How to Photograph a Black Dog Without Losing the Face
Dark coats swallow detail in the wrong light. Here is where to stand, when to shoot, and what to avoid.
By Ruff & Royal
· 1 min read
Black fur is the hardest thing to photograph well, and it has nothing to do with your camera. A dark coat reflects very little light, so a phone meters for the bright background behind your dog and leaves the face as a silhouette.
Shoot in open shade
Find the shadow side of a building on a bright day. The light is soft, even, and strong enough to pick out the texture in the coat without blowing out the background.
Get the light behind you
Stand with the sun over your shoulder so it falls on the face rather than behind it. If you can see catchlights in both eyes, you have enough light.
Fill the frame
Move closer than feels natural. The more of the frame the head occupies, the more detail survives, and the less your phone tries to expose for the sky.
