo at all.  Lucky for me, this type of editing is pretty easy to do.

For anyone on Instagram, Louie has his own page: Rocco_Louie.  He's famous!  Gotta love that!

In this next photo, there are all kinds of lines on the door that affect the image.  I have several of this pup Bimbo in front of this door.  (Bimbo is 6 months old.  Look at his HUGE paws!)  By changing my point of view, the photos change dramatically.  In the 2nd photo, I am not positioned directly in front of Bimbo so the perspective or point of view of the photo changes.  I definitely prefer being directly in front of my subject when there are a lot of leading lines in my images particularly when the lines are behind my subject.

I have also learned this about myself as a photographer: I rarely take a straight picture.  Luckily there are options in Lightroom and Photoshop to straighten them and those are tools I use frequently although the photo of Louie above was actually pretty straight!

Next up is Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area.  I'm sure the other photographers will have very different examples of their leading lines.

Olivella Spain: Day 1

I'm writing about day 1 of Barkelona. I traveled to Spain to attend a dog photography workshop that lasted for 4 days. I wish it would've lasted longer. The days were jammed packed full of learning. Last night, someone asked me what my favorite part of the trip was and I answered the photo shoots. Thinking back, my answer should have been: the whole trip. I struggle to find the right words to describe the experience. It was just that: an experience. It was memorable. Amazing. Challenging. Wonderful.

When it was over, leaving was hard.  However I feel so fortunate because in the moments of being there, I was really there.  I soaked in each moment, realizing how special it was.  I remember on my last night, standing alone overlooking the pool and thinking how blessed I am to have just had this experience. The experience meeting other like-minded crazy dog people. We are all equally crazy about photography and wanting to learn and soak it all up too. I made some amazing bonds with the wonderful people who were there and my world became a lot richer because of them. Here is the beginning of my story:

I arrived in Barcelona (albeit without my checked luggage) on a Tuesday morning. I explored the city until Thursday at 6pm when I left for the workshop. I met up with many of the workshop participants in Barcelona so many of us had a chance to get to know each other prior to the workshop starting.

On Thursday evening, the 12 of us loaded down with our camera gear and all of our luggage (with the exception of my luggage which was apparently floating around London (!) and Barcelona) and headed to Casa Felix the villa that would house all of us during the workshop. I had all of my camera equipment so I was okay! I've included a link to the gallery of the house. The photos don't do it justice. I loved this house and my room with its huge windows and super comfy bed. I slept better there than I've slept in a really long time. :)

On Friday morning (day 1), I awoke to find Connie a chef originally from England in the kitchen making us breakfast. I should've done a better job of photographing the food she made for us. It was all wonderful. After breakfast, we were rewarded with an inspirational talk from Kaylee. She asked us questions like: who are you as an artist? One of my favorite quotes she shared is "Be Fearless in the Pursuit of What Sets your Soul on Fire." She is an amazing woman full of inspiration and love for what she does and it exudes from her. Dog photography is part of her soul and it's obvious. To be around her felt like being in the presence of greatness. Her company is Dog Breath Photography. You should check our her work. Even if her style isn't your taste, she is a genius. AND I GOT TO MEET HER!

Our next session was about lighting with Charlotte Reeves. Charlotte is based out of Brisbane Australia and gave us a ton of tips for shooting in various types of lighting conditions some of which I got to try for the first time on this trip.  She also talked about photography theory. Learning from her was a dream come true. It is wonderful to meet an artist whose work will take my breath away. That is Charlotte.

We also met a local dog trainer, Ingrid and her two dogs Blat and Etna.  They stayed in the house with us and Ingrid coordinated all of the dogs that we'd be photographing over the next 4 days.

We had our first photo session on day 1 and it was in the village of Olivella and we photographed 3 sets of dogs: Blat, Ney and Luc and Ovi.

Blat is a lab/pit mix and she loves her tennis ball.  We started by practicing action shots with her and she was a perfect model. Then we worked on some back lighting shots of her.  Next up was Ney and then Luc and Ovi.  My previous two posts featured Luc and Ovi, Spanish Galgos.

Project 52 - week 16: Try it in Black & White

For week 16 of Project 52, Try it in Black & White, I am in Spain!!!  I found out last year about a dog photography workshop called 'Barkelona' to be held just outside of Barcelona and I am here.  It is amazing - truly a pinch myself moment.   I don't have the words to describe how beautiful it is and literally as I'm typing this the church bells in the village of Olivella which is just below our villa have started to ring.  Today, it is my heaven. I am here with 14 other ladies from all over the world (America, England, Ireland and Australia) and the 3 instructors for the event:  Kaylee Greer of Dog Breath Photography,  (the color inspiration is for Kaylee and if this doesn't make sense, go to her page and read her bio), Charlotte of Charlotte Reeves Photography  and Nicole of Nicole Begley Photography.   A Barcelona based trainer Ingrid Ramon is staying here with us too AND she brought her dogs, Edna a rottie and Blat a yellow lab.  (Blat means wheat in Spanish.)   Ingrid has lined up all of the dogs that we'll be photographing over the next several days.  It's going to be a jammed packed, exciting, memorable time!

The village in Olivella is gorgeous.  The stone work, the old buildings, the wildflowers and the surrounding hills are a perfect setting for photographing.  We photographed 3 different sets of dogs last night.  One of the dogs we photographed was a puppy named Luc.  Since the theme for this week is try it in black & white, I thought Luc and his story would be appropriate for black & white photos.

Luc is a Galgo or Spanish Greyhound.  I learned about these dogs and the breed's history during my stay in Spain.  My heart broke when I learned more about these dogs' plight. For reasons I cannot understand, this breed originally brought to Spain by noblemen and held in high esteem, is now deemed worthless.  They are used for hunting hare each season and then as part of the tradition, they are killed after the hunt.  I couldn't bear to hear about their history and the torture they endure.

There are rescue groups across the world involved in improving the outlook for these dogs. We were fortunate and thrilled to meet Luc and his brother Ovi who were recently adopted. Yay for them!!

I didn't really get to know Luc but I believe this last photo probably sums him up.  Just look at those bright eyes, nun ears and silly grin!  Good for you Luc.  Enjoy your life sweet pup!

Next up in the blog circle is Little White Dog Pet Photography - Sioux Falls, SD   Be sure to click the link at the bottom of each post and you'll end up here when you are done.

PS  If you'd like to see these two images in color, look at my blog post dated 4/21/16!

Spanish Galgo

My next several blog posts will be from my time in Spain.  For those of you who might not know, I found out about a dog photography workshop last year that was going to be held just outside of Barcelona.  It was appropriately named 'Barkelona!' I have a lot of photos to share including (believe it or not) some that don't include dogs!  ha!  However, I feel like I need to start by sharing a story about two dogs Luc and Ovi that we met during our first photo shoot.

I'd not heard of this breed prior to this trip.  They are Galgos or Spanish Greyhounds.  Here is some information I found on them on vetstreet.com for anyone looking to learn more about the breed or considering adoption.  They have a serious, reserved temperament and can be shy in the presence of people they doesn’t know. They are  affectionate toward his family and gentle with young children.  In the home, they are quiet, but when they are hunting they turn into a lively, energetic dog.

A height of 24 to 27.5 inches gives him easy access to kitchen counters, so don’t leave food out where he can get to it. He will have no qualms about stealing it.  Give a Spanish Greyhound regular exercise to keep him conditioned. He’s an ace competitor in lure coursing, a sport that involves chasing a mechanically operated artificial lure.

Galgo Espanols respond well to positive reinforcement techniques, especially food rewards. If you are firm, fair, and provide the right motivation, they learn quickly and easily. If you don’t, well, this is a big dog that can do a lot of damage untrained and left to his own devices.  Looking for a dog with an easy-care coat? The Spanish Greyhound has you covered. Weekly brushing of his smooth, shorthaired coat (the majority of Galgos have a smooth coat) and regular nail trimming and ear cleaning are all he needs to stay clean and in good condition.  The Galgo Español loves his family and should live indoors with them, preferably with access to furniture or soft bedding.  I love this last part:  gotta love someone who recommends letting the dog on the furniture. :)

Unfortunately, most of these dogs in Spain are considered worthless and are treated horribly and tortured to death.  If you want to google them and read more about them, please proceed with caution. Their story is unfathomable.  Rescue groups from across the world have stepped in and are trying to change the plight of these dogs.

During our first photo session, we photographed Luc and Ovi, two puppies that were rescued when their pregnant mother was taken to a shelter.  They were all puppy and they will live out their lives knowing what human love and affection is.  Yay for Luc and Ovi!!  Did I mention that they were puppies??  That has something to do with the fact that I'm only posting photos of Luc! :) :)

#barkelona

Project 52: Week 15: Exploring Color Contrast

This week for our Project 52 challenge, we are exploring color contrast. Just as last week, I like this challenge. I like exploring colors and thinking about colors as I am photographing my subjects and as I'm editing my photos. In doing some additional research on color contrast, I ran across this statement from the about.com site: "Colors don't have to be direct opposites or have a set amount of separation to be considered contrasting or complementary." It also goes on to say, "The more transitional colors separating two colors, the greater the contrast. For example, magenta and orange is not as high contrast a pair as magenta and yellow or magenta and green. Colors that are directly opposite from one another are said to clash — although this clashing or high contrast is not necessarily a bad thing. Some of these high contrast, complementary, clashing colors are quite pleasing." When I initially looked at the challenge, I assumed each color would only have one contrasting color because I thought that contrasting colors had to be exact opposites such as green/magenta or purple/yellow. However I learned that a single color can have several contrasting colors. This is yet another reason why I love doing these weekly challenges. I learn new stuff all the time and it isn't just about my camera and composition.  AND all of this learning once again makes me wish I would've taken up photography earlier in life! :)

The images that I chose don't have the greatest amount of contrast but given the green backgrounds, there is definitely some contrast with the first image having the most since it is a green background and as close as I could get to a magenta dog!

Next up in the blog circle is Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area. Click the link at the bottom of each post and you'll end up right back here.  Be sure to check back next week too as I hope to have some really exciting, out of this world photos to post!!! :) :) :)

Project 52 - week 14 - Consider your Color Palette

This week's assignment, consider your color palette is one that I love because it is completely about developing your style as a photographer.  This is something I think about but I haven't quite figured out how to capture what I would consider to be my color palette when I am shooting.  When I look at other photographer's photos, I am drawn to images that are monochromatic.  I like images that are calming and soothing but I struggle with creating those types of images depending upon where I am shooting and the subject. The first photo posted below nails this for me and I want to continue to strive to create images like this.

On Saturday 4/2, I attended an event called Paws in the Park in Pineville NC.  It is a fundraiser to bring awareness to Black Dog Syndrome which is centered around black dogs being the last to get adopted from shelters and the first to be euthanized.  There were tons of people and their dogs at the event.  I had a booth, my camera and 3 friends to help.  I took photos and I posted them on an online gallery for people to view and purchase if they were interested. If you'd like to look at the photos, here is a link to the gallery.  I know I won't do this type of event many more times.  It was a lot of work but at this point in time of my photography career, the experience for me was invaluable AND I had a blast!!

In thinking about the 'Consider your Color Palette' challenge for this week, it's easy for me to choose the photos because I was in the same location for 4 hours on Saturday snapping photos of dogs. The colors are similar although it is interesting to me because the weather changed so much during the day, the tone of the colors in the photos did too.  Below are several that I took on Saturday.

What I can't figure out and I would love anyone's input on this, how do you create a style or a color palette in your gallery of photos when you are photographing different dogs in different locations when the colors aren't the same?  I know a lot of the work can be done in post processing but how do you try and take photos that have the same color palette?  That is another composition challenge I've yet to figure out but I'm having a lot of fun experimenting.

Click here to go to I Got the Shot Photography, Northeastern PA Pet Photographer's page and see her take on the Project 52 - week 14 - Consider your Color Palette challenge.  Be sure to click the link at the end of each post and you'll end up right back here!