Combining one of my favorite breeds with one of my favorite photographers is a recipe for pure bliss. This gorgeous session is from Charlotte Reeves Photography and Pepper the Dalmatian looks like she was a perfect model.
From Charlotte: “Pepper the Dalmatian was the superstar model for a mentoring session I had with a lovely pet photographer called Mel from Furry Feet Photography who came all the way from Hobart, Tasmania to learn about photographing dogs on-location. Predominantly a studio photographer, there was a lot to learn about shooting action, working with light and focusing techniques.
New Farm Park in Brisbane is one of my favourite places to shoot when a challenge is required. It’s an urban park so there are lots of man-made structures (sculptures and re-purposed historic buildings) but also some lovely natural features as well, such as big old trees, beautiful rose gardens and lots of grassy areas.
It can be busy and you have to compose carefully to eliminate clutter from the background. I usually only like working with trained dogs in this spot as it can be super distracting – but Pepper handled it like a pro.
We managed to get in a mix of action shots, posed portraits with various backgrounds and really focused on using the various location features and available light.
Here’s what Mel had to say about her mentoring experience: “With all her years in the pet photography industry, Charlotte is a wealth of knowledge and more than happy to share this knowledge and personal experiences with you.
She is a wiz with the camera and knows all the modes, custom settings and technical capabilities of the camera like the back of her hand and explained them all in great detail with respect to portrait v action shots. Not only did we reassign specific buttons on my camera to better suit my shooting style, but I also learnt alternative focusing techniques that is already evident in my image taking since my mentoring sessions. Along with some tweaking to my workflow and editing approach, I now have a thorough understanding of the aesthetics of outdoor photography and feel confident in adding this service to my current in-studio work.
Thank you Charlotte, you are a very kind, patient and giving soul. Thank you for imparting so much knowledge and just spending time with another dog lover and talking the language of photography and dogs.”
You can see some of Mel’s photos from her mentoring session on Furry Feet Photography on Facebook. Be sure to follow Charlotte Reeves Photography on Facebook. If you’re interested in booking your own mentoring session, you can read more about them on the Learn Pet Photography website. If Brisbane, Australia is too far away for you to travel, don’t despair. Charlotte is also available for online mentoring! Charlotte has written two books about pet photography Fetching Photos and Dog Shots.
About Charlotte Reeves Photography: Charlotte Reeves is a Brisbane pet photographer creating natural candid pet photography portraits, specializing in dog photography. Charlotte is a member of HeARTs Speak, a non-profit organization that connects artists and rescues in order to improve pet adoption.
Charlotte’s work is always incredible, and Pepper really does have this supermodel business down… gorgeous!
Pepper sure is a pretty girl and we love those photos!
Pepper is beautiful! I especially like the picture of her running and her ears are sticking straight up! Too cool!
What a cutie! Gorgeous work by Charlotte, as always!
WOW! These are so beautiful!