Photographing Fur: Dog Photography in Natural Light - with Courtney Bryson

Please join us for our February meeting featuring accomplished photographer Courtney Bryson and enter our print image competition, “FINS, FEATHERS OR FUR" (more information below.)

In this program, Atlanta dog & equine photographer Courtney Bryson breaks down a repeatable, simple approach to creating polished dog portraits using natural light. You’ll learn how she evaluates light, chooses locations that simplify backgrounds, uses composition tools (leading lines, framing, negative space, and direction of gaze) to make the dog the clear hero of the frame, and processes the final images in Lightroom and Photoshop. Courtney will also share practical starting points for camera settings (including her shutter-speed-first philosophy) and explain how reading canine body language helps you work faster, keep dogs comfortable, and capture more authentic expressions.

Courtney Bryson is the photographer behind CM Bryson Photography. She specializes in museum-quality dog and equine portraiture, designing large-scale wall art installations and custom albums for her Georgia-based clients. Her work blends technical consistency with a calm, animal-first approach rooted in comfort, communication, and patience. Courtney also co-founded a nonprofit rescue focused on medically fragile brachycephalic breeds, and she brings that deep respect for animal behavior and well-being into every session. Her photography raises tens of thousands of dollars annually for animal rescue organizations.

To see her work and learn more about Courtney, visit:
www.cmbryson.com

Please note:

• This month’s meeting will be at our regular meeting location, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta at 2650 N. Druid Hills Road NE, Atlanta.
• Entries are limited to TWO mounted prints per paid member – one color and one Black and White.
• Please BRING YOUR PRINTS to the meeting on an appropriate rigid backing surface. (No frames!) See competition rules for more information.
• The competition will be judged from the printed image during the meeting.
• We are requesting/encouraging members to please submit a digital file of their printed image by the meeting time for display on the SPS website.
• The digital version of the printed image is to be sized appropriately; files are to be re-named using the SPS naming convention:
• Firstname Lastname – Image Title
• Digital images are to be uploaded to the links below:
• Black & White images: SPS Black & White Monthly Submissions
• Color images: SPS Color Monthly Submissions

All are welcome to attend the presentation.
***
SPS has three standing meetings each month for its members and guests. The First Friday meeting features a guest speaker and a members’ image competition. While competition entries at these monthly meetings are restricted to current dues-paying members, we ALWAYS welcome visitors interested in photography to attend. The Learnshops (Fourth Tuesdays) and Coffee & Critique (Second Saturdays) are intended for members, but again, we welcome visitors. If you attend regularly, we ask that you help support the club (which pays for the rental of the facilities, supplies and equipment) by becoming a member!

Signing up on the SPS Meetup page does not make you an SPS member. SPS members pay dues to engage in many activities that are unavailable to guests who only sign up on the SPS MeetUp.

To find out more about SPS, visit:
www.spsatlanta.org
To become a member, visit:
https://form.jotform.com/spsatlanta/club-membership-registration-form