Dog Photography Tips and Gifts

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Gift Ideas for Dog Photographers and Lovers of Dog Photography

This is Ella, a Golden Retriever. Raised in New York City, Ella is an urban pup that loves city living. But her refuge from the honking horns and packed sidewalks is Central Park, where she enjoys jogging along the Bridle path around The Reservoir, socializing with the carriage horses and occasional mounted policeman, chasing squirrels through The Ramble, and watching a gondolier row his passengers across The Lake.

As Ella's proud mommy, I have documented these experiences with my camera every step of the way, blogging about them on Ella's blog at Growing Up With Pup. I have now made these photographs available at Ellaswag Store where they can be purchased as prints, or customized on a variety of gifts such as note cards and greeting cards, clothing for adults, kids and infants, and home office supplies such as iphone and ipad cases, binders, mousepads and coffee mugs. Many of these gifts are shown below. You can also go straight to my website to view the complete collection. Ella and I hope you enjoy them!

Over the years, I've learned a lot through trial and error about what works and what doesn't work when trying to photograph your dog and the surrounding landscape on-the-go. From camera equipment to computer software, I've described below some useful tools and gifts both for the aspiring dog photographer and lover of dog photography.
my-PhotoArt Woven Throw Blanket (50

Dickens' Closet Medium Silver Bone Photo Keychain (Medium; 1 1/2

Photographing Dogs

Anyone who has tried to get a good shot of a dog "in action" knows how hard it can be without good timing, a good camera and good luck. Improving your odds by taking a boatload of shots doesn't hurt either.

For the majority of my photos, I used the Canon G9 camera.

Canon G9 camera


[Please note that there are three more recent versions of this camera - the Canon G10, Canon G11 and the Canon G12.] Although I would have preferred a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) in order to capture better quality photos (namely, this one - a girl can dream, can't she?), they are not portable enough for me while out running through Central Park. I needed something I could carry with me at all times, that I could tuck away in my bag, and that I could pull out at a moment's notice whenever a great shot presented itself (or whenever Ella seemed particularly adorable - which happened a lot). The other thing I like about this camera is that it also takes video, so I was able to get some good footage on the fly without carrying around a second digital video camera or camcorder.

I also bought the Deluxe Loop ProStrap so I could carry the camera on my wrist for ease of access. There's a metal slider you can use to adjust it to your wrist size, and the leather is really soft and comfortable on your skin. I can't recommend it enough. I used the All Weather Lowepro Apex 30 AW camera case to protect the camera as it bounced up and down in my bag. It has a separate compartment to carry memory cards. Another top performer.

In addition to the Canon G9, other high-rated point-and-shoot cameras that would work for the semi-pro looking to take great dog photographs include the Canon Powershot s90 and its worthy successor, the Canon PowerShot s95 with wide angle zoom , the Panasonic LX3s with wide angle zoom, and the Panasonic GF1.

Gifts for Dog Photographers

Great gift ideas for novice, semi-pro, and professional dog photographers

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 12.1MP Micro Four-Thirds Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera with LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Lens

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF1 is the latest addition more...0 points

Panasonic DMC-LX3S 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

Panasonic DMC-LX3S 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

Designed for easy, creative shooting, and high-per more...0 points

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 for Windows and Mac

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 for Windows and Mac

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 software helps you bring more...0 points

Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch inch LCD

Canon PowerShot S95 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch inch LCD

Canon PowerShot S95 Digital Camera Features10.0 Megapixel more...0 points

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 for Windows

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 for Windows

Adobe PhotoShop Extended CS5 Windows. CS5 boxed pr more...0 points

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 for Mac

Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 for Mac

Photoshop CS5 Extended is the ultimate solution fo more...0 points

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD

By combining a 10 megapixel CCD sensor and Canon's more...0 points

Get Creative with your Photos

All it takes is your imagination and the right software.

Golden view on Bow Bridge print print

Golden Lilac Watercolor Postcard postcard

Even if you're not a professional photographer with honed skills and the best equipment on the market, you can still produce a beautiful finished product. And, you don't have to have the painting or drawing gifts of an artist, either. With the right computer software (and some good tutorials to show you how to use it!), you can turn your photos into creative works of art. Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended for Windows or for Mac is the leading digital imaging software to help you transform your photography. If that's beyond your budget, you can also try GIMP - the FREE GNU digital image manipulation program that allows you to retouch, crop, and use filtering effects on photos.

So, how can you use these programs to transform your photos? For one thing, you can apply an artistic filter to the photo for effect. For example, the photo to the top right of Ella on Bow Bridge in Central Park was treated with a dry brush effect in Photoshop. To the photo due East of Ella beneath a lilac bush, I applied a watercolor filter to create what appears to be a watercolor painting.

As shown below, I took a photograph of Ella beneath a Cherry Blossom tree in Central Park (left) and applied a crosshatch filter, giving it a completely different look.

Golden Blossoms Postage Stamps stamp

Filters are just one tool you have at your disposal to transform your photographs. Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended features new tools that give you even more options for turning a photo into a realistic painting. Just check out this video which shows you how some skillful digital brush strokes can give your picture a whole new identity.
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In addition to Photoshop, the other program I find essential to managing my dog photos is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.

This program allows you to organize and manage all of your images and fearlessly edit your photos (using a nifty before/after split screen so you can clearly see in real time whether you're making things better or worse). But the biggest reason I couldn't live without Lightroom is its ability to reduce noise in photos. Noise is a common problem in digital photography. When you see areas in your photographs that appear speckled or grainy, you've got a noise problem. Lightroom helps to reduce that noise and sharpen the image like no other software I've tried.

Looking for Christmas, Holiday or winter season photography and gifts for Golden Retriever and dog lovers? Visit my holiday lens!

GoldenElla's Greeting Card Gifts

Customizable greeting cards for any occasion for the dog photography lover.

These photographs showcase not only Ella, but the beauty of Central Park. Seen in many of the photos, the juxtaposition of the park's flora with the urban skyline is a part of what makes New York City such a special place. These pictures make beautiful greeting cards for lovers of dogs and Manhattan alike.

Golden Retriever dog watches a gondola and gondolier on The Lake in Central Park in New York City NYC greeting cardGolden Retriever dog by Bow Bridge and The Lake in Central Park in New York City NYC greeting cardGolden Retriever dog by The Reservoir in Central Park in New York City NYC at sunset greeting cardGolden Retriever dog by blossoming tree foliage flora in Central Park in New York City NYC in spring greeting cardGolden Retriever dog watches the ducks by a pond in Central Park in New York City NYC greeting cardGolden Retriever dog on Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City NYC skyline greeting card

View the full collection of Ellaswag's Greeting Cards..

Gifts for Dog Photo Lovers

Have a great dog photo? Frame it!

Vote on your favorite frame!

Dog Remembrance Pewter Photo Ornament

Dog Remembrance Pewter Photo Ornament

Dog Remembrance Pewter Photo Ornament. 4.25" more...0 points

Concepts Frames , Wht/blk Dog Bone Magnet with 2x2 Square Photo Opening

Concepts Frames , Wht/blk Dog Bone Magnet with 2x2 Square Photo Opening

Wht/blk dog bone magnet with 2x2 square photo open more...0 points

Forever Friend Photo Holder 2010 Hallmark Ornament

Forever Friend Photo Holder 2010 Hallmark Ornament

Add a favorite photo of Fido to this tail-wagging more...0 points

Reed and Barton Dog Picture Frame Ornament

Reed and Barton Dog Picture Frame Ornament

Why shouldn't a pampered pup have a place among th more...0 points

Club Pack of 12 Pet Keepsakes Fire Hydrant /Bone Photo Frame Christmas Ornaments

Club Pack of 12 Pet Keepsakes Fire Hydrant /Bone Photo Frame Christmas Ornaments

From the Pet Keepsakes Collection Item #36246 Spread more...0 points

Concepts Frames , Wht/red Doghouse Magnet Picture Frame with 1.5 Circle Photo Opening

Concepts Frames , Wht/red Doghouse Magnet Picture Frame with 1.5 Circle Photo Opening

Wht/red doghouse magnet with 1.5 circle photo open more...0 points

Concepts Frames, White Distressed Wood with Painted Brown Dog Paws. 3x3 Inch Photo Opening

Concepts Frames, White Distressed Wood with Painted Brown Dog Paws. 3x3 Inch Photo Opening

White distressed wood with painted brown dog paws. more...0 points

Golden Ella's Posters and Prints

Choose from customizable glossy, matte or canvas prints.

Golden Retriever dog by The Reservoir in Central Park in New York City NYC at sunset print posterGolden Retriever dog pouncing on sprinkler in Central Park in New York City NYC poster printGolden Retriever dog views the New York City NYC skyline from The Lake in Central Park poster printGolden Retriever dog by Bethesda Fountain in Central Park in New York City NYC after a blizzard snowstorm black and white poster print

View the complete collection of Ellaswag's Prints and Posters.
my-PhotoArt Framed Canvas Art in Gold (24

Pillow Pets Dog - As Seen on TV (Opened: 18

Dog Photo Poster Print Gifts

Photographic prints for the dog lover

Vote for your favorite!

Never Be Afraid To Say Poster Big Little Dogs PP31977

Never Be Afraid To Say Poster Big Little Dogs PP31977

Dimensions: 24" inches x 36" inches Series more...0 points

Animal Labrador Golden Puppy Dog CUTE Art Print POSTER - 13x19

Animal Labrador Golden Puppy Dog CUTE Art Print POSTER - 13x19

Animal Labrador Golden Puppy Dog CUTE Art Print PO more...0 points

Big and Fat Bulldog (Animal) Photo Print Poster - 16x20

Big and Fat Bulldog (Animal) Photo Print Poster - 16x20

Big and Fat Bulldog (Animal) Photo Print Poster - more...0 points

Cindy (Dog w/ Hat) Animal Poster - 16x20

Cindy (Dog w/ Hat) Animal Poster - 16x20

Cindy (Dog w/ Hat) Animal Poster - 16x200 points

Rachael Hale (Georgie) Art Poster Print - 16x20

Rachael Hale (Georgie) Art Poster Print - 16x20

Rachael Hale (Georgie) Art Poster Print - 16x200 points

Keith Kimberlin Poster Puppies Dogs With Hat Photo 9969

Keith Kimberlin Poster Puppies Dogs With Hat Photo 9969

Measure: 22" inches x 34" inches Series more...0 points

Rachael Hale (Loki's Kitten) Art Poster Print - 24x36

Rachael Hale (Loki's Kitten) Art Poster Print - 24x36

Rachael Hale (Loki's Kitten) Art Poster Print - 24 more...0 points

Golden Ella's Home Office Gifts

Gifts for the Golden Retriever photo lover and dog-lover's home office, including postage stamps, ipad and ipod cases, mousepads, binders, and coffee and travel mugs.

Golden Retriever dog puppy posing in front of a blooming flower in spring in Central Park in New York City NYC postage stampGolden Retriever dog watching a gondola and gondolier by The Lake in Central Park in New York City NYC postage stampGolden Retriever dog by The Lake and Bow Bridge in Central park in New York City NYC postage stampWatercolor treated photo of my Golden Retriever dog beneath lilacs in Central Park in New York City NYC ipadCrosshatched photo of Golden Retriever dog beneath Cherry Blossoms in Central Park ipod caseGolden Puppy by The Reservoir Mousepad mousepadGolden Retriever dog on Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City NYC with skyline background coffee mugGolden Retriever dog watches gondola and gondolier on The Lake in Central Park in New York City NYC travel coffee mugGolden Retriever dog by The Reservoir in Central Park in New York City NYC at sunset binderGolden Retriever dog watches gondola and gondolier on The Lake in Central Park in New York City NYC binder

Visit my Golden Ella in New York lens for even more information about Ella, and beautiful photos of New York City!

Comments

  • happynutritionist Apr 1, 2011 @ 11:17 am | delete
    Ella makes everything look great! I love the actual picture next to the postage stamp and the instructions. Blessed as part of the April Fools Angel Quest. Stepping away from my usual category to visit wildlife and nature photos today, I love the outdoors, but you'll find this page featured on my Diet and Nutrition Angel page, look for "April Fools" link along the top:-)
  • ArtByLinda Feb 24, 2011 @ 11:26 am | delete
    Ella is beautiful! Great tips for photographing dogs.

by

Ellaswag

Hi, my name is Ella. I'm a 3 year old Golden Retriever. I enjoy long walks in the parkie and gourmet dinners. I expect all humans to carry treats so please... more »

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