Retro photo technique - Rachel & Sister (Click to enlarge)

Oh yes, you’ve seen one of our favorite visitors, Sister, several times before (just type her name in the handy-dandy search feature on the upper right), but you’ve never seen her with her mom.  Aren’t they just stunning!

When trying to give a photo that retro or vintage feel, there is a range of digital techniques you can use which will accomplish this.  If you are processing your black and white photography in a darkroom, you will be seeking a sepia tone to your image.  This will be accomplished by giving it a warmer tone and converting from a metallic silver to a sulphide compound.  Not doing that?  Most of us are using digital cameras now and our post processing techniques are accomplished in a computer program.

If you use a processing program other than Photoshop, you probably have a button you can select that will single-filter the photo with a sepia tone.  I’ve used Photoshop to adjust the tone by converting to black and white, then using the Photo Filter adjustment to lay a sepia tone on it as I’ve done in How To Convert Your Color Image To Black & White or Sepia.

There’s another way to play with tones in Photoshop.  Find Image/Adjustments/Black & White.  There’s so much you can do with tinting using Hue and Saturation.  Sliding the Hue slider to the left about 16° or so with not too much saturation, about 12%, will result in an image like Rachel and Sister.  This gives the portrait an ageless and vintage feel that I quite like.  Try it.

Christmas Family With Rainbow & Bella The Yellow Labs (Click to enlarge)

No, nothing has happened to these two wonderful Labs, Rainbow and Bella.  They are fine.  They were hearty, rambunctious, inquisitive and playful when we last saw them.  That’s the job description of Labrador Retrievers.  It’s also what gets many of them in a lot of trouble.

I post these girls today because I’ve just received word that a friend of ours is waiting to find out if her two beloved Labs will live after eating part of a Sago Palm.  She asked me to post something to warn others of this deadly plant.  The ingestion of very minute amounts of this plant can cause irreparable damage.

Recently I had a conversation with someone concerning the danger of dogs having access to chocolate.  She said she gives her dog chocolate because he likes it.  I said she is lucky because it’s poison to some dogs.  I’m afraid many might think the same of a Sago Palm.  Unlike chocolate, however, Sagos can kill ANY dog, any cat and any horse.  My friend’s two Labs are both in a coma as we speak.

Don’t believe me?  Check out HappyDogsPlay.com’s post on March 20th last year.  Sisters Pet Pics has a Toxicity page with three great sites listing all dangerous and poisonous plants to animals.  Top on the list?  SAGO PALMS!  Still not convinced?  Go to Snopes.com’s entry about Sago Palms.  They researched it and deemed this warning TRUE (!).

Some people might have a potted Sago in their home.  If you live with cats PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of the Sago.  It’s deadly.

I hope my readers heed this warning.  If you have a plant and nothing has happened yet (as occurred with my friend’s Labs) you have a ticking time bomb in your yard.  It’s only a matter of time until a seed is next to some other tasty morsel and it’s ingested by your beloved pet.  Don’t let this happen to you dear reader.

Dixie & Darlin' Christmas Yorkies (Click to enlarge)

I know you know these two.  Heck, I just posted them in their LSU outfits last week.  They’re all over this blog — just search for Dixie or Darlin’ in the search feature on the upper right to see them.  The reason I’m posting them again in different outfits is to illustrate a point.

When you looked at the holiday photo a few days ago with the three Shih Tzus you had to smile, didn’t you?  Come on, you just had to.  They’re all about intensity and Sebastian (the one on the left) has his lip all funny…and it just makes you smile.  These two as well.  With their little red top knots, but with just enough sincerity to spread joy.

In my mind a holiday greeting is supposed to spread good will and cheer as well as keeping friends and family updated.  This is Sisters Pet Pics’ fifth winter holiday season.  When people come in to our studio to have their portraits taken for cards, I can’t help but think how many smiles they must spread with their human and animal family photographs.  I just know the people receiving the card with Dixie and Darlin’ on it will smile broadly and will feel the warmth of cheer sent by Dixie & Darlin’s mom and dad.  I just love my job .

Allie The Clown Shih Tzu

You’ve already seen a happier Allie in How A Costume Can Add Quality To Your Dog’s Life.  She really wasn’t as downtrodden as she appears here, but this image serves to remind everyone that Halloween may not be the fun for dogs that it is for children and some adults.

Things dogs don’t usually like:  breaking balloons and other loud noises associated with partying – and sometimes impaired – adults, costumes that hurt and children who are not respectful of their needs and limitations.  One thing dogs – and other animals – may like, but is extremely dangerous for them to ingest is candy, particularly chocolate.  Though some dogs have a higher tolerance for the stuff, please be mindful that it is listed as a poison for dogs and should not be offered to them.

Allie didn’t wear this costume other than to get her picture taken for a few minutes.  But be aware that some costumes are uncomfortable for dogs to wear for longer periods.

Halloween can be fun for all, but as always, be aware of your companions’ needs and limitations.  Have safe fun.

Two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (Click to enlarge)

I began this blog in April of this year.  When deciding what photo to post since then, I tried not to show an overabundance of pets in costumes…in deference to my readers from other parts of the country/world.  But we’re in it now, folks!  From here through Mardi Gras it’s about the costume.  You may think that’s funny, but what’s even funnier is that this image was captured in JULY of 2008!  Uh huh.  July.  No reason at all to dress up, yet there they were playing the part.  That’s how we roll.

I speak often about directing the shot either in your imagination or your clients’.  I am inspired by the coats and colors of the animals and whatever their human companion has brought for them to wear or be posed with.  The only rule in my studio is that no one is allowed to be hurt or be put in danger.  After that, sky’s the limit.

So get ready to to see what my clients and I have come up with over these past 4 years.  Some will make you smile, and I suspect some will inspire you .

Dixie & Darlin' With Tiger The LSU Mascot (Click to enlarge)

You’ve already met these two sweeties when they were babies, You Don’t Have To Be A Professional Photographer To Get Great Shots.  Yeah, I know, they make me look good.  They’re all grown up now and these two cuties go everywhere with their mom and dad…yes, they go to the games too.  They travel in the family’s RV and party with the rest of the tail-gaters.  They just enjoy hanging with their pack.  As their mom told me a few days ago when this shot was taken, they don’t know they’re not supposed to wear clothes.

They’re always comfortable, so who cares that someone is always snapping shots of them.  The secret to memorable shots is the composition.  No props?  It’s still about the composition.  But the easy way to these cute shots is to theme it up.  It doesn’t matter who captured this image.  Someone is sure to say, “Ahhh, how cute”.

Weezy, Emma & Frisco Believe (Click to enlarge)

For those of you who are raising children and think you need to leave whimsy behind, take a look at this year’s Halloween composition from our very creative clients.  Every year they bring 12 year old Frisco (Peter Pan), 8 year old Weezy and 3 year old Emma into the studio to make their fantasy-themed Christmas card.  This is 2009’s version.  Take a look at 2008’s 1950 All Over Again.

It’s starts with the planning of fun.  Emma wanted to argue with Weezy about who was going to be Tinkerbell, but as soon as she saw Wendy’s costume, she let Weezy win the wings.  Frisco just thought it was another good place to rest awhile.  But Emma…she’s in her glory.  She believes.

Photography is a medium through which we express ourselves.  Perhaps you are the subject.  You can express whatever you wish just as any actor in front of a camera.  If you are behind the camera, you direct.  Either you direct your own vision or someone else’s, but you express yourself too.

These shoots are the most fun.  The collaboration makes everyone’s vision unfold.  So when someone else has a vision they would like you to capture, jump in, participate, enjoy…believe.

Sage The Golden Retriever (Click to enlarge)

Hello to Sage, the noble Retriever owned and loved by the people who provided the space for Sisters Pet Pics to work for 4 years.  We were customers of Good Dog Naturally when, one day in October in 2005, right after returning from our evacuation from Katrina, we stopped in to the store for dog food and were invited to take their holiday Santa photos.

Santa segued to Mardi Paws, then the Easter Bunny, and soon we were busy between holidays.  Suddenly our 30 year hobby turned into a full time endeavor.  We are grateful, and we have grown. Our growth inspired us to find a location where we could spread out and grow more.  We did.

Tomorrow, with the blessing of Good Dog Naturally, we will be having our Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash.  We are scared.  We are ecstatic.  We are nervous.  We are joyous.  But we are moved into our spacious studio and want to celebrate.  We’ve prepared a party for you, our readers, our customers, our friends.  I realize many of you are scattered all over the country…some in other countries.  We hope you wish us well and will be there in spirit, for my studio is my library from which I learn from every visit.  Then I share, and I hope you reap some benefit.

So to all who can make it to Covington, LA, just past Mandeville on HWY 190, please join us for music, food, drinks, prizes and fun between 2 – 5PM.  The Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash.  See Sisters Pet Pics for directions.  We hope to see you there.

Peanut The Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie) (Click to enlarge)

You think I’m jumping the gun?  I don’t think so.  I went into a home improvement store yesterday and saw a display of Christmas trees.  So certainly I’m not talking about costuming too early.

So, there you are, wanting to take your dog out to all the costume events that some communities have going on all month.  Yea!  You get to socialize with your friends.  Your dog gets to socialize with her/his friends.  And all is well with the world.  Not so fast.  Your dog absolutely hates her/his costume.  Thinks s/he can’t walk in it.  Thinks you’re torturing her/him.  You abuser, you.

There is an answer, but you must start now.  PetLvr.com has an article on the blog, Training Dogs to Wear a Halloween Costume.  It entails starting early and starting slow, but stresses that the costume should be safe.  I know some of you are saying, why in the world is she telling people how to dress up their dogs?  Dogs shouldn’t wear clothes!  I can hear you now.  Well, I’ve had this argument with one of my sisters many times, but for those of you who would like an answer to that question, sort the Tags in the right sidebar for Costumes and you’ll hear all about it.  For sure read, How A Costume Can Add Quality To Your Dog’s Life.

Little Peanut, pictured here, is not quite so sure about this costume.  Luckily it was worn for a very short time — just for the photo.  But it’s hilarious, and we thank Peanut for providing us with this entertainment.

Okay folks, we’re counting down to the last two days of the Where In The World Is Sisters Pet Pics Contest.  You must read the last week and a half of posts to get all the information, but here are all the clues:

Our van is parked there every day until we get the floor done…then the contest will be over because we’ll be having a Grand Re-Opening!  NO MORE CARPET TO PEE ON!  We’re going to invite our puppies and male dogs to pee on the floor now.

It’s in a pretty high profile area.

It’s 3 minutes to a bridge to somewhere.

Patinas, sepias or black and whites – all nearby.

Photo hint. London is standing in front of our studio.  She’s a companion and one of the shop dogs of our very cool neighbors.  Oh, and the studio is wheelchair accessible.

You don’t need golf clubs to use this exit.

On the way you can get in the swim.

On your way brake for ducks and their babies…perhaps some geese too!

If you see gazebos, you’ve gone too far.

Don’t expect the sign to tell you where we are — yet.

Ten clues.  Come on, that should be enough .  I practically told you where we are, so take a guess.  I’ll be making the announcement on October 2nd.

Cujo, The Brussels Griffon, Can't Wait For Halloween (Click to enlarge)

I’ve always loved this look at Cujo.  He’s a scruffy little Brussels Griffon who thinks he runs the show…everywhere.  Well, he does…mostly.  This was last year’s autumn shoot.  He became weary as he just brought it to every shot.  Finally he just put his head down and…well, I love it.  That’s why you have to be ready for whatever is presented.  You should have a plan of shots, no doubt, but you should also be ready to change plans on a dime, for you never know what will present itself if you’re ready.

Here we are in the second week of the Where In The World Is Sisters Pet Pics Contest.  Every day I’ve been giving clues to where our new studio will be.  If you guess right you’ll receive 10% off at your next visit.  There are no penalties for guessing wrong, and you may guess as many times as you like, but you must guess online, here on Sisters Pet Pics Blog.  I know it’s not quite fair that readers from far and wide don’t have the same advantage as those local readers, but don’t worry, I’ve got a new contest coming up that will have a fantastic prize that all, regardless of location, will benefit from.  Keep checking back.  The next contest will begin at the end of October.

Okay, today’s clue:  If you see gazebos, you’ve gone too far.  Now come on people, I’ve just about told you the address.  You’ve got through October 1st to guess.  I will be making the address announcement on October 2nd.  So put on your thinking caps, read last week’s clues, AND GUESS.