Pet Photography (Studio Like)

[Zipline]

I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice on what kind of 'equipment' I would need to produce high quality, studio like pet portraits. I have no children so in a sense my pets are my kids. I love them dearly and love to spoil them! Obviously, since I'm a member on this forum I also love photography and I'd love nothing more than to be able to take my own 'studio' shots of them rather than having to bring them to a mall where they tend to feel a little nervous and uncomfortable.

With that said, here's what I have so far. I'm working with a Canon XTi (have the 300D for back up) along with the kit lens, a 75-300 lens, and a 75-300mm IS lens. I also just purchased a great looking backdrop off of Ebay last week for practically nothing. I posted my first attempts which I know are pretty bad, but they were done in a hurry just to see how my dogs looked against the background.

I think my major problem right now is trying to figure out what's needed in terms of lighting. What size of lights would be recommended? What brands are the best and most reliable? How many lights would I need? What about reflectors, are these needed/recommended?

Any other info is definitely welcome! I'm not looking to get into photography as a business at this point, but who knows where it will take me if I can start to understand things better. :)

#1 - Riley's Portrait
http://www.marinediscoveries.com/r031207a.jpg

#2 - Riley Posing
http://www.marinediscoveries.com/r031207b.jpg

#3 - Riley Playing With the Bribe (attention getter... LOL)
http://www.marinediscoveries.com/r031207c.jpg

#4 - Mason's Portrait
http://www.marinediscoveries.com/m031207a.jpg

#1 - Mason Posing
http://www.marinediscoveries.com/m031207b.jpg


PS. If their eyes look a little funky it's because I tried using the Red Eye Removal while processing them.

[breal101]

Your dogs are being so good, great looking dogs they are too. Lighting for pets would be similar to portrait lighting for people. Alien Bee's seem to be a popular choice, umbrella or softboxes to soften the light would be a good start. Bribes are always a good way to get them to stay in one place. Large strobes can startle some animals, others ignore them. My dog for instance will sit for on camera flash shots but will run and hide when I set up the studio strobes. Also as you have discovered the eyes of some animals especially cats will be affected by the light and will flouresce. Placement of the light will eliminate that effect, best way is to place the lighting to the side of the dog so it doesn't reflect directly into the lens.

[breal101]

This is the best I could get before he went to hide under the dining room table (his fort). I can't seem to get these things to post right for some reason, but you get the idea. I need a lesson in posting pics.

[CanonCam]

I dont know how to answer your question, but it's great to see a fellow boxer owner! GREAT dogs!

[20droger]

Zipline,

Love the pix. Good looking dogs.

This is NOT a critique (I am not qualified to critique). But just a couple of suggestions for you to try.

I would avoid on-camera flash. If you would move the flash off-axis (say, up and to one side) you would avoid red-eye, and not have to correct for it later.

A second flash to complement the first flash, at, say, 30-50% and off to the other side) would help bring out the texture of the coats.

I would also try bouncing the primary flash with an umbrella, but keep the secondary flash direct at, say 10-15% (it shouldn't become the primary flash).

A small hairlight (from the upper side and back) may help outline the coat contours. Perhaps two hairlights of different brightnesses, one on each side. Experiment with angles. Remember, a dog or cat is hair all over. The highlights from hairlights can really make a healthy coat sparkle, and can make a dull coat look healthy.

Also, with boxers and other breeds with heavy jowls, never uplight. Uplighting will exaggertae the jowls.

On the other hand, weak-jowled breeds, such as Chihuahuas, may benefit from a small amount of uplight.

Above all, have fun. I think you are off to one heck of a good start.

[pagefile]

I agree that you are off to one heck of a good start.

I cant help much but I would say to watch the shadows. I think your doing good other than that. I think thats where a reflector would help you with the shadows. You can use sun light from a window as well.

[Vortex99]

I dont know how to answer your question, but it's great to see a fellow boxer owner! GREAT dogs!


I 2nd that, I love boxers!

PS

I do like the contrast of background and those beautiful dogs.

[Skrim17]

Gorgeous dogs, it might help to move them a little further from the background.

[BaliHai]

I currently shoot for our local Humane Society any critter available for adoption. I use either the 20D or the 5D with fill flash bounced off the ceiling. The lens that I use are the 24-70mm and the 135mm these allow me to get close with out getting too close and upsetting some already upset animals that are in most cases traumetized by their arrival at the shelter. The lowest f stop on both these lens is 2.8 so I find myself keeping the DOF wide open (anything from 2.8 to 5.6 or 7 for dogs with very long muzzles just experiment) focusing on the eyes and blowing out the background. The shelter has seen a marked up swing of adopters who say they saw the animals photo on the website and just had to come in and adopt.

[20droger]

I currently shoot for our local Humane Society any critter available for adoption. I use either the 20D or the 5D with fill flash bounced off the ceiling. The lens that I use are the 24-70mm and the 135mm these allow me to get close with out getting too close and upsetting some already upset animals that are in most cases traumetized by their arrival at the shelter. The lowest f stop on both these lens is 2.8 so I find myself keeping the DOF wide open (anything from 2.8 to 5.6 or 7 for dogs with very long muzzles just experiment) focusing on the eyes and blowing out the background. The shelter has seen a marked up swing of adopters who say they saw the animals photo on the website and just had to come in and adopt.
Excellent! They need all the help they can get.

All six of our cats are rescues.

[Don Powell]

20droger has made some very good suggestions. It has been a long time, since I did any serious pet photography however I will try to make some observations of past experiences. First, I used studio lighting with umbrellas and reflectors. My equipment is old and it is Speedotron. I also have White Lightning, which is very similar to the ABs that people on this forum use. Speed lights with umbrellas would work also. A flash meter would be nice.

I remember that I liked the harder light provided by a silver umbrella, as it seemed to provide those tiny specular highlights that gave the photos more life. I also remember that one had to watch for deep shadows under the muzzle. Camera height and angle can do wonders to either lengthen or shorten the apparant length of a dog's muzzle. Introduce the dogs to the lights slowwwwly with patience and treats, if you can.

You have already achieved very good results. With more specialized tools, the sky is the limit!
Best wishes, Don

[Zipline]

Thanks for the advice so far! I knew before I even attempted to take these pictures that there would be ugly shadows from not having the correct lighting methods, but I was so anxious to see how they looked against the backdrop! :)

I'll do some more research and will definitely post an update once I take some more pictures. :) Have any of you ever taken pictures like this outside in natural light? I'd like to give it a shot, but it'll be difficult to keep their attention long enough to get some decent pics. :)

Excellent! They need all the help they can get.

All six of our cats are rescues.
I totally agree with you on this!I hate that new commercial with the dog who's 'talking'. He says who he is and then he says that he knows how to sit, and he knows how to lay down, etc... then he says what I don't know, is how I ended up here. It's the saddest thing because I'm sure these poor dogs do feel the sadness and confusion. I wish I had a big enough house with enough land to rescue more animals.... some day!

[SnowManZ]

I really prefer natural lighting to your flash style. Here is the only picture I have ever taken of my Mom's dog. I was home last week and she was sitting in the sun lit family room of my Mom's new house.
http://www.photodump.org/stored12/IMG_6539.jpg

[ebondanes]

I think you're doing some good work. I'm just trying to get a grip on flash/lighting for pet portraits, too. I would rather take them in natural light outside.

These are some examples of outside portraits that I have done.

Direct/harsh sun (sometimes we can't choose the lighting outside), but it came out quite nice. In print, it almost looks 3D. The owner loves it. The BG was, of course, PP'd.

http://critterartwork.com/Gallery/albums/Portraits/mikey.jpg

This was shot outside the same day, but about an hour earlier. BG PP'd.

http://critterartwork.com/Gallery/albums/Custom/kate_b_w.jpg

This was shot outside this last weekend using fill flash. BG PP'd.

http://critterartwork.com/Gallery/albums/Custom/cleo_and_lilys.jpg