10 Incredible Dog Photos & Their Exact Camera Settings

Can you guess the one question I hear more than almost anything else?

“What were the camera settings for this photo?”

And listen… I get it. When you see a dog photo that stops you in your tracks,  it’s natural to assume the secret lies somewhere in those three numbers that make up the exposure triangle

Is the secret in the perfect aperture? How about the magic shutter speed? Or maybe it’s some mystical, rarely used ISO?

So today, I’m giving you exactly what you asked for. No photography theory, philosophy of what makes a great dog photo, or epic stories behind the images.

Just 10 Incredible Dog Photos & Their Exact Camera Settings.

Let’s do it.

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 135mm • Aperture: f/1.8 • Shutter Speed: 1/1250 • ISO: 2000

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 50mm • Aperture: f/5.6 • Shutter Speed: 1/200 • ISO: 100 • Lighting: Strobe from camera left

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 135mm • Aperture: f/3.5 • Shutter Speed: 1/125 • ISO: 1000

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 135mm • Aperture: f/1.8 • Shutter Speed: 1/2000 • ISO: 320

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 50mm • Aperture: f/1.2 • Shutter Speed: 1/200 • ISO: 2500 • Lighting: Constant light behind, camera right

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 35mm • Aperture: f/1.4 • Shutter Speed: 1/1250 • ISO: 250

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 135mm • Aperture: f/1.8 • Shutter Speed: 1/500 • ISO: 400

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 50mm • Aperture: f/2.2 • Shutter Speed: 1/200 • ISO: 125 • Lighting: Strobe camera left

Camera: Canon R3 • Lens: 70-200mm • Aperture: f/2.8 • Shutter Speed: 1/1000 • ISO: 1000

So… Are Camera Settings the Secret?

If you were hoping for a magic formula, you might have noticed something. None of these settings are particularly unusual. In fact, many of them are almost identical. It’s possible that…and hey, I’m just spitballing here...

Camera settings alone don’t make great dog photography.

They make the photo technically achievable, yes - but they are a small part of a much bigger equation.

An equation that includes:

• Choosing inspiring locations 
• Understanding light (both natural light and off camera flash) 
• Mastering dog behavior 
• Nailing your composition 
• Utilizing your unique creativity
• Seamlessly post-processing

And many more nearly microscopic decisions that come together to create a once-in-a-lifetime dog photo.

Camera settings are the easy part of photography. Understanding why an image works is where the real art begins.

But hey…Camera settings are cool too. 🙂