The sixth challenge in the Embark Pet Photography Challenge Series was “Soul Searcher.”

The goal: create a portrait looking down at your dog while they gaze up at you, making strong eye contact. Here’s the final image I created for this challenge:

Finding a location for this challenge was the easy part. I needed a clean, simple surface with pleasing tones since it would act as the entire background of the image. I already had a spot in mind: a stone pavement that worked perfectly with my husky’s coat. I grabbed my trusty 50mm lens, a stepping stool and my always-helpful assistant, a.k.a. my husband, and headed out for the shoot.

Getting my husky in position didn’t go as planned. He had other ideas entirely. Sitting still? Nope. Making soulful eye contact? Not a chance. Instead, he chose to demonstrate his full vocal range, complete with dramatic howls and the classic “you’re torturing me” glare. The behind-the-scenes photos say it all.

Another hindrance was the lighting. It was cloudy when I started, but the sun kept peeking through from time to time. Harsh sunlight doesn’t create a flattering look, and when you’re shooting a dog looking up at you, it causes squinty eyes that ruin the soulful connection you want in a portrait like this. That meant we had to wait for it to slip back behind the clouds again. Even though it was evening, the sun wasn’t low enough yet and I was really counting on those clouds to provide the soft, even lighting I needed.

After a few rounds of redirection and finally some proper cloud coverage, I got the shot I was after. A few well-timed head tilts, triggered by one of his favorite phrases, gave me exactly what I needed. And yes, I definitely had to follow through on my promise after the shoot!

Just to be safe, I also photographed my lab as a backup. Unlike her brother, she was more than happy to sit in place and gaze lovingly at the treats I held just above my lens. Her photos turned out beautifully too and she definitely earned her snacks!

After reviewing both sets of images, I ultimately chose to go with the husky photo shown at the beginning of this blog. I felt that the tighter crop, clear eye contact, and downward perspective made it the best fit for the brief. The background blur from the f/1.8 aperture softened the stone texture nicely, letting the focus fall entirely on the expression and connection in his eyes.

The judges really loved the diagonal composition in my image and felt it added an interesting visual element. They did mention, however, that the crop was a little too tight around the mouth area and suggested leaving a bit more space there for better balance.

While they appreciated the creative angle, they found it harder to connect with the eyes due to the diagonal orientation. They noted that this type of composition might not be the best fit for this particular challenge, which focused heavily on emotional connection through eye contact.

The diagonal angle came from my husky’s signature head tilt. He’s got one of the best! All it takes is a trigger word, and he’ll tilt as far as he can like he’s trying to decipher every word you say. Naturally, most of the images I captured for this challenge had that adorable head tilt and therefore a diagonal composition.

Based on the feedback, I decided to switch gears for portfolio judging and submitted a different image featuring my Lab/Australian Shepherd mix. Portfolio judging will take place after the final challenge is completed.

Here's the new image I submitted:

This challenge really pushed me to think about perspective, both visually and emotionally. Getting a dog to look up at you with genuine connection is no small feat, but when it clicks, the result is powerful.

It’s so hard to be objective when it’s your own dog. For instance, I loved the image of my husky and felt there was a strong connection in his eyes. But because he’s my pup, I might see something others don’t. I have to keep reminding myself to consider what the story conveys from someone else’s point of view.

After revisiting all the images I took for this challenge, I realized the expression on my lab’s face creates a more universal emotional connection. It feels like she’s smiling which could have something to do with the treat I was holding just above the camera! 😄

Thanks for joining me on this challenge! I’m excited to keep exploring new ways to capture that perfect connection with our furry friends. Stay tuned for the next adventure!