Last night I was invited to speak about pet photography to a meeting of the Minnesota Chapter of The Professional Photographers of America(MNPPA). It was great fun to teach other photographers and to give back to an organization from which I have gained so much in the past two years. My presentation included a lecture on pet photography basics and a live demonstration of shooting techniques using Birdo, a great young dog available through Wags and Whiskers. The talk was held at a studio of a fellow photographer in North East Minneapolis. It's always exciting to teach but it was an exciting challenge to use another photographers lighting and backdrops. I was excited with the results and wanted to share one of the images on the blog. Since lots of people ask about how to get great snapshots of their own dogs, I also added some information on the challenges of photographing a dark colored dog. Since Birdo is a black dog, I also wanted to speak a bit on Black Dog Syndrome and challenges in finding adoptive homes for dark colored dogs.
Meet Birdo!
Birdo, is a 10 month old Lab/hound mix that is available with Wags and Whiskers of Minnesota. http://www.wagsmn.com/ Wags and Whiskers is a volunteer run 501(c)(3) non profit animal rescue agency. Wags has cats and dogs available for good homes in the Minnesota area. Birdo started life in a kennel in Tennesse and has been with Wags and Whiskers for a few months. He is even tempered, fun loving and eager to please. As you can see from the photo he is very photogenic and will make a great addition to a local family. Here is a direct link to Birdo's homepage. http://www.wagsmn.com/animals/detail?AnimalID=6401711
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Challenges of Photographing Black Dogs
Often I have clients tell me they have struggled to get good photos of their black dogs. The problem is, dogs with dark colored fur are difficult to photograph because the fur tends to absorb light rather than reflect it. Since the camera captures the reflected light, and dark fur absorbs light, often their photos show a dark mass with no detail or definition. Or if they have tried to photograph in bright sunlight they get a dark dog but a washed out background. Even with my studio camera and lights, I sometimes have initial images that are dark and muddled. To compensate, I pop the intensity of my lights to reflect enough light to show the detail. I use my experience with darker breeds to gauge the correct amount of light and where to place it to capture the image I know the client wants. Poodles, Pulis or Portuguese Water Dogs with dark, curly hair need accurate posing to show off the face and eyes. Labradors like Birdo, often have a glossy shine to their fur that can be brought out with the high intensity studio lights. Despite the challenges, some of my favorite images from the past fifteen years have been of black dogs. I must admit, I enjoy turning the, "dog that could not be photographed!" into the dog whose photographs people can't stop talking about.
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Black Dog Syndrome
In the pet rescue/adoption industry, its common knowledge that black and dark colored dogs take longer to adopt. Agencies call this phenomenon, the Black Dog Syndrome. Because of this problem, black dogs also tend to be euthanized at a higher rate than dogs of other colors. It is believed this happens due to a number of reasons and old superstitions about the temperament of black dogs. It's also noted that if the dog is physically large in addition to being black, its even harder to find adopters. A middle-aged dog may also start to show an grey muzzle and be perceived to be older or less active than a lighter color dog. Combine this color bias with the frequently noted prejudice about bully breeds, and its easy to see how a lovable dog who happens to have dark fur ends up taking longer to be adopted. Many agencies have stories about dogs that have great energy and personality, but people shy away based on their color. To counter black dog syndrome, rescue agencies make an extra effort to find loving families for their loving black dogs. Meet and Greets at local pet stores are helpful in breaking down stereotypes about black dogs. Often having professional studio photos of adoptable dogs helps frame the dog in a positive light and promotes adoption. If you are considering adopting, I encourage you to take a second look at the black dogs in your local shelter or animal rescue agency.
Lisa Asp
Owner/photographer
Tangerine House Of Design
