Project 52 Week 9: Wide Angle

Welcome to week 9 of our 52 Week Professional Pet Photography Blog Circle.  This week we are out and about with “Wide Angle” photography!

What does this mean?  When shooting wide angle it simply means that the lens has a wider view of what the eye can see. The focal length is short.  A 50mm lens is what the “normal” eye sees on a full frame camera  Anything wider than this …. 35 mm, 15mm… is considered “wide angle”.

What does this type of lens do?  Objects that are set closer to the camera appear larger than ones that are farther away.  The wider lens used, the more distortion to the image – think “bobble head”.

When capturing dogs with a wide angle lens, i need to be up close and right in their face.  The widest angle i can get is 24 mm with my 24-70 mm lens.  I work a lot with shelter dogs and also fearful dogs in photo sessions, therefore I’m relying mostly on my 135mm and 2oo mm lenses – i can give the dogs lots of space!

My dog, Kota, has a bubble of personal space that she appreciates.  When I set out to photograph her this week with my 24-70 mm lens at 24mm, this is what I got.  Kota and I will stick to a longer lens!  🙂  She wants nothing to do with a lens in her face!

I decided to look through some sessions I’ve done over the past year.  I remembered a session i did in the fall with two very social dogs, Charlie and Phoebe.  I had Charlie in a “Tweens” dog training class with me and I currently have both Charlie and sister, Phoebe, in a Beyond Manners training class with me.  Both dogs love people, other dogs, and do doggie daycare several times a week.  Here is a session I may have shot at 24 mm!  And I was right when I looked back!   🙂

Here is Charlie at 24 mm.  Notice the trees and how they curve upward?  Isn’t he handsome?  I love this guy!

And here is his sweet sister, Phoebe.  This was taken looking right down at her sitting with the lens at 24 mm.   She has the most beautiful brindle coat and her eyes sparkle!

Loved these two!  I do use my 24-70 mm lens in almost every session, but mostly keep it at between 50 and 70 mm.  I do love to give dogs the space 🙂  These two were rockstars!  Wide angle makes for a wonderful variety to mix things up in a session!

Thanks for stopping by!  Next up in our circle check out some amazing images by John Bouma from MaxNorman Pet Photography, serving the South Florida Area.  Click on the link at the end of each post and follow along!  Have a wonderful weekend!