A recent client asked: "How did you ever get started in doing animal photography?"

Well, photography had been a hobby of mine for many years.  When I decided I wanted to make it a career, I began classes, followed by more classes, and, yes, even more classes.  And then, of course, there were the dogs.

Our farm is named Silver Mark Farm, not for any reason other than we live on Silver Mark Drive and we aren't very inventive people.  I am limiting my blog to ONLY the dogs who live on our farm, or we might be reading until 2022.

We do have a pack of seven at the moment.  We just recently lost our Bethy (who was almost 17). She was dog number eight, and we had been at eight for quite some time.  In fact, there was a time when we were at 10.  (Yes, you read that right.)  But our older dogs transitioned to spirit and we promised ourselves we would not replace them.

We have rescued a dog, in the-name-of-a-dog-that-has-passed, for many years, but we now have decided that we are getting to an age where we have to consider what might happen to our dogs, and other animals, should something happen to us, so we need the numbers to be manageable in case other people must step in.  It's a serious thought, I know, but with the issues the world has been dealing with in the last two years, you never know what the future holds.

MEET OUR CURRENT DOGS:

​BILLIE

Let's start in alphabetical order with Billie.  Billie is a "she" and we kept the name (see not really inventive above).  Billie was adopted from Griffin Pond Animal Shelter in 2012 at the approximate age of two.  She had been a stray, was found with her sister, Molly, and was pregnant.  Billie had six puppies in the shelter.  All were adopted.  I know where three of them are located, and we have met her puppy Miles again.  She is a wire-haired terrier type, but I did have someone tell me she looks exactly like a Bedlington Whippet, so I did my research, and sure enough, that is exactly what she looks like.  Depending on whether or not she has been groomed, she has very different looks.  In the photo below she has just had a haircut.

Here Billie is her scruffy self.  When her coat grows out, it is a very light, silver-gray over her dark body.  She really is quite lovely, very smart, and is a member of the lurcher family.  She would have squirrels for breakfast every day if we let her.

DANNY

Danny (no name change here either) came to us in January of 2011.  He was a dog brought into rescue by the then Ohio English Setter Rescue (now since changed to Our English Setter Rescue).  Danny had been taken in by another family at first, but they did not know how to deal with his fear issues.  We thought that Danny might be able to benefit from living in a pack of dogs, so he originally came to our farm for evaluation.  Within a few months it became quite clear that Danny's fear issues were extensive.  Rather than uproot him again and move him into yet another changed environment, we adopted him.  He has his own Facebook page devoted to his story and transition.  While Danny will never be fully "normal," he has come a very long way and is a good and contributing member of our pack.  Danny is an English Setter.  He does love walks in the woods, but never car rides.  Spring and summer are his times of year.  He loves to nap in the grass.

LUKE

​We adopted Luke in March of 2016 at the age of 10 months from Jacks Galore Russell Rescue.  We had never owned a Jack, but we know plenty of Jack owners and were familiar with the breed.  He may also have a little whippet in him, as he is lankier and taller than a normal Jack.  His name was Duke, and we did, in fact, change it--but as you will notice, we found a name that rhymed so he might recognize it faster.  He has the very best ears on the planet.  Luke is a really great little dog, and our granddaughter just LOVES him to pieces, and he loves her.  He can't wait until she visits.  Luke does not walk or run, he boings from place to place.  He loves Billie.

LILAH

Lilah came from a local breeding facility.  She was the runt of her very large litter, and the breeder was kind enough to allow her to find a home.  At the time, I was helping someone else pick up a new pup at the facility, and happened upon Lilah.  Her eyes were the biggest thing on her.  So she came home with me.  She was so tiny at eight weeks, she wore a cat collar and a sweater from a stuffed teddy bear we happened to have stored away. Lilah joined us in January of 2013.  Lilah is a whiner extraordinaire.  I am definitely her person.  She is a head sniffer.  Lilah can definitely find birds in the field, trees, the sky, just about anywhere.  She can be Miss Growly Pants, but only when she is stressed.  She hates thunderstorms and hides under the bed.  Lilah loves being in my studio and will pose in a minute, or get herself onto any set up I have put together, then sit and expect a treat.

MOE (Aka M.O.E.)

Moe was adopted from Another Chance for English Setters in 2006 at the age of four months. He will be 15 years old this year.  His name was Sherlock, when we met him, and we changed it to Moe (short for Moriarty in keeping with the Sherlock theme). He is the most laid back dog I have ever met, and I have met a lot of dogs.  Vets love him.  Moe knows how to spell his name.  If you spell M.O.E., he knows that's him.  He had severe allergies in his first few years, and very little hair.  After seeing various vets, we finally found a skin specialist and got it under control.  Moe thinks through things before he acts on them.  Even now at 15, he will walk around the fence line until he has made up his mind about what to do next. Every night at dinner, he sits to my right and waits quietly for his piece of something.  As the oldest dog, he knows that is his privilege--a tidbit from the table.

Moe hates bugs, and will often lay on the yard glider or patio or pet bed on the patio to avoid insects crawling on him.  He is the only dog in our pack who will wear hats, shirts and sunglasses without moving a muscle.

PIPER

Piper is our unassuming, totally deaf Border Collie.  Piper was adopted from Glen Highland Farm's Sweet B Border Collie Rescue in May of 2009 at the age of six months.  If you visited me, and did not know he was deaf, you still would not know.  He knows over 20 signs, watches our body language, and knows our routines better than we do.  He is a rough-coated border collie.  His breed is very different from any other we have ever owned.  When we adopted him, we had another deaf English Field Setter named Burton.  Our knowledge and training of Burton, our first deaf adoption, was what allowed us to adopt Piper.  Piper is scary smart. He manages all of our kitties, and they all love him.  It's his BC job.  If you ever want to teach a border collie not to nip, don't.  Let your other dogs do it.  Piper learned in one week not to nip, because he was chastised by our non-border collie dogs about nipping. He has not nipped since.   Piper is a lovely, gentle dog, and it's hard to believe he will be 12 years old this year.

TALLEY

If you've made it this far, our latest and final addition to our dog family came in June of 2020 (you remember, that year we could not go anywhere or do anything, so we brought dogs home).  Talley was born in April of 2020.  Her hearing test showed she was bilaterally deaf.  We were home, and knew we would be for a long time, so taking in another puppy seemed feasible.  Talley joined us at the age of eight weeks.  She has been the best puppy.  Arriving at the beginning of the summer months was extremely helpful in her potty training process, and Talley, to this day, has never had an accident in the house.  Being home is important to puppy rearing.  Puppies really should not be left alone for long hours.  Talley has already learned a number of signs.  She loves to point bees, eat flying bugs (we really keep her from doing this as much as possible), and torment all the other dogs.

HOW DOES THE DOG PACK OF SILVER MARK FARM GET ALONG?

Well, as long as no one minds head sniffing, they all get along just fine.

I hope you enjoyed meeting our dog pack!  We are looking forward to more warmer weekends with them.  

This week's blog circle theme was Photographer's Choice, so I am excited to see what everyone picked to write about.  Join me by starting with Jemma Martin of JM PHOTOGRAPHY based in East Anglia in the UK. Specialist Pet Photographer.  Look for the links at the end of each blog to move forward to the next one.  Enjoy your weekend!

It is very true that happiness is "whatever you make it."

As a photographer, I am happiest working with clients and their pets, and seeing owner faces light up when they see their images.

I am also happy when:  (1) I get a new camera, (2) I learn something new that makes my life easier, (3) I meet new people and their furkids...and the list goes on!

So it's hard to focus on just one or two things that makes happiness a driving force.

BUT...

If I had to pick a few things, I'd have to say that happiness is: kittens and puppies.  I mean, who can't smile when they meet a purr-fect little kitten?

I have to say that kittens are one of my most favorite things to photograph, because they DO make me smile...ALL THE TIME.  For their whole session I am smiling from ear-to-ear, and also saying AWWWWWWW a lot.

I typically photograph foster kittens who are looking for new homes.  

And then, of course, there are puppies.  I mean, who doesn't like puppies? Especially pudgy, furry Golden puppies!  YIKES!  Cuteness overload right there.

Need some good tips on photographing your puppy?  You will find them here.  How about tips for photographing kittens?  Click here. 

To see what happiness is to other photographers in our blog circle today, start here with traveling dog photographer Kim Hollis of BARKography on location in the Pacific Northwest.

I love candid photography.

I find that sometimes candids are the only way to express the mood and real emotion in a given situation.  So, when I am on the road photographing at an event, or on location with a client, I will often start my picture-taking process without anyone even knowing I have started.  Or, I might end a session still photographing after I say "we are finished."

There are also times, when I will ask clients to set up a shot for me, that does not involve them smiling or looking at my camera.

Often, we forget that we have a whole body of language (YEP--BODY LANGUAGE can be key to grabbing an emotional photograph without a facial expression) to use in our arsenal.

Here are a few easy ways I use to showcase the mood/emotion in a scenario, without using typical face-to-the-camera alternatives.

1.  Have Them Walk Away

More often than not you can get a good feeling for mood when you have people walk away, or when you simply photograph them walking away, without them knowing you are doing so.

In the examples above, we are now free to interpret the "feeling" of the photo.  What does each photo say to you? (This is not a test and there are no right answers.  Each one of us may read the body language differently, but we can't deny we are seeking out the mood/emotion of the capture.)

2.  The Touch Element

​Besides our face, full body contact (as in lap dogs), or the use of hands may be the next most useful way to gain expression without...well...expressions!   Two examples below showcase a little bit of doggy profile, but no owner face-front.  In this particular photo, can you tell how relaxed each subject is?  I took this particular photo at an event, and it was a moment of respite for both the man and his dog.  

My husband demonstrated the use of a gentle hand on Billie to give an example of the element of touch, which can be used in photography to capture a moment between man and dog.

I find that if a dog is nervous about being photographed, the lap or touch process often allows calming and gives me the opportunity to grab that interaction as well.

3.  Ears

If you have a dog with great, expressive ears, they often can be used to tell a story about how the dog is feeling.  Without seeing our dog Luke's face, can you guess what might be happening at the moment I snapped this photo?

Billie, our constant defender against squirrels, is always patrolling trees and the edges of the yard fence for possible marauders. Believe me, nothing breaches this perimeter, or even tries for that matter.

She is always on alert, and she has very unique fur and ears....definitely worth capturing as a great memory of her sight-hound characteristics.  Below she is guarding two trees, but never losing her focus on the fence area across the yard.

4. Dogs Living Their Best Lives

When dogs are doing what they are bred to do, there really isn't any time for posing.  There often aren't many face forward photos either.

Yet, there is something very enthralling about hunting dogs in action.  From the tip of their noses, to their tails, they are working every moment to flush out whatever their hunting master is looking for.  Often they are moving through dense brush and loads of distracting grasses, weeds, and wild flowers.

My theory:  keep your finger on the button and just keep snapping away!  Later you will find that you have indeed captured the pure focus and determination of whatever hunting breed you are following.

It may be a challenge, or even unusual, for you to think about photographing your pets in anything other than a cutesy-pie face image.  Heck, I love those images, too.

But, give it a try and see what comes out of it.  Because there is more than one way to show exactly how your pet is feeling.

Our challenge this week was to concentrate on photos with no faces.  Let's see what everyone else in the blog circle is sharing.  Start here with Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography fetching pet and family portraits in Coppell, Carrollton and the greater Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. 

Have a great weekend!  Enjoy!

As a family with 8 dogs, I have done my share of walking.  Early on, it became clear I needed to be well versed in parks and recreational areas that allowed canine companions.

Let me say up front, I am not a dog park fan.  

Instead, I like a nice, leisurely walk in a scenic area, with my dog on leash.  I have a mini dog park at home, where our dogs run and play off leash.  All of our walking dogs know that a leash means we are out for exercise--both of the human and furkid kind.  

Along those lines, I've put together my top 5, best-world places to walk in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  

What Are the Endless Mountains?

The Endless Mountains region includes Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties.  This group of scenic, rural counties showcase some of the best views, natural areas, and walking trails in the northeast.

I live in Wyoming County.  Some of the areas bordering just over-the-line, also have great walking and hiking opportunities, particularly in Lackawanna County.  But, I am limiting this blog to the Endless Mountains.

So Where Are These Great Places To Walk?

You are at the mercy of my subjectiveness at the moment.  No scientific study was done in determining what I consider to be the best places to walk your dog.  Just my love of nature, and an enjoyable habitat for my canine friends.

I worked for the Endless Mountains Nature Center for 2 years before it closed.  Naturally, I look for places with well-marked trails, historical perspectives and great flora and fauna.

1.  Lazybrook Park, Route 6, Tunkhannock PA.

Barely 6 miles from my front door, Lazybrook Park in Wyoming County, is one of my most favorite spots to enjoy an afternoon stroll.  My cohort, Billie, loves this park as well, because it has great squirrel eye candy.  

Surrounded by a walking/biking trail, there are numerous pavilions for picnics and other outdoor activities.  Tunkhannock Creek meanders at the edge of the park, and there is a kayak/canoe launch area.  Besides walking, you can fish, relax on the creek banks on various benches, and enjoy the view from the historic red bridge (which dates back to 1881).  If you bring kids, they can play on the numerous playground set ups at the park.

Dogs must remain on leash, and clean up stations are provided.  Billie gives this park 5 paws (squirrels).

Here is a VIDEO that gives you a quick look at the park. 

2.  The Trails at Camp Lackawanna, Vosburg Road, Tunkhannock PA

Despite its name, this vast natural area is also located in Wyoming County, just 10 miles northwest of Tunkhannock's town center, and off Route 6.

Equipped with 11 trails that are well marked, the "camp" is a Christian-owned retreat and camping facility, open to the public for the enjoyment of all that nature has to offer.

The Susquehanna River borders Camp Lackawanna, and boasts access to the Vosburg Neck--a quiet, peaceful area of the river where you will often see multiple species of water birds, as well as eagles.  

The Audubon Society has logged over 23 species of birds who make Camp Lackawanna their home in the spring and summer months, including an abundance of Blue Birds.

Dogs are welcome, and must be leashed at all times.  Tick preparation and prevention is a MUST at this location in the warmer months, for both you and your dog.  There are both easy and progressively harder trails to walk.  Bring your own clean up bags.  Billie gives this park 5 paws for its variety and the ability to dance at the edge of the Susquehanna River.

3.  Salt Springs State Park, off Silver Creek and Salt Springs Road, Montrose PA

This 405-acre park is located 7 miles north of Montrose in Susquehanna County.  It is home to the oldest hemlock trees in Pennsylvania (some estimated at over 300 years old), and has three waterfalls within the park.  There are 17 trails of varying degrees of difficulty (a total of 14.85 miles of walking/hiking potential).  Here is a LINK to trail information.

The park is open every day of the year, all year.  Winter activities include snow-shoeing and cross country skiing.

​Dogs are welcome on leash.  (Note:  I removed the leash on the dog in the photo below in post processing.)
​Once again, tick preparation and prevention is necessary in the warmer months if hiking within the park area.  Bring your own clean up bags.  Billie gives this park 4 paws, only because it is further from our home base.

4.  Christy Mathewson Park, Factoryville PA

If you want a shorter walk and are not into heavy-duty hiking, or if you want to sit and watch some baseball on a nice late afternoon, this is the park for you.  

Located BEHIND the Lackawanna Trail Elementary Center in Factoryville, Wyoming County, you walk into the park from a lovely, covered pedestrian bridge.

From this park, a short trip on Creek Road takes you to the 29-acre Creekside Park (less than a mile--it's also a nice 5 minute walk from Christy Mathewson Park) which does boast a dog park, as well as soccer fields and a children's play area. 

Billie gives this park 4 paws.  While it is close to our home, she prefers walking longer distances for longer times, but our older dogs do well here for a short walk.  Bring your own clean up bags.

5.  Lake Carey, off Route 6, near Tunkhannock PA

Okay, I will admit, this is not a park.  What it is, is  a 182 acre lake surrounded by vacation cottages and year-round homes.  If you want a nice little water vacation on a quiet lake, with beautiful sunsets and picturesque wild birds, you want to check out vacation rentals at Lake Carey.

It's approximately 3.3 miles around the lake, on a paved road that is not highly traveled, even in the summer months.  The best thing is you can see the lake and all it has to offer for most of your walking trip around it.  Properties are private and you do need to respect that (park at the boat launch area and not on private property), as well as cleaning up after your dog (bring your own gear again), but everyone is friendly, and the road is a welcome respite from hilly and difficult hiking terrain.  This LINK will give you a short video look at the Lake. 

On warmer days, you can ease paw anxiety by walking at the edge of the grass toward the dock sides of the lake.  I always bring water and a portable bowl on this outing, and walk towards evening on warmer days.  This is one of my most favorite summer walks, and Billie would agree, if only for the geese sightings.  She gives it 5 paws.

There you have it!  

This summer we are going to explore the other Endless Mountains counties.  Two parks in particular that I want to visit in Sullivan County are Dry Run Falls State Park, in Hillsgrove PA and Worlds End State Park in Forksville PA.  Since we have not experienced them ourselves, I will do another blog post on our explorations in the Fall of this year.

We will also explore Mt Pisgah County Park in Troy (Bradford County), PA and report back.  Billie is excited for another year of trail exploration!

This week's blog theme was "Photographer's Choice."  To see what other photogs in the blog circle chose to write about, start here with BARKography by Kim Hollis in Charlotte NC, then look for the links at the bottom of each blog post to move you onward.  There are many new photographers joining today.  Give them some love! 

Have a great weekend!  Time to get out and play!

I just finished reading a FANTASTIC blog post by The Artisan Hound entitled "The Importance of Authenticity."  The post made me reflect on my own journey through this world of photography.  It's a post I think every photographer should read.

I have never been one to walk down anyone else's path.  For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to forge my own paths.  

In the beginning, when I was growing up as a photographer, and didn't know who I wanted to be, I admired the work of many.  Yet, when I took my camera out and did my countless practice sessions, my eye, camera, mind and personality took over and kept repeating:  "FIND YOUR OWN VOICE!"

Finding my voice was an evolutionary process.  Sometimes it was a harsh reality.  Sometimes it was a pleasant surprise.

In college I had a Creative Writing teacher, Ms. Hoffman.  She was a free spirit.  Her perspective on the very first class hit home when she said: "Did you ever have a creative writing teacher who told you to be creative, then told you, by her grading, that you didn't fit in the mold of creativity?  Well, that's not me." 

The fact was, I had had many of those types of teachers.  If you didn't fit the mold, you didn't get the grade.  But not Ms. Hoffman.  To her, every creative moment was a beautiful insight.

What does this have to do with this week's blog?  I'm getting there.

This week's theme is Self-Portrait.

Naturally, this took me down an introspective curve in the road.  How DID I get here?  Do I have a voice?  Is my voice my own?  Is it clear?

The last time I did a studio self portrait with a dog, it was November of 2019.  Our English Setter, Lilah, the head-sniffer, was her inimitable self.  I had just finished a session with a client, and brought her over to take a photo of just her in the set up, but ended sitting with her, my remote trigger in my hand.  This is my favorite photo of us together, because it's TRUE.  It's her voice and my voice.  This is WHO WE ARE, it shouts.  No pretense.  "I am Lilah, and I sniff heads....pleased to meet you!" says Lilah.  And me?  Well, "I am Elaine, and I want to photograph EXACTLY who you are, Lilah."

I see that as my job.  My very good, wonderful, every-day's-a-new-adventure job. It's to seek out and understand the personalities of pets and their people and mirror it in my photographs, to translate emotion and relationships into visual light, and to bring lasting memories to walls, desks and tables to remind us all of the things we love that really matter.

So, I will certainly continue to admire the work of others, in all of their varied-style glory.  But, I will always be true to myself and my own voice, whether it fits a mold or not, because that's who I am.

Oh, and I decided to take our 11 month old puppy, Talley, into the studio for some updated Mom-and-Me shots.  Here's how that went.
​

Talley, we have found out, is a face-smoocher.

Enjoy the weekend.  We are so very close to Spring and all it brings.

I am scheduling now for Spring photography sessions, both in studio and on location, themed or spontaneous!  Give me a call or ship me an email, or use the form on this website to contact me.

This week's theme moves along within the blog circle. Start here: Family & Pet Portraits with Danyel & Mike Rogers (a husband & wife team) at Wag to my Heart Studio. Serving Hillsboro and the greater Portland Metro area.

It's that wearin'-of-the-green month of March, where everyone is St. Patricking around and suddenly Irish.  That got me to thinking about LUCK and its involvement in photography...specifically pet photography.

I often hear some photographers say "I was so lucky to get that shot!"

I tend to think of lucky shots as the ones where I plan to take a photo of a dog on a hillside, and suddenly an eagle  comes swooping down with a fish in its talons right next to the dog.  NOW THAT'S LUCK!

But here's some other things I consider lucky.

1.)  A client's dog with a great SIT/STAY, that also has a great smile.

There is no secret that we pet photographers can deal with just about any behavior (except biting), and still get off that perfect photo, but OH HOW LOVELY it is to have an owner who has taught obedience and basic commands, with the result being a pet that sits perfectly still for a studio photo.

​2.) A great backdrop to capture our subjects in their most-loved environments.

Most of us can find a backdrop anywhere.  You would be surprised at some of the things I have used as my background, in terms of what else was around me at the time.  Even owners are surprised at what the final image looks like sometimes, because what I see is VERY DIFFERENT from what they see.  My mind is always working toward that final image.

But, when a beautiful field with a long line of fencing presents itself to me in a pet's own backyard, there is no way I am going to pass that up.  That's luck!

​3.) A cat that will wear anything.

SERIOUSLY.  Now you know this is really a luck thing.

There are many more things that can be added to my small sample list, I am sure.  But, it also needs to be said, that without the skill and understanding involved in photography, capitalizing on the luck that presents itself would be impossible.

I'll leave you with that thought, and a whole blog circle ahead.  This week's theme is "lucky," and you can start the circle with Angela Schneider of Big White Dog Photography in Spokane and North Idaho.  Have a fun weekend!

My husband and I decided a long time ago, that our household would never be "normal."  What we did about abnormalizing it, took quite a number of years, a boatload of research, and a network of strong and tireless individuals in the animal rescue world.

Below is a photo of us, taken in 2009, by Lillie Goodrich of Glen Highland Farm, a border collie rescue, originally located in Morris, New York, now since moved to Gloucester, Virginia.  I am holding what was to be our newest addition, Piper, a deaf border collie, who turns 12 this year.  The other three dogs my husband is holding at bay, include (left to right) Bethy (who hated every moment of it), Moe, and Burton (a deaf ES mix).  All three were adopted from Another Chances for English Setters (ACES) Rescue, which has since closed.  We had traveled to Glen Highland to do a meet and greet during our adoption process.

Whether you are interested in a certain type or breed of dog, or simply want to find a companion that has gone through the intake, evaluation, fostering and, often, rehab programming of a rescue or shelter, there is an organization out there that can meet your need.

However, the process is not necessarily speedy, so you have to have patience.  There are lots of nuances and ins-and-outs to rescuing.  I say this from not only a horse rescue perspective, when I became heavily involved in rescuing horses beginning in 2000, but from transporting, volunteering for, and working with dog and cat rescues throughout the years.

To illustrate a case-in-point, there's Danny.  He was originally fostered-to-adopt by another family, but came to stay with us in a foster situation, once it was decided the original family were perplexed about how to help him through his fear issues in a larger city environment.  Danny spent the first week with us living under this desk in the kitchen, only slinking out at night to drink water.  He had to be leashed to exit the building for potty breaks.

He arrived in January of 2011.  By September, when it became apparent that Danny's fears were deep-rooted and it might take him years to overcome them, we became Danny's permanent family, adopting him from the then Ohio English Setter Rescue (now Our English Setter Rescue).

We had taken in another older dog from this rescue, prior to Danny's arrival.  Named Winston, he was in dire straits in a Kentucky shelter, already 9 or 10 years old at the time, He lived three more years under our care, and was a primary catalyst for Danny's recuperation process.  Fate?  Maybe.

Besides having patience, you also need to do some research.  The best way to approach rescue is to NOT see a photo of a dog and say "oh, let's adopt that dog!" but to see information about a rescue, fill out an application form to become eligible to adopt with that organization, then, once you are notified you have been approved, ask this question: "Who is available to adopt?"

Most people get their knickers all puckered up when they see a dog, and assume they can adopt that exact dog.  The problem with that is, you don't know what has been going on behind the scenes.  Maybe someone has already spoken for the dog, and they are just going through the end process toward adoption.  Maybe the dog just came into foster and needs further evaluation.  The good thing about having a conversation AFTER you have been approved, is you might also get insight into dogs that have come into the system, but are not yet featured anywhere, and that you are now eligible to be considered for adopting.

Danny's story, we are so very happy to say, is ending well.  For me, he has become an advocate for fearful dogs.  We created a Facebook page just for him (My Foster Dog Danny), which chronicles his entire rehabilitation process from Day 1.  We hoped it might help others realized that the frightened dog in the shelter, or the dog with the tail between its legs at the rescue, could become a loving and great companion in a home environment.  

The final thing I would like to add about rescuing a dog is:  DO NOT EXPECT GREAT THINGS ALL AT ONCE!

Dogs moved from environment to environment, with little to no stability for long periods of time, might revert back to the only things they know, some of which, might not be welcome activities.  Once again, patience is key.  Not expecting too much is key.  Reward-based training is key.

I never thought I would say this, but I am the culprit of now giving Danny bad habits.  He is a thoroughly good dog, that I have corrupted.  But before he became our good, corrupted dog, he was a very fearful pup.  Danny will be somewhere around 12 years old this year.  He has some health problems, which we are monitoring, and he seems to be doing okay with right now.  We are thankful he has been a member of our family, because even though he is not normal, remember, neither are we.

This week's blog circle theme was "Photographer's Choice," so I thought I would share a little bit about our family and one of our rescues, Danny.  We have EIGHT dogs, and all but two were rescued either through a local shelter or rescue organization.  Many of my clients have both dogs and cats that have been rescued as well.

I am a member of HeARTs Speak, a non-profit devoted to helping shelter and rescue animals put their best paw forward, by the donation of professional photography services, helping to achieve a good first impression. We are ARTISTS HELPING ANIMALS.

To see what other photographers in the circle have chosen for this week, start with Jessica Wasik with Bark & Gold Photography, celebrating the joy and love between Pittsburgh pets and their people.  Then follow the links at the end of each blog to the next photographer in the circle, until you find yourself right back here.  Enjoy!

To deep or not to deep? That is the question.

Having a hard time judging when a deep depth of field is best? I'll bet if Shakespeare were here he'd say "to thine own self be true."

To make it easy, depth of field is everything around your subject, that isn't your subject, that is in focus.  A deep depth of field means that things behind your subject, in front of your subject and to each side of your subject, are more in focus than not in focus.  A shallow depth of field focuses mainly on the subject, with the focus falling off on things around the subject.  Got it?

Sometimes, when first starting out, photographers have a hard time deciding things like depth of field (DOF).  Sure, you learn about it in class, you read about it in photography books, and you look at other photographer's work to see what you like, trying to be sure to take notes on the depth of field they used.

​Then a fantastic thing happens.  You just start TAKING PICTURES.  (Wild, I know.)  After which something even MORE FANTASTIC HAPPENS!  You LEARN from them.  From the good, the bad, and the ugly.  What you like and don't like.  When you got exactly what you wanted to capture, and when you didn't.

​You learn when it might be advantageous to close up your aperture and place yourself where a deeper depth of field would be an advantage, because you need some of the background elements to tell the story.

Or maybe you want to showcase everything about two setters in a field, and you want some depth behind them to illustrate the woods where they follow paths, and do some daily hunting for all things that lucky dogs with open fields hunt for.  (I just loved this stand of birch trees, reaching out their branches like arms to welcome these two furry friends.)

These are the times that call for the right lens (for focal length) and a deep depth of field, as well as learning where to place yourself for the optimum viewpoint.  They are the times where you experiment with various aperture settings, going from deeper to shallower depths of field, and taking several photos to examine later and decide on which tells the story best.

Even though I studied the elements of using depth of field in a photo, choosing the right lens/focal length, and selecting the right settings for the moment, in my photography classes, nothing compares to actually going out and practicing everything first hand.  That's where total understanding comes in.  Where a light bulb clicks above your head.  Where you learn lessons on what to do and what not to do.

That helps you recognize when deep depth of field might not work.  Especially when you want to showcase one individual in a group of many, as in the photo below, where a shallower depth of field was used.

By the way, did you notice that all of my photos have sunshiney days in them? 

That's because as you read this we have just been through another snow storm.  I have lost count of how many there have been.  So, sunshine is what I am all about right now. And Spring.  Hello Spring.  Please, let me invite you in for a cup of green grass and budding trees.

If you are snowed or iced in, and can make yourself a cup of something, sit here a bit longer and check out the rest of the blog circle.  The theme this week was "deep depth of field."  I'll bet my friend Angela Schneider of Big White Dog Photography, celebrating dogs and landscapes in Spokane, WA, will have some lovely images to share!  Enjoy!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so it's no surprise that this week's theme is Red and/or Love.

As one of the many things I love to do (and have fun with) is card design, here are a few designs I worked on this past week.  I do offer this service to clients as part of my product list.  

You just have to love Corgi puppies.  Their ears are so cute!

Here's my take on a scruffy puppy with a very pink tongue!  These make great note cards.

This image of a shelter dog is one of my favorites.  Just look at that face!  This pup was adopted!

Just a touch of red in each photo interpretation, helped the image fit nicely into card design, don't you think?  

Now for some added enjoyment, the blog circle has E-X-P-A-N-D-E-D this week, with many new professional photographers adding their interpretations of this week's theme.  Be sure to check them out, starting with Pawtraits by Nicole, photographing pets for their people in and around Las Vegas, Nevada.  Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Everyone needs balance in their lives.  We need enough sleep in order to be active, we need enough exercise in order to be healthy, and we need to basically maintain balance in many things we do.

Photographers also think about balance.  A LOT.  Called symmetry, the balance in a photo can be important as to where the viewer's eye will fall in that photo.

It's not just about sticking subjects in the middle of a photo, because often photos with symmetry, do not have centered subjects.  It's about using the elements at hand to provide the balance needed overall.  There are a number of things to consider:  tonal balance and color balance, for instance, help achieve symmetry.

In the photo above, I used a picket fence to achieve balance and uniformity in my backdrop, and green grass to frame the sides.  The growth behind the fence is not the same on either side, but it doesn't matter.  Not everything needs to be the same on each side to achieve symmetry.

​Use of light and shadows also help to paint a symmetrical picture.  As with the golden pups below, there is a sense of symmetry from front to back, as well as side to side. 

Right now these photos remind me of lovely Spring, and early Fall, both much warmer than we are experiencing at the moment in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  

Our weather has ranged in the mid-teens, with single digits overnight.  Even our impervious puppy, Talley, wants to come in from her jaunts outside as quickly as possible. (She is going to be 10 months old on February 7th!)

I have been doing studio work, ordering product for clients, and planning a wedding photo event for September 2021 in the age of COVID.  I have also been attending training sessions via various photographic conferences, and enjoying Winter with our grandkids.

The picture below more readily reflects our landscape right now.  It's a bit asymmetrical, still using elements to achieve balance, because, remember--NOT ALL SYMMETRY IS PERFECT--it's just balanced!

​Test your observation and your eye: Can you find the elements of symmetry in this photo?

I have rejoined the blog circle in February, taking a small hiatus in January to pack away Christmas, attend online educational conferencing and order much needed product updates for the studio.  I'm glad to be back and to say:  for more on "symmetry," start your circle read with Angela and Bella of Big White Dog Photography in Spokane, WA, helping an Idaho rescue dog find a home, then look for the link at the bottom of each blog to take you to the next one, until you find yourself right back here again.  Have a great weekend!  Enjoy!