Four-legged Fondness

Unconditional love, boundless loyalty and extraordinary innocence are but a few of the characteristics found in Elke Vogelsang’s subjects. She has dedicated years to pet portraiture – and her secrets will help you create enchanting images of your furriest family members

As any animal enthusiast knows, the bond between man and beast runs deep. It’s impossible to encapsulate the significance of this most unique relationship – where we take on a companion, bearing all the joy and duty of knowing we’ll love them for all of their days. Undoubtedly, our pets are present for many of our most jubilant memories, never short of energetic fun or earnest affection.

Photographing our characterful creatures can be a challenge, though. It’s a struggle all too familiar to Elke Vogelsang, who has spent over a decade honing her craft. Before she was the skilled portrait photographer of today, she was a simple enthusiast, searching for a creative outlet.

“I took pictures in the analogue days, but found it difficult to improve,” Elke begins. “When I got my first digital camera, around 2005, I noticed I could develop skills a little more easily, but I was still just a hobby photographer. It was only when I got my first dog, a few years later, that I realised what a compelling subject he could be.”

Elke’s reminiscing turns to more troubling memories, though without them, life may well have taken her down a different road. “Sometime later, my husband, Carsten, was taken seriously ill with a brain haemorrhage,” she says. “I’d been planning a picture-a-day project and decided to start it, despite my husband being in hospital – or rather because of it. I wanted to maintain a sense of normality and have something to distract myself, so on 1 January 2010, I started taking one photo every day.

“By then I had two dogs and my limited spare time was dedicated to them. I already loved to photograph them, so when we’d walk, I’d bring my camera.”

Thankfully, Carsten made a full recovery, but the profound effect photography had on Elke could not be shaken. On a new trajectory, she began to take tentative steps in the right direction.

“I never thought I would be able to make my living from photography alone,” Elke explains. “But I was very active in making and sharing images. If someone asked me to write a blog, I would sit down late at night, after my day job as a translator, and write it. It was hard work, but fun. Around that, I’d photograph weddings – which are much too nerve-wracking for me – and other projects. I was slowly able to reduce my hours as a translator, moving towards my current specialisation. It’s been a ten-year process, so change didn’t happen overnight.”  

Elke exudes an infectious sense of calm. In conversation, it’s easy to imagine her cool confidence leaving animals somewhat spellbound. Still, she does rely on a few tricks when it comes to posing pooches.

“It’s useful to meet as many dogs as you can, because each one is different and responds to different motivation. I start with noises, which may be enough to get the dog to look interested, or maybe give a cute head tilt. I’m not afraid of making a fool of myself,” Elke laughs. “Low volumes are advisable first, because you can always escalate from here – and you don’t want to scare the dog.

“Then, of course, most dogs would do anything for treats,” she continues. “Again, I offer something low priority first. A food-obsessed beagle might end up on my lap instead of in front of my camera if I were to present anything too tasty!”

More often than not, Elke’s sessions last around an hour, although some accommodations are made for young, old or nervous dogs. Breaks can also be required, to tread the fine line between engagement and overexcitement.

“Cats are quite different,” Elke muses. “When they don’t want to take part, they’re not taking part. I usually visit cats in their own homes, rather than my studio, to keep them relaxed. Still, you should expect the session to be shorter and breaks are not recommended, because the window in which they might be interested is so short to begin with.”

The second element of pet portraiture groundwork is, of course, choosing the right tools for the job. FUJIFILM X-T4 is Elke’s workhorse, relied upon for its impressive speed across the board.

“Continuous autofocus is a must for animals in action, but even those sitting nicely are likely to move their heads, so I retain AF-C there, too, to maintain a sharp focus on the eyes. In most cases, I use a shutter speed of at least 1/1250 sec and 5fps bursts. The camera is capable of rattling through many more frames, but I don’t want to end the day with thousands of pictures. I prefer to concentrate on the animal and be slightly more intentional with my shutter.”

Lens choice comes down to a mix of practical demands and aesthetic preferences. Within the extensive XF line-up, Elke has found both in a number of optics.

“Outdoors, my absolute favourite lens is the FUJIFILM XF90mmF2 R LM WR, which is incredibly sharp and creates such elegant portraits. It’s also long and fast enough for dogs in action,” Elke notes. “In the studio, I use the FUJIFILM XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR almost exclusively, due to its range of looks and an aperture wide enough for low light.”

Finally, with kit selected, settings dialled-in and your animal successfully wrangled, it’s time to focus on the picture-making process. As ever, it’s an opportunity to share your own singular telling of a moment – and paint a picture of an equally unique living subject.

Many will not have access to studio space, but Elke’s portraits are a true testament to the minimalist beauty of a stripped-back set-up. With a penchant for the soft light of an overcast day, her images present a textural depth lacking in most human subjects – presented in pleasing contrast with gorgeous bokeh backgrounds.

“I was not entirely fond of studio photography. I much preferred being out in nature, letting my dogs run and jump and play in the water. I’ve brought that available light to all of my work,” Elke enthuses. “I love evenly-lit photos because more attention is directed to the expression or posture of the animal. I don’t want anything to distract from the subject, so I ensure there’s a limited mixture of shadow and light on the fur.

“My compositions are fairly simple – and I like to focus on one scene at a time,” says Elke. This leads nicely to the second distinctive quality of her work, in which the subject is once again placed at the forefront of a viewer’s gaze. “I pay attention to the background, as I don’t want any single object or colour to draw the eye away. This often means blurring the background as fully as possible, as long as the whole dog remains sharp.”

Truly the windows to the soul, Elke also values eye contact as highly as any portrait artist. “I like a look directly into camera, often with the whole animal positioned straight-on,” she continues. “If I can’t get that, I focus on the story that presents itself.”

While this technique may, at first, conjure laughable images of mischievous pets, it does speak to the breezy pliability of the process that drew in Elke to begin with. Her adaptability is a lesson to photographers across a wealth of genres.

“It’s good practice to watch your pet and see what they do of their own accord. When you photograph these moments, though they aren’t posed, they may capture the character of the animal even more fully. Help yourself by preparing as much as possible. My dog loves to lie on her back, so I simply ensure her basket is positioned in nice, soft light and that the background is free of distractions. Your pet will do what it wants to do, so sometimes it’s best to let them take the lead.”

Elke’s working pseudonym, Wieselblitz, derives from a nickname she gave her first dog – the source of her inspiration. Following the sad passing of her beloved companion, the name remains, and serves as a tender reminder. Today’s celebrations of friendship will one day be cherished memories. And with Elke’s professional insight, we’re sure to craft these works of art more considerately than ever.