If animals were made out of fabric, would it be easier to capture the nuances of their coats?

I mean there would be a lot less nooks and crannies, right?

How many textures do you see in the photo above?  What jumps out to you?

There are many considerations when photographing dogs and cats of different coat textures and colors.  Lighting is always a key element.  How do certain types of light reflect on and off the coat of an individual dog or cat?

The fellow above was easy to photograph.  He never moved.  But let's look at two examples of very different-coated dogs below that used essentially the same background and lighting (except for minor adjustments).  Can a single set up work for a number of different-coated dogs? 

In the image above, the coat is wispy and swirly, but relatively short.  Because this jaunty fellow has both dark and light in his coat, I wanted to light him in a way that would show both his coat texture and coloring, without being too bright or too dark.  I am always looking to see the texture of the coat come through in the shot.  I then try not to get too carried away in post-processing and OVER texturizing, by bringing up the coat too much.

In the case of this very multi-colored pup below, I did switch the lighting and brightened her up.  She was a mover, and decided that looking into the camera was not on her dance card.  I also gave her some space, leaving a good distance between myself and the platform so she would not become too nervous.  We were able to get this one still moment, and I think her coat textures and colors came through.

I did brush on a little more texture to the background in post processing.

In the end, showcasing coat texture is a very individual thing.  Not only to each dog, but to each photographer.  How much or how little is up to the photographer's choice, and ultimately, up to the owner in the final photo selection.

This week's theme is "texture."  To see more interpretations of the theme, start with Lynda Mowat from Heartstrings Photography, serving the Waikato and beyond, in New Zealand.  Then work your way around the blog circle by finding the link at the bottom of each blog.  I hope you have all the textures you like as part of your weekend!  Enjoy!

I have taken a little bit of time off blog writing, as battling a cold, which morphed into a sinus infection, which morphed into a bronchial infection, has kept me watching old television shows and movies, sitting in a chair, drinking tea.  I think that battle has almost been won, but this week's theme had me looking back through some images, as I am still not venturing out too much in our very cold weather.

Finding possible locations in urban settings, where there is both safety and a usable background that isn't too busy (and will distract the eye), is part of what I do on a regular basis.

Although even our largest, closest city isn't really all that large, there are some good locations in the smaller towns that are just outside of my rural residence.

This daylight image was taken outside an older bank building in one of these smaller towns.  I call it "waiting for the bus," as the bus does stop very near to where this photo was taken.  This is our dog, Billie, and her Dad.  As you can see by the weather, and the reflected window flowers, it isn't winter.  This is a photo I did not edit or use from a past photo session, until this blog.  I was happy to find it, because Billie's expression does look like she is waiting.

It is a safe spot, and although there is traffic through the main thoroughfare, it's not so much that you can't stand in the middle of the street now and then to take a photograph.

I decided to also use a night photo in a larger city setting for today's blog.

Even with a lot going on in the background, at night, with less people and more lights, what might have been an unusable site during the day becomes much more usable.  A 70-200mm lens can also provide good background blur.  Off camera flash and a street light gives adequate lighting .  There are people in this photo, but you can't really see them, as they blend well into the background camera right.

I am scouting all the time for urban locations, and I have a great list, not only for pet photos, but for senior portraits.  Here's just some of the things I look for in a good urban site.

I am looking forward to a good snowfall for some winter photography work, and the ability to go outside and not cough. Hopefully both those things will happen in the next month, when our winter begins in earnest in Pennsylvania.

The theme this week is "urban."  To see what other photographers in the circle have done with it, start here with Pawparazzi Pet and Animal Photography presented by Shae Pepper Photography.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

On Wednesday we woke up to 2.5 inches of frozen, crusty snow, and a gale wind that whipped both trees and snow around like a carnival ride. 

We had had no internet overnight and into the morning, so when it came back on I decided I might get this blog done, just in case future wind and climate issues took the connection away again.

We could call this story "Party on the Patio."

We have a local hotel that often has "party on the patio" themed nights, but this party is WAAAAY different.  Instead of offering a cash bar, we offer a seed bar that tends to attract locals.

When the weather is too cold for words, putting seed in protected places  often makes it easier for guests to stay out of the wind while enjoying their selections.

Word gets out fast.

Pretty soon there are lines forming.

Humans are not invited to this shindig.  We are mere servers who just need to keep the supplies refilled when necessary.

Juncos, titmice, chickadees, phoebes, downy woodpeckers, jays and squirrels are the typical customers

Bar peanuts are always a favorite.

Some dine alone and some dine in small groups.

Make no mistake, there are some swingers in the crowd.

And every once in a while, some cat who made the mistake of thinking it was Spring again and ran out of the house, even though we gave him our best advice on NOT doing that, crashes the party and decides he wants back in immediately.

Whether you tell your story with a series of photos (as done here with one theme), or one single photo, I hope you have a storied weekend, and that you will head to the blog circle to see more interpretations of this week's theme.  Start with Jackie Petersen Pet Photography, serving pet lovers in Northern Utah.  Jackie is a new blogger with the group, so welcome!

Side note:  This blog is dedicated to my Mom, Celia Mueller, who passed away on Thursday, January 9th.  She constantly encouraged her children to be who they wanted to be and do what they loved.  Thanks Mom.

I heard a conversation at the grocery store the other day.  A woman was asking the clerk if he said twenty twenty or two thousand twenty.  He replied that he hadn't really thought about it, but he would probably stick with twenty twenty.

I have caught myself using both.  How about you?  What will you use?

Regardless of how you decide to approach the number of the year, there are a few things I have decided to do with my year, seeing as how it is in fact a new one...a clean slate.

I have decided to get up and greet each day with thankfulness and purpose.

Even if the road is rocky.

Even if the sun isn't shining.

I have decided to celebrate more.

And worry less.

And make sure there are always balloons full of wishes, even if some of them don't hold up, pop, or their colors fade away.

I have decided to rest when needed.

Because life isn't all about work.

Because clear minds come from peace and quiet.

And I have decided to let the squirrels eat the birdseed.

Because every single day for them is a clean slate, and they forget where they put yesterday's stash when they last robbed the feeders.

Keep your fingers crossed that I can follow this plan.  I will let you know how it goes.

If you haven't already guessed, this week's blog theme is "clean slate."  To read more interpretations of the theme, click on the following link for Jo Lyons Photography, the down-to-earth dog loving photographer for cherished dogs of the Great Lakes NSW, then look for the link at the end of each blog post to get to the next one in the circle.  We have quite a number of photographers posting today, some for the first time!  Welcome to all new photogs! 

Enjoy your weekend.  Hopefully something good is on your slate!