First try at doggie portraiture - Chloe

Notes to self....light up background to prevent shadows....clean the ground....move flash to the side.

You did a lot of things right in this portrait...

First, you got down at the level of the dog which is one of the most important techniques...

Second, the background is relatively plain...

Third, the dog looks comfortable and relaxed...

Fourth, you tried (with limited success) to modify the green retina caused by direct flash...

Fifth, you used selective DOF to keep the fog's face and eyes in focus and to blur the BG...

There are some things which could improve your image...

Bounce your flash which, when combined with a diffuser reflector will provide decent lighting. You can get some very decent lighting with a single on-camera flash that is bounced and modified with a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro. The bounced flash will eliminate the "green eye" effect. The bounced flash will also fill in your BG and using the diffuser reflector will provide catchlights in the dog's eyes. Using a bounced flash will not cause the shadow behind your subject.. I use the Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro www.dembflashproducts.​com

IMAGE LINK: http://rpcrowe.smugmug​.com …UE-CALIFORNIA/i-vR8sw6L/A

IMAGE LINK: http://rpcrowe.smugmug​.com …UE-CALIFORNIA/i-NhmqG4B/A

I really appreciate the feedback! I generally know what I am looking for but do not always know how to achieve the desired results. Thanks again.