Take a hot dog or two with you. He'll acclimate to you, lenses, (even the
flash, I'll bet, if you must use it) in no time if you (or better, the
owner) feed him little hot dog chunks as you work with and around him. Or
he'll sit/stay pretty quickly (unless he hasn't received any training
whatsoever - then it might take a wee bit longer). Even at 4 mos. he could
be starting to learn sit/stay. Boxers are smart. My brother-in-law got one
that had been a companion to an old lady in a wheelchair. Every time anyone
started to eat, he would get up - without being commanded to - and walk away
a few feet and sit down. I always wondered what else he was trained for
that we didn't know about. A great dog, fondly recalled to this day.
My lab would do ANYTHING pronto for the tiniest little taste of hot dog. It
puts a whole new level of excitement & motivation into the training/play for
them. Being a psych. student, I used the variable reinforcement schedule
after awhile, of course (he didn't get the hot dog piece every single
iteration - but every third, or fourth, etc.). Hot dog lasts longer, and
you get the same fast rate of training.
You might just take the camera along and play with him a time or two before
you actually take any pics. Lets him get used to you and the gear, so he
won't be nervous about the "new/different" stuff. Add hot dog, and you will
be his favorite visitor! When you're actually taking pics, letting the
owner do the hot dog part will a) keep your hands free & clean for the
photography part, and b) have him looking somewhere besides straight at you,
your wonderfully smelly hand, etc.
I would think the 90-135mm range would be fine, once you have his rapt
attention with the hot dog routine. Any kids in this family/situation?
That makes a great keeper photo of both dog & child interacting. Get at
least a few shots with the owner/adult. A puppy that young will crash after
awhile and take a nap. Catch that on film.
Don't know where you are but if you're in the end stages of winter, why not
do indoors now, and another shoot out-of-doors on a later, spring-like day?
Get him sniffing crocuses, daffodils, etc. (rub hot dog on them... :-)).
There are enough distractive smells outdoors for a dog that you can probably
still use the 90-135 range lenses and stay pretty close to him. By that
time, he'll be used to you pointing that thing at him and he'll want to
explore those smells.
Something that's good to do with a puppy that age is to introduce him to
lots of people, to begin to socialize him. If you can go to a public park
(or even a mall) on a nice day you might get some interesting shots of kids
(of all ages) coming over to meet the cute puppy.
Good luck, and post a few of 'em, eh?
Rich
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