Saturday 6 September 2014

New Lens, New Dogs

I've just got a new lens - a nice wide-angle one (I finally gave in) - so as I don't have any great landscapes to capture around the neighbourhood I thought I'd try it out on dogs!

I met this lovely little long-haired dachshund sitting in the long grass in a local park earlier and she was a willing subject. I don't normally like wonky horizons, but think this one works as she is approaching me.



Later on we met a gorgeous German short-haired pointer puppy - not very easy capturing puppies at the best of times, but using a wide-angle lens is a real challenge. Here he is with his proud owner.

 
Looking forward to trying it out at dog club later!

Thursday 4 September 2014

A Few Recent Shots of Henry



I recently trimmed the hair on Henry's head and neck, and he looks much more cocker-spaniel-like now, with his little domed head showing a bit better (and I've even trimmed his eye-lashes). Before, he was definitely a bit of a scruff-bag. There's still some work to do (his coat is a never-ending battle!), but I think he's looking quite fine at the moment! As a result, the camera is on him quite frequently. Here's a few recent shots; he just looks so sad in most of them.


He's recently started making a strange noise to me in the afternoons, after dinner, before he goes out to play with his dog-friends in the park ("dog club"). He goes rao-rao-rao and eventually almost howls - it's his way of saying "I want to go out and play, right now!". I uploaded a couple of videos of this on youtube (here's the first, second and third - he's looking particularly scruffy in the first couple!), but here's some photos of him in action - pursing his little moosh! He gets quite croaky and very sad-sounding, so he always gets a good cuddle afterwards (and his play in the park with his friends and his favourite green ball).




I just got a new wide-angle lens and of course the first subject I had to try it out on was Henry, my little muse. Not the most flattering angle! No doubt there will be more...

Wednesday 3 September 2014

Pedro the Cockerpoo Puppy

Another new puppy is in the neighbourhood - Pedro the cockerpoo. I took my camera out today as it was a lovely afternoon, and tried to capture a couple of the little pupster. Two of the hardest things about dog photography I find are capturing black dogs (especially long-haired ones, whose hair obscures their eyes) and trying to get puppies to sit still for more than a split second, before they lunge upwards at the lens. I had my telephoto 70-200mm lens with me today, which wasn't ideal as Pedro kept hurtling towards me every time he saw the lens pointed in his direction!

I managed to get a couple where his eyes were in focus and he's not actually moving, but most of the others were just a mound of slightly-blurred black fluff! Welcome to the neighbourhood Pedro!



I'll try a few more, but this is probably the best I can hope for with a squirmy (and ridiculously cute) puppy!

New Kid on the Block

There's a new puppy in town! This is Roxy, a three-month old springer spaniel. Just love her little pink and brown nose. She seems to be smiling for the camera!