Please Comment. Thanks

[pjgrossman]

http://image2.pbase.com/u4/pjgrossman/large/760343.Silly.jpg
I would love any and all comments re this image, esp ideas of how to improve it for printing/viewing and/or how to I might better capture this type of image in the future. Thanks in advance

[soumya63]

Very tricky exposure. I like it. The expression of the eyes of the Lab attracts attension.

The subject is very tricky, a deep black dog in white snow! No wonder the background got washed out and you also had no other choice :)

In my opinion, the white snow at the left side of the photograph should have some texture. This is however impossible to shoot without making your dog a silhouette. So what you can do is to shot another picture, but now without the dog from the same position, giving 2 stop less exposure. The best bet is to bracket it. Then using photoshop, put the snow texture details from the second shot into the first shot.

In the present form, you may crop a little white off from the left side.

[NewG2]

I actually think it would look better with MORE white space to the left hand side. Would make for a nice advertisement stock image. :)

Like so:

http://image.pbase.com/u7/newg2/upload/1100288.blackdogad.jpg

[Leighow]

Well, I am out every nite/weekend day in the snow XC skiing -- and I pass at least 50 dogs (with mine in tow) on my daytime trips. I also must fess up and tell you that while I love my dog, I have only photoed it twice -- and only once in the snow. I know and can share the expression.

I know that the snow lighting on a cloudy day can be very flat, so this is a great shot and the B & W feel is heightened by the brown eyes. There is an art quality here. Try converting it to "chalk & charcoal" in PS.

Also, I might liked to have seen a bit more top to the picture. But you'd want to see that option before making a final pick.

HOWIE

[bushey]

Makes me miss my dog. It is the definition of "puppy dog eyes"

[pjgrossman]

Thanks so much for the comment and idea. Yes Black dog in white snow on a flat day is a pretty tough to expose. Thank god for the D30 and the ablity to get feedback immediatly.

I like your idea of the of the double shot to capture the full light range. I've got Miranda's Dynamic Range Increase PS action. It would have been a good idea to use for this situation, maybe, although getting my dog to stay in one place for more than a fraction of a sec is impossible, thus your idea would better. The only question is how much would the detail and texture of the snow add to the overall image, and whether it would be worth the effort. But you never know until you try, so... The other way to do it that I've played with is by underexposing the background and then using the flash to expose the subject. I've had good luck with this tech in shooting my dog in other outdoor setting. Green lawn, street, backlight, etc. But I'm having trouble doing it in the snow. I will post some examples when I get a chance.

Thanks again for the input

soumya63 wrote:
Very tricky exposure. I like it. The expression of the eyes of the Lab attracts attension.

The subject is very tricky, a deep black dog in white snow! No wonder the background got washed out and you also had no other choice :)

In my opinion, the white snow at the left side of the photograph should have some texture. This is however impossible to shoot without making your dog a silhouette. So what you can do is to shot another picture, but now without the dog from the same position, giving 2 stop less exposure. The best bet is to bracket it. Then using photoshop, put the snow texture details from the second shot into the first shot.

In the present form, you may crop a little white off from the left side.

[pjgrossman]

Thanks for the comment and the idea. I love it and can't wait to shop at "Widget's"

Got any leads on interested stock agencies??? I would love to get into that, but I keep on waiting until I feel more confident with my photography and tech.

Newg2 wrote:
I actually think it would look better with MORE white space to the left hand side. Would make for a nice advertisement stock image. :)

Like so:

http://image.pbase.com/u7/newg2/upload/1100288.blackdogad.jpg

[pjgrossman]

Thanks for the comments. I would encourage you to shoot your dog more. They make great models, work for scraps and (at least mine) loves the attention. The only problem is they get addictive. I enjoy shooting my puppy so much, I've neglected shooting other subjects. I'll post some more images of her soon. Here's one that better represents her XC skills

http://image2.pbase.com/u4/pjgrossman/large/760323.IMG%5f4205.jpg

I've never used "chalk and charcoal" before. And I'm having a tough time making it work in PS. If you have any hints, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks again
Leighow wrote:
Well, I am out every nite/weekend day in the snow XC skiing -- and I pass at least 50 dogs (with mine in tow) on my daytime trips. I also must fess up and tell you that while I love my dog, I have only photoed it twice -- and only once in the snow. I know and can share the expression.

I know that the snow lighting on a cloudy day can be very flat, so this is a great shot and the B & W feel is heightened by the brown eyes. There is an art quality here. Try converting it to "chalk & charcoal" in PS.

Also, I might liked to have seen a bit more top to the picture. But you'd want to see that option before making a final pick.

HOWIE

[pjgrossman]

Here's another with those "eyes." I hope you get to see your dog soon.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid26/pdd13c438aeb91357a2d5e83a3e924288/fe3c011a.jpg

bushey wrote:
Makes me miss my dog. It is the definition of "puppy dog eyes"

[Leighow]

PJ:

She's a beauty. I loved the movement in #2. And I suspect that you are off-camera munching the lion's share of a Dad's cookie in #3.

Love them Labs.

HOWIE

PS:
I just got back onto e-mail this week after a couple of months of "electronic setbacks". This weekend I may find the time to take my 5 year old photo filled website out of mothballs. When I have that figured out I should be able to reply with the "chalk & charcoal" I did last week of a 150 year old lime-kiln lies hidden in the snowy woods near my home.

[pjgrossman]

Thanks and yes I'm sure I had something she wanted. She has a remarkably refined way of begging.

Good luck with your "weekend" project. I'm still trying to get a site with my photos up, and trying and trying....
If you do I'd love to see the "chalk and charcoal" example, if you don't trust me I'll understand. And I love to see the photos of the kiln. Good luck and thanks again.

Jim

Leighow wrote:
PJ:

She's a beauty. I loved the movement in #2. And I suspect that you are off-camera munching the lion's share of a Dad's cookie in #3.

Love them Labs.

HOWIE

PS:
I just got back onto e-mail this week after a couple of months of "electronic setbacks". This weekend I may find the time to take my 5 year old photo filled website out of mothballs. When I have that figured out I should be able to reply with the "chalk & charcoal" I did last week of a 150 year old lime-kiln lies hidden in the snowy woods near my home.

[Leighow]

PJ

I took my old web site out of mothballs this afternoon. All images were scanned from 4 x 6 prints. Unfortunately, 95% of my links havew to be rebuilt (like our Honda Civic with 220, 000 miles on the odometer!).

http://members.rogers.com/hleigh

I am inserting my chalk & charcoal of the Lime Kiln. It looks a bit busy in this smaller size, but starts to breath a bit by 8 x 10.

[SoCal69]

Jim... here's one you should look at...

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=14914&cat=615 (http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/dynoGallDetail.asp?photoID=14914&cat=615)

See any resemblance? (BTW, it isn't mine...I just happened to come accross it)

Chuck

[Leighow]

GEEZE

How Chuck and you guys keep coming up with identical twins, boots me -- (Oops beats me... apologies to Oops) and you know where!

Well .. what was different about this picture was the shadowed border/frame. Nothing special, but I admit that it move a "good" picture from "draft" to "final"

HOWIE

[rubysue]

I have a yellow lab, the picture is very nice, you dog is NICER!!!