showline coloring question - Page 1

As an aritst, I noctice color shadings. I have noticed so many showlines are being posted home and shows that are only two colors with no shading. They look dyed to me? The orange has bcome way to orange and there is not one light hair in the saddles, The legs are not even showing variation with lighter hairs in the legs and tail. Some are getting a really garish funky orange color and they really look like some owners are coloring their dogs? Are they doing it for the internet photos or is this is what is being shown at the shows as well?  I have two showlines and one sable. I have looked close to the photos online and either my dogs are oddity for having shading colors and they must have bad pigment to not have that orange. Opinions or info please. Are they that color in the ring as well or just on the internet for sales?

I have heard that there have been breeders that have been suspended from shows for dying their dogs.  Not sure how true it is! 

There's also photoshop - you would probably have to see the dog in person or video to know if the color is "real" or not.

molly

The time of day, condition of the day, camera quality, and lighting also makes a HUGE difference in coloration. 

Here are several pics of one of my dogs, taken on different days:


This was taken with a low end digital camera at sunset on a bright autumn day:



Taken on a very grey, overcast day with a disposable camera:



Taken with a very high quality camera under a warm lightbulb:



Taken with a low end digital camera under flourescent light bulb:




Amazing difference, isn't it? These are all completely untouched.

Those look normal. The ones I am talking about only have an orange shade and a pitch black no in between and the orange on them is sooo strong it looks funky. I do not wish to post anyones dog as an example and my dogs do not look like that to use them as example.

I consider my bitch to be rich in pigment but she still has other hairs of coloring in there.

As Kelly points out, the quality of the camera, lens and light will affect the color and photos taken on sunny days will show richer colors early in the morning or late in the afternoon.  Having said that, the colors have gotten richer over the years with black and red supplanting black and tan as the norm.  Lighter hair in the saddle, commonly referred to as 'grizzling', is more common in females than males. 

What I am saying is not the strength of the two main colors what I am saying is I have been seeing photos recently that only show two colors no varience at all in bewteen to me that scream dye job. I have seen very dark rich pigmented dogs I am not saying they are fake. I am saying I see saddles appearing on dogs that did not have such black saddles and now I see only two tones dogs being displayed with no lighter hairs at all on whole dog and have to wonder because the red shading looks all wrong to the breed and I am asking if folks have seen this as well?

But dye doesn't do that. I've colored my hair since I was 16 and all my natural highlights result in fluctuation of the color I use- light and dark still come through. I think you're seeing people playing saturation and contrast of the actual photo, not the dog themselves. It's obvious in the solid colored, neon green grass behind them.

I think perhaps the photos are being manipulated but I think it is to only coloring the dog in selection since people caught on to checking the grass. I surly hope not to see 2 demensional dogs in the ring lol.... I still do not think you grasp what i am saying but I will not post the photos that caught my eye to show what I mean. I will alter the photo of one of my dogs to show the look I am talking about when I get back later today. For now I must head out for an appointment.

There are no lighter colors anywhere on the dogs I saw and it was different posters on sales sites. They were exactly only two colors no shades and I think you hit on it when you gave hair dye info as I have never died my hair so I did not know :)

ps another tell tale is the faces the black pigmenting on them do not match the pigmenting on the saddle. I have seen weak pigment on face but the saddle omg pitch black and perfect in shape and tone.