A mild admonition to leave the plants alone created this "Who Me? Nothing to see here" moment. Luckily it lasted long enough for me to get the camera up and take a couple of pictures.
The light was right, Muffin was relaxed but attentive, and she chose the right spot to settle for a moment's contemplation. It is almost impossible to create this type of picture through staging. While one can manage the light during staging and the plant will pretty much stay where it is put, the cat will either refuse to sit in the right spot or sit and look deeply offended and distressed. Having a camera close by to get the natural picture at the moment everything aligns is the way to get truely memorable pictures.
]]>But, sometimes the subject decides not to play along. Most cats and dogs are somewhat wary of individuals crawling around on the floor waving cameras around and flashing off strobe lights. With a little patience, care in introduction, and the delivery of treats and toys, most subjects move quickly to wary curiosity allowing for the creation of a suite of pictures that present the subject in a good light.
Unfortunately, this was not the case with Fwooper. She decided that the best approach was to hide under the couch until things returned to normal. Toys and the temptation of treats had no effect. We gave her some time but it soon became apparent that our patience was no match for the patience of a cat. She wasn't moving.
Fortunately, the foster parent had previously taken some very nice pictures and we had managed to capture a few shots before she settled herself under the couch. This gave us what we needed to support her adoption so we called it a day. I bring this up to highlight the importance of having a confident relaxed subject.
One of the ways we normally use to get there is through a "meet and greet". A "meet and greet" is a non-photographic session that introduces the photographer and the subject. It allows the photographer, the pet and the pet's parents to get to know each other, resulting in less stress during the actual photographic session. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate settings, discuss styles, and plan equipment but that is secondary to the need to develop a level of trust and familiarity that fosters more normalized behavior during the actual photo shoot.
A photo shoot will not succeed if the subject and/or the owners are stressed. Everything that can be done to make the actual shoot a relaxing fun experience for all involved will pay dividends in the quality of the final picture.
]]>So, if the weather is bad, dress appropriately, and head out to get that unique picture.
]]>Here we are caught in the act of trying to get three puppies to line up and stay in position long enough to take a picture. Getting one puppy to sit still for a moment is a challenge. Two puppies takes infinite patience. Three puppies are pretty much impossible. In the end we relied on speed and stealth. We got them lined up and sitting by holding their collars. I positioned my self and started shooting. The people released the dogs and quickly backed out of the shot. This allowed a few frames before one of the puppies realized they were free and broke ranks.
Posing a group of puppies is rarely effective. A better idea is to let them play until they have worn off excess energy. Then, you might get lucky and find them all resting together, giving you the opportunity to easily get a picture that is cute and natural.
And here is the best picture we were able to get from the attempt.
Certainly, not formal and posed. Let's go with spontaneous and carefree.
]]>Harbor seals are often called the dogs of the sea. They have a laid back curiosity around our human activities. Working close to the water one can get the feeling of being watched and find that a seal is quietly hanging out and observing the action. Once spotted they drift slowly under the water only to reemerge in another location a few minutes later.
]]>From a photography point of view they are terrific subjects. Being big, they give us a lot to shoot at, but they tend to be happiest on islands, meaning that they are usually a long ways off.
If you are interested in seeing them or taking pictures, check out the larger sloughs and lakes on the prairies. Around Calgary, Frank Lake, McGregor Lake, Weed Lake and the lower Red Deer River are good places to look. Take binoculars as they will tend to be in the middle of the lake or hanging out on islands.
As an aside, the horn that some have on their beak denote that they are a breeding adult. It is only present during the breeding season.
]]>This first picture captures her at around 3 months.
This picture captures her in the same pose at 9 months.
We will reproduce the picture again at 18 months and then approximately every two years. Eventually, as she becomes a senior, we can bring all of the pictures together with other action and interest shots to create a photobook that celebrates her life.
]]>The eagle gracefully allowed me to take a number of shots but, unfortunately for the gull, I think that he had just decided that this was a nice place to rest. After disturbing him for a few minutes both the gull and I left him in peace.
]]>It is quite a sight when all of these dolphins are, ahh, porpoising through the water, leaping and breaching as they move down the Inlet at 20-30 mph.
]]>It is a different world when the snow sticks but it is transient. After a few days everything is now returning to "normal".
]]>Many years ago ferries plying the waters of British Columbia used to throw garbage overboard. This attracted a multitude of seagulls that would travel back and forth with the ships. They would surf the wind created by the boats movement creating opportunities to take closeup pictures as they soared almost stationary next to the boat. At some point the ferries stopped throwing garbage overboard and most seagulls stopped accompanying them. The opportunity to have a seagull soaring stationary next to you at eye level is now much harder to find.
Nowadays one is more likely to be stationary, surrounded by seagulls that rapidly soar and pivot overhead. The camera must be set up to freeze the motion. The bird, moving rapidly, must be found and tracked in the camera. Finally, the picture, or pictures, have to be taken at exactly the right moment. This requires bright conditions, a steady hand, and the ability to locate and follow a fast moving bird in the camera's viewfinder. For every picture that is "okay" there will multitudes of failures. Patience is required as hours and days will go by where that elusive "great shot" never materializes.
But, then it happens. The light is just right, the bird is frozen in perfect focus, and we can capture a bit of insight into what it is like to be a bird. All of the patience, practice, and effort suddenly becomes worth it.
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That's the background to this picture. It was raining lightly on a very calm day when one of our resident Sea Lions decided to spend a couple of hours snoozing in the bay. Hoping that I might get a picture I parked myself on the dock and waited. He drifted with the current and controlled his position by slowly sculling with a forward flipper whenever he got too far out or too close to shore.
Over time he slowly drifted closer to my position on the dock. He knew that I was there, but being 600 pounds and in his element, he obviously felt that there was no need to lose any sleep over a person sitting in the rain on a dock.
Finally he drifted closer, coming within a few feet of the dock. I got down low and took a few shots. I think this one best captures the tranquility and joy that comes with having the biggest water bed in the world.
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