* Photography Tips *

I wrote the following article to help online rabbit show participants and then wondered if I ought
to share it with website visitors, who might also be interested in the subject . . . .

There’s a saying that goes something like, ‘you should never work with animals and children’. Personally I would add, ‘and if you do you must be crazy, because they’ll test your patience to the limit!’ Having said this though, with a bit of organization and preparation you can make photo sessions a little easier and less time consuming.

Consider also the need to be somewhat determined. The end result of what you should hope to achieve are clear and attractive photos rather than ones that don’t do your rabbits justice.
It is also important by looking at photos the judge can reasonably assess your rabbit/s, otherwise they might decide on them as being in the 'too hard' basket. Of course regardless of how well you take a photo a large percentage of credit goes to your rabbit, when it represents and shows off qualities applicable to its breed.

Most of these tips are primarily for the breed sections. Pet photographers have the freedom to capture their pets in spontaneous and adorably cute poses. They can also take advantage of trying out some imaginative and creative ideas, not to mention making use of any number of props and accessories.

Before we go any further and just in case you’re wondering what my credentials are, I think perhaps I should introduce myself. I’m not a professional photographer but over the years I have stacked up many hours of practical experience and to this day I am still learning from my mistakes. In the meantime I think I have learnt a trick or two and am more than happy to share them with you. Instead of assuming you already have some experience, I thought it best to write this as if you’re very much a beginner. This way I am able to cover the basics as if we are starting from scratch. Oh and one more thing – you don’t need to go out and buy special equipment, for you should be able to rummage around and find economical alternatives in your own home.

The base

These should be solid of practical height and flat as a pancake. I tend to use one of those heavy metal but small outdoor tables. It is portable, sturdy and not so big that bunnies think they can zoom around it, nor too small they are unhappy about moving at all. The table is 84 cm (33 inches) square and as I dislike seeing the edge of bases in a photo it suits the size of my breeds. The height of the table needs to be comfortable for you, so you can at least sit on a chair if need be. Photographing rabbits is time consuming to say the least and you might as well sit down on the job. It’s very rare too that your rabbit will deliberately consider jumping off a reasonably elevated table. Mine is 71 cm (28 inches) in height, but you can easily have a higher one, which is decidedly better than a lower one causing you to squat or end up on your knees.

Cover the base with some kind of non-slippery mat, otherwise bunnies become insecure and feel as if they have to grip the surface with their paws/toenails. They can also look uncomfortable in a photo when they crouch down to try to maintain some kind of stability. If you’d like to have a sheet instead of a mat, you could also have something stable underneath the sheet, say for example a piece of carpet. Try not to use plush or fluffy rugs or mats, as the judge should be able to see the position and cleanliness of feet and so on. I don’t think it really matters if the base and background are the same or different contrasting colours/material, just as long as they are kept simple and not gaudy – more about this later.

The backdrop

This one’s relatively easy. I place my table against a wall and place a board (the same width as the table) leaning up against the wall. The board has sufficient height, so once again I don’t have to concern myself about seeing the rim in a photo. I drape the board with a sheet. If you don’t mind holes in your wall or sheet, you can nail the sheet up, instead of the board suggestion. As sheets usually have folds or creases and if you don’t mind going to the trouble, you can iron them beforehand. Alternatively a brick or painted wall can look fine as a backdrop and therefore you won’t have to bother so much about sheets and boards.

Take into consideration the colour of your rabbit to the colour of your backdrop and/or the base colour. If he is light coloured then you can go for a slightly darker colour backdrop and visa versa. Professionals will recommend basic blues to enhance and clarify colours, but I don’t think it has to be a hard and fast rule – can get a bit boring too! Feel free to experiment with your subjects on different colour backgrounds. When you go through your day’s photo shoot you can then decide which you think looks more favourable. It's best not to use shiny (reflective) material and patterned materials are better kept plain and simple rather than going for a busy and bright effect. You want your rabbit to stand out rather than be an insignificant part of a dazzling and or busy background. Keep this tip in mind if you choose to take a photo with home interior/furnishings or garden backdrops as these can also detract from the main subject.

Lighting – inside and out

Choose a sunny day – morning and late afternoon are supposed to be conducive to photography, but much also depends on your chosen spot/area. Unsuitable kinds of lighting are sunshine and/or both sunshine and shade; overcast days, dark shady areas or when the subject (or any object, including yourself) casts a shadow in the frame.

Indoor photos can turn out okay but preferably not if you have to use a flash option. One main reason being is you may end up with a rabbit having the unattractive effect of red eyes. A judge could also presume he is seeing an eye colour with a ruby glow that are not appropriate to specific coloured rabbits. The ruby glow to the eyes is generally a standard trait of rabbits belonging in the ‘shaded’ family. If having to use a flash however and to help prevent red eye, hold the camera at a slight upward angle.

A brightly lit room or sunrooms for example are usually best for providing natural lighting conditions. The most favourable photography places I’ve found outdoors, which provide favourable lighting conditions are: on our side deck that has a sail clothe above, in a well lit but shaded spot in the garden or on our back veranda. So from hereon all you need to do is have a wander and look around for suitable options and put them to the test.

Posing for the camera

You can’t really get away with plonking a rabbit on a wobbly table and the judge will go, "Wow". Rabbits naturally tend to react to unfamiliar situations with nervousness and this will consequently be captured on film. It’s impractical for me to outline each and every detail about posing particular breeds, so I’ll just have to cover some of the general practicalities. The only rabbit that can get away with an elongated, flat on the table pose is the Himalayan breed, which although it is unappealingly described as snaky, that’s what the judge hopes to see. If you are already experienced at stewarding and exhibiting no doubt you are well rehearsed in how to correctly pose show rabbits. Otherwise check your breed standards booklet or ask around to find how they are supposed to look. Take for example some should be cobby (compact) while others need to be up on their toes. Or ears should be together (not crossing over) or not partly flopping when they are supposed to be fully upright. Likewise a lop looks inappropriate if he holds his ears at a strange angle.

Although unlike us, rabbits don’t have as wide a repertoire of facial expressions, you can for example see fear especially when they display what is described as the third eye. A rabbit's body language can indicate they are miserable as well, which doesn't look attractive either – far better for your rabbit to look relaxed or at least alert. One way to encourage them to be natural and settle down is to let them get used to the surroundings by proving a yummy snack – food is a great encouragement to distract and calm down any animal. Then allow some time to wander around the table to adjust, get their bearings and to some extent overcome nervousness/hesitancy.

Having an assistant?

On the few occasions I’ve had someone helping me with photo sessions and posing rabbits, I found that they are either helpful or a hindrance. If you think you need an assistant, preferably choose one that is familiar with rabbit handling and show poses, rather than someone that makes your job a bit difficult. I also don’t like to bother people and feel guilty about taking up their time, so I've learnt a couple of alternatives. One of them is to sit down and patiently wait for the bunny to compose itself in a good position. A major problem with this method however is when I’m just about to push the button the little rascal is likely to move.

While on the subject of moving we humans are fallible too. When I’ve taken pictures I have tried breathing out, holding my breath or the most recommended option of breathing naturally, yet still ended up with a lot of blurry shots. Then one day I found a little helper (which I pulled out from under the bed) and since then I haven’t looked back – my trusty tripod!

Another but quicker method is to pose and photograph one handed. I set up the tripod and camera to a central spot on the table. I stand at the side of the table and in this position no longer have the option of seeing through the viewfinder. But that’s okay – I know this method has proven to be practical and effective. The beauty about digital cameras is you have the prerogative to take as many photos as you like. You can be moderately selective or highly critical and delete anything you deem as unusable.

So going back to instructions – I have one hand on the camera with a finger ready on the button while the other maneuvers the rabbit into the frame and aiding him (to the best of my ability) into a reasonably good position. When I feel the time is right the hand on the rabbit is promptly removed and I snap the picture with my trigger finger.
The alternatives to finding a dusty tripod under your bed is to use your ingenuity and make use of anything that is stable and of correct height, such as a stool, a barrel or whatever.

Other tips

Take level shots of your rabbit instead of ones looking upwards or downwards. Just imagine how you’d look a bit odd if someone took a photo from above or below you.

Side on profile photos gives the judge a good view of the whole rabbit rather than head only front on shots. If you have a patterned rabbit, an online show allows several photos so the judge can assess patterns of individuals.

Please make sure you tuck back feet in alignment with the rabbit’s body, otherwise they can look as if they have a case of cow hocks, disjointed bones or generally look a bit strange.

Be aware that yellow or dirty stained feet conditions can influence the judge just as much as in seeing them in a normal show — so too are rabbits with excessively long toenails. As with a normal show, nails should be trimmed and fur pads cleaned.

Expect rabbits in moult will be somewhat penalized though not necessarily exempted – especially if there are no other serious competitors or they have worse faults.

It should go without saying, but I’ll cover this anyway . . . don’t take photos of buns with health problems or major faults, such as weepy eyes, matted coat or if excessively fat/skinny.

It’s a good idea to cut photos especially if your rabbit appears far away and remote in the distance. Alternatively make sure you don’t cut too close to your subject otherwise he’ll look uncomfortably squashed in the frame.

Just so I know if I have been helpful enough or if I can improve on this article I would appreciate your feedback.

Please send your suggestions to Christine: ccarter@netspeed.com.au or phone (02) 6231 5862

Happy snapping to the best of your ability!

Graphics are generous gifts from: Island Gems Rabbitry & Microsoft Clip Art: http://office.microsoft.com/en-au/default.aspx