A Love Affair With Isolation

Isolation is a word we hear all day every day right now. But, as hard as it is on people, isolation is what makes my heart sing when I look through the camera.

Isolation is used in photography in a lot of different ways to bring attention to the subject of the image. The most common way to isolate is to create a very soft background behind the main subject of the image.

I love the look and it's perfect for portraits. But, during sessions I like to use a different technique for the majority of the shoot. I like to isolate the dog to tell the story from their own point of view.

For example, I would describe this first image as a lovely portrait of a "family and their dog."

But, I would describe this second image as a fun loving "dog and his family." This is what I love capturing during each session. The relationship between you and your dog as seen from their perspective.

During local events where there are lots of participants, I love being able to see things that others might miss. I'm able to photograph things in a crowd that happen so quickly that I always feel privileged to have seen them at all much less captured them. 

This image is from 2018 at the last end of the season dog swim that I went to. There were so many participants that it was almost impossible to keep track of anyone much less photograph a dog through all the legs in the pool. Isolating this boy and his dog from the crowd shows how they might as well have been the only two in the pool. And, judging from the joy on their faces, they probably felt like they were.

This man was talking to a friend when I noticed his little pup in the middle of all the big dogs running around. Poor little guy doesn't exactly have the best poker face. 

Although we may feel isolated (or a bit like this little pup) on and off during these uncertain times of crisis, keep in mind that it's only temporary. I wish you all lots of love, lots of snuggles with your dogs, and lots of snacks and netflix when you need them. ;O)
​Be well!

This is part of a blog circle so if you'd like to see how other photographers in the group isolate, start with Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography fetching portraits in Coppell and surrounding communities in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex.  

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