Lefty The Trick Dog (Click to enlarge)

Meet Lefty.  Lefty probably has a lot of a lot of breeds in her.  She’s pretty bonded to her dad, but both her human parents have big soft hearts and are driven to rescue as many canine folks as they can handle.  With a house full of retired Greyhounds, they find time to add a Pit Bull (see Bully For Jelly) and Lefty who is probably part Pit Bull herself; perhaps some Chow as well.

I didn’t think I would like this shot.  After all it’s got all the elements of what I don’t like about some images: pink belly, open mouth.  But it’s also got something I’ve been speaking a lot about lately.  Lefty reveals a lot about herself here.  Wild and crazy, her parents say.  She’s active and and pretty alpha, but her dad seemed to have a way to keep her focused.

I like this image because of its Lefty-ness.  In the studio it can be difficult to capture the essence of a pet because of the nature of contrived shots.  Portraiture is subtle.  Getting some animation from your subjects can be difficult, as they have to act as if they’re in their yard, while playing in a tiny window in front of lights and backdrops. Lefty obliged.

Remember, if you’re in the neighborhood of Mandeville/Covington, LA on Sunday, October 11th, between 2 and 5PM, stop by our new studio for our Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash.  Music, snacks, drinks, prizes and fun for all.  Dress up your dog (or not) and bring her/him out to enjoy some doggie treats and socialization.  See who made the wall of fame in our photo gallery.  It will be fun.  I hope you can make it.  See Sisters Pet Pics for more information.

Sasha The Rat Terrier (Click to enlarge)

For those readers who are wondering when I will get back to the task at hand, pet photography, I would answer, I’m immersed in this task every day.  As we grow, we grow toward more photographic options, but photographing companion animals has been where our hearts are.  Our new studio will help provide more pet photographic experiences that I can report.

You’ve met Sasha before in the Sisters post, where she is pictured…with her sister, of course.  Their story is long and interesting.  I post her by herself today because I love this look at her.  I threw something for her to look at and missed my mark, but this is what I mean by staying ready because even if it’s not the shot you were expecting, or even hoping for, it could be one which tells another compelling story.

As always, we’d love for you to post one of your pictures, or ask questions about mine, or better still, how ’bout a genuine critque?  I’d love that.

Annie The Black & Tan Long Haired Miniature Dachshund (Click to enlarge)

Come one, come all, to the Sisters Pet Pics Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash on October 11th from 2 – 5 PM! There will be door prizes, snacks, drinks and music.  There will be wall art…see if your sweetie made the wall!  Can’t stay?  Stop in to pick up your 10% off coupon. Oh yeah, that’s right.  Any attendee will receive a 10% off coupon. Bring your dog(s), sit and chat a while, dress ‘em up, and get ‘em ready for the big Halloween season.  It’s a Saints bye week, so I know you’re not watching football!  And where will you be going when you set out to the Sisters Pet Pics Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash?

3979 HWY 190, Covington, LA  70433

That’s where!

Here are the answers to the contest:

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.  Well, you would have had to chase us down to find us after this clue

It’s in a pretty high profile area.  It’s on HWY 190 people!  Right on the line between Covington and Mandeville.  Covington address, but near enough to Mandeville to get confused   Also, the tax rate is less in Covington.  What’s not to love there!

It’s 3 minutes to a bridge to somewhere.  Yep, 3 minutes from Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge.  20 minutes from the south shore.  Convenient from there too!

Patinas, sepias or black and whites – all nearby.  Okay, this one’s a little hokey.  Patinas is a business next door to Clearwater Pools…I told you it was hokey.

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.  London is our little Yorkie neighbor at ONE HOUR AIR CONDITIONING, right next door.  Come on, admit it, that was a good clue.

You don’t need golf clubs to use this exit.  You take the Fairway exit and get on the east side service road.  I should write puzzlers for children, don’t you think?

On the way you can get in the swim.  A reference to Clearwater Pools.  Just pass Clearwater and look right.  There we are!

On your way brake for ducks and their babies…perhaps some geese too!  Just after you take the Fairway exit off HWY 190, go toward Lakeview Regional Medical Center and make a left on the service road.  You’ll see the lovely huge pond and fountain with all those birds.  They also have a great exercise path!

If you see gazebos, you’ve gone too far.  There’s a business selling gazebos just past us.

Don’t expect the sign to tell you where we are — yet.  Our sign still isn’t up but it will be before the opening, so start looking for us!  Our 12′ back lit sign will read, Pet & Family Photography.  That’s us!

So.  Aren’t you sad you didn’t play?  It was easy.

Don’t forget the Sisters Pet Pics Grand Re-Opening Bark Bash on October 11th from 2 – 5 PM! Spread the word!

Mike Myhal With Mandy & Susie (Click to enlarge)

Of course you do.  How can you watch your beloved dogs all moments of their outdoors day?  I know I can’t.  There are many hazards which can befall your dogs when they are unattended.  We all try to keep them safe from them, but one in particular has happened to us, and I want to share it with you so you can be aware and take precautions.

Some years ago I lived with and loved a Sheltie, Sky, and a rescued Vizsla mix, Digger.  Yes, Digger was a digger, but she generally kept her digging away from the perimeter.  Sky was a tiny blue merle with the sweetest of dispositions.  She was partially blind and  fearful of storms.  Our dogs were allowed to go indoors or out through a doggie door 24 hours a day.  The yard was fenced on 4 sides with chain link except for a wood gate over the paved driveway.

One day I arrived home after a storm to find the corner of the gate had been completely chewed and pulled away to the size of a basketball.  Two of our three dogs, Sky and Digger, were missing.  One or both of them must have become so stressed during the storm that they tore a hole big enough for both to crawl through.  We found Sky on the side of the road a few hours later.  We never found Digger, though we never stopped looking.

I tell you the nightmare of this story to emphasize the importance of keeping your pet safe…always.  I did not, and still mourn the loss of my two friends.  I will never let this happen again.  Today our dogs live within the confines of a wood privacy fence, but we also have a Hidden Fence.  Now, I know there are those who will tell you that this is cruel and animals should not be forced to wear these collars or be exposed to brutal punishment during the training.  The man in the photograph to the right is Mike Myhal, owner/operator of Pet Care – Hidden Fence.  He’s with his beloved dogs, Susie and Mandy.  Mandy, on the right, is 17.  Both these dogs are just as gentle as is Mike himself.  He has a method of training which is quite humane.  His exclusive GentleStart Method focuses on creating the least amount of stress and distress.  No other company in the hidden fence industry shares this strategy.

I can attest to the product.  Our dogs are safe and have the run of the place.  Although our Dachshunds would escape in a heartbeat if they could get to the perimeter, they busy themselves with digging mine holes in the middle of the yard instead.  That’s just where I want them.  I’ve had this fence since I lost Sky and Digger 9 years ago.  Visit Mike’s site for more information.  Give him a call if you’re still unsure.  Believe me — the peace of mind the fence gives us is worth every penny.  Want to talk more about this subject or others?  Post a comment here.  I’d like to know what you think about this fence.

For the next clue in the Where In The World is Sisters Pet Pics Contest (Check the last week of posts to get more clues and explanation):  On your way brake for ducks and their babies…perhaps some geese too!  Come on folks, you have to guess online to be eligible for the 10% discount.

Bosco The Lab & Jill (Click to enlarge)

Bosco The Lab & Jill With Sepia Treatment (Click to enlarge)

Meet Bosco, the Labrador Retriever, and his person.  I posted Bosco before in Planning For Bosco The Lab.  Today I want to talk about your shooting and processing options.

Most digital SLRs have an in-camera option for black and white images.  You can toggle this on the fly.  However, the only reason I can think of to shoot in black and white is if you do not have access to a post processing program which will do this for you.  I like to make these decisions after I see the image.

Sepia filters can be applied in post processing as well.  Depending upon the program you use for post processing, you will have a couple of different methods to do this.  I work in Photoshop.  If you’re serious about improving your pet photography, I suggest you get a copy.  Photoshop Elements comes bundled with many peripherals and other software.  You may have it already and don’t know it.

I often like to see what an image looks like in black and white and in sepia.  In this case I really liked it both ways.  These two subjects are so summery in their coloring I loved the color image.  In black and white it was good as well, but the sepia filter had the hint of their coloring while muting the backdrop and placing the emphasis on the subjects.

There are two methods to use the sepia filter (there may be more, but I know of two).  Try both before you decide which you like better.  Image->Adjustments->Photo Filter, will give you different filter options.  Choose Sepia and use the Density slider to play with the percentages.  If you do not Preserve Luminosity you will see a more muted tone.  If you are trying to warm it up, leave the check mark in Preserve Luminosity.  In my opinion that just cooks it, but you might want this for certain images.

The other method is to convert to black and white (Image->Adjustments->Black & White), play with the sliders until you get it looking the way you like, then lay a sepia filter on it.  Try it all.  See how you like it best.  Post or talk about your tests or questions here.

Lill The Retired Rescued Racing Greyhound (Click to enlarge)

I think it’s just about time to show you another beautiful Greyhound.  Meet Lill.  Lovely against this backdrop.  Although I occasionally like to shoot low key shots of black dogs on black backdrops, I think this orange-ish backdrop with black dogs is very nice.  In the event you don’t know, low key means to have your dark subject (humans would wear dark clothing) on a dark backdrop or setting.  You might even underexpose for drama.  The opposite is true for high key.

If you are not using lights in a studio, you can reproduce this effect by surrounding your subject with a dark background and use any ambient light.  Try this with your sleeping cat or dog lying on a dark blanket or sheet.  Choose Aperture Priority mode, and start with higher numbers such as f16, increasing your depth of field and effectively closing the aperture, therefore less light.  You may want to try this on a tripod, as the shutter speed your camera picks may be too slow to hold.  The priority setting is for you to see what the “correct” exposure is.  Now you can switch to manual and close out more light to get the low key effect.  The opposite is true for high key.

Try some high and low key shots and post them here for us to discuss.

Bosco The Noble Chocolate Labrador Retriever (Click to enlarge)

Meet Bosco.  He arrived with his doting mom, and though he would have preferred having her closer to him…like, touching…he did quite well while she stood behind me.  He’s saying, “Should I stay right here mom, and how long?” What a guy.

Sometimes when a client describes the coloring of their dog to me when they make their appointment, I have something in mind as  a backdrop.  In this case I had a higher contrast idea before I saw him.  This backdrop seemed to have brought out the chocolate in Bosco, so I changed my mind on the spot; this seemed perfect.

I list four important elements to better pet photography in the Eye Contact post.  If you thought hard you could guess these elements.  It’s not rocket science, but they are important.  Planning is one of the elements.  I’ve read elsewhere that some pet photographers don’t like to plan…they like to shoot from the hip.  Hmmm.  That could work…sometimes.  After all, I had seen some of their work and I was quite impressed, but how consistent can they be?

Planning is important because, ideally, you would like to eliminate all variables and control everything in your studio; then you could get what you wanted 100% of the time.  It doesn’t work like that, but you do try to be one step ahead of your client, their companion and all the other people and animals who may be in the room.  However, it’s also important to be able to turn on a dime, and make a new plan…on the spot.  Be flexible; be open to an idea that you or your client just thought of; think quick, your subject is, so you’ll have to keep up.

Doodlebug The Amazing & Heroic Corgi Mix (Click to enlarge)

Does Doodlebug look like an every-day sweet someone?  Uh uh.  Nope.  When she arrived with her dad in tow, she had quite a story to tell.  There was so much coming from her, I feared I would forget all the details.  Alas, I have.  Suffice it to say that her story involved rescuing a village in the vast ice-land of Alaska, then finding her way to a ship where she saved the crew from drowning.  After landing on the mainland, she had various and sundry adventures before finding her forever dad…the guy with the incredible imagination, and a penchant for fiction.

These two have formed a perfect union.  I told Doodlebug’s dad that I hoped he was writing the story, as there was so much to tell.  Perhaps he’ll fill in the details here, and correct the parts I got wrong.  Although I couldn’t talk dad into getting into a shot with her, this is the story photographers wish to tell.  To catch you up, read the Sisters post about Doodlebug’s aunt, and what part she played in placing two Rat Terriers in their forever homes.  There’s another shot of Pippi, one of the sisters, in the  How Big Is Your Heart post as well.

A pet photographer’s job is to tell the story in pictures that the writer tells with words.  I work at this concept everyday.  If you’re trying to promote your business, the art of writing is one that can, and should, fit into your desire to become a better pet photographer.  In a workshop about the business of photography, the speaker told us that it was almost as important to learn to write well as it was to become proficient with photographic skills.  He recommended, as will I, On Writing Well, by William Zinsser.  Read it – you won’t be sorry.

Dax The Retired Racing Greyhound (Click to enlarge)

Meet Dax.  He’s a gorgeous blue Greyhound who has a compelling smile, don’t you think?  He’s the brother of Berry White, who’s already been featured.  Check the Stay Focused post.  I’ve seen Dax on a couple of our backdrops now…and I like him on all of them.  His coloring is quite lovely.  Last year I photographed him on a deep, dark, royal blue.  He looked handsome and serious.  This year he showed us this side.  You’re smiling now too, aren’t you?

I hope you aren’t getting tired of Greyhounds…I’m just getting started

Please comment on my photo, or post a photo of your dog.

Dax & Berry White The Greyhounds (Click to enlarge)

Here’s the deal.  If you peruse the internet looking for pet photographer galleries you will find many.  I do this occasionally.  Others inspire me.  You should too; it will inspire you as well.  Until recently, however, I often wondered how most of them are making a living.  Surely, I say, my customers wouldn’t pay for a photo of a dog jumping out of the frame.  I can’t imagine my clients saying they would like a nice picture of their dog standing on rear legs but cropped at the belly.  Or saying, “What a nice picture of Dax’s rear legs and tail”.  However, some of these same photographers are doing innovative, very creative and high quality work which does inspire me.

There was a time when I would have looked at at this photo of Dax and Berry and scrolled past.  Three eyes, lopping tongue, looking elsewhere, space between them.  Not what I would think my customers came in for.  I read a young pet photographer’s blog recently.  She said, “You won’t find posed shots in my studio”, as if that was a bad thing.  But her work was excellent.  A totally different style than mine.  Inspiring, and it occurred to me, we each like what we do because we do it.  One of the four elements I suggest to improve your pet photography (see Eye Contact), is working efficiently with everyone in the room, most importantly your assistant.  I see an assistant as an integral part of the operation.  It will be very difficult to get a posed shot of your pet without assistance.  Therein lies the  crux of the matter.  We like what we do because we do it.  I wondered, if an assistant were available (affordable) to this young photographer, would she think posed shots weren’t so bad after all?

That’s when I began looking at archived proofs with a new eye.  I had a new appreciation for a studio styled journalistic portrait like this one of Dax and Berry.  If the photographic technique is good, you may be able to capture very nice shots without an assistant.  It would be easier with an assistant, and it would be almost impossible to get a posed, formal image of two or more dogs without an assistant.  Liking what we do because we do it may sound obscure, but to me it means that we may chose to follow another course of action if we had the means to do it, but the impetus to change is not there, so we continue to do what we do.

I share this with you today because I’d like to arouse the creativity in you, whether you’re a weekend shutterbug, an aspiring pro, or a professional pet photographer yourself.  We can grow from the inspiration of our environment.  Look at many photographs.  Become inspired.  Share it here!