Photographing dogs is a lot of fun. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes and all have their own personality. Each year at the Garrett County (MD) Agricultural Fair, a dog show is held. It is a laid back affair, a far cry from the primping and parading at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held in New York annually.

There are always some cute dogs to photograph so we try to go each August. The Garrett County get together at Deep Creek Lake is a true old fashioned county fair that includes livestock judging, a carnival midway and a tractor show.

The photo above was taken during last year’s fair. One of the key’s to capturing a good moment is to include some sort of interaction or relationship whenever possible, whether you are photographing humans or dogs. These two dogs were inseparable the entire morning. This photo was taken before the show was set to start and the smaller dog appeared to be waiting for its cue. The top photo was taken from the lowest vantage point I could reach (the floor) so I could get on the smaller dog’s eye level and highlight the difference in the dogs’ sizes.

Another benefit of composing your photo this way is you will not end up with annoying background clutter which can really diminish the impact of a picture. I like the vertical photo as well, but it was taken from a higher point of view and the numbers visible in the background do not add to the image. As you can see, the little one’s friend is very huge.

This year’s fair kicks off on July 27th.