In every type of portraiture, we want to show the subject’s personality. This is even more important in pet photography. One of the ways to tell their story is by making sure we photograph them at eye level. It helps us see the world the way they see it. So lift them up or get down on your knees. Look at them at eye level and see the difference!
The 4th of July is one of summer’s favorite celebrations. Fireworks are usually part of the holiday. If the weather cooperates, I set up and test my equipment ahead of time to be able to capture images and enjoy the show. I also bring hearing protection if I will be close enough to the explosions.
Whether you wish to photograph the show or just enjoy the festivities, make sure that you are at a safe distance from the launch area. Keep track of wind direction in case hot debris moves towards you. And don’t forget to secure your pets before the loud noises begin. They can be overwhelmed by the noise and frantically run away from home or your side. Safety first!
We had two Friends of Rescue (FOR) imaging sessions last week. Several pets entered the foster program on Tuesday afternoon, and foster parents met their new wards at Dana Brown’s Oakwood Avenue studio. We also held the usual FOR Friday’s meeting. If you are interested in any of these beauties, you can contact FOR at info@forrescue.net.
Humans keep track of events to mark important points in life. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, retirement… all are unique experiences. Everyday moments are not seen in that light because we are used to them… until they stop. And when they do not happen again we look back, trying to remember what we took as “normal”. Take time to appreciate life: a look, a touch, a voice. Each moment is a “once in a lifetime” experience.
Friends of Rescue and I strive to host imaging sessions every Friday afternoon for their foster parents and wards. They take place at Dana Brown’s art studio on Oakwood Avenue in Huntsville, AL. We try to schedule sessions so that nobody waits long for his/her turn, but it does not always work. This is especially true when animals just sprung out of shelters arrive and stay for a short time until their assigned foster parents pick them up. Here is a sample of the subjects I worked with last Friday… and I can’t wait to see who will be in front of my lens this week 🙂
We see the reports all the time: animal shelters in the United States are full of dogs and cats. Some are surrendered by their families. Others are brought in by people that find them on the streets. The sad reality is that once they get there, animals have a short time to find loving homes. Shelter employees and animal rescue groups work tirelessly to improve their odds, but not all of them survive the experience.
As a pet photographer, my job is to create images of animals for their human families. But I also want to help homeless animals find families of their own. Two friends referred me to Friends of Rescue (FOR), a group based in Huntsville, AL. Their volunteers foster dogs and cats in their homes until they are adopted. Dana Brown, a FOR member, invited me to her studio to photograph FOR wards. Our first collaboration was on March 14, 2014, and we had three kittens and four puppies in the room. The collaboration continues: in 2014 I photographed 66 dogs/puppies and 190 cats/kittens. As of May 2015, 48 dogs/puppies and 101 cats/kittens have been added to my FOR portfolio.
If you are ready to add a dog or cat to your house hold, please consider adopting from a shelter or a rescue group. If you cannot adopt, volunteer your time and/or money to help them save lives.
This is Patches, one of the two cats that own our home. He likes to supervise everything I do, but his description for this task includes long naps near me. It is a good arrangement, and the hours pass quickly while I work and he naps. It would be easy to think that this will be the way it will always be. But no one lives forever, and no one should be taken for granted. This is why I took the time to capture this quiet moment. I will be able to remember it for as long as I live.