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!