dark materials, the building can
reflect a lot of light, making the
shaded scene brighter and 
filling in shadows for a more 
appealing photo. This same 
reflectivity can also make it 
easier to take photos on sand or
snow — the harshness of direct
light is reduced by the bright
sand or snow bouncing light
into what would otherwise 
be shadows.

In general, you’ll want to 

eliminate visual distractions. Fill the
frame with the subject. Use a zoom
lens or “zoom with your feet” by
getting close. Don’t rely on a digital
zoom feature. Digital zoom is 
simply electronic magnification.
Digital zoom is not nearly as good
as optical zoom or simply moving
your body. 

Watch for visual contrast, which

is desirable. Make sure the subject
stands out from the background. If

you’re including a person and you’re
shooting a dark dog, be careful the dog
and the person’s clothing don’t blend
into each other. Make sure there is color
contrast between the dog’s coat color
and the background so the dog doesn’t
disappear into the background.

Often it helps to get down. Rather

than shoot from above — your standing
height — get down to the dog’s level.
Kneel or sit on the ground. (Yes, you can
kneel on cold ground or snow!) But you
need to watch the background. Watch
for poles or trees “sprouting” from your
subject. (See my shot of Bernie with a
fence post sprouting from his head on
the next page.) Sometimes shooting from
a low angle will result in a busy, distract-
ing background while shooting from a
higher angle will show just grass or sand

around the dog, which is much less visually distracting.

Try different angles. Shoot high and shoot low. Shoot

from behind, the side, up close to the head and farther
back for the full body. You can use a squeaky toy or make
noises to get the dog’s attention, but be wary of too many
shots with cocked head or unrelaxed ears. 

It can help to have an assistant. My photo of Bernie and

Susie together was helped greatly by the presence of a
friend who was standing to my right, out of the frame. The
dogs concentrated their attention on her, not on me or
each other, so I could get nice three-quarter views of them.
If you’ve got a group of pups, you can try to arrange or
place them, then step back and take the photo. This can
take a lot of trial and error, so just keep trying. 

Saber Tails   

IWinter 2015    

www.pbgv.org

47

47

Susie Looking Up.Subject is looking up, photograph is taken
from eye level, so background is the ground. Shallow depth of
field with focus on eyes, muzzle and nose. ISO 800, f/4.5,
1/200 sec. 18-200 lens at 44mm (66mm equivalent since 
camera uses a "crop" sensor).

Center:Susie Coming Toward
Camera.She had been running
and playing so beard is a bit wet.
Cloudy, flat sky gives even 
illumination with little shadow.
Subject isn’t moving fast, making
it easier to have good focus on
eyes. 1/400 sec, f/8, ISO 1250.
18-200 mm lens at 112mm (168
mm equivalent). 

Susie In Snow. Sunnier day 
giving sharper shadows, but snow
reflects into the shadows, reducing
contrast. f/8, 1/1000 second, ISO
800. 35-70 lens at 70mm.

Continued on next page