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!

You've decided you would like to have some portrait work done with your horse, other than your usual selfies taken with your phone.  Now what?

Here are some tips for a successful session that leaves you happy with the end result.

1. Find a professional photographer that understands and has worked with horses.
2. Make some decisions about what you really want your images to look like, then be sure to share your expectations with your chosen photographer in your pre-session meeting.
3. Prep for the day of your session by making sure your horse is groomed, your tack is clean, and you have discussed color coordination with your photographer.

Seems easy enough, right?  Let's look at these in more detail.

Find a Photographer That Has Experience
Horses have the ability to not be the most cooperative clients.  If you are looking for lifestyle photographs of your horse in his/her typical environment, using a photographer who understands and speaks horse (body language, ear movement, etc.) is a plus.

I have owned horses for most of my life.  I've spent over 10 years as a riding instructor, have shown my own horses at different levels, and have taken students to many horse shows in different disciplines (hunters, dressage, and western).  This knowledge is extremely helpful when it's used behind my camera.

I am not afraid to walk into a field of horses to obtain a photograph of a single horse.  I know what to expect with horse physiology and movement based on reading the body language of the animal.

I also know that horses need to be desensitized to equipment, especially when lighting needs to be used to illuminate the environment, because horses can easily react to an off-camera flash or strobe.

The more your chosen photographer knows about horses, the better your end result will be.

Here's some things you want to hear your chosen professional photographer say when you have your first phone conversation:

• I have experience photographing horses.
• I have experience photographing horses and their people.
• I have had a number of horse-related sessions in the past year and I can share some of my work with you.
• I have some client testimonials you are welcome to review.

What Are Your Expectations?
In your pre-session discussion, let your photographer know CLEARLY what you are looking for and expect from your session.  Do you want to be in the photos with your horse?  Will you be dressed in street clothes, riding clothes, or perhaps a period costume?

I always ask my clients for the coat color of their horse and height measurement.  Based on that initial conversation, I send clients a tip sheet on how to prepare and what color schemes might be appropriate for their session.  Sometimes I may even visit the farm site to scout out adequate areas for photos, based on what the client has requested.

Client expectations are important to me, as I want every client to absolutely LOVE the end result of their sessions.

Prep Your Horse and Tack
Most professional photographers have a good knowledge of software that helps them digitally develop their image, so fixing wisps of mane, or a last minute dirt splotch on your horse, is something they should be used to.  

Visually speaking, you want your tack to be as clean as you can get it.  If you are dressing in riding clothes, your gear should be spotless.  Give your horse a good groom an hour before the session so his/her coat will shine.

If your photographer is using a prime lens for portrait work, it will pick up every nuance in the image.

In the photo out take above, it would have been better if all straps lay flat in their keepers, and the horse did not have the customary foam around his mouth.  Also, if this expression image is the kind of cropped photo you are looking for, that is fine, but it is typically frowned upon to crop off a horse's ears.  Although, personally, I do like to capture the eye of a horse, as many are noted for their "eye."

There are often specialized photographers at horse shows, but if you want a more focused perspective on you, or your rider, then hiring a professional photographer to capture your showing day can be the way to go.  I would then add one more step, that is, to be sure to hire someone who knows their way around a show ring.

The backdrop of horse shows is such that there can often be a lot of unnecessary people and horses in the way of the shot.  A person who knows exactly how to get beyond this, and what to expect, will make the final photographs something to be cherished.

Below is a small slideshow of just a few images for idea purposes.

Horses build a special relationship with their people.  That bond can be hard to explain to non-horse owners, as it is different than the bond we build with other pets and animals.  

Capturing simple, lasting images of you and your horse, should be a goal on every horse owner's list.

​These three simple tips will get you started on the right track to a great photo session, with excellent results!

For more information, or to schedule an equine session, feel free to contact me by going to the "contact" area of this website and filling out the form.

It's Christmas!

Who can believe we have lived almost an entire year through all the things a pandemic brings, and Christmas arrived like normal times?

Festive decorations have a way of making us feel better, I think.  Even if the normal shopping routine turns to online ordering, there is still plenty of tradition to go around, from what we cook, to how we celebrate.

I have been lucky to see some of my long-time clients at this time of year and welcome some new families.  The weather has cooperated up to this point, allowing us to schedule and meet for outdoor photo sessions.  Such was the case with this very distinguished gentleman.

If you followed the blog all year, you know that this is the circle's last blog of 2020.  Next week we start a new year.  So, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, or Merry-whatever-you-celebrate, and a healthy, happy and safe New Year!

I will be delivering my last session orders next week, and hopefully following my plan to watch old movies.  I may even surprise everyone and bake something.  Shocker.

We have all come a very long way.  Give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy the beauty that Christmas has to offer.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the rest of the blog circle photographers who could make it this week, as they share their Christmas-themed thoughts.  Start with Kylee Doyle Photography, serving pet parents in the greater Sacramento area.

Weather permitting, I will be back in action the second week of January.  Give me a call to schedule some winter sessions or schedule ahead for Spring!

Things change in a day.  One day you could be planning to go over to the studio and do some lighting set ups for your blog, and the next day 15" of snow falls and you can't even get to the studio. 

Well, we photographers know how to roll with the punches.  We can adapt ourselves to any situation.  Right gang?

So I have decided to look back over my use of the lights we associate with Christmas and the holiday season, and do a throw back to the holidays blog.  Plus one new photo from the past week.

The above photo is actually one of my very favorites using a lensball, a glass table and the lights of our tree.  Lensballs can be fun, and I have to experiment more with mine and animals!  Stay tuned!

The lights of Christmas offer some of my most interesting scenes, like the bright Christmas window at the Waverly General Store.

I really like to juxtapose seasonal colors and lighting against dark backgrounds.

Speaking of backgrounds, I purchased a new background this year just for use with kitties, and my cat, Luna, was kind enough to demonstrate her ability to stay still long enough for a photo.  This of course, after she examined every single inch of the studio, hid for a while under my platform and finally decided she was interested in the oversized Christmas ornaments, enough to settle in with them.  I added a little magical whimsy to the photo as well.

There is no end to ways you can use the lighting and colors of the season to do some great and interesting photography pieces.  Get out there with whatever you've got and grab some photos of the joy of your holiday, whatever you celebrate!

For more on "Light" (this week's theme), check out the blog circle.  Start with Susannah Maynard of Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati, the San Francisco Bay Area, and destinations nationwide.  Have a safe weekend everyone!

It was the day I realized how important a photograph was to me, that I also realized how important a photograph was to sparking a memory.

That was the same day that I came to the conclusion--I DEAL IN MEMORIES.

So, each time I pick up my camera, I am giving the gift of a memory.  To someone.  Of someone else.  Or something else.  Or a time.  Or a place.

I am not going to lie, I feel pretty good about that.

It's because of this realization, that I want the memory to be perfect...to be exactly what a client wants.  Because I want them to pick up their photographic piece (whether it be a print, or art block, or canvas) and recognize not only the memory, but the value of it.

In going through some of my photos for this blog, I came across this picture of our Burton.  It is one of the last photos I took of him, before we lost him.  It's taken at Christmas.  When I look at this photo, I remember everything about him, including the day I took it, right down to the quiet of that evening and his sound sleep.

Burton was a great dog.  He was born deaf.  Another Chance for English Setters brought him in as a puppy, and we adopted him from their rescue.  He was our first deaf dog.  Burton loved food, and was my shadow whenever I was at the kitchen counter cooking.  When he was happy, he sang.  He gave high fives for treats (or anytime you asked really), knew a number of different sign commands, and for many years would be accompanied everywhere he went by his orange ball, which he could leap high into the air to catch and would retrieve it right back to the palm of your hand.  I think it's safe to say that, while every dog we have owned has had their own special characteristics, Burton was the most unique dog we have ever shared life with.  And the photo above, took me all the way down that memory path.  How nice.  What a great gift to my memory.

I'd be happy to help you with yours.

For more "Gift" blog postings, follow the blog circle this week starting with Terri J Photography, photographing your pets in the Toronto area.  Have a great weekend.  Stay safe, healthy, and please wear a mask!

This week's blog theme is Gratitude.

I am grateful for many things.  Most of them have to do with my family, home, and waking up every day.  I am grateful for the unseasonable warm weather on any day it happens in November, all of our animals, and parents who placed a premium on education and trying everything at least once.

We have all been going through quite an ordeal in this country, with COVID dominating our news.  My studio was shut down between March and June, and when our state came out of the "yellow" phase and into the "green," I complied with a COVID plan for continuing.

I am so grateful for the clients who called and changed studio appointments to outdoor sessions.  I am thankful for all of my clients in general, but those that went with the flow and still pursued photos of their furkids and families during these difficult times, have a special place in my heart.

I am beyond grateful for the beautiful surroundings we have in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which afford great backdrops for outdoor sessions.

I am grateful for those who know that capturing a memory with their pet, then valuing it enough to place it as artwork on their wall, is a priority--because time marches on.

I am so very thankful to have been graced with the task of capturing those memories.  This weekend, as I finish another batch of holiday cards for a client, I am aware that 2020 is coming to an end.  We are all unsure what 2021 will bring us, and it's been a very long road to get to the end of this year.  But I do know I will be ready, once again, in the New Year, to make sure that beautiful memories of pets and their people are captured by my camera.

Oh, and I am ready for more Border Collies.

To see more things that the blog circle photographers are grateful for, follow the links around the blog until you are once again back here.  Start with Susannah Maynard of Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area.  Warmer weather for our weekend here in PA!  Get out there while you can!  Enjoy!

In 2012, when I made a commitment to pursuing photography as my second career, little did I know what an exciting adventure that decision would start.

Recently, my continual hard work, education, and willingness to accept technical criticism in order to improve my craft, culminated in my first-time-ever entering into Professional Photographers of America's International Print Competition (IPC), where one of my images received Merit Collection status, as well as inclusion in the Showcase Book, that is compiled from images that receive a 5-0 merit rating among 5 judges.  Pure Gold did that.

Make no mistake, this type of work and competition is not for the faint of heart.  (Watching print competition, and hearing a discussion over your image is nerve-wracking!) However, it is WELL worth the outcomes--the biggest one being, personal improvement.  Here, you compete against no one but yourself, and I think we know how difficult self-as-competitor can be.  Over 5000 images were submitted this year, with 1706 being selected for the General Merit Collection.

Pure Gold is a simple image, taken of a Golden Retriever named Tioga.  Taken in studio with basic lighting, and processed in PhotoShop Elements, it is an image that needed little post-processing help, because I got it right in camera.  I got it right in camera because I have invested time and money in becoming a professional photographer, understanding my equipment, my lighting, and my subjects (which are primarily pets).  Being able to take a client image and compete with it, then have that image succeed, is a big thumbs up in terms of the quality of work afforded to my clients.

My 8 year journey, to date, has seen personal family setbacks and heartbreaking loss.  Still trying to schedule clients amid that family turmoil and loss, served to hold me back from entering print competitions for a while.  Deciding on what type of certification I would pursue, then finally finding the time to do so, was another huge consideration.  Digging deep for the motivation to continue on some days, when the world was especially gloomy--all played a role in where I find myself today.

This past month I also entered Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania's Capture 2020 print competition.  Here I had two images receive merit acceptance, with one receiving the highest print score in the Animal Portrait category, and the other being my first-ever challenge to myself in competing outside my comfort zone in the Illustrative category (hummingbird).

So I have placed my toe in the water in terms of International Print Competition.  My humble goal for next year is to have a few more images merit, and maybe even one Loan, while keeping time devoted to client work still my highest priority.

Yet another adventure!

This is a blog circle, with the theme this week being "adventure."  To see more adventurous photographers, start here with Pawparazzi Pet and Animal Photography presented by Shae Pepper Photography, then look for the link at the end of each blog to move on to the next circle member.  Enjoy!