How to Take the Best Pictures of Your Dog

WEARING: LASSO DOGS LEASH & CAMERA STRAP | UNIQLO DOWN VEST | 
BDG JEANS | CHIC ALLOY MATTED SUNGLASSES |
NIKE REVOLUTION 3 RUNNING SHOES IN BLACK | LULULEMON RUN WITH ME NECK WARMER

Happy Monday! I've been working hard on creating the best content I can for you guys! I'm booked up solid until the end of the first week of November with new upcoming stories, as overwhelming and crazy as it's ever been, I cannot wait to share everything we have in store for you! From more fall looks to even a special feature interview, today we're covering how to take the best pictures of your dog! Here are 8 tips on making this somewhat challenging task more enjoyable for everyone involved. :)

1. CARRY HIGH-QUALITY EQUIPMENT

This goes without saying. And I'm not talking technical equipment such as the camera or lens, but other factors that need to be considered when doing dog photography. Like a 100+ pound wolflike dog that will need a good steady leash in between takes, which is why I use Lasso's rudder leash and matching camera strap. What's great is the customization options Lasso has - you can choose length, size and colors for each. I went with a 36 inch camera strap because of my small petite frame, but you can choose from a selection of lengths. Same with the leash. And I can't forgot about footwear and eyewear. When photographing MaQ, I will always be in sneakers. My go-to pair for the past year are the Nike 3 Revolution running shoes. And recently, I've been obsessed with the Chic Alloy matted sunglasses. If I can't see and/or move for photo shoots, we might have a problem. :) 

2. PERFECT TIMING

I'm not talking about f-stops or shutter speed, but more about being in tune with your dog's energy and vibe. Looking for a regal portrait? Draining your dog's energy with exercise before the shoot can help you and your dog be in a more calm, relaxed state. If you're opting for more action shots, the photo shoot itself will provide the exercise! Save that energy for this kind of shoot. This also goes with trust and training. It has taken a lot of time and work to get MaQ to pose the way he does. Our bond is undeniable and it shows in our pictures, but when people ask me how I get my dog to be so still and focused in photos, it's all on training, timing and dedication. 

3. DECIDE ON YOUR LOCATION/BACKGROUND

Will you two be in a park? Or on the streets of a bustling city such as ours in this post? Being prepared comes in handy when shooting with your furry baby. Know what to bring for certain settings and environments, such as warmer months of the year, carry water to stay hydrated. Extra batteries never hurt either. The more aware you are of your surroundings for a shoot will only better your comfortability and chances of getting the shot(s) you really want. That's where the magic really starts to happen!

4. KEEP SETTING/ENVIRONMENT NATURAL & RELAXED

It's important to get your dog used to the sights and sounds of his surroundings as well. And it's even more crucial for you yourself to try and stay as calm and relaxed as possible. I try to stay away from squeaky baby-talk or shouting uncontrollable things to my boy during a shoot. Calling his name once or twice is usually enough, though sometimes like a teenaged kid, his attention span lessens and I have to get a bit more firm with a 'watch me' command. When he hears this, he knows it's time to stay focused. And he is ready to please. All in all, the goal is to always make any experience a positive one. One that is fun & engaging for both of you!

5. TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES

I've always believed in out of the ten times you're trying at something, doesn't matter what it is, you may get one good bite/hit/whatever word you would like to insert here to describe it. This also applies in taking pictures. The more you take, the better chance you'll have in getting those amazing shots. Candid ones are the best in this type of scenario. And the more time you spend with a camera, the more you will learn and grow in the process. 

6. TURN OFF FLASH

In my opinion the best form of light is natural sunlight. It is perfect for pet photography too. However, if you really need to use a flash, especially indoors, try to use an off-camera flash and turn it upwards so the light's bouncing off the ceiling and not your dog giving them demon eyes. Ha ha ha! 

7. GET YOUR DOG'S ATTENTION

Stock up on dog treats and toys! Positive reinforcement also brings an overall positive experience. Each time you reward your pooch after getting the shot(s) you want, makes the time spent together an awesome one. How can you get your dog to look straight into the lens of the camera? Bring their favorite toy or treat and hover it over the camera to entice them. For example, MaQ, like many German Shepherds, has an extreme high level of ball drive, so we use his all-time favorite Chuck-It ball for photo shoots. He could focus on that ball all day long. This is a great way to get their undivided attention. :)

8. GET ON YOUR DOG'S LEVEL

Literally meeting eye-to-eye with your dog will help them see you as an equal, that it's not an alpha moment but an experience to share together. And a good one at that! By also doing this, you can think outside the box in terms of angles and composition as most think to photograph their pet from above first. So get ready to get on the ground and perhaps get a little dirty... trust me it'll be worth it! ;)

---

Sponsored post in collaboration with LASSO & DRESS LILY.

photos + videography by Gilles Decamps & Suzanne Spiegoski

Our latest pet lifestyle video, 'How to Take the Best Pictures of Your Dog!' 8 Tips + Full story on the blog at www.suzannespiegoski.com and to get more info on the featured leash & camera strap go to itslasso.com photos + videography by Suzanne Spiegoski & Gilles Decamps Be sure to Subscribe for new videos every week http://bit.ly/21XFK0K 

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Monstera Deliciosa

MONSTERA DELICIOSA, SELF-PORTRAIT SERIES, AUGUST 30TH, 2016.

---

PHOTOS BY: © Suzanne Spiegoski 

When it comes to my work in self-portraiture I rarely if ever photograph myself in the nude, let alone publicly show any of the photographs. Self-portraits are not easy to do, in fact, it's the most challenging subject I have ever had. Well, so far... we'll see if that'll ever change. ;) But the more involved I become in the torrid affair that is - one with the camera, the more open I am in the relationship. When I first started 'dating' the camera, I was always so anxious to start clicking away. Now, don't get me wrong. I still get that feeling to this day. But there's a more calm formality to it now. With time and effort, a shitload of patience, and experience, I've learned quite a bit. But that shouldn't stop there. Never stop learning. 

This past year has been all about taking risks, good and bad, perhaps even downright ugly when I come to think of it. But the more chances I've taken, the more rewards I've been given. Does it have anything to do with money? No. Vanity purposes? Not at all. To me, self-portraiture is all about the relationship you have with yourself and with the camera. To know oneself is to know many, in my belief. What better way to know how to photograph anyone or anything? No, not every photographer does self-portraits, and they shouldn't have to nor need to be a good photographer, but it's a wonderful path to self-discovery and in my opinion, one of the best forms of self-expression. Being first and foremost a writer, there are sometimes feelings... stories... concepts that I cannot put down in words. With photography being my other medium, it aids me in releasing vulnerabilities I didn't even know were there. 'A picture is worth a thousand words', and sometimes the image of a subject can convey its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does. I get the best of both worlds as someone in the arts. I'm very fortunate to be able to do what I do. And I never forget it.

Lastly, today I had the immense pleasure and honor of interviewing the wonderful Henry Leutwyler at his studio in downtown Manhattan. He is a wonderful photographer with a new book coming out this Fall that'll I'll be writing about on the blog! I can't wait to share my experience with Henry and his amazingly talented work. You are going to be blown away! Just utterly spectacular. I'm so excited about this story! Stay tuned... in the meantime I'm doing another recipe this week and step-by-step video! It's got a ton of avocados by the way..... :)  

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Grey Tones

WEARING: H&M LONG GREY SUIT JACKET | H&M LONG SLEEVE GREY SHIRT
FOREVER 21 STRETCHY HIGH-RISE SKINNY JEANS 
STEVEN MADDEN NOBLE STONE PEEP TOE SHOE BOOT | GUCCI DIANA SATCHEL

---

One of my ultimate dreams in New York City has come true! It was so hard to keep it hush-hush for about a week now, but I am delighted and very excited to finally be able to tell you guys all about it! Sometime last week, I was having a very rough start to my morning and was really feeling under the weather, but I like to start my day by taking walks with MaQ, especially when I'm feeling down. Just the two of us roaming the streets of New York never fails to inspire me to keep going.

That morning was kind of cold. You know, those spring mornings where it's only slightly warm being in the sun. I was going to keep it a brisk walk and take MaQ out for a longer one later on in the day, as I had so much work to do. But, because I wasn't feeling 100% and the fact that I walk around to clear my head, I opted for a longer route and went to one of his favorite parks in New York City, Washington Square Park. He loves to find sticks to chew and play with, accompanying me while I people-watch and take snapshots. Suddenly, a deep male voice from behind said, "Excuse me, do you mind if I take a picture of your dog?" But before I could reply, he graciously continued. "I run The Dogist... I'm not sure if you've heard about us..."

My jaw dropped to the ground and I was beaming. Ever since Elias Weiss Friedman had created The Dogist in October of 2013, I've been following him religiously. With nearly 2 million followers on Instagram and over 10,000 photos of dogs from around the world, he's got my (well one at least) dream job, chasing dogs and traveling. I just never saw the man behind the camera! We had a blast shooting with Elias and his assistants, MaQ took his role as a supermodel VERY seriously. Come take a look at his AMAZING portrait shot HERE!

To see more incredible portraits of dogs by The Dogist, go to thedogist.com

Lastly, here's my look of the day! Grey tones meet casual chic with a long suit jacket from H&M, Steve Madden open-toe ankle booties and Forever 21 skinny jeans. It's one of my favorite comfy go-to looks. You can totally keep doing your #GIRLBOSS thang in this outfit. Sadly, due to grey tones not only being a part of this look, the weather did not allow us to film this look for the week. Boo, to rain! But don't worry, more to come soon, soon, soon! Stay tuned...

Photos by Gilles Decamps

Styling & Editing by Suzanne Spiegoski

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

The NYBG's Annual Orchid Show - Part 1

Front & center: The signature centerpiece through the center of the exhibition; an utter wonderment of whimsical vibrant orchids and tropical plants climbing a towering waterfall.

A rich palette of orchids in myriad shapes drizzling from the cascading waterfall.

Obligatory portrait among the thousands of orchids!

Pretty in pink. 💕

Detail of these tinier white, yellow & magenta orchids.

Purple orchids. 💜💜💜

Psychedelic orchids! Aren't these trippy? Spell-binding if you ask me. 

Taking a breather by one of the conservatory pools to say hello to some waterlilies! :)

Tiny miniature orchids. 

All the fuzzy feels...

While exploring the Haupt Conservatory's exhibition, look for a 19th-century orchid propagation display featuring a copy of Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala, a landmark work by Victorian horticulturist James Bateman.

Green cymbidiums. 💚

Close up of these beauties. The details are out of this world!

The Question of my Mother poem by Robin Ekiss, from The Mansion of Happiness.

Bye, NYBG! Can't wait to come back for a visit soon! 👋❤️✌️

Last Sunday, my husband and I took our first trip up to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Since we both have never been there and I was feeling extra sentimental during the month of February, I was quite adamant on having us trek out there to see one of the finest beauties in nature: Orchids. And then some. The entire show holds three different rooms. When you first enter into the conservatory you are immersed in a tropical rainforest where we both immediately started removing our wintry layers from the heat and humidity. 80 degrees can warm you right up! ;)

The second passageway brings you into the desert, with a variety of cacti and succulents. I always found plant life in the middle of nowhere, such as an environment like the desert, to be fascinating. To thrive and overcome at the bare minimal of maintenance and care is something us humans should be more mindful of. I feel the world of plants, flowers included, can teach you much about life and yourself. They're on the same journey as you, if you think about. We are born, we live, and then we wither and die. But what we do while we're here is what counts. And they live to make the Earth a better place all the while bringing smiles and warm, fuzzy hearts to us. 

Then halfway into the show, you'll come across a countless number of different colored orchids in all shapes and sizes climbing a cascading waterfall—an homage to the inspired glasshouse habitats of the Victorian era that replicated the flowers' natural environment. This, of course, was the highlight of the show, among the many, if not thousands, of displaying orchids. It felt like I was walking in a dream. With my mom! She would've really loved to see this show, but deep down in my heart I knew she was with me in spirit and smiling up above at the beauty of the world.

Fun fact about the name of the show: Orchidelirium is the name given to the Victorian era of flower madness when collecting and discovering orchids reached extraordinarily high levels. Wealthy orchid fanatics of the 19th century sent explorers and collectors to almost every part of the world in search of new varieties of orchids. [1] In Detroit at the Belle Isle Conservatory, Anna Scripps Whitcomb, left her grand collection of 600 orchids back in 1953. I would love to see this conservatory's collection. As an original Michigander, it is a place I've never been to either. I also can't wait for the Cherry Blossoms at the BBG later this month either. Perhaps another blog post in the works? 😉

And lastly, coming up this weekend, I will be posting up my look of the week which include designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Assembly New York, & Nike. Think corporate sporty chic! Plus details of my new favorite jewelry accessories will be included as well. Stay tuned, I'm excited to share the photos with you! Have a lovely weekend and come back again soon!

PS - The NYBG Orchid Show is running until April 17th! Go check it out here now!

Love & xx's,

Happy Birthday Mom

Gone but never forgotten, forever in our hearts.

It's always a bittersweet day for me the day after Valentine's. Today would have been my mother's 60th birthday. Every year I try talking myself into breaking free and 'letting go' of acknowledging or even remembering certain dates and occasions associated with her and the rest of my family, but each time, 365 days later, my feelings are only stronger than ever before in keeping the spirit of her and others loved ones alive. No matter how painful it may be, I cannot help but celebrate and honor them. Who I am is all because of my parents. How could I ever forget about them?

Together at Newport Beach, 1992. I miss you. I love you, Ma.

There was a powerful scene between Enid and Glenn from last night's season premiere of The Walking Dead. [SPOILER ALERT] By the way, IMO, this was probably one of the best episodes in the entire series. If you don't watch the show because it's all about violence and zombies, then you are mistaken. The entire show, really, is a story of how people respond to unimaginable horror. Some simply don’t have the backbone for it, some thrive in it, and others have their fates decided at their own personal snapping point, the point at which they change. While searching for supplies inside a church together, Enid finds a scripture written on the wall from James 2:26, "Faith without works is dead." Enid tells Glenn that, in terms of fleeing or fighting, she wanted to run before they had reached the church. Glenn immediately explains that's how you lose people. Even after they're gone. Confused, Enid asks what he means by that and he replies with, "The people you love made you who you are. If you stop being you, that last bit of them that's inside of you is gone." Faith without works is dead faith because the lack of works reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart. There are many Scriptures that make it very clear that true saving faith will result in a transformed life, which is demonstrated by the “works” we do. So to me, if you change as a person, even if it's trying to hide the pain deep inside you, you will not grow or strengthen as a person let alone survive. Death is certain, life is not. If I stop remembering who I love and where I came from, I'm not sure who I'd be anymore. For me, it's not even an option.

My mother's Freedom III Minolta Film Camera 📷.

Just two peas in a pod. Mermaid girls. 🌊

In other words, you can't run from the pain. Go towards it. Most people who don't know me on a personal level think I got my passion for photography from my husband. The truth is, he has definitely had an influence on me, but the first person to ever peek my interest in photography was my mother. She was also the first person to get me a camera. And when I sift through the photos she'd taken over the years, one thing is true. She had quite an eye, actually, she was exceptional. Perhaps (or at least I'd like to think) that's where I inherited my 'eye'. My father wasn't half-bad either as you can see from the photos he took of us.

My mother was such a babe! Forever Young, California Dreamin'. 1992.

I still have the camera she used through those years we had together. It's an old point-and-shoot film camera, a Freedom III Minolta, that I still use it from time to time, but only for special occasions. Film is just too darn expensive these days. But you see all these photos of my mother and I on the beach in today's post? They're all from the same camera! How cool is that? Call me a sentimental fool, but these memories are all I have left. And I don't care what anyone says, I will cherish them until the day I die. It's important for me to show these photographs to my own children one day too, as it is just as imperative for them to know where they come from, going back many generations. #KoreanPride 🇰🇷🇰🇷🇰🇷

Forever with Me. ❤️

Souvenirs, souvenirs...

When I was going through the photos I have of me and my mother today, I wanted to pick a warmer, summer-like theme. It's Monday, I've got the Winter Blues, and I miss my West Coast Cali girl vibes! Even though it always makes me a little sad looking at some of the photos, I couldn't help but smile remembering some good times from this California trip. I was in second grade and it was the very first time I'd gotten on a plane. I remember our layover in Chicago. I remember losing my favorite stuffed animal from this vacation, and was nearly heartbroken from never finding him. I remember it was the first time my mother's parents met my Dad. They didn't speak English so my mother was their personal translator. I remember grandpa catching something while fishing with my dad, and as an elder, he had trouble reeling in what seemed to be Moby Dick! My Dad assisted him with the line and when he pulled it up enough for everyone to finally see what is was, a baby hammerhead shark hung from the hook! Seconds after our discovery, a hungry duck swam by and snatched the shark for lunch! We laughed and laughed and laughed until our bellies hurt. Well... everyone except the boys who lost their 'prize'! Ha! Ha!

난 당신 에게 엄마 사랑. 🌺

My mother's Korean name is Sun-Hui (pronounced Sun-Hee) but when she came to the States everyone had trouble pronouncing it so she just told 'em to call her, 'Sunny'. If you ever had the pleasure of meeting her, you knew why that nickname was perfectly suited for her. I even inherited her Americanized name, being my middle name is 'Sunny'. I miss her dearly but I know that she lives on through me and my brother. I can't wait to see her again, and this I know for sure. My faith can never be broken. Until then, keep shining down with your Light & Love, Ma. Happy Birthday. I miss you. I love you. Always. From your lil' 하마 xoxo.

I love you, ma. 💕

Love & xx's,