Sometimes, working on creative framing and composition for dog photos is fun. I’ve always thought about close-up or isolated shots of various parts of Nico’s body. When he is all snuggled up in blankets on our couch, sometimes his nose is sticking out, or we’ll free his nose holes so he can breathe better. For total transparency, this photo was staged. I enjoy figuring out how to combine obedience with our daily photographs. I had Nico ‘place’ on our couch and then asked him to ‘stay’ as I wrapped his face in the blanket. Because we have a good marker word, ‘yes,’ it’s easy to tell him when he is doing the correct thing. I told him he was doing well by saying, ‘Yes, good stay’ as I was shooting. He sat like this for several minutes as I dialed in the lighting and took a few shots. When we finished he got lots of praise and treats. While this is all convenient for photographs it also helps build trust between us and build up his confidence when in new or strange situations.

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Gear Used For This Shot

Sony A7RIV - Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM - Godox AD300 Pro - Godox X ProS - Godox 1D-S60S