I can't say enough how much I adore photographing this breed of dog. They just seem so photogenic to me, with so much character and such a lovely temperament. I think I could photograph these sweet things everyday.
This one was a little frightened being on the wooden boxes. We weren't sure really why. It wasn't too tall that she couldn't jump down if she wished but for some reason we struggled to get her to settle. She just remained glued to the spot, which I suppose helped us in a way. In my attempt to get her to settle we tried a variety of boxes to see if she felt more stable on different ones and I think we finally got there. There is something about having the dogs sitting or standing on these wooden boxes that really appeals to me. And the ones in the boxes I think are just so sweet.
The beanbag was a little easier. She certainly looked more comfortable but keeping her there was a little more difficult. When she wanted down she just left. But for the most part she was very easy to work with and I got some lovely portraits here too.
When working with dogs you have to try different things to get their attention, to close their mouth, or to tilt their head. Its not always what you expect, like squeaky toys or treats, that do the trick. Nor did high pitched voices work on this occasion, which is usually a clear winner. At one point it was a low, deep voice spoken by dad that got her attention. When it comes to getting the shot, you do what you have to do.
As is usual for me, I like to try something I've not yet done before. I try to do this for most shoots. It will usually be the last thing I do, just in case we don't get time for it. I do this so I don't miss anything the clients have specifically requested. This idea came to me while planning the shoot. In this case, the client had mentioned that their girl often gets mistaken for being a boy and they thought it would be nice to get a portrait that shows she is definitely a girl. So that is what I did. And I'm glad I did because its actually my clients favourite setup. I'm torn between the two that follow as to which is my favourite so I've included them both, one of which was chosen by the client. Can you guess which one?
In the end we got everything we needed and more. I could have carried on for ages as she was that fun to photograph. But when she made her way back to one of the blankets we had used earlier and settled I gathered she was trying to tell us something and figured we were definitely done. It was all good fun. And French bulldogs are definitely one of my favourite subjects to work with.
If you have a dog you adore why not get some portraits of them? Its quite an enjoyable experience and in the end you have some beautiful images to cherish forever.
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