My Dog Has Got Some Balls!

I have numerous photos on my website of dogs carrying or playing with a ball. Especially of my own dog, Otis.

This is not common within dog photography, unless for that open-mouthed mid-catch stretching action shot.

A photo of a dog with a ball is almost like a photo of a child with a pacifier. Usually not preferred.

Most dog photography aims for more of a fine art style. Capturing the majesty of these beautiful creatures. Clearly showing the dog's aesthetic qualities in sharp focus and high resolution.

So, normally that means no photos of dogs carrying a ball!

However, if I had a photo of Otis with his favourite teddy (my fiancé's childhood elephant toy), it would be loved. And why not? He is adorable and it is beautiful.

This would make a great photo because it would be about Otis, rather than simply of Otis. That is, it would tell you about him. It would demonstrate his softer side. A photo like that would tell you a story about Otis, rather than just a visual representation of him. You would learn about his love of the teddy and be able to imagine how he plays with it and gets comfort from it.

It is his favourite teddy, so of course we would love it. Just like we love those childhood photos with your favourite toy. So why can Otis not have his ball? He loves his ball! A photo of Otis without his ball is a photo of Otis wanting his ball.

If I want to create photos about Otis then they should capture who he is. And that often (not always) means a ball should be included. My favourite photos of Otis are those that my fiancé and I look at and say, "Ah! That really captures Otis!" We can see who he is in the photos. Most of those photos are with a ball.

I have mentioned on my About Page that I admire fine art dog photography. However, so much of it appears to reflect the character of the photographer and not the dog. I want to capture the character of your dog. I want to create photos about your dog. We need to be artistic with high technical quality. But if your dog loves the ball, why not try and capture them at their happiest?