Matt Laur 2,201 Posted April 15, 2007 Two German Shorthaired Pointers waiting to head into the field. Put them next to a shotgun and the last jacket you wore when bird hunting, and they won't go anywhere until you do. Thanks for looking, and for feedback. Link to comment
mark_starr 0 Posted April 15, 2007 A great concept- the still life with live life! The dogs seem to know what they are doing in the photo, right down to finishing out the diagonal started by the chair, the jacket, the gun and the boots. The wonderful tones carry throughout the image, with the warm brown tones of each dog's heads matched by the warmth of the leather and wood of the chair and the gunstock. The way the light falls on the still life part of the photo and fades out behind the dogs to a rich, deep, background color subtly reinforces the diagonal, keeping the viewer's focus where it should be. Nicely executed composition, tremendous use of color and light, and two dogs who really know what they are doing (One Model Place I assume?) Thanks for sharing, and give the dogs a pat on the head for me- Mark Link to comment
cathy hennessy 0 Posted April 15, 2007 I don't know how you did it! I shoot all kinds of critters and to get those two so perfectly - and the rest of the composition, is just remarkable. Enjoyable shot! Watch out Field and Stream!! Link to comment
Matt Laur 2,201 Posted April 15, 2007 Thanks for the nice comments, all. It really helps to have had these two bird dogs out running in an 85-acre field earlier in the day. A little less steam makes them a lot more willing! But it's still not too easy. My long-suffering wife had dog-wrangling duties for this shot. In the accompanying image: 1) Getting the lighting right BEFORE dogs are a factor. The diagonal composition was indeed the original concept, but you never know if the dogs are going to go along with it. 2) A little cajoling for the big male - he's easy to get to lie down, but: 3) Not always exactly where you want, and 85 pounds of a at-rest dog muscle tends to STAY at rest. And, 4) His younger female companion is wondering if being told to pose means she needs to be submissive, playful, and roll around on the muslin. The good news: the strobes weren't bothering them, and I had my pick of a dozen or so workable exposures. Not visible in this shot is the other strobe - it's bouncing out of a white umbrella, about 7 feet up and three feet behind the camera, a stop or two down from the overhead softbox. Link to comment
maria hrabinska 0 Posted April 15, 2007 Beautiful shot, I really like their faces.regards,maria Link to comment
celinechea 0 Posted April 15, 2007 bravo! it is not easy to shoot animals! good composition and colors like a painting. Link to comment
peweg8 0 Posted April 15, 2007 Beautiful photograph! And thank you so much for posting the photos of how you setup. Link to comment
sarah_newton 0 Posted April 15, 2007 Brilliant capture! You have a perfect pose off those beautiful dogs and the props are excellent 7/7 Link to comment
john falkenstine 1 Posted April 15, 2007 Very nice image, and great dogs. I had one for many years. He loved children, and my cat loved him as well, when she had kittens he would watch them while she went and did whatever cats do. Link to comment
dennis jones 0 Posted April 17, 2007 Man Matt, you nailed this one.. Not a flippin' thing to pick on... Link to comment
jerry_ilo1 0 Posted April 17, 2007 The only bad thing I can say is............... I would like to see the shotgun more . Thats only because I absolutely love shotguns. Beautiful capture as well as beautiful hunting partners! Link to comment
mnigro 0 Posted April 18, 2007 Excellent composition. I can feel the tension-the drive to get out into the field to kick up some birds. Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted April 28, 2007 While I don't see anything wrong with the placement of the shotgun, I'll sort of agree that a different placement might have been better...perhaps just turned over with the trigger guard visible and the barrels pointing off to camera left...which might have made an interesting angle. But then again, it might have been a bit intrusive and take the eyes away from the dogs. It's really a minor point because this is outstanding work. I love seeing the setup process! Having photographed dogs in the studio, I can really relate to that. And even though the dogs might get a bit distracted, it's always fun, isn't it? It teaches us patience. And your results are obviously worth the effort. Link to comment
timkeller 0 Posted January 20, 2008 Wow, Matt, you come not only with crew and cast, but with special features! The picture could not be improved upon; it is perfect. The making-of documentary is wonderful, too. The preparation you put into this shot makes me feel very lazy by comparison. Bravo! Link to comment
pnital 36 Posted January 24, 2008 Read you in the forum and came to look... Funny they look completely a part, and belonging to the set...;-)) . The different brown/redish tones are a very nice melange, The grey shallow DoF is just right. very nice composition. BTW, off topic... what is chasing hammer? what is special in it? Thanks Link to comment
Matt Laur 2,201 Posted January 24, 2008 Thanks, Pnina, for stopping by! A 'chasing hammer' is used to shape soft metal. For a better sense of the idea, here's a link. I enjoy chasing you around the forum, some too! You bring up lots of intreresting points, and I love the diversity of your portfolio. Link to comment
pnital 36 Posted January 25, 2008 I wonder who is chasing who ...;-)). Thanks for your answer and the very interesting link. I like to read you at the forum( thats why I'm here).. I'm an artist for many years (my bio has some of my CV) , so some of my points are from practical experience as well. See( read) you. Link to comment
cycler48 8 Posted January 25, 2008 What a wonderful composition. The tools of the hunt on the chair and the two dogs eager to get down to business. Very nicely set up. Link to comment
rarmstrong 0 Posted January 26, 2008 Matt, I've been taking some time to search around and discovered this masterpiece. This is truly magazine cover quality. Your patience and preparation so obviously paid off and is both an inspiration and a lesson to me as I am such a novice. Thank you for sharing the set up shots...gives a nice view of how much effort it takes to get such a beautiful final product. A real joy to view! Regards, Dick Link to comment
kobrown 0 Posted February 5, 2008 Magnificent! Can't add more to everything that has already been said here! Hard to choose a favorite from all of your wonderful shots, but this one is definitely a top contender. Kathy Link to comment
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