It's week 6 of the Pet Photography 52 Week Project and the theme is composite. A composite image is one made of up other images. These come in quite handy for family portrait sessions when it can be pretty darn tough to get every human - and dog - looking at the camera at the same time as with the portrait of this Fort Worth Family! It can also open the door to a fantasy world like eight tiny red standard poodle puppies from a Dallas breeder sleeping on a bench. I'm particularly interested in doing more complex composites in the future so watch this space as I learn more and stretch my right brain and Photoshop skills!
Photoshop Saves the Day!
Four Boys and Four Girls
When photographing a newborn puppy session I travel to the breeder's location and set up a portable studio to take the composite image. Every precaution is taken to ensure the puppies' safety. We work immediately near the whelping box and Mama is nearby. Hands are sanitized and the room heater is cranking away. This particular litter of eight red standard poodle puppies (four boys and four girls) took about fifteen minutes to settle in and fall asleep, it was only then that we realized that they were perfectly positioned with each side facing the middle.
The breeder selected this digital background so the puppies were photographed on a similarly shaped surface (flat) and colored fluff to facilitate the integration of the two images.
Voila!
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,500 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. Penny Whistle specializes in both natural light and studio photography providing pet, couple & engagement, family and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
5 Comments
Feb 9, 2019, 3:25:52 AM
Lynda Mowat - Oh there’s always one isn’t there!! But you’d never know that dog had been replaced in the photo. And those puppies......awwwww.......so cute, and a great idea to change the background completely!
Feb 8, 2019, 5:25:30 PM
Colleen - Oh my goodness, the puppy photo is too adorable for words!
Feb 8, 2019, 10:15:37 AM
Terri - Wow that one of the pups is adorable!
Feb 8, 2019, 10:12:28 AM
Angela - That background is gorgeous! I'd never know that was a composite. Lovely lovely lovely.
Feb 8, 2019, 8:07:27 AM
Linda Perdue - Some great examples of using photoshop for the 'good' of making a great photograph - think of what we can now do that just wasn't possible with film. I love what you did to correct the family photograph - and the digital background replacement isn't something I have done, but you did a wonderful job on that!