Q & A with Author Barbara Korant
Photographer Barbara Karant is nationally known in the design, art, and architecture
communities for the artistic beauty and the quality she demands in her work. In addition
to her commercial work, Barbara is passionately committed to working to educate the
public on the marves of living with the retired racing greyhound and is actively involved
with their adoption as president of Greyhounds Only, Inc. In her new book, Small Dog
Big Dog (Gallery Books, June 2010), Karant playfully captures colossal canines and
pint-sized pooches together in more than 150 one-of-a-kind, full color photographs that
portray their charming and often hilarious differences and similarities. Visit her website
at www.smalldogbigdogthebook.com.
Charlotte Reed interviews author Barbara Karant about greyhounds, her book and photographing dogs.
According to one of my dearest friends, Mordecai Siegal (recently
deceased), "Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to
choose a relative." Why did you choose to adopt Greyhounds as members of your
family, and how have they changed your life?
I never had a dog growing up (although I always wanted one) and as an adult always
had cats. I became aware of greyhound rescue about 20 years ago and the more I learned
about the breed, the more convinced I was that it was a perfect fit for my personality.
In many ways, Greyhounds are very felinesque and their reputation as 40 mile an hour
couch potatoes seemed like a nice compliment to my lifestyle. Additionally, I was
enraptured with their aesthetic. Since every companion animal I ever had, from my
parakeet to all my cats, found me in some odd way, I have always been committed to the
concept of rescue.
My first greyhound, Easton, was a quivering mass of greyhound goo. She became the
most remarkable, devoted and loving companion. I adopted Easton and not only gained
a wonderful four-legged friend, but I became wholeheartedly committed to greyhound
rescue. I found a cause, which has completely changed the course of my life as well as
quite a few, other dogs along the way.
Moreover, I have been involved with Greyhounds Only Adoption and Rescue in Chicago
for almost 14 years and served on the board and an officer for most of that time. I don't
think I could ever live without at least a few greyhounds in my home and without the
ability to help several hundred each year in at least some small way.
Size matters in Small Dog Big Dog. But other than size, how did you arrange the dog
for the shoot?
I am involved with several kennels, vet practices and training facilities because of my
work with greyhound rescue, so I put out the word through a variety of channels that I
was looking for dogs for a new book. I gave people guidelines of my needs and it just
snowballed. I asked for dogs to come with their best friends, big or small, and I got a
huge number of responses.
Many of the dogs that appeared together in the pictures were not from the same
households or had even met prior to the photo shoots. I selected dogs to be photographed
together based on looks and scale. At the onset of the project I established a whole set
of criteria that I wanted to fill. For example I knew I wanted to do a shot with all brindle
dogs, a shot juxtaposing fuzzy and hairless dogs, old and young dogs.
There were also specific breeds I wanted to see together like the Chinese Crested and
the Bearded Collie or the Greyhound and the Pug. I also included a lot of mixed breeds
because they are so unique, plus many of the more popular dogs like Labs, Chihuahuas or
Vizslas. I also knew I wanted to photograph pit bulls because I love them and they often
get such a bad rap. The pitball, a girl, in the book was a flawlessly trained and stunning
pooch.
Basically for each photo shoot I had a choreographed scenario of which dogs were
coming when and being shot with whom. I would have to say that the scheduling of the
photography was almost more difficult than the shoots themselves. The logistics were
very complicated. We shot during the winter and spring and every time we had long
furred dogs like Afghans, Collies, Tibetan Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Old English Sheep
dogs, or Bernese Mountain dogs, it either rained or snowed so they had to be "touched
up" before going on set! Then sometimes people would cancel at the last minute or the
dogs didn't get along, so we just had to wing it on the day of the shoot. (The safety of the
dogs was paramount in importance.)
In the end it all worked out. Sometimes the last minute combinations of dogs made
for the best pictures. We shot over 190 dogs, over 60 breeds and a multitude of mixed
breeds. We shot both show dogs and rescues alike. It was so rewarding and touching to
witness the canine-human bond no matter how the dogs and people came to be together.
My favorite photo in your book is the Pembroke Welsh Corgi looking out
from under the white standard poodle? What is your favorite photo and why?
I love that you love that shot! I do too. However, it is not my favorite but in my
top 10 favorite shots. To determine a favorite is a very hard question because I like
so many and for very different reasons. I am not always objective about the shots,
as I have an emotional attachment to back stories of the dogs and their guardians.
I think I have to answer this question on a purely emotional level. My favorite is the
shot of the elderly greyhound with the IG puppies. The quote reads, "The biggest
dog has been a pup" (Joaquin Miller). The concept of the book, the combination of
dogs, the words and the composition all come together for me in this photograph.
As if that were not enough, the greyhound is my sweetest boy in the world, Slim.
He was almost 14 when the picture was taken and is going on 15 now. He is also the
handsome dog (photographed at the age of 7) whose image graces the cover of my book
Greyhounds. It is very poignant to me that I was able to include him in my second book.
He and Easton, my first greyhound, were my dog photo muses. Slim genuinely loves
having his picture taken.
Originally, I was scheduled to shoot the IG puppies with another dog that ended up being
too impatient, so Slim stepped in graciously and could not have been more perfect for the
photo. He will do anything for a piece of cheese and even got a flyball title in his youth,
eating string cheese the whole the way.
Lastly, can you provide us with any tips on photographing dogs?
Sure. Of course I can.
- Either use available light or let the dog get used to a flash before trying to take his
picture. This might mean you don't take any pictures for the first 15 minutes that
you are "shooting" the dog.
- Get some assistance while you are shooting. It is easier to have someone else
engaging the dog while you are taking the pictures. Or vice versa, if you trust
your helper to take good pictures.
- Have lots of high value treats. Forget the dog cookies; go straight to the roast
chicken, steak, hot dogs, lunchmeat, cheese, and salmon or liver treats. Every dog
is different, so have a variety of enticements available.
- Have lots of funny noisemakers or squeaky toys or speak in tongues. A human
being is capable of making some really strange noises if it means getting results.
You might surprise yourself at what sounds you can make to get the attention of
your dog. Try it!
- Get down to the dog's level for the best shots.
- Be very patient and wait for the picture to happen instead of trying to "make" the
picture. The more relaxed and good-humored you are the better the shots will be.
- Make it really, really fun for the dog and it will be really fun for you too. The best
is when you are laughing so hard that you cannot trip the shutter.
- Last get some kneepads and practice doing squats or your legs are really going to
hurt if you take pictures for any length of time.
Photography Courtesy of Barbara Karant. Permission Courtesy of Gallery Book, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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