Meet my 'chilli padi' dog
by Elin Tan - @jingletomingle
Yes, you read that right! Not the smaller yet spicier version of your regular chilli, but a petite yet fiery ball of fluff by the name of Jingle!
Meet Jingle, my
brightest little star
If you're part of the dog Instagram community, you might have seen Jingle and her brother Cookie around! My first dog, Cookie, is a Japanese Spitz. I was looking to get another Japanese Spitz as a companion for Cookie, but then turned my attention to the Shetland Sheepdog breed. Jingle came to me as a wee puppy. She's like a chilli padi right from the start! Her big brother Cookie would always give in to every one of her whims. Of course, who could resist saying no to bubbly little Jingle?
Alpha 7C | FE 50mm F1.8 | 50 mm | 1/200 sec | F1.8 | ISO 80
How Jingle changed my life
I have never counted myself as an early riser and would sleep in with every chance I got. But all this changed when Jingle entered my life. On weekend mornings, you’ll find me going for long walks with my dogs around town. Jingle really made me a more active person because she loves all kinds of outdoor activities that involve running.
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F2.8 G | 24mm | 1/1250 sec | F2.8 | ISO250
My most defining moment with Jingle
Being a pawrent to Jingle has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. Just as I have shared countless laughs and fun times with my beloved furkid, we have also been through the darkest moments together.
Last year, Jingle had two episodes of tick fever, which is a bacterial infection that’s transmitted via tick bites in dogs. The second time was way worse than the first diagnosis. She had to be hospitalised for five days and underwent two blood transfusions. From being an active dog that loves the outdoors so much, she hobbled around for a period time due to depleted strength. I was devastated seeing her in that condition and I dreaded the mere thought of losing her.
Alpha 7C | FE 50mm F1.8 | 50 mm | 1/320 sec | F2.2 | ISO 2,000
Thankfully, a miracle happened and Jingle started recovering. I was so relieved to see my precious furkid in the pink of health. This harrowing experience made me cherish her time with me so much more. If it’s within my means, I ensure that she enjoys all the littlest things she loves. One way of showing this is always throwing a birthday party every year, no matter the size of the celebration - cake, balloons, doggy guests, she gets it all!
Some challenges a dog mum faces
Being a dog parent comes with its challenges. Time is definitely number one, especially for the working adult. After hustling on weekdays, I make sure to carve at least one day of a weekend out for my two dogs. It can be us exploring the different hangouts outside or just staying in to nap the day away.
Alpha 7C | FE 50mm F1.8 | 50 mm | 1/1000 sec | F1.8 | ISO 160.
Finance is also another challenging area. At first, I thought it was as simple as buying dry food, but alas, that was definitely not the case! I started spending money on the dogs’ vet bills, training classes, grooming, higher quality of food and accessories. Other expenses include transportation fees because doggy outings are a staple in this family.
Of course, there has to be some sort of compromise given to these expenses. I would gladly give up luxuries such as makeup or branded items to pamper my dogs even more. After all, my dogs are my entire world and seeing them happy brings me even more joy than what money can buy me.
Picking up photography just for my dogs
As dogs grow very quickly, I really wanted to capture every memorable moment spent with my dogs. This way, I can always look back at every stage of their growth like a proud mum.
I started an Instagram account for Cookie, and subsequently one for Jingle as well. They serve as a platform for me to document our journey together. At first, I captured photos with my phone. However, I realised that it simply couldn't capture actions as acutely without autofocus capabilities or a fast shutter speed. Hence, I upgraded to Sony's Alpha 7C and have never looked back since!
Alpha 7C | FE 50mm F1.8 | 50mm | 1/4000 sec | F1.8 | ISO 160
Being a fiery ball of energy, it was extremely difficult trying to freeze Jingle in frame on a phone camera. Thankfully, the straightforward buttons and easy-to-use interface on the Alpha 7C allow me to take quick snapshots of Jingle so that she wouldn’t have to stay still for too long while I toggle with the settings. The shutter speed works even faster than zippy Jingle, allowing me to freeze her every action in sharp detail without any blurry shots in between! I also love how Animal Eye-AF helps to keep the camera’s focus on my two speedy dogs.
When taking pictures of your furkids, you want to take eye-level pictures in order to capture their facial expressions. The tiltable screen is extremely convenient as it allows me to take pictures of my dogs at eye-level without bending all the way to the ground just to look into the viewfinder.
Another bonus has to do with the Imaging Edge app, which allows me to easily transfer photos to my phone wirelessly, so that I can post them directly to Instagram.
My favourite photo of Jingle
Alpha 7C | FE 50mm F1.8 | 50 mm | 1/1250 sec | F2.2 | ISO 100
My all-time favourite photo shows Jingle running at top speed as she plays. She was already pretty hyped up playing with her friends, so it was really easy making her run towards me when I called out to her. We were blessed with good and gentle sunlight that day and her eyes reflected the sunlight, making her look extra happy and blissful.
My personal tips for dog photography
If your pet is as food and toy-driven as Jingle, then you definitely won't have a problem attracting their attention! For Jingle, I use treats and toys to get my shot, and they always work like a charm. As long as you have a tasty treat in hand, Jingle is pretty cooperative to pose for the camera. Sony’s Alpha 7C also helps the process as it is small in size and light in weight to bring around, which makes it more convenient when we go out because I don’t want to carry a heavy load when I have two dogs in tow.
Nothing brings me more joy than documenting Jingle's growth in photos and I trust the Alpha 7C to bring out the best of these moments in high quality. After all, there is nothing I want more than being able to capture snapshots of my precious furkid growing up happy and healthy.
Learn more about Alpha 7C for Pawgraphy here.
Catch more of Jingle on Instagram at @jingletomingle
Subscribe on YouTube