2019, a bright and shiny New Year so it's fitting that this week's theme for the Pet Photography 52 Week Project is "shiny". I was so inspired by the other pet photographers and had so much fun last year that I decided to participate again this year! For shiny I wanted to try something that I had seen a fellow pet photographer (the fabulously creative Chad Dahlquist) do; use a piece of silver insulation board purchased from the local hardware store (as pictured below, the writing is on a removable wrapper) and use it as a shiny backdrop.
My Sweet and Shiny Girl
I didn't get quite as good results as I had hoped despite Chad's generous guidance, but he also warned that getting the prettiest shiny bokeh effect is largely "trial and error" of the light placement in relation to the backdrop and the angle of the backdrop. Not bad for my first go and of course my best girl Ginger was my ever-willing model.
But wait, there's more...
I'd like to introduce you to my studio assistant, um, "Bear". Bear lives in the studio and because he's full of beans (literally), he sits up nicely and his eyes capture the light so he helps me set my exposure and light position so I'm all ready when clients arrive and I can spend my time getting to the know animal and relaxing before the session. Why are you meeting my assistant at this point in time? Well because I went back to the studio for another crack at getting the desired effect with the silver board. I liked the pictures with Ginger but they weren't exactly what I was aiming for. I decided to leave Ginger at home so I could focus on adjusting the light and the backdrop for the best results and voila! I got it (with my husband's help - also known as my other assistant LOL - and another round of quarterbacking with Chad!).
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.