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.

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!

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 .

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”.

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.

Sugar The Yorkshire Terrier (Click to enlarge)

It may be autumn but in southern Louisiana it’s difficult to tell.  Sugar is a testament to our warm weather in her lovely summery dress – worn especially for her portrait.  We love these little dogs who pretty much watched the crazy photog go through her paces and reacted with bright eyes, perked ears and tight mouth.  These are my favorite shots and they’ll look good on every dog.  That is not to say that other expressions aren’t adorable and perhaps even preferable in some situations, but this is still my favorite.

Sometimes your antics can interest your subject so much that you needn’t do much more than reach into your trick bag for toys and pull one out, for your subject to look at what you’re doing.  As long as her mom or dad is nearby, she’s just interested and feels quite safe.  That’s when you can get her to look in all directions by moving the toy around.

It’s certainly not too late to play Where In The World Is Sisters Pet Pics.  Read the last few day’s posts to get clues to where our new studio will be.  Guess.  If you’re correct you will receive 10% off your next order.  Today’s hint:  On the way you can get in the swim.  Come on, guess.  Don’t be shy — there’s no penalty for guessing wrong.  Guess as many times as you’d like.  There can be multiple winners!  I’ve practically told you where we are .

London The Yorkshire Terrier (Click to enlarge)

Well, did you think I was going to show you the whole building?  Nope.  I want you to work at the contest.  Here’s today’s 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

If you read the last few days of hints, I’ve practically told you where it is.  Guess.  There can be multiple winners!  10% off your next visit if you guess right.  Come on, give it a try.

Dixie Deux & Dixie Darlin' The Yorkie Puppies (Click to enlarge)

You just have to be patient.  And really, in some cases you don’t even have to be too patient.  Surprise is a tactic.  Meet Dixie and Darlin’.  Could they have been any cuter?  Again – we just get the cutest folks in our studio…it almost doesn’t seem fair to the rest of you, huh

Here’s the deal.  You can have all the equipment in the world, but without patience, you’ll get a memorable shot once in a while just because it was random luck, but you won’t get any consistency.  When you begin a session, either in your home or in your studio, take your time to get everyone comfortable, then move quickly getting the first shots.  It is right in the beginning when those little sweethearts are trying to figure it all out and some of those expressions are priceless.  Tongues in, eyes open and ears up…or up and down, like Dixie’s.  Did you miss it?  That’s okay.  Just stay very patient.  It will be the human companions who will be ready to give up way before their dogs do, so you’ll have to assure them that it’s all good.  If you can help the humans have a good time, even though you’ll be working them, the dogs will be more relaxed.

If it seems as if nothing is working, let the dogs have a break.  A potty break — 9 times out of 10 when dogs won’t settle they need to have a potty break.  Even when the human companion says they just went, try to encourage them to take them out again.  I find that dogs may get a little nervous and have to go again, but don’t want to empty on the floor.

As Dixie and Darlin’ were wearing their summer finest, we wanted to see the ruffles, so we posed them back to front.  For more on that method read the Posing Dogs In Sports Jerseys post.  Note that in that post I mention dogs with shorter necks; here’s an example of that.  These little puppies’ necks are not as long as an adult neck so we posed them not exactly facing backwards, but just a little bit to camera right.

As always, post your questions or images here.  Or just write to let me know if the topics I’m covering are helping you.  No?  Then suggest something; I’d love to help.  My point in keeping this blog is to take the mystery out of good pet photography.  I understand many of you don’t care about being professionals.  That’s okay.  It’s important to improve your own images so one day you’ll have many shots which will give you joy or heal your heart.

Sister The Yorkshire (Yorkie) Terrier In Show Coat - Color (Click to enlarge)

Sister The Yorkshire (Yorkie) Terrier In Show Coat - Sepia (Click to enlarge)

Besides offering you a look at the most beautiful Yorkie coat I’ve photographed, I post Sister again today to show the timelessness a sepia-treated photograph can present.  Another photo of Sister can be viewed on Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

It’s very easy to do, but you still have to begin with a good photograph.  Sister was an exemplary subject, so it was up to me to show her at her best.  Her coat was to die for.  I would quite understand why you may not want to keep your Yorkie in a coat like this, as it takes some fussing.  Her mom strolls her around town, and always keeps a brush and comb handy for touch-ups.

Most photo processing programs offer a black and white or sepia option.  Some are just a click away, and some offer sliding settings so you can fine-tune the result.  For further instructions about conversion, refer to How To Convert Your Color Image To Black & White Or Sepia.

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

Is this tiny girl just adorable, or what?  Could you imagine this tiny soul being used to bait train an already double-her-size fighting breed puppy?   Cats were used with the young fighters as well.  That’s standard operating procedure for those in the business of fighting dogs.

You’ve read what I have to say about this in Why Michael Vick Cannot Be Rehabilitated; what say you?  He appeared on 60 Minutes tonight.  Is his contrition believable to you?  If you were a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, how would you react?  As any other football fan, how will you react when he appears in your stadium?

He keeps saying it was a mistake.  In my opinion a mistake is wearing a brown belt with black shoes.  What he did over the course of many years to countless animals is not a mistake.  It was unconscionable.  It is a crime like rape or pedophilia, evidence of a deep-seeded illness which cannot be repaired.  One cannot “pay their debt to society” for these crimes.  Society can only be warned of their whereabouts so we can protect ourselves from them.

Can you look in Tinkerbell’s eyes and picture the horror she might face if she was lost and then found by one of these fighting dog proponents?  I have heard others who are willing to “give him another chance”.  Can a perpetrator of extreme violence ever be rehabilitated?  What do you think?