THE ART OF PET PORTRAITURE
By Catherine Owsianiecki
Mentioning the obvious fact that pets are now full-fledged members of the family will usually get writers charged with the offense of triteness. (Guilty as charged here.) But what may not be quite as evident are the new lengths and expenses pet, and especially pooch, parents are willing to go to in order to express love for their four-legged kids. For instance, the American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates that people will spend $43.3 billion on their pets this year, and the 2008 APPA Pet Product Trend Report claims that increasing numbers of us are pampering our best friends with high-end and exotic treats like gourmet food, spa treatments, yoga classes, and designer attire and jewelry.
Likewise, more people are commemorating their pet’s irrefutable place in the family with fine portraiture. This trend, however, is not as novel as you think. Dating from medieval times, dogs especially have appeared in portraits of individuals and families of nobility. And who can forget Francis Barraud’s iconic Nipper, a Bull Terrier mix straining to hear His Master’s Voice (1899) on the gramophone?
Fortunately for us modern-day dog lovers, we don’t need an Old Master or a title to make our pups as immortal as Nipper. Some gifted contemporary artists are making pet portraiture more glamorous and accessible than ever.
As a teenager growing up in Maine, Rob Bartlett never imagined that he would become a professional photographer, much less one who would successfully merge his competing passions for commercial work and portraiture with his appreciation for humanity’s undisputed best friend. Thanks to a mentor’s encouragement and an education at the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Massachusetts, Bartlett has forged a 16-year career that culminated in the 2006 formation of bartlettimage.
Today, about half of Bartlett’s portrait work centers around dogs; but he knew a viable market for the genre existed years ago, when a girl posing for her senior portrait sat for a few shots with her family dog. “I actually began to feel uncomfortable,” remembers Bartlett, “when the girl’s mother began to focus entirely on the dog’s pictures. I felt sorry for the girl, but it made me realize that people appreciate their pet’s photos in a way they could never appreciate those of another person.”
Bartlett recently discovered for himself the poignant value entailed in one of his high-end, timeless portraits. Before setting up at DogFest 2008, he took some test shots of one of his own dogs. The results were some touching portraits taken only days before his pet passed away. “The value of those portraits is incalculable,” muses Bartlett, “because I had no idea they would be taken the very week we would lose him.”
What better example of the profound appeal of pet portraiture can there be? A simple photo session can result in a permanent record of a friend whose time in our world is all too short.
A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Art Landerman began his career as a freelance illustrator. These days, he is employing his considerable talents to first photograph and then paint oil or pastel portraits of both people and all manner of cherished pets, including horses, birds, cats, and, of course, dogs. “I see beauty in all God’s creation, and have never come across an ‘ugly’ dog,” Landerman declares about his subjects.
Landerman’s renderings of pets are an overwhelming hit with proud guardians. “Starting in August, I am busy getting orders ready for their December 25, gift-wrapped delivery to destinations as far away as the North Pole,” he says. (Sounds like Santa is an admirer too!)
Landerman admits it is a challenge to work around a pet’s individual quirks and attitudes, but the family’s reaction to the finished portrait makes the toil worthwhile. “I know I have been successful,” he says, “when I see the tears of joy.”
It was by pure chance that Stephen Bobb began incorporating fetching Fidos into a client list comprised of beautiful brides. After graduating from the Washington School of Photography, Bobb became an assistant to wedding photographer Jennifer Domenick. After spying some of Bobb’s portraits of his own puppies, Domenick convinced her assistant to strike out into the genre of pet photography. To that end, Bobb founded FidoJournalism in 2007.
The photojournalistic style of Bobb’s wedding photography has been an appealing and elegant spillover into his pet portraiture. “I want to capture natural moments that really tell the story of my subjects, human or animal,” explains Bobb.
And while FidoJournalism thrills pet parents with chic mementos of their canine kids, its founder is equally gratified by the process of his pet portraits. “As someone who has enjoyed the company of animals all my life, I understand the joy they bring to families, and it is rewarding to capture their relationships in pictures. Each animal is unique, and it is always fun to decipher their personalities and communicate that in images.”
"Seems I've always been a photographer,” says Robert McClintock, “actually picking up a camera around 11 years old.” Now, after working in the field of commercial photography, McClintock has found a new medium to articulate his creative vision. “My final product,” he explains, “is more a painting than a photograph. I start with a strong photograph and then manipulate the image using a digital paintbrush. I really am a mixed media artist now.”
It’s imperative to McClintock that his striking urban scenic portraits do justice to the special brand of affection that his clients feel for their pets. “It’s important for them to love the picture I do for them. I’ve seen many portraits by other artists that people do not like and have never displayed. That, to me, is tragic.”
On the challenges of pet portraiture, McClintock says, “Pets are like children, meaning you have a narrow window of opportunity to catch their magic. I think dogs know what’s going on and they play you. (I love dogs with a sense of humor, like Bull Terriers.) You ask them to do things over and over, and they burn out. I love when a dog yawns. You know they’re done and you’re done too.”
On the personal and professional rewards wrapped up in his art, McClintock says, “It’s all in capturing an image that tells the viewer everything about that dog. It’s all in the eyes.”
PICTURE PERFECT
Will Rogers once said, “If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.” No one understands the veracity of that statement better than a professional pet portraitist. But those of us in the point and click set know it can be just as humbling to coax our own pooches into posing for us. And then there is the perplexing problem of optimal light conditions. Luckily, the pros are happy to share a few nuggets that will turn your snapshots of Spot, Scruffy, or Fluffy into scrapbook and photo album gold.
Rob Bartlett: “Work in pairs. It’s almost always difficult to both give the commands and take the picture. You will lose the dog every time you look away and into the camera. Have the person who interacts best with the dog handle commands while the other gets the shot. “Take photos in a natural environment and photograph the dog running or chasing a ball. Another alternative is to wait for the dog to calm down after play and capture her resting on a couch or bed.”
Art Landerman: “Use natural light and stay away from indoor flash units. Get down to your pet’s eye level to avoid the all too common perspective of the dog looking up at the viewer.”
Stephen Bobb: “Photography is all about light. Window light is great for indoor photos. Do not turn the flash on unless you are trying to freeze fast motion. Most point and shoot cameras have the flash next to the lens, resulting in flat lighting and the infamous ‘red eye.’ When shooting outdoors, early morning and late afternoon light are most pleasing. Find a shady spot if you have to photograph in midday sun.”
Robert McClintock: “Never force the issue, but get in as close as you can to your dog; and pre-focus in anticipation of his actions. Avoid cell phone shots. They look great until you realize the pixel resolution is too low for the photo to be enlarged.”
Mentioning the obvious fact that pets are now full-fledged members of the family will usually get writers charged with the offense of triteness. (Guilty as charged here.) But what may not be quite as evident are the new lengths and expenses pet, and especially pooch, parents are willing to go to in order to express love for their four-legged kids. For instance, the American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates that people will spend $43.3 billion on their pets this year, and the 2008 APPA Pet Product Trend Report claims that increasing numbers of us are pampering our best friends with high-end and exotic treats like gourmet food, spa treatments, yoga classes, and designer attire and jewelry.
Bartlett recently discovered for himself the poignant value entailed in one of his high-end, timeless portraits. Before setting up at DogFest 2008, he took some test shots of one of his own dogs. The results were some touching portraits taken only days before his pet passed away. “The value of those portraits is incalculable,” muses Bartlett, “because I had no idea they would be taken the very week we would lose him.”
It’s imperative to McClintock that his striking urban scenic portraits do justice to the special brand of affection that his clients feel for their pets. “It’s important for them to love the picture I do for them. I’ve seen many portraits by other artists that people do not like and have never displayed. That, to me, is tragic.”
