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Best of - The Animals

Sometimes... animals make just as good a subject as a person. Actually, most of the time that is exactly the case.

One of the great tricks of photographing animals is to humanize them. Make a photograph that people can see and smile at because the animals have a human-like quality that they admire. More after the break...

That is the case in this shot...

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Sadie, a collie, dons a pair of motorcycle goggles at a press conference for Motorcycle Safety Awareness/Ride to Work Day (which is Wed. July 16).

I mean, this collie is freaking hilarious. Look at those bike goggles, and the owner says she'll just sit there are ride along on the motorcycle. How could you pass up taking a photo of that.

Another trick is to take a photo that relays an emotion to the viewer... be it happy, sad, scared whatever. Make the viewer connect on an emotional level. That is exactly what I attempted with this shot...

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
Several Great Pyrenees peer through the door of a transport trailer at the Wichita County Humane Society after a Montague County woman voluntarily turned over 31 dogs and 18 cats from her home.

The sad part for me is that I know the truth behind the photo. These dogs weren't happy although that's how I wanted them to appear... they were terrified and mentally distraught from their situation... that's why they were rescued. Virtually all of them had to be hand-removed from the trailer at the Humane Society from their lack of socialization being kept in small cages at this woman's home. I mean... 31 dogs and 18 cats... that's not healthy for any involved.

I wanted to show the dogs as if they were happy to be saved... I hope I accomplished it.

Lastly... you want to show the animals in a way that makes the viewer just laugh. Something non-traditional always works well.

Jason Palmer/Times Record News
A hog sticks it's snout through the bars on it's pen Thursday afternoon at the Wichita County Junior Livestock Show in the J.S. Bridwell Ag Center.

It's not like you have to be told it's a pig... I'm pretty sure that snout gives that away pretty easily. And it makes you laugh. That's the point.

Posted by Jason Palmer at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)