Glamour Pup

This is Max. Hes my rescue beagle. He came to me a mess but has grown to trust us. I just had to post this shot cause he looks like hes finally realized that he has arrived. Pass the peeled grapes, please.

dbutler, i must say that after seeing so many "pet" shots it really takes alot to move me . . .and this one does. The technicals are not all that they should be, such as the lighting, the bg which I'm thinking you blurred out in ps which is not bad at all,, and the leash or harness on the dog which would have been better without. however, the image is about the moment and what a moment it is. This reminds me of why i love dogs so much and it brings a smile to my face as I look at it. So, for that I think it works. Glad he's got a good home
btw, I mentioned the lighting, and I don't feel it is poor, but rather would have liked to see a bit more on the dogs face

I love dogs.. this one is so cute!! I had to reply just to warn you that grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, so please don't give him too many if any at all! Also don't give him chocolates and onions. What a cutie. emotionally, great capture.

Thanks for finding my pup so sweet. Gary, I did use the gaussian blur to wipe out the background because it was just such a wreck behind him. I simply couldnt take the shot in time (he is just beginning to trust that the camera is not a weapon, he usually bolts in fear when he sees it pulled out). I should spend more time in blending, but all I wanted to do was show him off. Im so proud of his progress. But with him, I have to grab the moment when I can. And with flash, I get only one shot. He sees it go off, and hes under the bed (but were working on it). My other beagle is a whole different story - He actually poses for me!

Cynicroute, yeah grapes and raisins can cause renal failure in dogs and weve stayed away from them completely. He does get carrots from time to time. And he has lots of carob treats to help with his chocolate cravings. LOL.

Good for you for rescuing! I'm a strong proponent of it.

The photo needs a little different contrast on his saddle. There is no detail. The eyes could be a bit more even. The left (his) eye needs more of the same(detail/contrast).

Other than that, I like the photo. I'm sure I'd like the dog too! If they have a waggle and a woof I'm usually fast friends shortly.

Like this? (keep in mind I just did this in 5 minutes) -

Hey!! A local restaurateur saw this and loved it. She's using it in a restaurant she is about to open. They're big on rescue animals and she thought it would be great to include this pic and his bio for the effort. I'm so excited! It's my first "pic for a purpose" type deal.

You're to be commended for adopting a rescue dog. People don't realize that the shelter is not the only option for adopting dogs. Almost every state has multiple rescues that focus on specific, popular breeds (Beagles, Goldens, German Shepherds, etc). Would cut down on over-breeding and euthanasia in a big way if people would just open their minds a little and adopt a rescue dog that's maybe 2 years old or 7 months old instead of a new puppy (which is what the mothers and little kids always want ;) ).

*steps off soap box*

As for the picture, I like the composition and the tonality. It's a little dark but it works here because of the mood of the shot. I would maybe run a highlight and shadow on the original and see if you can't find a bit more info in the picture to bring out, without changing the mood much.

Best of luck with your pup!

Well, heres what shadow and highlight did. It was either this, or about the same as my second attempt (at least in my eyes). Maybe Im just morose! LOL