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!

Tomorrow is Halloween.  Besides the scary weather forecast and werewolf moon (it will be full), getting a photo to put to this blog was far from being a boo-tiful experience.

It involved one puppy, a backdrop from H - E - double hockey sticks, a brain vacation, and LOADS of treats.

For those of you who like to be quick, the resulting photo is below.  You can see it and skip the story of how we got there (just go to the bottom of the blog and find the next link in the circle).  The story is not for the faint of heart, as those who understand 6-month-old puppies will agree.

But, if you really want to read some scary stuff, the rest of the story is below the photo.

So, who likes Oriental Trading Company, raise your hand.

I ordered a spooky 5 foot skeleton from OTC, we named him Mr. Bonejangles, and he welcomes visitors (who during our pandemic social distancing is mostly UPS, FedEx drivers and deer).  A square plastic package came in the skeleton box.  It was this crazy backdrop, featuring a witch's cauldron, raven in a cage, spell book, etc. 

I say crazy because this backdrop is in THREE PIECES.  THREE PIECES.  Who does that? F.R.I.G.H.T.E.N.I.N.G!!

Essentially you have to line it all up, using clips, on a background stand.  Crazy right? 
Wine.  Did I say, you need wine for this?  It's part of the instructions.  Get glass of red wine, try to line up the three piece background on the background stand.  As if that wasn't scary enough, there's more.

TRY TO DO IT WITH A PUPPY IN THE STUDIO!!!!

To be honest this background will only have one usage.  This one.  For this photo.  Because puppies eat stuff.
But I digress.

With backdrop finally in place and camera placed on tripod stand, it's now time to see if the puppy has retained anything she has been taught in the last six months about sitting and staying.  Treats are used.  As is a remote to take the photo.  Except the remote decides it will not cooperate to focus the camera.  Which means "STAY" gets really tested. 

This is the part where one human brain packs its bags and heads to warmer climates, and where I totally forget I have locked in the back button focus, which explains why the remote is not working to focus. (Technical issue, I know, but while trying to figure this out, the backdrop became a "one hit wonder" as you can't figure out technical stuff and keep a good eye on a puppy, whose "STAY" apparently needs more work, at the same time.)

Puppy back on platform, backdrop re-aligned, treat ready, remote now working, back button unlocked and--FINALLY--we have lift off. Talley had not a single care about my off camera flash, but when I put the neck ruff on her, treats went right out the window in favor of chewing that instead--if she could only get to it. 

The hat?  Well, forget that.  I found one in stock photos and added it in post processing.

Yep, a real nightmare.  I survived.  I need the tee shirt.

In the end, I laughed a lot, Talley got her fill of treats, and we both took a nap.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I can't wait to see what's next in the blog circle. How about you?  Start with Pawparazzi Pet and Animal Photography presented by Shae Pepper Photography.  Have fun out there!  And most importantly, stay safe!

When you make an appointment for your first professional photography session, the main thing on your mind is receiving beautiful photographs of your selected subject(s), whether that be you and your family, your pet(s), your graduating senior or whomever the subject might be.

After the session, and some work by your photographer, you will get to review those images.  At that point, you are hopefully thinking "Gosh!  I never knew I looked so good!" or "I never thought my dog could sit still that long to get such a great photo!"

While you also should be thinking about what exactly you are going to do with the images you love, once you decide on which ones you want to pursue, in my experience, most clients really don't think that far ahead.

My job, then, is to not just be your photographer, but to be your tester.  Yes, I am your guinea pig.  I have diligently searched the far corners of the world (well, okay, the print labs) for high quality products that will take those beautiful images and place them artfully on your walls or your desks.

There is A LOT (A LOT!!!!!!!!) of product out there.

I do have my favorites.  F.A.V.O.R.I.T.E.S. <----- (See the plural "s" and know I cannot narrow this down to one product.)  I love ART BLOCKS, and ACRYLICS, and THIN WRAPS.  And, there's more. 

But, I can also look at an image and tell you what it might work best with that fits into your specific budget.

So, this blog was very hard for me to write, with the theme of "FAVORITE PRODUCT." 

BUT

With the holidays fast approaching let me say that I absolutely love, adore, and can't get enough of METAL ORNAMENTS!!!!!!!  I mean, you can seriously festoon your entire tree with memories from your year.

They make WONDERFUL gifts for anyone in the family.  Live far away from the grandparents?  Send them an ornament of the grandkids doing something fun.

The backs of the ornaments are just as festive as the front that frames your photo choice.  And there are a number of different styles to choose from.

I am gearing up right now to do holiday card and Christmas session photos, and there is nothing I love more than to place an ornament order!  I have a number of ornaments in the studio to choose from as well.

My supplier is AWESOME!  I have tested out a number of ornament print labs, and I've found you the best!  You can feel fully confident that your image will look as great in your ornament, as it did when you viewed it in the studio.

I'm excited!  Are you excited?  Contact me for further details.

To read more about favorite products (if you see any you like, ask me if I can get them as well), head to the blog circle, starting with Susannah Maynard of Pet Love Photography, photographing Cincinnati area dogs for “Tails of Cincinnati” a book project for charity.

Have a great weekend!

In a blog somewhere in another time, the topic was "shoot from above," or something very similar.  It is the theme this week, and normally I skip duplication, but having done some Fall sessions the past two weekends, I noticed something about some of the shots I liked best, and why that might be the case.

So I looked back through some of my past photographs and realized a pattern that often led to more successful shots.

The three things I noticed readily were:
(1)  I was standing on a plain above the subject.
(2) Standing on a plain above the subject cause the subject to LOOK UP almost every time.
(3) The "look up" expression was almost always a great one.

If I had to add a fourth item, based on my experience and memory, it would be:
(4) Since I wasn't kneeling or stooping to try to get on the same level as the subject, the subject would often remain where they were (i.e. dog would not try to run to me thinking I was in play mode, etc.).

Taking a "higher road" seems to be something I do often.

Below is a shot of Talley I had added to a recent, previous blog.  I edited it to add the Fall theme of leaves, but I was clearly above her on a different plain, and her expression, and curiosity over my being there, are clear in her expression.

I just added the image below to my Facebook business page.  Keeping a dog that loves water out of the water can be a very trying experience.  I've filed that in my memory banks.  But having the owner hold the dog on a very long lead, and then moving above the scene, kept the dog's interest in me.

And certainly, Cash got to swim after the session.

There are other examples of "shooting from above," that are a little more textbook than simply placing yourself in a spot a few levels up from the subject.

If you have a dog that loves to roll over on his back to show how happy he is, especially when he has a lovely orange ball to play with, then catching a few photos of upside-down-ball-dog should be shot from directly above.

Our Luke is an exuberant ball handler, who can remain upside down indefinitely.

Taking the high road can make for some very fun photos.  Cats are often great subjects to take from above as well.  Our kitty, Luna, is a specialist at laying upside down everywhere in the house...but that's another blog.

To see more photos of things shot from above, the blog circle photographers are waiting.  Start with Susannah Maynard of Pet Love Photography, photographing Cincinnati area dogs for “Tails of Cincinnati,” a coffee table book to benefit SPCA Cincinnati.  Work your way around the circle until you find yourself right back here.

Enjoy your weekend, whatever plain you are on!

Welcome to another Friday blog!  This week's theme is "Style."

Style is something we photographers develop over time.  We evolve into a usual work flow, from start to finish.  From taking the photo and all that is involved in the set up, to processing the photo and the ways we have decided to focus our intentions for the outcome.

In 2012 when I started my photography journey, I took about 40 photos a day.  Mostly to practice.  Most of them were landscapes.

Many were also flowers from my own garden.

This process was helpful in developing my eventual style, because it helped me to not only learn all of my camera functions, but also how to use PhotoShop and other plug ins to edit my photos. 

I took tons of classes--many different subjects--to further help me make a decision on where I might want to land in the photography world. 

If you go back into the menu from this blog, you can head to my home page and you will immediately begin to understand my style of photography and where I chose to specialize.  My slideshow is a key indicator.

Style evolves from experience, and making decisions on the specific aspects of photography that will become a key part of your world.

Today I take photos of pets (whether that be in studio or outdoors), families, children, and I do business head shots.

Oh yes...and my grandchildren!

I can't wait to see what the other blog circle photographers have come up with in answer to the "style" theme this week.  Keep reading, starting with Angela Schneider of Noses & Toes Pet Photography, showcasing dogs in the amazing North Idaho and Spokane landscape.  Have a great October weekend!  Enjoy!