Tallulah & Abby The Adorable Pugs (Click to enlarge)

Well, school’s back in session.  Summer’s over.  Vacation’s have been taken and photos have been processed.  Did you get the shots you wanted?  Are the results of your shutter trips what you had in mind?

If any of the above answers are ‘No’, then you’ve not been listening.  There are two documents which I would never leave home without.  The absorption of the information in each is absolutely necessary to taking really good photographs consistently.

First – YOUR MANUAL.  Your manual is not expendable.  Even if you came to me with your camera and wanted help, the first thing I would ask is, where is your manual.  I would have to read it in order to help you with your problem.

Second – Bryan Peterson’s Exposure.  I’ve mentioned this book many times since I began this blog.  In my opinion, it is the best, most succinct document ever written about the basics of photography.  If you understand every page, you could use your camera not only to capture snap-shots to document your vacation or trip, but to make artistic creations that are suitable for any wall display.  Something you can be proud of.

Tallulah & Abby don’t have to worry about such things.  All they have to do is watch with those engaging eyes and ”Voila’!  Sweet portrait.

Lily The Delightful Rat Terrier (Click to enlarge)

This sweet little girl has never had issues with aggression because she has never been abused or neglected. Terry and I work with many dogs of all different breeds and all different histories and behaviors.  We think we know what we’re doing and have a process whereby we ask human companions if their dogs will be alright with us touching them.  But even a professional can make a mistake.

I usually say I have only one rule in my studio.  No one should get hurt having their picture taken…ahhh but if a naughty photog doesn’t use good common sense the blood flowing won’t be the subject’s.  Here’s a reminder for all those dog lovers who come in contact with many dogs they don’t know.  Always, ALWAYS ask the human companion (the only one in the relationship who speaks English) if the dog you’re approaching will be all right being touched BEFORE you touch her/him.

Yup.  Terry got tagged today.  She was distracted and didn’t follow our own rules.  She offered her hand to an aggressive dog AS she was asking about the dog.  This rescued dog has issues because of being abused in his former life.  Uh uh.  Nope.  Not smart to offer him a bite.  This is a lesson to all those with children as well.  Teach them NOT to extend their hands to ANY dog they haven’t asked about.

We want to tell those involved that we realize our part in the mishap.  It was a lesson learned by all.  Communication is the key.

Dozer The Gentle Giant Mastiff (Click to enlarge)

This big guy is about a year old and very gentle, but you can see his nobility as he poses with his friend.  One gets the feeling that Dozer regards this little girl as his charge…and so she is.

Mastiffs are bred to protect their families but their dominance varies.  They’re highly intelligent and rarely bark.  They prefer to hold an intruder at bay either by cornering them or lying on top of them than an all out attack.  These characteristics seemed to be internalized in Dozer as he was easily moved about by the very small mother of this little girl.

To photograph a huge indoor animal like this you need to know a little about their nature.  His youth and size would prevent him from presenting a tight sit.  My preference for the 45° angle wouldn’t have improved the shot because of his right rear leg.  The interest in this shot isn’t so much about Dozer as it is about the extreme size difference between him and a six year old girl.  His head is about the size as her torso as you can see, and though he is not looking at the camera he seems to be scoping the territory to protect her, doesn’t he?

Yorkie With Family (Click to enlarge)

I hope you made many captures over your holiday season.  They will allow you to have those feelings as often as you desire.  It is the only sure way to capture a moment, yet it still amazes me that families get together once or twice a year or less and neglect to record the experience.  Life is short…memories are frail.

Meet Sweety and her family.  You could call any one of the three sweetie and you’d be right.  I loved these folks and though the humans aren’t wearing the same color on top as I’ve recommended in past posts, you can see that it works nevertheless.

I want you to notice the triangle the three faces make in this photo.  When you’re composing your shot look for the lines and shapes your composition makes.  This shot would be a lot less interesting if the heads were in a straight line.

I’d love to see your holiday shots.  Post them here!

Sebastian, Mike & Leo The Shih Tzus (Click to enlarge)

These three sweeties came in with three generations of the most generous and sweet women.  No wonder these dogs were sweet.  Leo arrived first with Nana.  She seemed a little nervous about how the dogs would act.  Leo, however, did not seem nervous at all.  He got up on the table by himself, looked straight at the camera and smiled.

Mom and her adult daughter arrived next with Sebastian (on the left in the photo) and Mike the blondish Shih Tzu.  I believe the dogs own the mother and daughter, but all three women clearly love these dogs.  Sebastian, Mike and Leo were pretty self-assured and well adjusted.  Hiya, hiya, hiya to Leo and we got to work right away.

I had the leashes removed, but left collars on for the moment, just to control them on the table until the humans got the drill.  For those of you regular readers of this blog, you know I use all the humans in the room to assist.  It’s a good idea to leave the collars on until the last minute.  In the case of these three, the younger of the three women was on one side of the table, the other two were behind me, and Terry was working the hair light side, as always.

Terry was pushing from the left and the young woman on the right, photog makes a noise, dogs stop, snap to attention and pose.  It doesn’t always happen like this, but using a couple of our whistle noises was all that was needed.  I love these three dogs so much I may use this as my holiday card.  Just kidding, but it looks like trick photography, doesn’t it?  Nope, just interested and interesting dogs.  We had such a good time with these women and their dogs.  I hope you enjoy the resulting photo as well.

I know it may seem early to be thinking of such things, but if you’re thinking of booking an appointment for your holiday portraits and cards, make your appointment now, as our calendar is filling up.  It’s never too early to pick a theme and have us photograph it at Sisters Pet Pics.

Chaos Ensues (Click to enlarge)

It Ain't Easy (Click to enlarge)

My post today is meant to give y’all confidence.

This was a family shoot…sort of.  Here’s the story.  These dogs are litter mates.  Yeah, I know.  They don’t look alike, but litter mates they are.  Greyhound folks are a close knit group.  They all work very hard to make the remaining years of their charges be the very best.  As all these dogs are purebred and records are kept online, a little Google search will find litter mates  Such was the case here.

One of the humans found the others and organized this “family” portraiture session.  They’re all members of the Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) and arrived from all over.  This week I’m finalizing the 2010 GPA calendar layout and I came across the image in the left.  I couldn’t exactly put it in the calendar, but it’s a perfect example of the organized chaos that is sometimes witnessed in the studio.

I had to laugh out loud when I saw this image again and wanted to share it with you.  You see, it doesn’t always go smoothly.

Corona The Greyhound (Click to enlarge)

Meet Corona.  She’s one of two well-loved Greyhounds of one of our clients.  Some months back 9 year old Corona’s mom and dad discovered she had a condition prohibiting the eating and swallowing of solid food.  They were devastated.  What to do?  Anything.  She had surgery to install a feeding tube that you cannot see because we posed her strategically to hide it from the camera.  They have found other ways to give her some eating joy.  Licking stuff like nut butter or even their skin.  She loves to be fed, so the tube must give her some pleasure.  Although she’s gained some weight back she’s got a way to go.  But she’s happy, so her mom and dad are happy.

We photograph elderly and ill pets all the time, and find ways to hide certain maladies to give their families tender remembrances.  Even though a tumor or a tube is part of the animal, the pet is not defined by that, so it’s more comforting to hide it, if possible.  Sometimes clients will tell me that they want a scar left in the photo because “that’s who they are”.  To them the scar is part of what defines their pet.  It bears mentioning that these things need to be considered when posing your subjects.

I also want to point to a post I wrote a few months ago: Splitting Hairs.  In it I tell of an empirical study proving that love can heal.  My friend’s dog Gracie had just been diagnosed with brain and tongue cancer.  She was nearly 12 years old.  Gracie underwent radiation, then chemotherapy.  She has now passed her 12th birthday and is back to playing ball – her favorite pastime.

It’s love and medicine, folks.  Love leads us toward the right choices for healing.  There is always hope.  And hope you must.

Bella The Rescued Retired Racing Greyhound (Click to enlarge)

We are hurt, but we’re bold and powerful as well.  Yes, we still cry, but we laugh too.  Just like the sweet and personable Bella, pictured here.  Yesterday was the 4th anniversary of the landfall of the devastating Hurricane Katrina.  For days we have been worrying and thinking about where we were, and have been cathartically sharing stories of our experiences of the event.  For those of us who lived in this region before, during and after Katrina and the failure of the federal levees, we will forever be marked by the experience.  When we meet new people, inevitably the subject will arise, how did you weather the storm?

I remember being in a hotel in Austin, TX, four years ago today.  It took us nearly 19 hours of straight driving to navigate 500 miles.  Eight of those hours to get from Mandeville to Baton Rouge – normally an hour’s drive.  We tried to get housing closer than Austin; alas, there were no rooms at the inn.  The only accommodations for 2 adults, a child and 10 animals (dogs, cats, 2 large parrots) was at a Residence Inn in Austin.  And were we ever grateful for that!  We made that trip with all our lives and some precious possessions in a crowded mini-van.  There are much worse stories than ours, absolutely — many truly horrific.  But the worry and stress we experienced silenced even the most abrasive and rebellious of teenagers, my daughter.

The only sound was the hum of a fairly well tuned (we hoped) engine and of the portable TV which we set up on the dash.  When it began to rain just as we put Baton Rouge behind us, but still crawled at an almost walking pace, I felt my chest cramp with anxiety.  Would we be trapped in our van when the storm hit?  Parents do not have the luxury to worry aloud.  We will be okay, is the only expression allowed.  Even our beloved animals settled into their situation quietly and uncomplaining in their crates or on our laps, as if they absorbed the monumental importance of introspection.

Though we were safe in Austin, the television and laptop did not provide comfort. We awakened the next day to news of the collapse of floodwalls and levees. The mesmerizing horror of  floating human bodies and stories from the Dome, then from the Convention Center, was almost more than I could bear, but not quite.  I was glued.  I must confess, the stories of the animals swimming toward boats filled with rescued humans in the failing hope of being rescued themselves put me past what I could bear sanely.  I ceased to be of any use to anyone.

We had just moved to the house we evacuated.  We did not know our neighbors.  We had no blood family here and had lost contact with our old friends.  The isolation we felt made us feel we had escaped a warring region and were finding refuge in a bunker far from those we knew and loved.  I wondered if I would ever be close to sanity again.

But this is what I report.  A month after the storm we were finally reunited with our battered but quite habitable home…and we healed.  The trees which blocked our egress were finally removed.  We survived.  We are strong and we are no longer alone.  The storm had been a harsh teacher.  Some may have succumbed to the lesson and for them I weep and pray, but for many of us, we picked up our lives, not where we left off, no, but with this profound experience behind us we went forth with the knowledge that our time here is temporary.  Our lives are temporary.  Those of our region know that better than most.  Now we are more prepared.  Now we are ready to go again…quicker and more efficiently.  We have gathered our loved ones close; we have healed important relationships, and tell those we love how much they mean to us every day.

So to those from other states who said our region should not be rebuilt I say, look at us now.  You were wrong.  There is no place like home for you and there is no place like home for us.  We are better citizens from our experience.

Max & Winston The Greyhounds (Click to enlarge)

I’ve always admired the form of a Greyhound.  Just standing, looking across the room, they might curl their necks in an almost giraffe-ian way, making the most elegant lines.  Although I probably wouldn’t recommend this proof to my client, I couldn’t help but notice that even their tongues curl in an elegant manner.  For some reason, both Max and Winston are doing this odd curly thing with their tongues to…what…get them out of the way without letting them hang in the typical doggie fashion?

Greyhounds do seem to be unusual dogs.  If you’ve been keeping up with my posts you’ll know that I’ve been friends with all kinds of animals all my life, but I met my first Greyhound three years ago.  I really didn’t know what to think.  Many arrive in the studio pretty scraped up with track injuries.  Many more have chronic joint soreness.  But all have this unbelievably sweet attitude toward their human companions.  Not one seems affected by what I deem abusive treatment by their breeders and trainers.

One of my beloved canine companions, Frida, is not quite so forgiving.  You can find out more about her by using the groovy search engine in the upper right side bar, Search Sisters Pet Pics Blog.  Enter ‘Frida’ to learn more.  She had a rough little life until I met her at age 8 or 9 and has a tiny chip on her tinier shoulder.  I have to watch her, as I’m afraid she’ll hurt someone’s feelings by snapping with her almost toothless mouth.  She even nipped at the woman who saved her life.  But then again, she’s a Chihuahua.

Greyhounds don’t seem to have the ability to hold a grudge.  If you have room in your heart, please contact the Greyhound Pets of America-Louisiana Chapter (GPA) or the GPA-National for information about having one as your friend.  They make wonderful small house pets as they don’t require much room.  If you’re full up with animals in your house already, you can help by donating to this group, as they do heroic work.

I haven’t mentioned this in the last ten minutes, so it’s time.  We are working on the 2010 GPA calendar.  If you are owned by one of the gorgeous rescued creatures and are members of the GPA-LA, make your appointment today for an opportunity to be included in the 2010 calendar.  Sisters Pet Pics is donating our services for this fundraising event.  There’s no obligation to buy anything.  The deadline for photographs is drawing near, so call today!

Max The Rescued Retired Greyhound

We’re still working on the 2010 Greyhound calendar.  If you own a Greyhound and are a member of the Greyhound Pets of America – Louisiana Chapter, bring your guy or gal in to be photographed.  Sisters Pet Pics donates our services to this fund raising project.  There’s no obligation to buy anything.  Just call for an appointment.

Here’s Max.  His intelligence is obvious.  He’s trying to figure out what in the world the photog is doing.  He provided us with so many adorable proofs, it was difficult for me to choose one to post.  I may have to post more in the future.

Today I’d like to discuss the set-up for studio portraiture.  If you are already shooting in the studio you know this already, but ideally you need to pull your subject about three feet off the backdrop to avoid shadowing.  Take notice of the darkness on the backdrop on the right side of Max’s head.  This is caused by the key light at camera right.  If he was off the backdrop, this shadow wouldn’t be evident.

This capture was made as we thought we were done with the session.  He plopped himself down right against the backdrop, and gave us this comfortable, doe-like pose.  I made my patented ( ) mouth noises, and Lo! What an enchanting expression.  We had been pulling him off the cloth the whole time, but he didn’t want to relax out in the middle of the studio.  This is something you will have to contend with as a pet photographer.

One way to avoid it is to put the human companion on the floor just ahead of where you want your large pet to plop her/himself.  The best way, however, is to use a table, even for the largest of pets.  If you place your table in the appropriate spot,your subject will be more apt to sit or down there, and your three foot cushion is built-in.  The problem with tables is that some of the larger pets have a difficult time getting up there.  It’s all about compromise.  I was hoping to get some animated shots of Max and his house-brother, Winston, so I opted not to use the table.

One thing to note when using a table is the horizon.  Be sure you’re shooting with a parallel horizon or you shot will be impacted.  On the floor it’s easier for me to blend the backdrop to the floor cloth.

As always, comment on my photo or post one of your own.