A Winning Canine CandidBrittani Bowling's Pet Shot, Selected as Favorite on Tamron's Facebook Page Call for Pet Photos, Taken with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens. |
Article By Jennifer Gidman Images by Brittani Bowling |
Brittani Bowling is a photographer in transition. The Maryland-based professional, who specializes in custom pet and people portraits, recently relocated to South Carolina, where she’s now concentrating on establishing an entirely new client base, in addition to catering to the customers she hopes to retain in Maryland. “I primarily shoot pets and kids, though I’m starting to build up more experience with engagement couples and with weddings,” she explains. “My business is still in the beginning stages, and I’d really love to build my business on pets and weddings in the future—those are the two things that really drive me the most.” |
It was a pleasant surprise for Bowling, then, when she found out that, in between moving, setting up shop, and adjusting to her new life in the South, her image had been selected as Tamron’s favorite pet photo in the call for pet photos posted on Tamron's Facebook page this winter. In addition to the title and a Tamron Domke bag, the favorite would be featured in an enews story. “I entered on a whim after I saw Tamron’s enewsletter and the call for pet images—I figured I would give it a shot,” she says. “I was really taken aback but excited when I won.” |
Her winning shot of a 5-year-old West Highland white terrier (or “Westie”) named Bella was taken with the Tamron SP 28-75mm F/2.8 lens, which Bowling almost always has on her camera during her pet sessions. “That’s my go-to lens for pets,” she says. “I’m a prime lens girl, but then I heard about this lens from another pet photographer. I did my research and this lens was in my budget, so I tried it out. I love this lens: It gives me so much variety for working with animals, and I love that it’s a sharp zoom lens. When the animals are moving around, this is the first lens I break out at the beginning of the session.” |
Bella was photographed against the backdrop of a private beach on the Chesapeake Bay. “I always try to find and accentuate any lines the best I can,” Bowling explains. “They add something to the image and make it a little more artsy. I also try to find backgrounds that look lush so that the pets just pop right out: I try to shoot as wide open as often as I can. My images are often set against the green of trees and grass, or a bright-blue sky—solid, vibrant backgrounds to make the image really fresh. For this image, I really wanted to get that pier in the background and that whole Chesapeake Bay feel.” |
Bella’s moment in the spotlight took place around 5 p.m., with just natural sunlight illuminating the precocious pup. “I don’t have a studio location—I’m always shooting on location with just natural light, trying to work with the environment,” Bowling says. “I haven’t had much success with flash with pets: It ruins the catchlights in their eyes, and sometimes it freaks certain dogs out.” |
Westies can be a challenging photographic subject, thanks to their trademark white coats. “They’re very easy to blow out,” says Bowling. “But I got kind of lucky: With the help of the Tamron lens, plus the light coming in from her left side, I was able to get all the details on her face.” |
This breed’s generally energetic, slightly restless nature can sometimes pose a whole other kind of photographic problem—but Bowling was able to maximize a serendipitous moment in time. “I had the dog stand between the client’s legs just to get her comfortable,” she says. “She was really responsive and good with commands, but she was also sometimes distracted. She suddenly got really interested in something behind us and just hung out there, so it was a perfect time for me to take a shot. That’s what’s great about that Tamron 28-75 lens as well: I have that zoom capability, so I can capture those spontaneous shots whether they’re far away or close to me. In this case, I just rolled with it and got the shot, without having to convince her to sit there and get frustrated.” |
Finding the best angle to capture a pet depends on the animal’s temperament and activity level. “I’m always on the ground with them—that’s how I feel like I get the expression that really means the most, when I’m crawling on my hands and knees,” Bowling says. “However, I also like to occasionally shoot down at them, because they’ll look up at me with a really goofy and fun expression; clients love those types of images that show the quirks of their pets’ personalities.” |
Most important, however, is establishing a level of trust and making sure the animal feels comfortable, as Bowling did with Bella. “If a dog is a little shy or timid, I always make sure that, at the beginning of the session, I spend time just getting him to trust me without that big black box in his face that’s clicking away,” she says. “I play with them, give them lots of treats, hang out.” |
In the end, Bowling simply tries to draw out the animal’s true essence. “I really like letting them do their own thing—I ‘stalk’ them and wait for them to just look at me,” she says. “I always give them that time to do what they do naturally. I want to capture them exactly as they are. It’s important to understand that dogs are all different: Some dogs are more attention driven, some are more treat driven, and some are total space cadets; you have to figure out what makes each dog tick. They’re a lot like kids in a way: Both kids and pets are so honest, they’re not afraid of anything. Just let them be who they are and try to capture and create an image that the clients are going to love for a long time because it reminds them of how their pet is on a day-to-day basis.” |
To see more of Brittani Bowling’s work, go to www.brittanibowling.com. |