Congratulations to Ben Cumming for winning Silver on last months image awards and gaining a Judges Favourite award! Each month, judges favourites will get their own featured blog to take a look behind the scenes of how the image was shot!
Where was your image taken?
The image was taken at Woodroyd Studios in Cleckheaton.
It’s a studio I share up in West Yorkshire with five other photographers which is fab as because we’re all chipping in we’ve got an amazing space to work with.
How did you go about capturing it?
The image is basically the result of bit of a headache and some head scratching..
I started to work with a few dog breeders and one of them needed a shot of a recent litter of French Bulldogs.. I had no idea what the hell to do with them and the thought of 10 running around filled me with dread! So I thought I’d cheat I guess ha ha..
Camera on tripod and tethered to a big screen so the owner could check where in the frame he’d put a pup before the next ones went in.. For the pups on the boxes at the back the owner is stood just by them ready to catch in case (and they did..) they tried to launch themselves off! Then everything was just layered into one photo in PS.
Little tip here.. make sure your tripod doesn’t move! Mine did and I blame the wife lol
What equipment did you use?
I used props Blessence Props and the backdrop is from Click Props. A textured pro fabric called ‘Brown Punch’ designed by Gary Hill from Art of the Portrait. Shot with the Canon 5d4 on a 24-105 MkII at f9 ISO 100 1/160. Lit with a Godox AD600pro and 150 Octa above using a Calumet Boom and just in front so that the set was in that lovely fall off of light. I’ve then got Ad400pro’s in Strip boxes either side at the back which were about a stop under the key light. Finally there is an AD200pro behind the crates with a MagSphere pointed at the backdrop. From memory around a stop under key too.
The edit was a nightmare. The camera had moved and it was my first real bash at a composite.. Lots of lessons learnt! I shoot tethered with Capture one (seems to disconnect less than Lr) but then edit in LR & PS. The Studio Vogue Actions from LSP are definite go to for me with studio work.
Is Pet photography your main focus?
Pet photography is a new challenge for me, I’m completely winging it! it came as a result of me wanting to learn studio photography. Studio is something that 1st drew me to photography before getting swept away in the madness of weddings.. lockdown also taught me not to have all my eggs in one basket so its been great to get learning!
What advice would you give to others wanting to shoot People's Pets?
The lighting is always going to be a challenge so I’d say invest in good training. When I looked at Portrait and Studio stuff, Gary Hill stood out for me so I went to him to learn from. I’ve kept dogs all my life so I’m very comfortable with them. You need to get them as relaxed as possible though.. Lots of cuddles some treats, something to get their attention too. I use a kazoo lol. I also get them used to the light flashing whilst were all still getting relaxed. The owners tend to be more stressed as they want the dog to behave but I know to expect chaos! Website: www.bencummingphotography.co.uk
Closing date for the March awards is 31 Mar 21 @ 00.00am
Send your image to info.fpassociation@gmail.com
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