i got the shot photography

Hummingbirds

8/2/2025

Not too many weeks back, I wrote a blog on taking photos of birds and wildlife.

There is one bird that visits my back patio regularly--the hummingbird--that I like to experiment with in terms of photographs.

Again, I would point out, that photos don't have to be perfect, but should have some type of artistry about them. So here's some pointers on capturing this very fast, wings-never-stop-in-the-air, feeder visitor.

Cameras and Settings

I personally do not own a cell phone that can get close enough to, or capture the movement of a hummingbird (freeze it), in my repertoire of gear. If you do, I'd be very interested in seeing the resulting photos.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm lens at 200 mm, f2.8, ISO 800, 1/1000, spot metering.

In all photo examples in this blog, I have listed the camera used and settings as a photo caption for those interested.

Once before I noted that if you are taking pictures in nature and want to enter them in a photo competition that has a nature category, they will probably not do well (depends on the competition--be sure to read the rules carefully) if there is a manmade object in the photo, such as the feeder above. But, since I only take these photos for my enjoyment, and do not enter them in competition, a feeder is perfectly acceptable.

Above the feeder and the hummer are stationary. With my 70-200mm lens, I am able to capture a relatively clear photo of this little one. Due to the location of the feeder, I have to make sure I set the ISO higher, so that the photo is not underexposed. That means in post processing, I have to get rid of some of the noise associated with higher ISO levels.

I am a Photoshop Elements user for post processing work.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm at 200mm, f2.8, ISO 1600, 1/1000, spot metering.

Our back patio is surrounded by huge hemlock trees. In the latter part of the day, when hummingbirds tend to come to the feeders, shadows and dark areas make it difficult to shoot at higher speeds. That's when the ISO has to increase. In this case (the photo above) to 1600, in order to freeze the movement of a wing.

If you read the caption, you can see the only thing that changed here was the ISO. All other settings remained the same. It makes for a grainier, but more artistic, look.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm at 200mm, f2.8, ISO 2500, 1/1000, spot metering.

In the above photo, the little hummingbird is getting ready to take off. I think it looks like an air traffic controller. If only there were flags to wave. Because I am now shooting through a window to be behind the bird, and I am shooting into a darker area of background, again the ISO was raised to 2500.

And finally, below, what happens if you take the speed down to 1/640 instead of the 1/1000. These birds always move, so reducing the speed reduces the ability to capture a clear/frozen image. But, it's artsy enough to be considered a valiant effort.

Nikon D800, 70-200mm at 200mm, f2.8, ISO 1600, 1/640, spot metering.

Composition and Post Processing

In all cases, unnecessary elements were cropped out of the photo. Because the lens was left wide open at f2.8, the background is blurred. In the last photo, above, there are elements of bokeh.

Noise has been reduced, and in some cases, a bit more blur added to the background in post processing, to keep the focus on the subject.

In all cases, I am looking to crop the photo and subject so it remains pleasing to the eye, maintains subject focus, and does not distract.

Someday, I may move these feeders to a brighter location. But it's good to experiment in not so great areas of light, to get a better handle on what your camera can do, as well as be prepared for these types of environments with other subjects.

I love watching our hummers zip and zap through our feeder areas. Their twittering/chattering sound is very recognizable, to the point that you even know when they are not happy with each other.

For another perspective on hummingbird photography, check out this great piece by the Audubon Society.

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Summertime Fun Photos Don't Have To Be Perfect

7/18/2025

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The boat inventory at Frances Slocum State Park. Rule broken: horizon is at an angle.

There's a lot that happens in the summer.

Camps, hikes, swimming, kayaking, beach visits, and cook outs are just a few of the activities we turn our attention to when the weather gets hot. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on how you see it) we've had a full week of over-the-top temps--89 to 92 degrees--which was complicated by very high humidity, driving the heat index to 100 or more.

This is the exact week one set of our grandkids came for their yearly summer visit and camp attendance.

Capture It First

I think it's important to photograph things that you want to keep for memory printing, but they don't have to be perfect by any means. You can even break rules you normally keep sacred.

In my case, I often put these shots into next year's printed calendar that I construct and order through one of my trusted photo labs. I usually put them in or around the month they occurred. Then I have a great reminder of the fun had during that timeframe.

Our granddaughter, with the cat t-shirt, at Girl Scout Camp Mocanaqua.

I am typically not carrying around lighting equipment for our family summertime fun photos. Some are taken with my professional level camera, and others (most) are taken with my cell phone. Some have backgrounds that are strewn with all kinds of things, and some do not. All give you a fun vibe, which is what I am aiming to capture.

Seeing Summer Through A Different Lens

Sometimes, summer is the perfect time to try out new things. In September, I will be taking a Lensbaby class. Lensbaby is a system that allows creativity and different perspectives. I have a Lensbaby Composer Pro, as well as the Sweet 35 add on.

My first experimental images are with the flowers that adorn our garden in the summer.

Snapdragons that grow up in our paver cracks against the house.

Lilies native to Pennsylvania.

The Sweet 35 gives you a "sweet spot" of focus, and blurs the surrounding area in various degrees. There is great potential for very artistic renderings, and I hope to get there with enough knowledge, so that Lensbaby becomes part of my high school senior and pet photo tool kit.

Stopping Roadside

Sometimes you just have to jump out of your car and grab a photo. In this case, while driving my granddaughter to camp each day, I would pass this church and its connected, old cemetery. I finally had to get out of my car and inspect everything. Most of the stones dated back to the 1800s, but looked as good as if they were placed recently.

St. Frances X. Cabrini Church, Wyoming

Always make sure you are not abandoning your vehicle in the middle of the road. Find safe parking, even if you have to walk a bit. Don't trespass. Ask permission when necessary, and if not a public location. Most people are friendly and willing to let you take some photographs.

Have Fun

The key here is to have fun. Try to focus on your main subject(s), and don't get too much other stuff in the photo. Shoot away from and not toward the sun in the middle of the day.

It's always great at the end of the day to upload your photos and find some gems. Enjoy!

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Still Life

7/11/2025

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In May of this year, I took a class in Still Life photography.

It was definitely intriguing and I plan on practicing it more when the weather grows cold in Pennsylvania and we are confined to our houses.

What Is Still Life Photography

Still Life photography focuses on inanimate objects arranged by the photographer in a deliberate way. Often objects found around the house, or in nature, are used. The photographer is trying to create a visually interesting composition.

Unlike other forms of photography, in Still Life, the photographer has complete control over the scene which includes: set up/arrangement, lighting, texture, and objects used.

The images above were done collecting items from nature and from my studio.

Inspiration

One of my favorite artists is Kim Klassen, a Canadian creator that I began following early on in my photography career. Her simple, light and refreshing artistry is appealing to my minimalistic side. Kim does offer on line classes if you are interested in pursuing this genre more.

Great Start for Kids

After my class in May, my granddaughter visited and I decided to give her a go at creating her own still life imagery. I explained she needed to collect whatever she wanted in her still life, arrange it however she wished, and I would provide the flat and background set up materials, photograph her still life, and edit it.

She was very interested in this work, and I plan on taking this a step farther when she is here for her summer camp visit. Here is what she created. I made her a little logo.

I think she did a great job!

We both like adding a little bit of nature to our creations, as we are surrounded by it here on the farm.

For a look at the beautiful still life work by Betsy Wilson (the instructor of my class), CLICK HERE. You won't be disappointed.

This is probably not the last of my still life work you will see. When things slow down, we photographers keep right on doing what we love best...taking pictures.

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When AI Works Wonders

6/27/2025

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Since half way through the year in 2024, I have been dabbling in using artificial intelligence (AI) in some of my art and photography work.

I know this is a scary topic for some, but I have found that AI can do the job when we feel we can't meet all the requirements of doing the job with just the tools we have on hand.

I am also not talking about ChatGPT.

I am talking about an artistic platform subscription that allows the user a certain amount of credits to be used each month in the pursuit of better achieving photographic goals.

Let me share a case in point.

Equine Loss

It is difficult to lose any of our pets, but the special bond you build with a horse is something unmatched in the animal world.

Recently, a friend and past client, experienced this loss first hand.

Over the years, I had taken photographs of her horse for holiday cards and wall art.

She came to me and asked if I might be able to take one of the past photographs and place her horse in a very specific location (in front of a barn, with a fence).

It was around this time that I had taken some Zoom courses, with instructions how to use a specific platform to help achieve goals such as this one.

So, I set about "training" the program in my account to be able to utilize this particular horse in any prompt I might construct to develop a pleasing piece of artwork. I then gave the client a few digital samples to look at.

Here is the one she ultimately chose, which we ordered as a 12 x 12 metal print. It came out beautifully!

It's An Investment

How hard is it to learn this process?

Well, let me say this. It's a matter of how much time you want to invest. A small amount of time, and, sure--you can generate something. However, in order to get the results you want, upscale images to print quality and train subjects, it requires not only an investment in the learning process, but also a time and monetary investment.

Then, when you think you've got it all down, the AI platform rearranges things, adds new things/concepts and you are back to investing time again to be able to navigate the platform easily once more.

The good news is, I see this medium as a way to obtain a beautiful, wall art photograph of a pet that may have passed on, especially when all you have is cell phone photos. I used cell photos to train this photograph for a client who said she never had a piece of wall art of her very best friend, and always wanted to honor him.

And AI got every single one of his features and markings perfectly.

I have added this service to my menu of photographic services, and I would be happy to help you get a beautiful piece of art work for a pet you may have lost, or help you honor a pet that is now a part of your life.

Artificial intelligence can be a blessing.

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Birds and Wildlife: An Approach to Photographs

6/20/2025

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Hummingbird on tree branch.

Last week I wrote about down time.

It's no secret that in my down time, I like to photograph the wildlife we live with here on the farm. There's plenty of it, especially deer and birds.

Over the course of time I have developed some better ways to get up close and personal for photos. I'll share those with you below, but first let's talk realistically about what you might need in the way of equipment if you decide you'd like to get into this type of photography.

Resting Luna Moth

Equipment

Can you capture a photo of a bird or other types of wildlife with a cell phone?

Sure you can. Will it be a good photo? Well, I don't know that I can answer that unless I know exactly what type of cell phone you have, and what you are photographing.

You probably have a better chance at a respectable photo if you are an iPhone user. But even with the zoom available, unless the thing you are photographing is larger and standing still, you may not get the quality of photo you want. Larger sea birds, butterflies on flowers, deer that you can get relatively close to, might give you options for cell phone photography.

I am an android user, so there is no hope. (Ok, I am kidding.) I do understand that Samsung Galaxy S23 and above are infinitely better than my S20.

If you are serious about this type of photography, you will need an entry level camera with a zoom lens. My suggestion is buy used. There is a lot of research out there on good cameras for wildlife and bird photography. If you are on a tight budget, I would highly recommend checking out Panasonic point-and-shoot cameras, especially those with zoom capabilities to at least 300mm (some will zoom to 360 and even 400mm).

Get to Know Your Subject

If you are in a hurry, this is not the hobby for you. There is nothing hurried about photographing wildlife. In fact, it can be ho-hum, twiddle your thumbs at times. Except maybe with squirrels.

Squirrel in Hemlock tree.

I usually spend a good portion of my time getting things used to my being around. I sit for long periods with my camera under a canopy of trees, or on a log or stump near the edge of the woods. Just sit. With animals that pass, I do nothing. Just sit. I don't feed them or talk to them. I just SIT. Animals do get used to seeing me there, and then that becomes a location I can use to photograph.

Why do I take my camera if I'm just sitting? Because I want them to see it. It's a piece of equipment not in their world. They need to get used to me as a "package," camera and all.

For birds, I use a stepladder. I place it within my 300mm proximity and sit on the top. No one should ever see a video of me climbing it with my camera. Then once again...you guessed it...I sit.

Curious deer at the edge of the woods.

She eventually came very close, well within my 300mm range.

Nature Photography

True nature photography does not permit any manmade objects in the photos. No fences, no buildings, no bird feeders, no benches, well you get the drift.

Any photo I might want to place into competition, I have to make sure is free of any manmade elements. With that in mind, I have set up my bird feeders so that there are branches birds can light on in between feeding, and I focus most of my photography there.

But, I do still like to capture birds at the feeders, just because. My feeder birds are very used to me being there. Here are some photos of birds on the feeders, on our fence, and in the tree branches above.

All of the above were taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-200mm lens. But, remember, I have already established my space with these birds and they are used to me. You need a much longer zoom for skittish wildlife. From left to right, top row: purple finch, chipping sparrow, grosbeak; bottom row: blue jay, insistent chipping sparrow (where's the food?), cardinal.

I do not use a tripod, but I position myself so I can rest my hands on my knees to combat camera shake.

My most recent escapades had me sitting on a step ladder focused on our cherry tree with a 70-300mm lens to capture some photos of birds that WERE skittish and not used to me. I had to sit for long periods to get the photos below of a cedar wax wing and a scarlet tanager. Both species LOVE fruit, and they are only visible to us during the late spring and early summer when our cherries are available. We are happy to share this tree with the birds.

Cedar Wax Wing

Scarlet Tanager

The thing about sitting is, it's soothing. You get to watch so much more happen around you while sitting.

ReCap: Some Pointers

Have the right equipment for what you want to photograph.
Spend some time watching the habits of your subjects and sitting in the places where they will appear.
Place your bird feeders in an area where there are available/visible (not hidden by tree) branches for birds to light on while feeding.
Use a tripod, or position your body in such a way to keep your hands steady.
Take a few test shots of the area where you think your subjects will appear, so you can get the correct settings prior to their appearance. Watch for changes in the light around you, and adjust accordingly.
Try not to photograph in bright sunlight. You will lose much of the detail of your subject, or your subject will have unsightly shadows and shadowing.
Have fun!

There are many more things for me to capture as the summer progresses here. I am looking forward to SITTING and grabbing some great wildlife photos.

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Time For Yourself

6/13/2025

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We hear it all the time.

Take a break, take a rest, take some time for yourself.

Half the time we don't heed that call. Just keep pushing along at the same speed, putting things on the back burner, saying "I'll get to that tomorrow."

Then BAM, we are hit by something that makes us consider time and all it holds, and we wonder why we haven't listened to all those well-meaning chants related to making time for yourself.

It's been a while since I have blogged. September of 2024. And here's why.

WORK

Events, high school seniors, and family portraits kept me busy from September through November, followed immediately by the holidays and all that they entail (usually card design for clients is in the mix).

Once the final touches and orders are completed, it's usually sit back, relax and enjoy the holidays.

LOSS

But in November of 2024, we lost a girl very special to me. At the age of 15, our Billie girl passed to spirit at the end of that month, and it became a downward spiral into pet loss grief.

Those of you in the know, well...there's no need to explain. But for those who have never experienced the loss of a truly loved and cherished pet, it can be debilitating.

And it was.

Billie had liver disease, and through research, our vets, and supplements, and many follow up/monitoring visits, we were able to add 1.5 years to her life after her initial diagnosis.

It's still very hard for me to talk about it.

ILLNESS

The day after Christmas, and until January 19th, both my husband and I battled a norovirus. Much of that time was spent in bed or on a couch somewhere, basically not eating anything, just drinking, and eventually adding applesauce, jello, and ginger snap cookies to the menu. I lost 12 pounds, my husband lost 15 pounds. Not a diet I would recommend to anyone.

This put our holidays on hold and we finally celebrated Christmas with our grandkids after January 19th. I didn't get to celebrate Christmas with my brother and his family, until after Easter, as he does not live near us. Needless to say, we have no photos of that experience.

TIME TO DO WHAT WE LOVE

After all of the above, I finally got back to some of the things I look forward to in my photography life, and in life in general. Walking, hiking, mother nature, and now that the weather has cooperated, gardening.

Print competition season is something I usually don't pass up, and true to form I entered images in various competitions. Here's how they faired.

Northeastern PA Professional Photographers Association: March 2025 - 4 Blue Ribbon Prints; May 2025 - 2 Blue Ribbon Prints, 1 Court of Honor Print, 1 Director's Award for Highest Scoring Print

Professional Photographer's Association of Pennsylvania: Fall 2024 Capture Print Comp - 1 Blue Ribbon Print, 1 Judge's Choice Award; Spring 2025 Inspire Print Comp - 2 Blue Ribbon Prints

American Society of Photographer's 2024: Entered 2 images and both sealed, which means they will go on to 2025 competition and receive points.

In May, I joined a group of photography friends at Steamtown National Historic Site as part of our May conference and I thoroughly enjoyed getting back to photographing things I love. I will be doing a blog on this visit, because there are so many great images to share from it.

Also look for an upcoming blog on how to take better bird pictures.

Because, as part of the "take time for yourself" routine, I am spending more time watching our bird friends, learning their habits and capturing them in photos.

Please look out for your health, relaxation and take some time to do the things you love. Our mental and physical health is important for lengthening the time we have on this earth. I have downloaded a Walk Fit app, which is not free, but keeps me on the ball in terms of my daily exercise routine, and I highly recommend looking into an app which you feel comfortable in using to help you keep motivated toward a stronger body and mind.

There's lots coming up in my blog world: instructions, how tos, things to learn and practice, so STAY TUNED. And if you would all do me a very large favor and COMMENT on the blog itself and not just the Facebook page, it will be extremely helpful to my life in the SEO world of blogging. There is no longer a blog "circle," so commenting is important on the blog.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

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Pet Loss

9/30/2024

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September is Pet Memorial month.

So on the last day of the month, I finally decided to write about it. Because it's not such an easy thing to write about.

It's kind of like the thing we least want to bring up in conversation. Whether we've gotten not so good news from our pet vet, or our animals are just aged, or an abrupt loss manifests itself, often we aren't ready to think and plan ahead, and like, say, our dogs, we live instead one day at a time.

Memorials

If you just do a google search on pet memorials, hundreds of different ways appear to remember your lost pet. From jewelry to stones to stained glass hanging pictures, there are many items that could help in the grief process.

Everyone is different. Everyone handles grief differently. Whatever item works to comfort you, you will know immediately when you see it.

In our house we construct pet memorial areas that usually consist of a framed photograph, a paw print, and some items associated with each pet. Below is an area created for our dogs, Danny and Piper, later joined by a memorial for our cat, Harry.

Memorials can include photos, collars, paw prints, etc.

On specific days, such as loss date, birthday, gotcha day, we burn a candle for the pet that was lost.

Candle memorial on memory days.

Memory Sessions

I am always thankful to the clients who think way ahead in the process, and seek to grab professional photos of their pets for memory purposes. As the saying goes: "You can NEVER have enough photos."

That is never more true than when you can't see, touch, hear, or interact with a lost pet. A good, framed portrait could act as the centerpiece for any loving memorial you construct.

While cell phone photos dominate our lives, that is a fragile environment. There is no guarantee that the cloud will be able to be accessed appropriately if you drop your cell phone and the screen goes forever dark. Trust me. I lived through it.

Being Proactive

Sometimes being proactive is hard. Personally, I am a procrastinator. Proactivity was a foreign world for me, until I became a photographer back in 2014. I suddenly realized exactly how important the printed image can be, and when I inherited all of the family historical photos after my Mom passed on, I realized the longevity and history of printed images brought the past full center, and all the feelings to go with them.

So, I encourage you, wherever you may be, to find a photographer who can help you get the memorialized images you need of your best friends and companions--your pets.

Below are a few lovely souls whose parents brought them to me to capture on brighter days, and who have now gone onward to wait for their masters to join them.

Memorial sessions are scheduled at your convenience, based on whatever timeframe you need to make it happen. My wish is that everyone who owns a pet, has a lasting image of them to carry forward.

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Where's Waldo?

8/15/2024

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Yes, it's true.

I have not written a blog since May.

Here's what happened.

Competition Season

Print competition season actually starts in March. Since obtaining my Master of Photography degree at the national level and my Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania (PPAofPA) degree at the state level (and working tirelessly to get there with image after image), I no longer feel the urgent need to submit images into competition. However, I do like to support the professional associations that I am a member of, and went ahead and submitted a few images to PPAofPA's spring competition and Northeastern Pennsylvania Professional Photographers Association in May.

Our Silkie rooster Scruffy. This image is titled "Morning Song."

That went pretty well, as I received two merit/blue ribbon images and a President's Choice Award in the PPAofPA competition, and two merit/blue ribbon images and Best of Show awards in the NPPPA competition (different images submitted to each venue).

I have only been submitting two images per competition, where I used to submit four, but again, I am trying to be supportive without spending an inordinate amount of time on competition images. I am unsure if I will keep competing in digital image competition in the future. At this point I prefer helping others to achieve their goals and using some of the knowledge I have gained through my time with Professional Photographers of America to mentor photographers who are looking to climb the ladder of competition.

I did act as a juror for NPPPA's photo competition in May, not an easy job for sure.

Time Off

Every photographer will tell you that time off is an important commodity. I decided to take some time off to enjoy the summer a little more and do some "hobby" photography things that I used to love doing, but no longer had time for.

Spring Goldfinch arrival.

Bees loving the Allium.

I've also been keeping up with family happenings and covering those when my schedule allows, as well as trying out some camera equipment and new ways to photograph life in general.

Talley, photographed with an EOS Rebel T6 that I picked up for "a song" to have as a travel camera.

My nephew, who graduated from 8th grade in June.

Photographers don't tend to put their cameras down, even when they take time off. We just do some things we have put on the back burner for a while, that is purely for our own enjoyment.

Two of our grandkids just left last weekend, after staying with us for a week and attending a local day camp. I have loads of cell phone photos to represent their stay and our activities.

Talley (our Therapy dog) and I have also been maintaining our schedule of visits over the summer. I have been doing some cell phone documentation of her relationships with individuals at our regular visitation spots.

Client Scheduling

I have been taking on some clients during my break, but honestly, I have been picky. I did some Loving Memory sessions for those who receive not-so-welcomed news from their vets that their beloved pet may not have a long time left in this realm.

We lost two of our own most beloved pets in June, within 7 days of each other, both at the age of 15. I was glad that time off was my agenda, because the grief from these losses was overwhelming. During the time just after our second loss, I listened to this article on NPR. It was helpful in making me realize that the things we experience in this loss, are shared by many others who also experience loss.

Harry (left) and our deaf border collie, Piper (right) both left us in June.

I also did some family sessions for past clients, whose families visited or were brought together for celebrations over the start of the year.

Now, I am about to move into High School Senior scheduling and sessions, usually a whirlwind between September and the end of October.

Moving back into a regularly scheduled program of photography and blogging is on the horizon as we near the Fall. I will be covering some events in the near future, and I look forward to the hustle and bustle of everything photography has to offer.

Stay tuned to my Facebook page for future updates. I hope to blog at least once a month, maybe more, if time permits. In the meantime, enjoy every last minute summer has to offer!

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Old Dogs

5/15/2024

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It's been a bit.

Life, work, trainings, educational opportunities, print competitions...all have been on my schedule for the last month or so.

In March, I garnered the first ever President's Choice Award for my image "Golden Girl" during the Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania's Inspire Conference. While I mentioned this in an early March blog, I neglected to post the print photo. Here it is.

Golden Doodle Echo loves the attention.

More training is coming up this month, and I have been preparing some additional prints for competition, as well as holding some Mom's Day sessions in early May.

But that's not what this blog is about.

Time has been running like a scared jack rabbit. One day it's January 1st, then suddenly we are into May. It's been running that way for our dogs, too. It got me to thinking about how quickly our lives with dogs can pass us by.

Doggy Lifespans

As the above image by Canine Journal shows us, we really don't have a multitude of years with our doggy friends. Based on size and breed, as well as health considerations for different breeds of dogs, "fleeting" is an apt word to describe life with a dog.

We have been lucky. We had our dog Bethy with us for 17 years, and our dog Moe with us for 16 years (both medium-size dogs with a mix of English Setter and something else). We also have been unlucky, losing our Golden Retriever, Ollie, at age 8 to hemangiosarcoma and our Australian Shepherd, Phillie, at age 5 to heart disease.

It's a crap shoot.

Some Things That Help Longevity

I've found that there are some things that can help in our quest to give our dogs the longest lives possible. They include, but aren't limited to the following.

Good Nutrition
Heartworm Prevention
Regular/Yearly Vet Check Ups (vaccinations when due)
Appropriate Exercise
Interesting Life Experiences

Winston: Adopted age 10. Left us age 14.

There, of course, are individual dog considerations. When Winston (above) came to live with us, his mobility issues needed addressing. We put him on a course of hip and joint supplements that gave him a much fuller life. After a year, he was romping around our fenced yard with the rest of our crew.

We don't shy away from adopting older dogs. Geriatric pets are quiet and loving, and only need a caring hand in their lives, for however long that might be.

Here's another more colorful photo of Winston. One of the most handsome dogs we ever owned.

Hard to Say Goodbye at Any Age

While losing a dog is one of the hardest things we go through as pet owners, giving a dog a good/full life for the amount of time they have on this earth, provides comfort in the loss.

Right now, we are watching our deaf Border Collie, Piper (of kitty-manager fame), grapple with the sudden recognition by his body that he is 15 years old. May is the month that exactly 15 years ago we brought Piper home with us from Glen Highland Border Collie Rescue at the age of 6 months.

My husband holding Bethy, Moe, and Burton, and me cuddling Piper on the day we took them to meet him at Glen Highland.

Piper has always been a very shy and submissive Border Collie. He has, however, enjoyed living with all of our dogs, both past and present, and is especially fond of our kitties.

Luckily, our cats love Piper and seem to know he is a gentle spirit that watches over them. We often find them sharing a spot with him on his dog bed, sometimes cuddled into his bushy tail.

Whatever happens in the next few months with Piper, we have comfort in knowing we have given him a good life, with a job, plenty of treats, loads of love and furry friends.

Old dogs. They can break your heart. But it's so worth it.

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Photo Restoration

4/7/2024

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Several years ago (2.5), I set some goals to maintain focus on my work, my photography education, and increasing my scope of client services.

Receiving both my Master of Photography degree from Professional Photographers of America, and my Photographic Degree from the Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania, I feel happy to have met the goals I set, but also relieved. It's time to take a breather.

You learn a lot from print competitions, but you also have to devote a lot of time to it.

New Goals?

I think there will always be benchmarks to strive for, but I don't want them to encompass the total of what I do as a photographer.

So now I have started to take what I have learned in one area and begun to apply it to other areas. Things I have always had an interest in and a desire to pursue, but didn't quite have the time I could give up and devote to them.

I guess you could say one of my new goals is to "explore new things."

Restoration Work

A friend recently asked me if I could take a photo that meant quite a bit to her and her brother, and do something with it. I honestly did not have the answer, but I didn't say no. Instead I said, "Let me see what I can do."

This photo was a snapshot that had been taken over 50 years ago and had not been protected from discoloring.

Original snapshot print.

Along the way I have taken some classes in photo restoration. I learned early that the quality of the original photo dictates how good the restoration can be.

In this case, the discoloration, grain, and blur in the photo would definitely pose some problems.

Three and one half hours later, I was able to bring the photo to this state.

Restored print.

My friend was extremely happy with the rendering, and I had it printed for her and her brother. The printing was far better than I expected, due to the grain in the original (and now restored) photo. It's a wonderful memory, and I am happy that I was able to bring it back to life.

The Steps

Restorations work takes plenty of patience and time.

Often presented with an old printed photograph, the first step is taking a photo of the photo. I don't have a scanner, but some scan the photo into their workspace.
Next, the resolution of the photo needs to be built in a way that doesn't destroy the image or add to the grain. I found that this particular image could only be brought to 200 ppi (pixels per inch).
I removed all color from the image by converting it to black and white.
I then painted the image, in what I thought would be the appropriate colors for the day (period of photo).
I then used Topaz Studio to bring up the sharpness of the image and further build the resolution without adding grain.

The result is what you see, each step taking approximately 30-45 minutes, except for the painting, which took over an hour.

A Piece of History

I was asked to restore a photo of an old train station for a display erected by the Luzerne County Historical Society. It's an interesting story. I thought you might want to read it.

newspaper article county historical display

And here is the display.

Mr. Hobo Hat pop up display Luzerne County

The photo in the article of the Delaware and Hudson Freight Station is the one I restored. It is also standing up (printed version) in the display above.

This time, the restoration was a bit more complicated, due to the fact the only photo of the station was taken from a historical record online, so the resolution (ppi) was at the very low end of the scale.

However, using the steps I had learned in classes, I slowly upped the resolution (only able to achieve 140 ppi in order to keep the integrity of the original photo), removed the distractions and cleaned up the photo, brightening it a bit so that the name of the station could be read.

The photo in the display case was printed at 6x4, and was mounted on board for added strength.

Restoration Work = Very Satisfying

It's a really satisfying thing to know that you were able to give back something from the past, both in the case of my friend's photo and in terms of the D&H Freight Station link to a great story like Mr. Hobo Hat.

I am thrilled to have some time now to invest in doing the things I enjoy more as a hobby, exploring new roads in photography, and helping others to keep their memories intact, while still specializing in pet, high school senior, family, and headshot photography.

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