Tails from the Booth by Lynn Terry

Author:Lynn Terry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canongate Books

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The one thing everybody asks me when they see my photo booth series is, “How do you get the dogs to do that?” Well, I have a few guidelines I follow when it comes to photographing dogs, which I’ve developed over years of working with all kinds of animals. Typically, when owners arrive at the studio with their dogs, I have them take leashes off the dogs or at least drop the leashes and let the dogs explore. I don’t start shooting right away. It’s a new environment. They need to scope it out and feel comfortable in the space. Not to mention they tend to get excited or nervous when brought to a new place. They usually need to decompress, and so they get to sniff out all the other smells and run around a little. I must admit there are definitely a few spots in my studio that have been “claimed” by visiting male dogs! The same spots over and over—which leads me to my next rule. Make sure dogs have gone to the bathroom before coming in! Not only to keep my studio cleaner, but because I’ve found dogs will start acting out on set if they have to go. Since they aren’t sure how to communicate “Hey, I need to go outside” to their owners in a new space, it’s usually the first reason they get restless on set.

I have an arsenal of treats and noisemakers at the ready when photographing a dog. I have owners bring their own treats if they have dogs with specific diets. Otherwise, I have found a few choice treats that no dog can resist, even if they aren’t treat motivated. (Two words: Peanut. Butter.) I also have squeakers, duck calls, and even my own voice to get their attention. In fact, my voice is my signature trait and my lethal weapon. Some dogs don’t respond to a squeaker toy, but they may get inquisitive when they hear a low grumble or a very high-pitched sound. I have found myself making some of the weirdest noises I didn’t even know I could make to get their attention. It may annoy every person in the room, but 90 percent of the time, it’ll stop a dog in its tracks and get me a great photo.

Over the years, photographing so many dogs and having so many dogs pass through my home has actually helped teach me a great deal about dog behavior. It’s made taking photos easier, especially when I’m dealing with an untrained dog, or a nervous dog, or a dog that’s smarter than everyone on the shoot. I can use their nonverbal cues to figure out what I need to do to execute the shots. Overall, I’ve found that the dogs I photograph fall into three basic categories:

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