White maltese - Dark background

[rpcrowe]

I used a pair of White Lightning WL500 "coffee can" monolights firing into umbrellas. The top umbrella was white on a boom while the umbrella by the camera was silver to produce a sparkle in the coat.

I posed the dogs on a coffee table with a PVC stand to the rear over which I draped a dark colored background cloth. I used black, purple and red velvet. The problem with red is that it would reflect up into the dog's coat.

I shot on manual and used a Yin Yan infra red trigger which has worked great for me for years.

Although I have a flash meter; I don't normally use it. I do several test shots using a white stuffed animal and get the exposure down within two or three shots by viewing the results on my notebook computer.

I would now shoot tethered to the computer which would make things even easier.

BTW, it is very easy to sit on a roll around desk chair while shooting the portraits. Show dogs are easy to shoot because they are used to remaining still Some pets are problems but, I can usually establish rapport with any dog within a very short time.

When necessary, I had the owner stand behind the background and hold the dog with a dark show lead which I removed in post processing. I used a toy squeeker between my teeth to get the dogs expression and have it look at me.

[wal]

Nice pic and simple setup... thanks for sharing....

[Quo Fan]

nice pic. The dog looks angry, but that may be just me. I get that look from out dogs all the time.

[davidglevine]

Really nice, love the dogs coloration and the contrast with the black