# My American Pit Bull Terrier mix!



## Aidan9 (Sep 11, 2011)

Meet Atlas:  He's an american pit bull terrier X bull terrier mix.  I rescued him just a few weeks ago!  He's great for the camera.


----------



## The_Traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

Aidan, exercise your critical faculties here.
Which one is the best?
Why do you think so?
What is it about the picture that other people, who may nopt care about dogs at all, would care about?


----------



## RubyGloom (Sep 11, 2011)

Cute! I think thefirst two have an orangish yellowish tinge.


----------



## Aidan9 (Sep 11, 2011)

My favorite is the 2nd one I took.  I think it captures his personality the best..he's a big goofy and slightly dumb dog, but I love him.  I was experimenting with my camera while out on a walk today using the manual settings..so I may have set something up incorrectly.  I'm taking classes in the spring but until then I'm just learning what I can on my own!  I'm not sure about the orange tint..although my dog is slightly orange from the clay type sand all over my backyard.  It's difficult to keep him looking white..but if it's a setting I'm not sure how to go about fixing it.  It was hard finding places to hide from the sun..I went out a bit earlier than I wanted to and the sun was still very much all over the place.


----------



## The_Traveler (Sep 11, 2011)

Aidan,

If this was a dog site, then 3 pictures of your dog would be fine because dog lovers would just be happy to see more.
This is a photography site and we are interested in pictures rather than the subject. 
You should look at your pictures, figure out which one you think is the best and why as a photograph.
Then the comments will help you be a better photographer.

The most 'powerful' places in a picture are generally at the junction of the thirds.  This 'rule' doesn't really count for portrait where the main subject can dominate the center but needs to be considered.
Look at this picture. 
The only interesting parts, the center of interest is in the top left part of the picture and the top right corner is essentially empty.
Not only is in empty but it is the brightest part of the picture, thus drawing the viewers' eye.

I understand the problem with posing essentially horizontal subjects - but that is the photographers' problem to make a good photograph


----------



## Aidan9 (Sep 12, 2011)

The_Traveler:  Thank you for your comments!  They are very helpful and informative and will definitely be on my mind next time I go out to take pictures.  I wish I had more to photograph besides dogs...but right now I feel weird taking pictures of strangers...even though I know people do it all the time!  Is there anything I can do about the bright spot to the right in those pictures?  I do have photoshop and I thought about seeing what I could do with the dodge tool and play around with it.  I do think it's a nice snapshot of the dog; but I agree it's not really interesting unless you like dogs, or know the dog in that photograph!


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

My opinion? The breed should be eradicated.  You were 'shooting' with the wrong type of equipment, IMO.  A rifle would have been more fitting.

I just hope there are no small kids around that dog.

And before you say that this dog has never shown any signs of agression, I would point you to the thousands of stories that have said the same thing.  The breed is unstable and has proven it time and again.


----------



## AnthonyB (Sep 12, 2011)

Stupid people should be "eradicated" , has nothing to do with the dog or the breed, you can train a lab to be just as aggressive as a pitty.


----------



## AnthonyB (Sep 12, 2011)

Awesome dog though all the same


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

AnthonyB said:


> Stupid people should be "eradicated" , has nothing to do with the dog or the breed, you can train a lab to be just as aggressive as a pitty.


You can't pull up thousands of stories about a lab who attacked  their owners.  You can with the Pit Bull.  It has everything to do with the dog and the breed.  They are simply unstable.

"Pit bull attack" brings us 35 million hits.  That is not normal.  The breed should be eradicated...period.


----------



## Aidan9 (Sep 12, 2011)

That's not very nice.  I could also point you to a story about an elderly woman killed by her own Golden Retriever.  No, there were no small children around him.  He goes to obedience training and is working on his certification to be a therapy dog.  I agree they are a dangerous breed and many people should not own them.  In fact, there are people who have no business owning any dog regardless of breed.  I don't believe dogs are born mean..someone has to make them that way.  He's a family pet and lives indoors not at the end of some 5 foot chain.  I also would never leave him anywhere unsupervised.  Dog bites and attacks are 100% preventable either by the owner of the dog or parent of the child.

There are good and bad stories.  I personally just believe pits attract the wrong type of owner.  I have neighbors who have no business owning pit bulls and I believe all 3 of their dogs should be put down.  They are dangerous, unstable and would probably bite a child if they got the chance to do so.  I love that my dog has such a great temperament.  He's a wonderful example of the breed.

http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/stray-pit-bull-saves-woman-child-from-attacker-993 - Will probably never get major news attention.


----------



## LittleMike (Sep 12, 2011)

As Traveler has pointed out, there is a little work to be done. Always try to remember that you eye will generally wander towards the brightest part of the image. That's one of the biggest things I have learned that has helped me with any type of photography. 



Kerbouchard said:


> My opinion? The breed should be eradicated. You were 'shooting' with the wrong type of equipment, IMO. A rifle would have been more fitting.
> 
> I just hope there are no small kids around that dog.
> 
> And before you say that this dog has never shown any signs of agression, I would point you to the thousands of stories that have said the same thing. The breed is unstable and has proven it time and again.



I'm sorry, did he ask what your opinion was on that particular breed of dog? Don't voice your opinion on something completely unrelated just to troll.


----------



## PatrickJamesYu (Sep 12, 2011)

Aidan9 said:


> The_Traveler:  Thank you for your comments!  They are very helpful and informative and will definitely be on my mind next time I go out to take pictures.  I wish I had more to photograph besides dogs...but right now I feel weird taking pictures of strangers...even though I know people do it all the time!  Is there anything I can do about the bright spot to the right in those pictures?  I do have photoshop and I thought about seeing what I could do with the dodge tool and play around with it.  I do think it's a nice snapshot of the dog; but I agree it's not really interesting unless you like dogs, or know the dog in that photograph!



I don't think dodge was what you meant, I think you meant burn tool?

And I would title this "ball's out". 
Hah.

I think it's a cool shot
I've never taken a picture of my pups
They become to interested and start looking too alerted, can never get them relaxed.


----------



## AnthonyB (Sep 12, 2011)

Kerbouchard said:


> AnthonyB said:
> 
> 
> > Stupid people should be "eradicated" , has nothing to do with the dog or the breed, you can train a lab to be just as aggressive as a pitty.
> ...



Thats because most of the people who buy pitts have no business in owning a dog in the first place. Its people like you who believe everything they see on the internet and t.v that give the breed a bad reputation


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

Aidan9 said:


> That's not very nice.  I could also point you to a story about an elderly woman killed by her own Golden Retriever.  No, there were no small children around him.  He goes to obedience training and is working on his certification to be a therapy dog.  I agree they are a dangerous breed and many people should not own them.  In fact, there are people who have no business owning any dog regardless of breed.  I don't believe dogs are born mean..someone has to make them that way.  He's a family pet and lives indoors not at the end of some 5 foot chain.  I also would never leave him anywhere unsupervised.  Dog bites and attacks are 100% preventable either by the owner of the dog or parent of the child.


Fine.  I agree with you.  Yours is also the most reasonable response I have ever read.  I happen to own a snake.  I own a ball python instead of a reticulated python.  There is a difference between a lab and a pit bull.  Just as there is a difference between a ball python and a reticulated python.


----------



## mc1979 (Sep 12, 2011)

AnthonyB said:


> Stupid people should be "eradicated" , has nothing to do with the dog or the breed, you can train a lab to be just as aggressive as a pitty.



Agreed, I have never owned a pit bull in my life, so I have no personal bias(although I have been around a few)...but it shows complete ignorance to say a breed should be eradicated. Any dog can be trained to be aggressive, and any dog can be aggressive without being "trained" to be that way. My 4 yr old was attacked by a chihahua (sp?) once and still has a scar from it at the age of 16. 

It is not about the dog..or "Breed". It is about owners who should remember that dogs are dogs...not to be treated as humans. They need structure, excercise and to be taught from the moment they enter our lives that we are in charge...not them. Wow I sound like the Dog Whisperer...sorry..I just can't stand that kind of ignorance...

And btw, I'm IBTL...LOL


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

LittleMike said:


> As Traveler has pointed out, there is a little work to be done. Always try to remember that you eye will generally wander towards the brightest part of the image. That's one of the biggest things I have learned that has helped me with any type of photography.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Until you turn into Big Mike and a Moderator, I don't care what you have to say.  I gave my opinion.  I don't care if you don't agree with it.


----------



## Aidan9 (Sep 12, 2011)

PatrickJamesYu said:


> I don't think dodge was what you meant, I think you meant burn tool?
> 
> And I would title this "ball's out".
> Hah.
> ...



Yes, I did mean the burn tool!


----------



## Starskream666 (Sep 12, 2011)

Kerbouchard said:


> My opinion? The breed should be eradicated.  You were 'shooting' with the wrong type of equipment, IMO.  A rifle would have been more fitting.
> 
> I just hope there are no small kids around that dog.
> 
> And before you say that this dog has never shown any signs of agression, I would point you to the thousands of stories that have said the same thing.  The breed is unstable and has proven it time and again.


Wow are you stoopid? #1 this is a  PHOTOGRAPHY site why the hell are you going on about his dog breed. #2 Ever watched Dog Whisperer? NO certain breed is to blame, it is the owners or the dogs up bringing that is to blame.


----------



## Aidan9 (Sep 12, 2011)

I wasn't planning on this turning into a debate about the breed of dog I own... I will say that pit bulls are incredibly stupid dogs.  If you don't teach them anything they probably will be a handful and hard to control..possibly very unstable.  I love my dog to death..he's well mannered and knows quite a few tricks..but he will still run face first into the coffee table just because he really is that dumb!  They are also very stubborn and difficult to train.  It took me 4 or 5 tries to get my German Shepherd to learn how to sit..it took Atlas (my pit bull) the better part of a day.


----------



## Starskream666 (Sep 12, 2011)

Aidan9 said:


> They are also very stubborn and difficult to train.  It took me 4 or 5 tries to get my German Shepherd to learn how to sit..it took Atlas (my pit bull) the better part of a day.


That's probably more to do with the fact he was 'saved'


----------



## AnthonyB (Sep 12, 2011)

I spent my entire life dealing with what people call "dangerous" animals, ive had big boas, rock pythons, big monitors, pretty much everything in between and I have a rottweiler. Ive never had any issues or heard of and issues of somebody who actually has had a big snake try to eat them, I think I seen one on the news like 6 years ago. It has nothing to do with the animals breed or species, if you have any animal you should know how to care for it and train it, if possible cause you cant really train a snake. Animals kill people all the time do you think they should all be eradicated ?, if your stomping through the woods and you get eaten by a bear  thats your own fault, the same way that if your 6 year old is poking a dog in the eye or pinching him or pulling his hair or something like that and gets bitten thats your fault, not even the kids 

The only reason why chiwawas and shih-tzus and all those other little things are not in the same category as pitt-bulls and rotty's is because they arn't big enough to do any damage.
Thats my rant for the day anyway lol


----------



## Overread (Sep 12, 2011)

Debate about dog breeds and dangerous animals/pets stops here.
Return to discussion about the photos themselves and leave debate regarding breeds and the like out of the beginners section (in fact such debates if they are to occur should happen in "Off Topic" only).


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

Overread said:


> Debate about dog breeds and dangerous animals/pets stops here.
> Return to discussion about the photos themselves and leave debate regarding breeds and the like out of the beginners section (in fact such debates if they are to occur should happen in "Off Topic" only).



Fine.  

In regards to the original images, I think they are all a bit overexposed and lack contast.  A curves adjustment would be beneficial, although the fact that the backgrounds are in broad day light won't make it easy.  The background is just a bit too bright to be able to highlite the subject.


----------



## Compaq (Sep 12, 2011)

Should be able to darken the background a little with an exposure mask, no?
I also tried to add a little depth to it by enhancing the wrinkles. Not ideal crop, just thought it might be better this way. Eliminates the bright spot. Cut off genitalia and back legs, does it look weird?


----------



## Kerbouchard (Sep 12, 2011)

Compaq said:


> Should be able to darken the background a little with an exposure mask, no?
> I also tried to add a little depth to it by enhancing the wrinkles. Not ideal crop, just thought it might be better this way. Eliminates the bright spot. Cut off genitalia and back legs, does it look weird?


Very nice edit.  Great job.


----------

