Rekindling my love for photography through my fluffy supermodel
by Mervyn Sim @polarsimthejapspitz
When I picked up a camera for the first time, I only thought about capturing scenic views on my travels. I never expected myself to end up taking photos of my pet dog, let alone own a pet dog!
My name is Mervyn and I would like to formally introduce you to my fluffy supermodel — Polar the Japanese Spitz! As you can see from the photo above, Polar is a natural at showing off his best angles in front of the camera. He’s a real pleasure to work with as he’s always ready for the shot and struts his stuff with confidence. Having been his appointed photographer for many years, I can definitely attest to that.
Meet Polar, my sassy diva
Polar and I go a long way back. As I have mentioned earlier, I never thought that I would end up owning a pet dog. I got Polar when I was in university, behind my parents’ back. It was nerve-wracking when I broke the news to them at first but thankfully, they relented and welcomed Polar as the newest member of our family. Polar is now seven years old but he still acts like a little puppy, being the youngest member of the family that everyone dotes on.
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | 24mm | 1/4000 sec | F1.4 | ISO 100
Ever since I brought him home, Polar has been very attached to me. He would follow me everywhere around the house! Now that I’m working from home, he has more reason to stick by my side. Polar is a great companion who’s always there for me in times of good or bad. After a stressful day at work, we would go for a peaceful evening walk together and he would lend a listening ear while I rant about my day. Even if he may not understand me, his presence and adoring gaze remind me that I’m not alone, and that he’s here for me no matter what.
Making memories though quality time together
Apart from our evening walks, my wife and I would also make time to bring Polar out for extremely long walks over the weekend, and I cherish this time we spend together as a family. If I were to head outside without him, I would return to him jumping on his two hind legs at the door until he's being carried in my arms. It doesn’t matter if it’s for work or a quick lunch run, Polar would always act as though we’re long-lost buddies when I leave him at home.
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | 24mm | 1/2500 sec | F2.8 | ISO100
Even though Polar has a flair for the dramatics, it always melts my heart when he flashes one of his signature smiles. I started an Instagram page to share Polar’s precious smiles with the world, as well as to keep an archive of all the fun times we shared. Starting the Instagram page has also inspired me to pick up an old hobby of mine — photography with a camera.
Alpha 7C | FE 35mm F1.4 GM | 35mm | 1/125 sec | F1.4 | ISO 100
Picking up the camera again for Polar
After some time taking photos of Polar with my phone camera, I realised that I couldn’t acutely capture swift motions. As Polar can be really frisky, I ended up with rather blurry snapshots. This tempted me to pick up my old camera that got stored away in a dry cabinet for years. However, it was too bulky and inconvenient to carry around on our outdoor adventures. When Sony launched the compact and lightweight Alpha 7C, I was stoked. A compact full-frame camera was just what I needed to shoot spontaneous snaps of Polar in adorable situations.
Alpha 7C | FE 55mm F1.8 ZA | 1/60 sec | F1.8 | ISO 400
Polar is a natural model. He would always bring out his happiest face in front of the camera, as though he knows that he is being photographed. To me, it feels like Polar wants to share his happiness with everyone around him. Whenever I look back at his photos, I am reminded of why I decided to pick up photography in the first place — to capture beautiful memories.
Road to becoming a “full-time” doggy diva photographer
Being a “professional” photographer for your fluffy supermodel means that you’ll have to be equipped with the right tools. With the Alpha 7C, I’ve found taking pictures of Polar at home much easier than before. I don’t have to worry about dimly lit images indoors or at night as the Alpha 7C is built with a full-frame image sensor that’s larger than sensors in smartphones, providing impressive low-light shooting capabilities. Since Polar is always by my side at home, all I have to do is say the magic words, ‘let’s go’ or ‘mum-mum’ (which means food in baby-talk) to make him smile for the camera.
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | 24mm | 1/25 sec | F1.4 | ISO 640
Shooting outdoors is just as easy as Polar is already happy and excited to be outside. In fact, I have to calm him down by carrying him for some photos, in order to get him to stay still. Of course, we have to be quick in nailing the shot before Polar gets restless and wants to explore a new place. Treats, keys and sounds definitely help to catch Polar’s attention for quick snaps.
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | 1/4000 sec | F1.4 | ISO 100
The paw-fect camera for pet photography
The Alpha 7C is a real joy to use. Its compact size makes it convenient for me to carry around on our outdoor adventures. I adapted to the Alpha 7C quickly and before I realised it, had already replaced my phone camera as my go-to camera for taking snapshots of Polar. Likewise, Polar has seemed to recognise the Alpha 7C as he instinctively strikes a pose whenever I whip it out, just like a little diva! Getting Polar’s attention is all that matters, and with the right focal length, I can score the perfect shot of my furkid having fun. It’s a homerun!
Alpha 7C | FE 85mm F1.8 | 85mm | 1/2500 sec | F4 | ISO 100
Not only is the Alpha 7C lightweight and portable, it also offers a range of user-friendly features that ease my photography process. Animal Eye AF and Real-time Tracking made it possible for me to freeze my frisky furkid in frame with absolutely no fuss! With the camera taking care of the technical details for me, I can focus on getting good shots of Polar! It’s amazing how I can get such sharp-quality images even though Polar moves around so quickly!
Alpha 7C | FE 24mm F1.4 GM | 24mm | 1/2000 sec | F1.4 | ISO 100
All in all, I’m very satisfied with the Alpha 7C’s imaging capabilities. In fact, my photography ventures have inspired me to print out a photo book featuring Polar’s best moments, simply to document the fun times we shared. Just as supermodels have their photos featured in lookbooks and magazine spreads, my fluffy supermodel Polar deserves to have a photo book of his own!
Learn more about Alpha 7C for Pawgraphy here.
Follow Polar’s adventures on Instagram at @polarsimthejapspitz
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