Headshots: Gone to the Dogs

Today’s Post by Mildred Alpern

“You must have been a beautiful baby…”— Johnny Mercer, 1938

Owners are pleased and proud when I compliment their dogs and request a photo. The dogs, on command, sit and exhibit their personality. My usual daily haunt, Riverside Park in NYC, offers ample opportunity for dog headshots.

Walkers are out with dogs on leash as they head toward the designated dog run in the park, where pets can roam freely. On the promenade, strict rules about keeping dogs on leash and picking up waste are invariably followed. I have respect for those owners in the city who assume the task of walking dogs several times a day in all kinds of weather. It is an ongoing responsibility, sometimes aided by professional dog walkers who walk several at one time.

For this post, I’ve included headshots of three of my favorites. In two of the photos I was able to capture the catch light in their eyes. In the third image, fluffy fur pretty much covered the dog’s eyes but the appearance of this pet chuckling was endearing. As for owners, I will show them at a future time.

Dachshund, Olympus E-M5 Mark II with the Olympus M. Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6mm lens at 96mm with an exposure of 1/60 sec at f/7.1, +2/3EV, ISO400; Samoyed with the Olympus E-M5 Mark II and the Lensbaby Velvet 56 in manual mode, no EXIF data; Labradoodle, Olympus E-M5 with the Olympus M. Zuiko 45mm f/1.8 lens with an exposure of 1/2500 sec at f/2.5, -2/3EV, ISO 400.

Mildred’s book Haiku and Images is available on Amazon and is filled wit h beautifully reproduced color photographs along with original haiku underneath, embellishing the image and deepening its meaning. Pick up a copy to give as gift for yourself or a friend.