1. Please introduce yourself. Who are you? What do you do?
Hi there, my name is Chris Johnson, I am an amateur photographer living with my wife and 3 dogs in the Northwest of England, near to Manchester. I am passionate about all types of photography and travel as often as possible to experience new things and to indulge my passion.
2. How long have you been into photography, and what drew you to it?
I have always had a fascination with photography and was in awe of the photographs I have seen in magazines and galleries, but I only began to indulge my own passion around 15 years ago with the purchase of a heavily discounted ‘open box’ Sony NEX-3, with a tiny 16mm lens, from a local camera shop. With some practice and lots of reading I started to understand the basics and from there I was hooked.
3. In one sentence, please describe what you captured in this shot.
The focus, joy and energy of a puppy living in the moment, something we should all aspire to embrace.
4. What style of photography would you describe this as and do you typically take photographs in this style?
I would describe this as action photography but obviously it is also pet photography too. I take photos in many photographic genres but capturing high speed pets and other animals is definitely a favourite. The camera has the ability to freeze amazing moments that would otherwise go unseen and to preserve permanent memories for us of our furry friends, who grow up so quickly and are sadly a much too fleeting part of our lives.
5. When and where was this photo taken?
This photo was taken not too far from where we live, a place called Sandymoor, which has a flood plain, streams and walking paths. It was mid-summer, August and Flash is running across small wooden bridge over a stream.
6. Was anyone with you when you took this photo?
Absolutely, this shot would not have been possible on my own. My wife and I are a photography team, for pet photography we take turns to be ‘wrangler’ or photographer. Here I asked my wife to take our dogs to the opposite end of the bridge and to throw a ball directly at/past me, where I lay flat to the ground to allow me to catch the run of Flash, at or below her eye level. I should add that my wife is an amazing photographer and previous winner of the Pet and Domestic Animals category of the British Photography Awards among other accolades.
7. What equipment (hardware and software) did you use?
For this shot I used a Sony Alpha-1 camera, with the 135mm F1.8 GM prime lens plus 1x Aussie Shepherd/Border Collie cross puppy. I shot with the aperture wide open (F1.8) to emphasise the focus on Flash (our puppy), with a soft out of focus background and a high shutter speed (1/2500s) to ensure crisp sharpness despite the rapid movement. Processing was using DXO PureRaw, Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop.
8. What drew you to take this photo?
I could see that the bridge would offer a great background, the handrails drifting out of focus giving a sense of motion, the light was good and Flash while still young, was old enough to be running around much like the older dogs. I really try to include sense of depth in my photos and the opportunity to catch Flash running at ‘full tilt’ face to face was too good to miss and I believe it worked out very successfully.
9. How many attempts did it take to get this shot? How long did it take you to get one that you were satisfied with?
This shot was from 3 or 4 runs. It is important to have patience and not give up on the shot just because it isn’t working out first time but also in a scenario such as this, to recognise that the dogs can also lose patience with being expected to repeat the same action, so there is quite a narrow window of opportunity for all the planets to align. Camera settings need to be all set in advance based on user experience and goal of the image, there will be no chance to change settings mid-run. Here I was looking for a good ball throw, not too long, short, or wayward, Flash to be running central on the bridge and facing directly at me, in full flight. Then the key was to nail the focus and a fast burst of shots at the right moment. To aid this I used a small flexible focus area and continuous AF. I prefocused to the distance that Flash would come into view over the crest of the bridge and then pressed and held the back button AF as Flash’s face entered the focus zone before depressing and holding the shutter button as Flash approached the end of the bridge. On reviewing the photos there was no doubt in my mind that this frame was ‘the one’. I am incredibly pleased that the photo has since been shortlisted in the Action section of the London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year competition.
10. Did you edit (or do any post-processing/production on) this photo?
Yes, I shoot raw images so post processing is always required, I am well versed with basic post processing but still find software like Photoshop to go far beyond my skills and needs. Here I began the process with DXO PureRaw, which is great for noise reduction, although not required here at ISO 100, but I find that I like the lens corrections too. I then did some basic editing in Lightroom for exposure, white balance, colour/saturation, adjusting shadows and highlights etc. including some local masking such as brightening the eyes. I particularly find the Sony Raw files to be often too cool for my taste, so a slight warming helps here. Then over to Photoshop for a little cloning out of distractions, dogs always seem to have dirty faces! My wife also could still be partially seen in the background of the original image, albeit way out of focus. Then finally back to Lightroom for a final crop and a touch of vignetting before export. I may go back and forth through this process many times tweaking until I am satisfied, it easy to miss a distracting dust spot or two on the first pass.
11. What encouraged you to share this photo online and with others?
Sharing photos with Flickr is both great for receiving feedback and although I really enjoy the act and technicalities of taking photographs, it is sharing them for other people to see and enjoy that makes it all worthwhile. I am really inspired by looking through the images on Flickr and greatly appreciate the support of the other photographers who view and comment on my photos. Flickr is an amazing community with so much to offer.
12. Did you learn anything in the process of taking, editing, or sharing this photo?
Every photoshoot is a learning experience, if we do not learn then we cannot grow as photographers. The interest and positive responses I received for the photo are great and I am delighted to have been invited to participate in this blog.
13. Do you remember what you had for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) the day you took this photo?
Bacon and Poached eggs on a bread roll for sure, this is our weekend treat and is demanded by our 3 dogs who love nothing better than to share some offcuts of Bacon. On a regular weekday the dogs are as horrified as we are when the alarm clock sounds for work and they just want to go back to sleep, but at the weekend they are keen to wake us to enjoy the first walk of the day and to share in the breakfast.
14. What would you like people to take away from this photo?
Most of all, I hope that people enjoy the photo and it puts a smile on their face, but it is also great if it can inspire other photographers to be creative and enjoy their art, not to mention to get out there with their dogs and enjoy every moment.
15. Is there any feedback that you’d like to get on this shot?
It is always great to receive feedback, whether it is to just appreciate the image or to hear how it may have had an influence and if it is the case that the image didn’t work or could have been better, then that too!
16. How can anyone reading this support your work?
Of course by following me on Flickr 🙂 I don’t have much a of a social media presence but I will shamelessly plug my wife’s photography business where there are loads of great pet photos that we have worked on: www.pawsforaphoto.co.uk
Chris Johnson is an amateur photographer from the northwest of England. Chris is fascinated by creating unique images whether it be by subject, perspective, equipment, or style, and loves nothing better than a photography walk with his wife Christine and their three dogs, Will, Star and Flash. He has had several photographs shortlisted for national and international awards and in 2022, was the Countryfile Magazine ‘Dog of the Year’ photography competition winner with Star modeling.
Source: blog.flickr.net
