# How to take Great Hav Photos!



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Programs don't take (or make!) good pictures... people do! Here are some hints for good Hav pictures:

* Get down on the ground with them. Dogs look best at eye-level. If that's too difficult, get THEM up OFF the ground! Just don't shoot down at them.

* Have a second person (if at all possible) to attract their attention. Dogs are often "camera shy" and turn away from cameras. Others get REALLY CLOSE and "in your face!

* DON'T use "red eye reduction". The initial burst of flash makes them turn away or blink. Plan on fixing red eye (or in the case of dogs, "green eye":biggrin1 in post processing. You have to do this manually, as "red eye" fixes in software are looking to replace red, not the color dogs' eyes glow.

* For indoor photos, turn up your ISO and shoot without flash. Have them in diffuse window light if at all possible. This is PARTICULARLY important with B&W dogs, whose strong contrasts tend to fool the exposure meter in cameras.

* Avoid getting close with a wide angle lens (or wide angle setting on a zoom) Wide angle lenses make what ever is closest look BIG. You don't want it to be your pup's nose!

* For motion shots, shoot outdoors. Early morning or late afternoon light is most flattering. Unless you have a fast DSLR, you'll have the best chance of catching something cute if the dog is running straight toward you. So work with another person who can take the dog away, then you call the dog toward you and shoot as the run. (and remember... get down at their level!)

* With a point and shoot, you will get a faster response from your camera if you "pre focus" by depressing the shutter button half way, while pointing it at the grass, about where you want to take the photo. Then press the rest of the way when the dog reaches that point. 

* Light overcast is GREAT. Just keep your ISO high enough that the shutter speed stays up at at least 1/125th of a second. If you are using a telephoto setting or the dog is moving fast, you'll need it much faster... perhaps as high as 1/1000th of a second.

* Look at your background and try to avoid "busy" scenes, or situations where your dog is backlit.

NOW, once you are starting with great photos, you can have a BLAST with them in Photoshop (or maybe you don't even need to!:biggrin1:


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

:thumb: awesome! thanks so much Karen!


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks for all the tips, Karen.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Thanks Karen. But you forgot one very important point.

* be sure to post your photos here!


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## Kathie (Jul 31, 2008)

Great tips, Karen. I'm saving them! My problem is with my RA it is very hard to squat down to take a good picture. I've been trying to with McGee, though, because you know you can't have too many "baby" pictures!


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## JMGracie (Mar 30, 2011)

The only way I ever get good pictures is to just take a ton. For every 10 pictures I get maybe 1 good one.


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## Pattie (Jun 25, 2008)

Karen, thank you. I hope I will be able to use them successfully. I'm sure gonna try.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Missy said:


> Thanks Karen. But you forgot one very important point.
> 
> * be sure to post your photos here!


Absolutely! That's the most important one!!!:biggrin1:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Kathie said:


> Great tips, Karen. I'm saving them! My problem is with my RA it is very hard to squat down to take a good picture. I've been trying to with McGee, though, because you know you can't have too many "baby" pictures!


I have RA too, and I can't squat at all. I use a gardener's kneeling pad or my rolling gardening seat to get down low.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

JMGracie said:


> The only way I ever get good pictures is to just take a ton. For every 10 pictures I get maybe 1 good one.


That's actually a pretty good "hit rate". In film days, we were happy if we got 2-3 great pictures on a roll of 36 exposures!:biggrin1:


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Great tips!!!! Funny I often don't like some of the pictures I take of my two. But I do take pictures for our non-kill shelter and I only get 2 may 5 shots of each, sometimes I nail it on one but I am on my knees and often shooting manuel. I never realized how hard it is, these guys can be difficult and I always ask for a helper and sometimes they're good and sometimes they're lousey with the dogs. You would think I could do some good pictures of my own.


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