So my last post was, honestly, just a vehicle for the jellyfish pictures. But this is more of a dive into the reason for this lens, and why I think it’s going to offer a more unusual perspective.

When we were in Florida recently, I went to a camera shop and saw Kaylee Greer’s Dogtography which you should totally purchase if you are interested in dog photography. Kaylee Greer is the owner of Dog Breath Photography and probably one of the better known dog photographers out there. She comes from an architectural photography background, which I think informs her ultra-wide angle lens choice and environmental portraiture.

Anyway, what I love about her work is that it is more driven by in-camera technique as opposed to post-processing techniques. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of what is generally called the “European style” of dog photography of renowned photographers like Claudio Piccoli and Andy Seliverstoff. And I’m certainly not suggesting that their photography is any less complex in-camera, because it is also entirely complex with special challenges— capturing energetic motion, getting children and dogs to pose so beautifully—entirely challenging. What I like is the problem solving aspect relative to lighting that Kaylee Greer so expertly navigates. There is little post-processing because the bones of the image— the points of interest, the lighting, the definition of light and form—are produced in camera.

I concede that the quirkiness of the images may not be for everyone. It’s certainly not traditional. But I like how a wide angle lens really gets at the goofiness of dogs. How many of us have been booped in the face with a bulbous wet nose? That’s the memory that her images pull for me, and I love that.

While the Sigma 14-24 is not her lens choice (if I recall correctly, she uses the Sony 12-24 2.8 gm on her Sony) it is the right lens for me in the right focal length to accomplish the same image. And I want to say something about third party lenses here: there is a place for third party lenses in a professional setting, and very few people, if any, are going to be able to distinguish between two images shot with a GM vs. a third party lens. They are often billed as less expensive and therefore less worthy of being in your bag, but these are competent, refined lenses. I sometimes feel like there is a lot of gatekeeping, especially in the Sony community, about using GM lenses. As if, “well you didn’t take this on a GM, so are you really a photographer?” Check the Facebook pages for this kind of garbage gatekeeping. And that gatekeeping is just a way for people to express their wealth because they believe that wealth makes you a better person and a better photographer, honestly. And again, that’s just garbage. What matters is the images you can produce. And don’t get me wrong—you need good gear to produce good images, and you need the right gear to produce the images you want. But good gear and the right gear are not defined by price. And that’s my TED Talk on consumerism in the camera industry.

I wish I had more time to dedicate to photography. But between my incredibly fulfilling full-time job and John Vincent, and just the fillings of everyday life, I hadn’t had time to really dedicate myself to this lens as quickly as I would have liked to. Add in the hot, horrible weather of south Louisiana and there’s a recipe for not getting out and shooting as much as I would like. A few days after getting the lens, I just brought it out in the back yard with Charlie after work. This is the resulting image:

It’s okay. It was very close to what I wanted to achieve. This is with some post processing. There was a bit of sunflare on him (this was at about 4:50 in the afternoon) and I made it a little more vibrant. I used the Godox AD400pro on this. Matt held it for me so I didn’t have to lug out my C-stand.

These are some outtakes:

Again, I just wanted to get out there and shoot. And I had to work within my constraints. As you can see-not the best lighting situation. The AD 400 was cranked up. There are sunbursts. And I mean I love my fence but it’s not the best backdrop.

So this past weekend, I made a promise to myself to shoot this lens in an environment of my choice and utilizing all the gear that I knew would produce the right image. I thought about where I could shoot within my constraints, and decided that my brother’s oak tree would be perfect to produce a very Louisiana image.

My mom (who is an amazing bird photographer if you didn’t know, y’all) was so generous with her time and helped me do this. I really can’t express enough how grateful I am to her for encouraging me always in photography. She’s just a really amazing person; she doesn’t think that its silly to take fancy dog pictures (and I know it seems silly), she doesn’t hesitate to help me out or just talk with me for forever about photography. And I feel like we learn a lot from each other, because we are interested in different types of photography.

So I did get a pullback, which is unusual because I always forget to take one:

*Pullback image. Yes, I finally took one.*

So mom is camera left, I have an AD200pro in a 48inch glow octabox camera right. Now here’s the thing. I have struggled a lot with getting both sides of the dog’s face lit to my satisfaction. I’m putting my light at a 45 degree to the dog. While this is right for people, I’ve learned now from a photography group that it needs to be a little more on-axis for dogs. So I’m going to account for that next time.

Anyway, as you may know, it’s hot in South Louisiana. So our time was limited to Charlie’s ability to stay comfortable. He was such a trooper with standing on the tree branch and being attentive.

So just to show that vast difference between an image without off camera flash and one with OCF, take a look at the images below. There’s just so much dyanamism that’s brought in when using OCF.

JV also wanted his picture taken, and I obliged. I’m always going to take his picture when he asks me, because I want him to like photography and for him to know that he is loved and important to me even when I’m preoccupied with something else. These turned out pretty fun. I’m thinking of taking his picture with his cousins here—this is the tree that is kind of special to our family as I’ve described in my Santa blog.

I just love what I can accomplish with this lens. I think it is a great lens to highlight some of the beautiful scenery in Acadiana and Louisiana in general. I would love to take it to Lake Martin and take dog pictures there, or even a downtown setting. Wherever I use it, I think that it will provide a vivid view.

New Lengths Part II: The Sigma 14-24 Art in dog photography