Capturing Canine Joy: Holiday Photography Tips with Diana Lundin

Helping Families Be Happy

Diana Lundin and Pets, 10/25/2023

On today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Adina Oberman, talks to Diana Lundin discussing holiday photography with your pets. Diana, who transitioned from a career as a TV producer, reporter, and website editor, rediscovered her passion for photography, particularly in the pet genre. She is the author of the popular gift book "Dog vs. Ice Cream," capturing the humorous expressions of over 400 dogs indulging in ice cream. Starting in 2014, Diana initiated ice cream socials for dogs, a delightful trend that gained traction in Los Angeles. Beyond conventional pet photos, Diana showcases her composite art talents on "The Secret World of Pets" website, where she places pets in imaginative, fantastical worlds.

Episode Highlights

• 02:32: Diana shares that it's not too difficult to include a dog in a family photo with a professional photographer. She emphasizes the importance of speed and timing, using noise to get the dog's attention, and making sure the family also focuses on the camera.
• 03:41: Diana mentions potential distractions and how to overcome them, including using a person behind the photographer to get the dog's attention. She also talks about the advantage of phone cameras with progression features to find the perfect frame in a sequence of shots.
• 04:30: Adina queries about the use of treats or props for photo sessions, mentioning her own food-motivated dog. She also discusses the importance of patience when photographing pets.
• 05:35: Diana describes her collection of various hunting calls like those of wild boar, rabbits, and owls. She demonstrates how she uses squeakers near her camera to grab the pet's attention briefly. If noise or toys don't work, she then resorts to using treats.
• 06:52: Diana mentions peanut butter as a fun treat to get amusing facial expressions from dogs, especially the "ice cream look".
• 07:58: Adina appreciates Diana's approach to understanding both the pet and the family during a photoshoot and discuss about holiday accessories and props for pets.
• 09:18: Adina and Diana showcase various holiday-themed props including reindeer ears, an elf hat, and a Hanukkah bow tie. Diana talks about the props she uses, including a red Buffalo and the importance of making sure pets are comfortable with the props.
• 11:03: Diana talks about collaborating with a then-upcoming ice cream truck for humans during the dog ice cream socials. She also describes the exciting atmosphere during the event, with people inviting their friends to join the fun at the pet store.
• 12:06: Diana talks about starting dog ice cream socials in her yard in 2014. She mentions a viral video about a dog named Cooper at McDonald's which inspired her. Diana finds it equally entertaining when dogs dislike the ice cream. Their expressions are human-like, showcasing a range of emotions.
• 14:23: Dogs' reactions to the ice cream vary from loving it to hating it, making for a comedic experience, says Diana. Owners enjoy seeing their pets in such a unique scenario, especially captured in professional photographs.
• 15:01: Diana talks about her aim to create dramatic photos that help in dog adoption. She expresses her passion to serve animal welfare and looks for collaborative projects.
• 17:21: Adina praises Diana's efforts in blending her passion for photography with her love for animals to serve a greater cause. Adina asks about recent highlights since her book "Dogs vs. Ice Cream".
• 19:26: Diana shares her experience of photographing dog and cat toys, creating still life with them, and the creative satisfaction it brought her. Diana also talks about dog toys that she photographs and mentions feedback from her mentor about color schemes.
• 20:33: Diana talks about her role as a judge in an international pet photography competition and expresses how much she learned from judging the competition and her gratitude for the experience.
• 21:58: Diana elaborates on the demanding process of critiquing and mentions that there were 2200 entries, each receiving two pieces of critique from the judges. She shares her approach to critiquing – offering a compliment, followed by constructive feedback, and then another compliment.
• 22:26: Adina points out the underappreciated intricacies of pet photography and compares the challenges of photographing pets to inanimate objects like fruit. She touches on the intricacies and challenges of pet photography, highlighting the difference between photographing animals vs. still objects.

3 Key Points

1. Diana stresses the importance of speed, timing, and using various distractions like noises, squeakers, and treats to capture the pet's attention. She also uses props to enhance photos and emphasizes ensuring the comfort of the pets while using them.
2. Diana initiated dog ice cream socials in 2014, inspired by a viral video. The events, where dogs react to ice cream, offer a mix of humorous and human-like expressions captured in professional photographs, adding a comedic touch to her portfolio.
3. Beyond just photography, Diana's passion also aligns with animal welfare. She aims to create dramatic photos to aid dog adoption and has also been involved in judging international pet photography competitions, offering constructive feedback to participants.

Tweetable Quotes

• "It's not too difficult to include a dog in a family photo with a professional photographer." - Diana Lundin
• "Dogs' reactions to the ice cream vary from loving it to hating it, making for a comedic experience." - Diana Lundin
• "Diana's aim is to create dramatic photos that help in dog adoption, blending her passion for photography with love for animals to serve a greater cause."
• "The underappreciated intricacies of pet photography highlight the difference between photographing animals vs. still objects." - Adina Oberman

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families Be Happy Podcast Apple
• https://www.dianalundin.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/dlundin/
• Podcast Editing