297. Puppy pictures for the toilet-training project in Singapore

Toilet Training Your First Puppy in Singapore

1. Pictures of puppies make story more realistic. Owners do cooperate. Sometimes a long waiting lists of other owners make this impractical.

2. Natural lighting best. Indoor lighting necessary in most cases.
Sunrise (soft blue lighting) but not practical. Best is 9 am - 10 am, sunset (warm glow) but not practical. Best is 4 pm - 6 pm. Cloudy day just before storm (soft lighting), indoor at noon (soft lighting), room operating lights and aluminium reflector. Harsh noon sunlight sometimes necessary when out at pet shops to take pictures of equipment.

3. Pictures e-mailed from owners. Camera phones and digital camera pictures. Not easy to obtain but great ones because the puppy is home.

4. Positioning of puppies. Put on table. Some just run. Owner's hand necessary to restrain puppies, but picture not so nice as hands are distractions. Eye contact seems to give best pictures.

5. Lateral tilt. Hold camera vertically. Then tilt slightly to the left or right to get dramatic pictures.

6. Puppy's attention span is short. Very difficult to get eye contact and great pictures. Distract with moving object, owners help in calling puppies.

7. Puppy and child. My best pictures. Parental consent needed.

8. Different angles. From floor, from top, from side. If puppies will stop moving. Caged in. Outside the Surgery. Lighting. Escaping puppies. Cars nearby. A picture that is attractive is difficult to get.

9. Purpose of picture taking. Know what you to take pictures for. E.g. drinking from the water bottle. Splashing on water bowls.

10. Puppy safety. Outside pictures. Puppies may dash and fall into drains, knocked down by cars.

11. Takes lots and lots of pictures. Only 1 or none may appeal to you.

12. Crop picture during picture taking. Take a few steps closer, then one more step. Puppies get distracted. Zoom lens.