Animal Abuse Campaign - shooting animals

Sydney

Sydney

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Sydney
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This is part of a campaign I made last year at college fighting against animal abuse. I had a lot of fun doing this (even though it was very last minute and very late) as it's a topic I feel very strongly about. I'm considering recreating similar images at some point, creating posters fighting against animal abuse to give to local sanctuaries as a gift with some donations. I just thought it'd be a nice, creative gift for them.
My name is at the top because I have quite an attachment to these images - I was very proud of this unit and although I highly doubt people would nick these photos, I didn't really want to just put these out there in case (you never know) anyway, ignore the horrible writing at the top, that's just for my peace of mind.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on shooting animals? I used my pets for these images but if I re-do this, I'm thinking of using a range of different animals which means I'd need to know a bit more about shooting animals as my pets are very comfortable with me (I won't say obedient, pugs are definitely not.)

also, any constructive criticism - if I redo these as a gift for animal sanctuaries, I'd really like them to look professional and something they'd appreciate.

Thanks!
 
as a side note - these are two different posters, not one. I just put them together so it's easier to look at them side by side on here.
 
They look very professional & well created. Would be an option to try the text in white with opacity knocked back as this may give the message more of an impact without affecting the image. Well done.
 
Masked Bandit said:
Hi, It's not my area of expertise, but I'll try anyway. I find the text across the animals faces blends in too well with the photo, and as such lacks any impact. Just as an aside, your cat looks as though he's thinking "Bring it on"

Philip
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Not my area of expertise either, but it is a subject that interests me. I think there is an argument to be had along the lines of how the end user (i.e. the public looking at the poster) views the poster as opposed to how much it pleases graphic artists etc. Sydney, I think the actual animal pictures are fine, but the poster falls down because the text is not all that easy to read. If you want to get the message across should the basic starting point not be to ensure that the viewer does not need to work to read it. All the best.
 
Pretty good design, but the dark text spoils it, in my opinion. Copy all the text, make it all one object, make it white, blur it a bit and send it behind the darker text. Try an opacity setting, but might be better without. Might look really well, certainly more readable without changing the colour of the text.
 
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I agree the text has TOO much impact and detracts from the whole - if that makes any sense ( use the opacity tool )

:Les ;)
 
oh! thank you for all your feedback :) the text is actually that way because we had to create an entire campaign and I focussed mine around 'speaking out for those without a voice' - giving humans the responsibility to fight for vulnerable animals, as we have the power to change things. The reason the middle text is faded is because those words are the words of the animals - fighting back, the words they would say (with a little wordplay) to their abusers, to campaign for themselves but really, they have no voice (hence why it is faded). Anyway - I did an entire folder analysing the entire poster, lots going on behind it. I personally really like the look of it as well but I'll definitely experiment with some of your suggestions - just to see if there are any better aesthetically pleasing variations of the wording.

- just as a note, the writing might show up darker on different people's computers/laptops etc - when printed out the words were very clear, just similar colouring/low opacity against the background.

thank you for feedback! any more welcome, I appreciate that you all like my photographs but if anyone has any general advice that could help shooting close up portraits of animals, please let me know!
 
Sydney said:
oh! thank you for all your feedback :) the text is actually that way because we had to create an entire campaign and I focussed mine around 'speaking out for those without a voice' - giving humans the responsibility to fight for vulnerable animals, as we have the power to change things. The reason the middle text is faded is because those words are the words of the animals - fighting back, the words they would say (with a little wordplay) to their abusers, to campaign for themselves but really, they have no voice (hence why it is faded). Anyway - I did an entire folder analysing the entire poster, lots going on behind it. I personally really like the look of it as well but I'll definitely experiment with some of your suggestions - just to see if there are any better aesthetically pleasing variations of the wording.

- just as a note, the writing might show up darker on different people's computers/laptops etc - when printed out the words were very clear, just similar colouring/low opacity against the background.

thank you for feedback! any more welcome, I appreciate that you all like my photographs but if anyone has any general advice that could help shooting close up portraits of animals, please let me know!
Click to expand...

Focus on the eyes. Make sure they are pin sharp.
 
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Sydney said:
oh! thank you for all your feedback :) the text is actually that way because we had to create an entire campaign and I focussed mine around 'speaking out for those without a voice' - giving humans the responsibility to fight for vulnerable animals, as we have the power to change things. The reason the middle text is faded is because those words are the words of the animals - fighting back, the words they would say (with a little wordplay) to their abusers, to campaign for themselves but really, they have no voice (hence why it is faded). Anyway - I did an entire folder analysing the entire poster, lots going on behind it. I personally really like the look of it as well but I'll definitely experiment with some of your suggestions - just to see if there are any better aesthetically pleasing variations of the wording.

- just as a note, the writing might show up darker on different people's computers/laptops etc - when printed out the words were very clear, just similar colouring/low opacity against the background.

thank you for feedback! any more welcome, I appreciate that you all like my photographs but if anyone has any general advice that could help shooting close up portraits of animals, please let me know!
Click to expand...

I agree, I have a calibrated monitor so I see thing as they are, no offence meant

as for shooting close ups of animals may I suggest a 70-200mm f2.8 or a 105mm macro lens

heres one I shot with a 70-200mm f2.8

DSC04557 by lesmoxonphotography, on Flickr

Les ;)
 
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one thing i'd add is that the animals in the photos look a bit well cared for ... ideally you need images of an animal thats been subject to abuse.

The other thing i'd say is that you might want to speak to the centres about what sort of images/posters they need , rather than assuming.
 
Masked Bandit said:
Hi, It's not my area of expertise, but I'll try anyway. I find the text across the animals faces blends in too well with the photo, and as such lacks any impact. Just as an aside, your cat looks as though he's thinking "Bring it on"

Philip
Click to expand...
Surely this is the default look of all cats at all times?

I'd have to mirror some of what has been said previously. The animals look lost in the frame because of the lettering, and they don't really engender any sympathy as they're clearly well looked after. Might be worthwhile (as crushing as it might be for you, I know it would be for me) seeking out one of the local shelters to see if they can help you out with subjects.
 
might be worth talking to @Yv she does a load of photography for a shelter local to her, and is probably better placed to advise on the ins and outs
 
I am not going to comment on the text, it has already been said and to be fair, I think if you saw them at poster size, the effect would be hugely different to what we see here - I am not saying better or worse, but different and I think as impact pieces, that would be the best way to offer genuine critique, just not possible here sadly.

As to the ins and outs, I am certainly not an expert, much of what I photograph is for rehoming purposes, so 'cute and appealing' tends to work better than 'abused'. If I do do any welfare cases, it is usually because something has come in very recently when I happen to be there, usually within the previous day or two, I have even had them arrive whilst I am on site. Those photos can be quite graphic and very upsetting, but are invaluable for fund raising, publishing such photos, especially with the immediacy of social media, can lead to an influx of donations due to sympathy for that specific animal.

These campaign type pictures actually fall somewhere between the two and if I were to go on gut instinct alone, I would say you can actually go either way with the nature of the animal concerned. For example, for me the fact the cat has a 'think you're hard enough' look does actually work but needs slightly different words that play on that look. More like with the double mean of the dog poster in fact, a sort of half threat almost. With different slogans you can easily use less healthy looking animals that have been victims of abuse.

As to the actual photos, I appreciate what Les has said about lenses, but for this particular style you can actually create a lot of impact using a wide angle close up, which is the effect these have. Yes, focus on the eyes, especially for this angle and closeness of view, they need to be pin sharp, it is the eyes that will grab the attention long before any text over the top.

Sydney, if you drop me a PM I will pass you the details of the marketing/PR lady at the rescue I do work for here in London, I am sure she would be happy to have a look and give you some feedback and suggestions and perhaps even use them if they like them.
 
thank you so much everyone! I wish I could reply individually, but every single word has been taken into account and is very helpful - so thank you, again. I'm massively busy at the minute with a lot of stressful work, so this isn't particularly my priority as it's something I'd like to do in my spare time - but when I get to it, I'll consider everything said.

Regarding the look of the animals, I think it could work both ways - I did a whole project on this (so there was a lot of explaining of my choices and also analysing other, similar campaigns) and I did ensure from the start that I didn't want graphic images, I won't go too into it (otherwise I might as well whip out my old folder!) but we either become desensitised to these emotive and sympathetic images (as much as we had to admit it, it's less 'shocking' when you've seen it so many times - a technique used so often) or we're made uncomfortable and before even delving further into the poster, we turn our backs on it because (and again, sadly and as much as we'd hate to admit it) it's easier to be ignorant towards a situation we don't feel is directly 'our problem.' That was the whole point of my campaign - to make it YOUR problem. These animals want to stand up for themselves (faded words - what they'd say/play on words) but have no voice, they are the victim and vulnerable, they can't protect themselves without the help of a human. 'Speak for those without a voice' etc etc - stop me before I get in too deep, I'm the kind that could ramble and analyse for ages - but you catch my drift.

I could make them look a little rough around the edges though, nothing too hardcore, just to show they'd been through some stuff, but they're still strong enough to hold that 'cmon mate! I'm ready to fight back, I've got the humans on my side' kinda look (haha).

Anyway, thank you again - I will be inactive for a while due to such a terribly busy schedule but if I do get around to this - I'll keep you all posted :)

p.s big soft moose - I just thought it'd be a nice little gift for a sanctuary, based upon this old idea of mine - yknow, make use of it :) I'm sure they'd be appreciative of someone putting in all that time and effort to support animals and if they like it - hey! you never know, I'd always be happy to do more on whatever subject they'd suggest :)
 
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