When the Weather’s Bad – Conquer Photoshop

One of our local weather guys commented awhile back that droughts often end with floods.  Boy – he wasn’t kidding!  Seems like every time I venture out to take photos and learn more about my new Canon EOS 7D, it rains or is so cold, I can’t stand to be without gloves. I’m not talented enough to work all the little gizmos and dials on my camera with gloves on.

Other days, it has been so dark and gloomy that to get the right exposure, I’ve had to bump up the ISO very high. Problem is the shutter speed then needs to be very slow to allow in enough light, which doesn’t work well for stopping the action.  All in all, not a good combination for capturing Schutzhund dogs doing what they do best – moving very fast!

The weather today in the Atlanta area (Saturday, January 30th) didn’t disappoint (I say facetiously) – rain and 34 degrees.  Good grief!!  Okay, okay – we could have received snow and ice like the Carolinas and Virginia, but still!  So, what’s a person to do when the weather refuses to cooperate on weekend training days? Conquer Photoshop, of course!!

I’ve been fiddling around with Photoshop for several years, and even have taken a few of Scott Kelby’s (Kelby Training and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals) trainings – very helpful – but haven’t had the time to really master even the basics of the program.  I am pleased to report that today I mastered the clone stamp tool.  Yippee!!

As many of you know, this tool is very handy for getting rid of unwanted things in a photograph. At the end of this post is a before and after picture of two puppies wrestling that I’m particularly proud of.  I must admit, I’ve gone a little wild and spent the day doing away with all sorts of annoying things, such as people, power lines, dumpsters, leashes, collars – you name it – it if was in the way of the action – zap! Gone! What power! What excitement!

I also learned out how to copy an eye from one photo and paste it into another photo (see below).  I took a series of pictures of Fila doing a hold and bark.  At one point, her eyes rolled back into her head (yuk!).  In the series, though, was another photo with her eye and head at the same angle as the “just the whites of her eyes” photo.  Using the selection tool, I was able to copy and paste her eye from one photo to the next.  And, yes, I used to clone stamp tool to do some fine tuning.  Pretty cool!

For all of you buried in the snow and ice, stay warm, stay safe!  Thank you for visiting, and may the weather clear soon for all of us, so we can get back to what we enjoy most – snapping pictures of our fearless, furry friends.

Schutzhund Photography in Their Own Words: Yvette Woodward – Part 3

This is the third post in the next segment in a series of interviews with accomplished Schutzhund photographers.  I hope that by reading what has inspired other photographers, the equipment they use and how they go about taking pictures you will be encouraged in your own photography.  My apologies for not posting on Friday or Saturday!  Thank you for your patience and understanding – time got away from me.

Other tips for new and/or experienced photographers?

The hunter needs the right tools for the job.  I am now a believer in the power of a good lens – there is no substitute.  Skimp on the camera body, but save your allowance for as good of a lens as you can afford.  Start cheap and convince yourself that you have reached the level of your competence.  Once you realize your limitations are in the equipment instead of your own technique then you will feel satisfied that you are making a wise investment when you upgrade.

Be mindful of who you share your photos with.  Any photographer snapping photos of dogs working on the side of the field is likely to be swarmed by the handlers asking for “just a few nice pictures.”  Unfortunately, regardless of the nuances of intellectual property law, the bottom line is that once you have released your photos to someone else, they are no longer under your control.  The photos you take, the good and the bad alike, may turn up posted on the internet just about anywhere.

A formative example for me came a few years ago at a training seminar when a lady showed up with her aspiring brood bitch, a white-footed nerve bag whose only redeeming value was her prey drive.  During the obedience work she slunk alongside her handler like a shy alley cat.  Only during the prey work with a rag did she show some forward behavior.  I captured some photos of the dog lunging at the rag on a string and thought nothing at the time of sharing the photos with the grateful handler.  Much to my chagrin I saw my photos splashed across a popular German Shepherd dog (GSD) internet forum in an advertisement for puppies from this dog that never should have been bred.  Through bluff and bluster I managed to persuade the lady to remove the photos that I had taken from the internet ad and from her website, but this was admittedly sheer luck.  Happily the story has a happy ending, as the dog was only bred once and later rescued by a kind soul once the owner realized that perhaps breeding untitled dogs did not make for a good source of income.

Finally, remember that capturing a golden moment in the image cannot be done well by merely “point and shoot.”  Amateurs will just point the camera and snap photo after photo in the hope that some of them might be worth keeping.  Pfui!  This way of thinking is akin to a hunter who believes that success will come from firing a maximum number of random bullets.  THINK about the image you are trying to capture!  Where must you be standing to achieve it?  What angle must the camera be pointed from?  Where is your ambient light source in relation to the action on the field?  ANALYZE the situation beforehand and PLAN your next move.  Good photos are created by the combination of the right location, timing, technique and equipment.  A little blessing from Lady Luck doesn’t hurt either.

Schutzhund Photography In Their Own Words: Yvette Woodward – Part 2

This is the second post in the next segment in a series of interviews with accomplished Schutzhund photographers.  I hope that by reading what has inspired other photographers, the equipment they use and how they go about taking pictures you will be encouraged in your own photography.  I will be posting Yvette’s interview in three parts: Part 1 was posted yesterday, Part 2 today, and Part 3 on Friday or Saturday.

What equipment do you use?  What is your favorite piece of equipment that you use for  Schutzhund photography?  What are “must haves” for any serious Schutzhund photographer – aspiring?

My camera body is a Canon Rebel XTi, a treasured Christmas present that my husband and parents pooled together their financial resources to buy for me.  My first purchased lens was a cheap compromise: a $150 Quantary with a good reach but an insufficient eyelid… I had plenty of “zoom” but not enough aperture to let in the light required.  For Christmas this year my first “real” lens:  a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 bought on-line for $700 and worth every penny.

Also a Christmas gift this year was a collapsing monopod, which is now also on my sine qua non list for Schtuzhund photography.  The heavy weight of the large Sigma lens would tire me out in no time, and the blur caused my fatigued arm shaking would be ruinous in the hunt for the perfect photo.

What is your favorite type of picture to take?  How do you go about taking the picture?  What is the most challenging picture to take?  How do you tackle it?

My favorite photos are from the protection phase, because this is the time where the power of the dog is most evident.  Protection photos are the most challenging of prey to hunt because of the speed that dog and helper move across the field.  The opportunity for photos of a lifetime may be presented with only an instant to snatch them up into the lens.

The most challenging quarry of all is the “attack on the dog out of motion”, which we Schutzhund fans lovingly refer to as the “courage test.”  To catch the dog completely in the air at the moment of launch, or the twist of the body as the helper takes the dog stick side or sleeve side, this is “the moment”!

To capture the courage test well is not an easy art to master.  I must guess at where on the field the helper and dog will merge, and I must position myself accordingly.  I do a lot of running up and down the side of the field, and this is a must to be in the “right place at the right time.”  A sense of timing is indispensible as the four frames per second that my camera and lens together can take may seem like a luxury, but in fact may be a “day late and a dollar short.”  Extraneous body movements can destroy an otherwise good shot so remind myself often to move fluidly but sparingly when I shoot.

Tune in tomorrow for the final installment of Yvette’s interview, in which she will offer tips for new and experienced photographers.

The Art of Schutzhund Photography in Their Own Words: Yvette Woodward

This is the first post in the next segment in a series of interviews with accomplished Schutzhund photographers.  I hope that by reading what has inspired other photographers, the equipment they use and how they go about taking pictures you will be encouraged in your own photography.  I will be posting Yvette’s interview in three parts: Part 1 today, Part 2 tomorrow and Part 3 on Saturday.

Yvette Woodward is an avid amateur photographer.  She lives in Vienna, West Virginia, and trains with Sugar Run SchH Club, a newly formed United Schutzhund Clubs of America club.   You can view some of her pictures in the Art of Schutzhund Photography Gallery.  Yvette contributed photographs to the book, The Sport of Schutzhund: A Photographic Essay.

How did you get started in Schutzhund photography?  What was your inspiration?

My first time behind a lens was with my first “real” Schutzhund dog in 2002, and my motivation at the time was just to document training and send photos as progress reports to the breeder who lived out of state.  Armed with a toy of a camera, a Kodak “Easyshare” bought on sale for $300 at the local electronics superstore, I first got the taste for the thrill of the “hunt.”  To me, Schutzhund photography is akin to hunting, and my prey is the “perfect shot,” where the dog is captured faithfully in the image – frozen in a moment of time that captures the emotion and intensity of the animal in full force.  Just as hunters may return home empty handed, I also often experienced the frustration of shooting hundreds of photos, which all looked terrible.  However, I never gave up and instead improved my tools and my skills.

How long have you been taking pictures?  What events have you taken past and future?

My first attempt at serious photography came in 2004 when I first hiked the Grand Canyon.  Far from the hoards of sweaty tourists piling off the tour buses, my partner and I backpacked on remote and primitive trails in the canyon’s vast wilderness.  The sheer majesty of the place was overwhelming, and I had only my Kodak Easyshare with me to capture the journey of a lifetime.  When I returned from that epic adventure, my photos were sharper than my memory, and I learned the priceless value of the artistic photograph as a tool to preserve and cherish the emotion of the moment.  When I returned to hike the Grand Canyon again in 2009, I was better equipped with a Canon Rebel XTi .  The stock 18-55 mm lens did an admirable job with such a splendid and static subject as time-worn rock.  The improvement in the quality of the photographs is remarkable.

What is your philosophy about photographing Schutzhund dogs?

The essence of Schutzhund photography is the capture of a fleeting instant:  a pose that a dog may strike for only a fraction of a second, the sense of movement in an otherwise static image, and most importantly the heart and intensity of the dog.  The eyes are the window to the soul, and the ideal photo of a Schutzhund dog working will show the eyes – the expression of the dog is vital to give context to the event frozen in the image.  What does the dog feel?  What is the reaction of the helper?  What is the handler thinking about?  These are questions that I aspire for my photos to answer as clearly as if they were in spoken word.

It’s a Guy Thing: Eli the Big Guy

Leroy v. Rietnisse SchH 3 (Eli)

The following article was written by my father for the Asbury Village Retirement Community’s newspaper, Village Life.  Asbury is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, just northwest of Washington, DC. The holidays are a great time for lighter fare and a good time to remind all those involved in Schutzhund – and those who are not or may have some misunderstandings about Schutzhund dogs – how wonderful these dogs are and what a joy they bring to family life.

Happy New Year – and may all your dogs be brave, their tracks true and their obedience flawless.

It’s a Guy Thing

This is a story about a very special guy that I met while visiting my daughter and son-in-law over the Thanksgiving holiday. The guy’s name is Eli, and he lives with them. He weighs about 85 pounds and is absolutely bursting with friendliness, is full of energy and has boundless love.  In fact, shortly after we arrived, while sitting around talking about plans for Thanksgiving day, Eli climbed on the love seat next to me and proceeded to thoroughly and very gently wash my face ear to ear, from forehead to chin, and all in between. The process took about five minutes.

By now, I’ll bet you have guessed that Eli is my granddog. He’s a full grown male German Shepherd, and has just achieved the Schutzhund (SchH) 3 level of training. For a dog, that’s about equivalent to a PhD.  The Schutzhund process involves training dogs in three categories: obedience, tracking and protection.  For obedience, the dog must instantly obey his trainer’s [handler's] commands under all circumstances and especially under external distraction. For tracking, the dog must follow, with no hesitation, a trail in an open field made by a person walking. For protection, the dog must find a hidden assailant, and back actively until commanded by his trainer to stop.  He also must, on command, attack the assailant and not be intimidated by external noise or by the assailant’s evasive action.

Now ladies, if you have a sensitive nature, I suggest you stop reading right now, and go on to the next article in Village Life.

Very few dogs achieve the SchH 3 level, and those that do are in great demand for breeding. I am proud to report that Eli has been successful a number of times. I will also report that when a pickup truck with a dog cage in the back rumbles up my daughter and son-in-law’s long gravel driveway, Eli is beside himself with excitement.

He’s a real guy.

Wider, Closer In Views: Which is Better?

Another really terrific question that I was asked recently is which is better: Wider views of the action or closer in views?  The answer is that all depends as much on personal preference as on what it is you’re photographing.  Sometimes it’s a good idea to take a wider view if the action warrants it and then crop in as needed.

For example, when I’m trying to capture the dog running for the long bite, I pull back to be sure I get the entire dog.  I also follow the dog and use the burst mode on my camera so I can shoot multiple pictures really fast. It’s a balancing act to pull back just enough, but not so far that the dog gets out of focus or is so small that any amount of cropping doesn’t help.

According to Bryan Peterson, one of the foremost experts on photography and author of a series of excellent books on the topic, filling the frame is essential to a superbly composed picture.  In his book, Learning to See Creatively, he advises figuring out exactly what the subject is for the picture and fill the frame with that subject.

Notice the difference in the two photos posted above.  The photo on top is a wider view.  It’s a nice picture of the send away, but the two fellows in the background are a distraction to the main subject of the photo.  Also, the view of the training field dilutes the picture’s impact.

The photo on the bottom is a close in view, which I achieved through cropping.  Notice that without the distractions, the photo has a much more dramatic impact of showing both the exact moment the dog is released for the send away and the expressions / emotions on the dog and handler’s face.

This cropped image also employs the Rule of Thirds.  Photos have more impact when the composition “breaks up the space within the frame into any combination of thirds” (Bryan Peterson, Learning to See Creatively).   The handler and dog take up two-thirds of the picture. The right side third gives the dog some place to go, which enhances the feeling of movement.  In the photo on top with the wider view, the handler and dog are right in the center.  When I look at the photo my eye is drawn to the right and left before it settles in on the center.  Also, there is neither drama of seeing the expressions up close nor a real feeling of action or movement.

Next time, try zooming in on your subject keeping the Rule of Thirds in mind.  Admittedly, in Schutzhund photography, it’s tricky as the action doesn’t necessarily stay in the frame just where you want it.  Dogs and handlers are pesky; they like to keep on moving.  In those instances, some well-placed cropping can do wonders, as shown in these examples.

Bryan Peterson’s books: Learning to See Creatively, Understanding Shutter Speed, Understanding Exposure, and Understanding Photography Field Guide are all available on Amazon.  I recommend them.  They are helping me understand the science behind photography, which is enhancing my artistry.  They are becoming essential guides as I’m learning to use my new Canon EOS 7D.

Eli Earns SchH 3 Title

I am happy to announce that Eli (Leroy v. Rietnisse), our five-year old male German Shepherd, has earned his Schutzhund 3 (SchH) title.  We are very proud of him. The Greater Atlanta Schutzhund Association club trial was held last Saturday, November 21st.  It was a full trial, with five Schutzhund dogs and eight BHs.

Our club now has three dogs titled to SchH 3, and each of these dogs is handler owned and trained (HOT).  Congratulations Gary and Tucker, Mitchell and Matrix, and Peter and Eli.  Also, thank you to all who helped and encouraged us along the way. Schutzhund is a team sport, and none of us could have achieved a SchH 3 on our dogs without you.

Also, thank you to Frank Philips, who judged the event.  His humor was infectious and made the day even more enjoyable, and his critiques were insightful and very helpful.

I took some photos at the trial, which was an interesting experiment given the lighting changes all day. We started the day at 7 am for tracking and didn’t finish until about 4:30 pm – a dawn to dusk day.  I’ll have more to say about this and will share a few of my best photos of the day in my next post.

Best wishes for a Happy and safe Thanksgiving.

The Art of Schutzhund Photography In Their Own Words: Louise Jollyman

This is the next segment in a series of interviews with accomplished Schutzhund photographers.  I hope that by reading what has inspired other photographers, the equipment they use and how they go about taking pictures you will be encouraged in your own photography.

Louise Jollyman and her husband, Martin Barrow, are avid amateur photographers, and have photographed Schutzhund dogs at work in the US, Europe and the United Kingdom. They own Brimwylf Kennels and Brimwylf Photography in Norwalk, Connecticut. You can see their pictures on the Sport of Schutzhund Photo Gallery (www.bjspanos.com).  Also, visit the Brimwylf Web site (www.brimwylf.com) to view pictures Lou and Marty have taken at local, regional, national and international Schutzhund events.

How did you get started in Schtuzhund photography?  What was your inspiration?

My family has always taken lots of snaps of vacations and events, so I have been involved in photography in one form or another my whole life.  When we started the sport with my first dog, Bodeus, it seemed a natural combination. After a few snaps, it became a challenge to get that perfect shot – the heeling picture with drive, the flying long bite and so on.

How long have you been taking pictures?  What events have you taken past and future?

After many years of hand-me-downs, my parents bought me a new Canon Sureshot 35mm for my 14th birthday. I loved to take pictures of our dog and a horse I had on loan at a local stable. It was also where I had my first exposure to the clarity of SLR photography as a friend of mine practiced taking shots of me jumping at competitions. The other half of our photography team, my husband, bought his first camera when he came to England as a masters student to document his European adventures.

Now, we take pictures at all the events we go to, trying to get that “ideal” shot of each other’s dogs working, and also take pictures of friends and other dogs at the same event.  We are not “official” photographers, just enthusiastic amateurs.  We took pictures of all the DFW (Dallas-Ft. Worth) Working Dogs trials between 2001 and 2005, South Valley Sports Dog club in the UK between 2005 and 2009, the 2008 South Central Regional, the 2009 South Central Regional Conformation Show, the WUSV in 2006, 2007 and 2009, and the BSP (German nationals) in 2006 and 2008.

What is your philosophy about photographing Schutzhund dogs?

I try to capture the power and personality of the dog in the shot as well as the teamwork between dog and handler.  For example, I try to get a photo of each dog in the heeling work at that moment when the dog and handler are in perfect stride.

What equipment do you use?  What is your favorite piece of equipment that you use for Schutzhund photography?  What are “must haves” for any serious Schutzhund photographer?  How about for those just getting started?

My husband has a Canon 40D with a Canon 24 – 70 mm 1:2.8 L, and I have a Canon Rebel XTi with a Sigma 28 – 200 mm for basic training shots. I like the rebel as it is smaller and lighter for me to handle, but the 40D gets excellent depth and saturation.  When we are at trials we use our Canon 70 – 200 mm 1:2.8 L, it is absolutely worth the expense to get beautiful sharp action shots with either body.  For portraits and close action shots, the best lens is the Canon prime 50 mm 1:1.8. I would definitely recommend this lens, as it is amazing value for money.  For getting started, I would highly recommend a Canon Rebel with the Sigma lens and the 50 mm lens, which you should be able to get for less than $750.  If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, a mid-range Canon Powershot for about $150 can take some superb action shots.  Can you guess?!  I’m a Canon fan!  I’ve had quite a few, and they are very durable. Many of mine have been dropped off horses, in mud, sand, got hot and cold and have lasted several years.  The other important part of photography is processing the shots; we use Adobe Photoshop Elements for this.

What is you favorite type of picture to take?  How do you go about taking the picture?  What is the most challenging picture to take?  How to you tackle it?

The action shots can look really amazing particularly in obedience and protection, but catching the exact moment is difficult. It helps to have a camera that can take a burst of several pictures very quickly, even then it is difficult to know when to start pressing the button to get the best part.

Some of the most atmospheric pictures we have taken have been during tracking early in the morning, a long shot of dog and handler in the mist or frost or presenting the article, with the dog looking up at the handler.

Other tips for new and/or experienced photographers?

Digital cameras are great. Make sure you have a big enough memory card and take as many shots as you can!

PS to Automatic vs Manual Settings Post

I’ve been investigating Canon’s newest DSLR – the Canon EOS 7D, and it occurs to me that I should amend my earlier post to include higher end cameras that do not have automatic scene settings, such as the one I use frequently with my Rebel XT for sports photography.  If you’re camera allows you to save custom settings, then I strongly recommend doing so.  Create a custom setting for bright sunlight and for overcast, both for early in the morning and midday – the times and conditions for most Schutzhund trainings and trials.  You can tweak these settings once you’re on site, and then just use the appropriate setting.  The goal, as noted below, is to minimize how much time you spend fiddling with camera settings so you don’t miss any photo ops.

BTW – the Canon EOS 7D looks awesome.  Very tempting!

Again, please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.

Schutzhund Action Photography: Automatic vs. Manual Settings

First – thank you for your patience and understanding with my lack of posts.  I’ve just completed a major work project, which had me totally consumed.  I value your reading my blog posts and hope they are helpful.

Now, on to business.

At a recent Schutzhund club trial, I was asked an interesting question about the automatic and manual settings for photographing Schutzhund dogs at work. I have a Canon Rebel XT and use Canon’s EF 100 mm x 400 mm and 70 mm x 200 mm zoom lenses. In my experience, using the automatic setting for sports photography with the burst mode enabled works best.  The action happens very fast, and you have to be ready at a moment’s notice.  During a dog’s obedience and protection routines, there simply isn’t enough time to manually adjust settings for each set of pictures. I’ve seen photographers miss really great photo ops, because they are busy looking at their camera, either checking the last set of shots or fiddling with the settings.

And, yes, sometimes I have trouble with focus, especially with a long series of shots.  I’ve learned to time my shots for the action I want to capture and when to start the burst shooting. I also position myself so the camera lens is not tempted to focus on something in the background rather than on the dog. Very frustrating to take a marvelous shot only to find the fence bordering the Schutzhund field in focus and the dog a blur. That’s why I love digital cameras.  Delete is a wonderful function!

A good friend of mine – Betty Lindblom who takes some of the finest Schutzhund pictures anywhere, anytime and was featured in an earlier post – advised me that the Canon EF lens tend to focus on the brightest area of the picture.  Anyone with any experience with Schutzhund dogs knows they are not the brightest part of any picture. For example, most German Shephards from working lines have fairly dark sable coloring, are bi-colored or are black. Consequently, I keep a sharp eye on the background and make sure I’m focused on the dog.  I follow the dog, refocus with the shutter button, time my shots and hope for the best.  Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, and there’s a good bit of luck in shooting Schutzhund dogs at work.

That’s not to say that I’m not trying other avenues to take pictures that are in focus, have good composition, exposure, color balance and detail. Last week, I tried using the “P” mode on my camera, which allows more manual control over the focus.  I didn’t have much luck.  I can’t say as yet it was the camera.  I plan to experiment some more and will keep you posted on my results.

I also was asked about picture size:  Is it better to focus in on the action or take a wider shot and use photo editing software to zoom in.  That will be the topic of my next post.  Stay tuned and please let me know your experiences and any suggestions you may have.