M

y dogs are my favorite photo subjects. They are fun,
funny and ever-fascinating to photograph. I’ll share
some thoughts and tips on taking photos of our 

dogs. In this article I’ll concentrate on taking photos of 
dogs outdoors. I plan to have a separate article about 
photographing them indoors. One can take photos outside
any time of year. One of my favorite shots of my late Bernie
is of him looking up at me with a face full of snow (above).

Photography is about light. Light and shadow. If you can,

take photos when the light is good but not harsh. The glare

of direct sunlight,
especially at mid-
day or in the hours
just before and after
noon, makes for a
lot of contrast and
can be visually 
unappealing. Of
course, if direct 
and bright sunlight
are the conditions
you have, make
the best of them. 
If I’m taking 
agility photos at a 
national specialty, 
I don’t stop 
shooting just 
because it’s near
mid-day. The
bright light at mid-day can illuminate the interior of a tun-
nel or make it easier to stop action. Bright light reflected
from the ground, especially if you’re on snow or sand, can
act as a reflector, filling in harsh shadows. If you have a
choice, generally it’s better to take photos when there is a
slight cloud cover to make for more even and diffuse light.
But try to take photos earlier or later in the day when the
sun isn’t coming from directly overhead. Turn off automatic
flash if you can, unless you want to use the flash to soften
shadows, but doing that well can take some practice.

Open shade can be good. This can be under a tree or in

the shade of a building. Unless a building is made of very

46

www.pbgv.org

Winter 2015   

I Saber Tails

Seizures  continued from page 55

I  

Fun with PBGVs

by Bob Cohen      Photos by Bob Cohen

Photographing

Dogs Outdoors

Bernie and Susie.Relatively cloudy sky, dogs are sitting so motion

isn’t a factor. They’re looking at a person nearby so their faces aren’t

looking at the camera. To get the entire body in sharp focus aperture
f/6.3, 1/160 of a second, ample for a non-moving shot, using 35-70

zoom at 48mm. ISO 800. 72mm focal length equivalent.

Susie Running Toward Camera.
Taken same day as the Looking Up photo
on the next page. I’m kneeling and the
subject is running toward the camera, so
the camera must be able to track focus.
Shutter speed 1/800 sec to freeze 
movement. ISO 400, f/4.5. 70-200 lens 
at 110mm (165mm equivalent). 

Snowy Bernie.Cloudy but bright, flat 

lighting. Dog looking up and cropped tight so

background isn’t a factor. 1/800 sec, f/13

gives good sharp focus on eyes and rest

of face. ISO 400. 18-200 mm lens at

56mm (84mm equivalent).