Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Sophie, the pug-nosed reindeer

Sophie the pug-nosed reindeer

My wife and I visited family in Michigan over the weekend. While there, I got a bunch of photos of my brother's pug, Sophie. He suggested that I do something with a set of jackalope antlers he had, so we staged, shot and Photoshopped our own holiday pug-a-lope.

No pugs were harmed in the making of this picture -- pug and antlers were shot separately, then joined on the computer. Interesting challenge photographing a pug -- their little wrinkly black faces just suck up the light. You almost have to overlight in order to get any kind of detail in the face.

I used a shoot-through umbrella on the main light, with the umbrella set about halfway up the shaft. Choking up helped to keep the light more focused and I aimed it slightly in front of the pug so as not to overdo the light on the chair and wall. A second light with a grid put some tight directional light on her head.

Posting here may be a bit light in the run-up to Christmas. Hope you have a great time with your own friends and family.

Photograph © 2009 James Jordan.

3 comments:

kelli said...

Oh, you have made my daughter so happy today! Pugs are her dearest, most wanted, loved animal and oh, the excitement over your picture..... :)

Wanda said...

What a darling Christmas Portrait!

Wonder what my Molly (Shih Tzu) would look like as a reindeer???

Perhaps next year :)

Merry Christmas James, and thank you for a year of wonderful photos.

Wanda

Dona said...

It's a pugalope!