Artwork feature - van wrap

Some projects are exceptional from the start. Kim and Paula approached me with a vision for their new van, and from the very start, I knew it was going to be something special.

The idea was to use my coloured powder photography to wrap their van’s windows. It was the fact that the van was white that prompted me to finally decide to experiment with coloured powder against a white background.

The project was not without its challenges, as I was not accustomed to working against white. The fact that the art would be printed 8’ long meant that there was no room for error when creating the files for print. However, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, and I loved every moment of it.

Thank you to Kim and Paula for the opportunity to work on such a unique project. If you happen to see this van driving down the highway, or pulling up to a flyball tournament, please make sure to say hello for me.

The final product!

The photographs!

Final - passenger side
Final - driver side
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Behind the scenes

I love when clients capture behind the scenes craziness from our time together. My coworkers are the cutest things in the world (even when attempting to steal my lunch!).

How to step up your dog's JUMP for epic powder photography

Powder photography is an epic way to show of an animal's raw athleticism and power. The images are sure to turn heads and make jaws drop. It's no wonder that powder sessions are in such high demand.

But...

The strength of the images is directly proportional to the level of competence and confidence of the furry subject. The better prepared your pet is to cope with the strange sights, sounds and sensations of a powder session, the more successful everyone will be.

Want to polish things up a bit before our upcoming session? Here is a breakdown of the required behaviours, as well as some resources to help step up your training.

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What about photos featuring things other than jumps?

We can capture fetch, flyball, running, bitework and more in powder photography. However, photo subjects should be fluent in the behaviours we are trying to capture. Young and/or “green” dogs frequently forget their jobs in the face of distractions.

Breakdown of the basic JBP jump sequence

Behind-the-scenes video of a jump at the inaugural Jess Bell Photography powder session.

  1. Helper holds dog ~15 feet away from a jump.

  2. Handler and/or helper applies powder to dog.

  3. Handler moves to the opposite side of the jump.

  4. Handler calls dog from ~15 feet from opposite side of jump. Helper releases dog.

  5. Dog takes jump on the way to handler for reward.

  6. Party! Reward heavily.

  7. Reset again at step 1.

 

Breaking it Down

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The basic components of the session are relatively simple, but are deceptively complicated once we factor in the necessity of performing in a new area with new smells, lights and back drops and the weird, cold sensation of powder applied to their fur.

Here are some things you can work on with your dog to get them used to some of these strange things:

  • Work on being held by a stranger.

  • Train your dog in new areas. Let them sniff and explore beforehand so they can focus more easily.

  • Crinkle plastic bags behind their heads.

  • Start with low jumps.

  • Start close to the jump.

Some dogs are not candidates for powder sessions, unfortunately. Dogs that are not physically sound cannot participate out of health concerns. Dogs that are nervous in new areas or who are easy to stress may not be suitable either. If you’re not sure whether your pet is a suitable candidate for powder photography, don’t hesitate to contact me. I will likely ask to see a video of a basic jump sequence, ask for some background information, and then provide my professional opinion.

Educational resources

“Many people think that dogs can jump naturally and there is no need to train them in the basics of jumping. ... dogs need to learn how to jump correctly. Jumping correctly involves teaching a dog weight transfer, how to use their hind legs correctly to take off for the jump, how to choose the correct path to the jump and most importantly to become confident, have an understanding of the jump task being asked and to jump with a relaxed body.”
— https://www.2coolbcs.com/obedience-jump-training.html

Cleaning up after using coloured powder

Coloured powder is as eye-catching as it is messy! Here are some tips and tricks for cleaning up both your pets and the environment afterward.

The Dogs

Rye in blue powder
Rye in Blue coloured holi powder, Ontario
 

YOUR DOGS WILL GET DIRTY (as will you!) Consider the lingering colour as a memento of our awesome shoot! Wear dark-coloured clothes that you don’t mind getting stained, just in case.

Try to keep yourself and your dog as dry as possible during the shoot. Avoid dew on grass, rain, spilled water dishes etc. if you can.

Pigment tends to linger on dogs for a few days (or even weeks) afterwards. Please be mindful of this if you perform in any conformation, obedience or rally events with your dogs. CKC/AKC does not allow dyed dogs to compete. I do not recommend scheduling a photo shoot in the two months before a competition, just in case.

Don’t bathe your dogs before or immediately after the shoot. Bathing before will remove oil from your dog’s coat that would act as a buffer to the pigment, and bathing immediately after seems to make the pigment hold more fast. Reds seem to fade faster than greens, and lingering colour is most evident on white fur.

ShowSheen can help! Sprayed on in advance of the session, it can act like a barrier that prevents the worst of the pigment staining the fur.

High-velocity dryers are great. If you have access to one, use a high-velocity dryer to blow the excess powder away.

Towel them off thoroughly, brush, then repeat. Make sure there is no more loose powder before bathing your dogs.

 

The Environment

Quinn, behind the scenes
Quinn flyball, Ontario coloured powder photography

Please be considerate of your location. I insist on only working on private land with the express permission of the landowner. I will not work in public areas out of consideration for the others who use the space.

Any powder left on the ground should be worked into the soil if possible. I like to rake the powder into the sand after the session to make it look like I was never there!

Any bits of remaining powder should be able to be washed away with a hose or during the next rain fall. Just like sidewalk chalk!