Welcome to week 12 of our Pet Photography 52 Week Project. This week’s topic is “Portrait”.
A few weeks ago our topic was “Depth of Field” and I shared info on how to take a great photo of an adoptable cat at the shelter. This week I decided to showcase some of the adoptable dogs available at the MSPCA Nevin’s Farm with their adoption “portrait” on Petfinder.
The word portrait is defined as: “a painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one depicting only the face or head and shoulders.” When photographing adoptable dogs, the first type of image I do my best to capture is a portrait – their adorable faces with their soulful eyes.
The lens that I use the most for adoption pictures is the 85 mm. It’s a versatile lens and I can get a nice variety of images. Thursdays are usually “picture day” after I teach dog training classes in the morning at the shelter. It’s usually around noon, and the sun is shining bright and I spend all kinds of time trying to find the open shade. There used to be a nice hill covered with huge trees…. and they tore that down last year. Guess where the following images were taken last week? Right next to the dumpster! Who would have thought? There was a white fence with snow piled up against it next to that lovely dumpster smack in the middle of the shade that i need.
Whitening a snow background makes for a perfect portrait!
Next up is sweet senior, Billy – he was in the snow and I angled my lens toward him to capture his soulful eyes. Not sure he can see or hear very well, but what a doll!
Yesterday, the snow was melted, but guess what? I had overcast skies to work with! This time of year is very muddy and brown, but the 85mm lens does a nice job at “blurring” those browns when needed.
I met this beauty named “Smokey”. I love being able to make brown grass look golden for a portrait haha!
And one more glamour portrait I’d like to share for this week! Meet sweet Chester, the Beagle!
Aren’t these dogs all adorable? Consider adopting when looking for a four legged family member to welcome into your home!
Next up in our circle is Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati, the San Francisco Bay Area, and destinations nationwide. Click on the link at the end of each post and follow along to see some beautiful pet portraits from photographers around the world! Have a great weekend!
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Congrats on your snow melting! We’ve thawed out, too, and it’s very exciting.
Such beautiful portraits of these adoptable dogs. It is the seniors that grab my heart the most. Your capture of Billy is stunning. I hope all them find forever homes and soon.
Great portraits & use of what’s available for background to get the shots of these adoptable dogs. Seniors are the greatest.
Fabulous portraits! Billy pulls on my Heartstrings. Such a soulful look. I hope he finds someone to grow even older with soon. That 85mm is on my wish list!!
I love that you featured rescue pups! The seniors grab my heart.
I love this outdoor hi-key images, you’re making those shelter pups look great!