Photography: My Experience While Shooting

We have all heard the expression, "a picture is worth a thousand words", but why? Is it the details? The tone, mood, subtleties, or even the expressions? To me, a picture is worth a thousand words because of the way we feel when we see it. There are one thousand directions our emotions take us when we see something frozen in time and space, and we are often losing the battle to find adequate verbage. 

While this is how we experience viewing images, I am similary lost for words when I'm capturing the content filling my frame because of the many ways that I feel. My main goal in a time frame of photographing an animal is to experience who that animal is and catch snippets of my understanding based on our interaction. These freeze frames are often only a slight percentage of our inretraction together, so you can imagine that for an animal nerd like myself, I'm left with a beautifully fond memory and a few shots to express my fondness. 

When I'm photographing, I'm fully focused on what I feel the environment telling me and how I sense the animal in that environment responding. Many times this expression is playful, many times quizzical, also calmness and gentleness are often present. Whatever I sense is what I try to capture. This is why I don't pose animals in a position that they didn't voluntarily go into, because I want to catch who that animal is in that environment for that interaction period. 

When the animals I'm photographing are curious, I often can't tell if they are more curious or if I am. Curious to get the light spilling in from that angle, curious to catch that expression, curious what happens if I move two inches over or don't look through the viewfinder for that shot. 

I'm grateful to have the ability and passion to capture animals' personalities like I do. When my clients tell me, "that's exactly how I see their character expressed everyday!" It makes me smile, because somehow I see what they see, and it's never forced. 

Photography: Low Light Shooting

Tiger is a beautiful outside domestic cat that I had the joy of shooting briefly during a dog agility shoot. This photo was taken at the last light of day and there is no artificial light.

Photographing in low light situations can be sticky, so I want to share a few things that I do. My camera exposure decisions are based on preference rather than necessity most times, so depending on which photographer you ask, the answer will vary. 

Personally, I like to avoid grain as much as possible, unless it lends itself over artistically to the shot I want. So the last exposure decision I make is to crank up the ISO. I most prefer to shoot with fast lenses, f/1.8 or less, so the first thing I change in low light is my aperture.

It's worth practicing holding your camera very still in the event that you want or need to shoot with a slow stutter speed. This shot was taken with a slower shutter speed and a wide open aperture, so I held my camera very still in order to make it sharp. 

If you are shooting in low light and using natural light only, I recommend lighting your subject well and letting the background light fade whenever possible. This draws the attention to the subject while still providing details that create context in the background. 

As the evening light changes, so do the color values, and therefore exposing correctly is key. If you underexpose, you risk losing details in the darkness. If you overexpose, you risk not being able to color correct well. In post production, I chose to lean a little to the blues and magentas for this shot because I felt that it hinted at that prime "just after sunset" light. 

Experiment with lighting and exposing your images in low light using natural light only and share what you've discovered! Send me a contact form with your findings, I'd love to hear what works for you.

Photography: Happy Accidents

Capturing animals' personalities is absolutely my passion. They are constantly thinking, and once you learn animal body language, what they are acting out is blatant according to their thoughts. Many times, pet owners come to me after our photo session and tell me, "I thought I was the only one who could read my pet's mind!" Expression is timeless. It is not bound according to a circle of influence, and every animal puts off a specific vibe. 

I've learned how to gel into that vibe and capture it simultaneously, which is why my photos are so playful. After photographing for a certain number of hours, it's easy to learn a system and process for creating images that lend themselves to my style.

"Happy accidents" describe my style very well, though while my happy accidents are always happy, they don't happen by accident. Amateurs will create a happy accident and expect to create another one upon happenstance. As I've been growing in my professional approach, I've learned that it's smarter to hone a style and be able to replicate it upon request. 

One of my defining style marks is that I don't often look through my viewfinder when creating images. The reason I do this is because I need to be able to interact eye ball to eye ball with my subject (particularly dogs), and I've learned how to move my camera and put it in positions that would not be possible were it to be looking through the viewfinder. 

Natural elements are always apart of my images, especially when I photograph dogs. Water, drool, dirt, these are all apart of the dogs interaction with the world around it, so why would I exclude them from my depiction of their experience?

Happy accidents like this are not hard for me to duplicate, I just need to be in position. When I'm photographing a dog, I do everything I know how based on my animal behavior training to become a friend to that dog, that way they like having me in their space. I don't mind getting waist high in water if it means getting the shot.

I'm constantly looking for elements of design that lend themselves over the the dog's personality. Here, the colors are all on a basic pallet, making the eyes and eyebrows stand out.

One of my favorite things to do is run backwards to get the dog to chase me. I'll then position my camera right between my face and theirs, so as to get the view that no one would ever see unless they were literally running backwards with their face jammed in their dog's space. I call this my "sweet spot".

And, of course, it is very helpful if the dog knows basic commands and cues. This last image is actually my dog, Belle. I asked her to sit and stay, I got down on the ground and waited for her to look away at a squirrel. 

My happy accidents are always happy but never accidental.

Photography: Golden Shots Never Get Old

Gixer, Tigger and Doll Baby are all such stunning animals. I was honored to photograph them in their owner's back yard while gawking over the gorgeous light and sweet interactions. Sometimes you make magical images and have no idea how the stars could have aligned for you, and sometimes you align the stars. The image of Doll Baby, the TW horse on the left, is definitely an example of the former. Before I went to photography school, I took my camera everywhere that I went and shot everything that was moving. That image is one that I captured many months before being accepted into photography school and I used it as part of my entrance portfolio. 

The shot on the right, Gixer and Tigger, was taken while I was in photography school, but required quite of bit of star aligning. Once I learned basic camera exposures, I purchased a fixed fifty lens, and I could only use the manual focus setting with my particular camera body. Having shot 35mm film for the previous six months and using only manual lenses, I didn't see this as any problem, just a fun challenge.

Basically everything I know now about how to get the shot quickly I learned from working with that lens. So the shot on the right was taken while I was backing up while laying down, because I was shooting with a 50mm on a cropped sensor camera. Basically put, I was too close to the subject and nothing could focus, so I almost tumbled backwards as I shot vigorously to get the shot. It worked out pretty well! This is the only shot I've ever gotten focused of this interaction, and I shot it manually. 

After having obtained a myriad of shots similar in quality to the one on the right using my fixed fifty manual, I decided to get a fixed 35mm and a new camera body. Needless to say, I believe that learning how to shoot manual or with a lousy camera body will optimize your experience and results with a nicer camera body and non manual only focus. I'm so grateful that I have gems like these from my early learning experiences!

Photography: Second Edits

Photographing animals is absolutely my passion. One of my favorite things about capturing their characters is getting to work at their pace. I'm a high energy person who has worked very hard to quickly tone down my pace to whichever animal I'm working with, and this has been very intentional. I'm a natural extrovert who scored as an introvert on the Meyers Briggs test, so I guess I'm an introverted extrovert? Either way, somehow I'm both a dog and cat person, and this makes photographing both dogs and cats a lot of fun.

Sammie is a beautiful rag doll kitty who I photographed using natural light only. You may not guess this, but he is laying by a window in an apartment, and it only took me a few minutes to grab this shot. 

Shortly after this session, I attended a Florida Professional Photographers Gild seminar on how to achieve studio lighting patterns using natural light and specific post production techniques. After taking tedious notes and rushing home to work on this image, my initial edit looked like garbage compared to this final edit. Once I learned how to create this feel using natural light and photoshop, I've been duplicating it in every kitty photo session that I've done indoors. 

It's very important to me that the cat I'm photographing is relaxed and just doing their thing. I acquaint myself with the kitty I'm going to be working with for the number of minutes necessary for them to feel comfortable with me in their space. This can't be stressed enough. If a cat is stressed or feeling forced, it will be very obvious in their body language. Here, Sammie looks like he was just doing his thing, but what you don't see is his owners hands above him. She had encouraged him to lay down, and then he voluntarily stayed there, looked out the window like a prince, and gelled right in to his comfy spot. I depend heavily on the relationship that the pet owner has built with their pet in order to encourage the animal to be comfortable and compliant. 

While I allot ample time to acquaint myself with the cats and dogs I work with, I've learned how to be Speedy Gonzales with my camera, because I know that we only have so much time before the animal gets bored. This is where my extroverted "get things done" side comes in, and I work hard to be in and out. Sometimes it takes hours to make a magical shot, but once you've learned a system of how to duplicate that magic, it doesn't need to take hours, but can be obtained in a matter of minutes.

Photography: Crazy Puppies

Bitsy is a spunky Morkie pup, quite the clever little speedy one, too! Whenever I'm working with exceptionally fast and small dogs, I like to move quickly and shoot at their level. As a dog trainer, I understand from a behavioral perspective what their body language is saying, and every little nuance matters when it comes to capturing their personality. 

In the first image here, I waited for Bitsy to have a moment of being distracted by something at a distance and then I snagged this shot. Holding the camera about three feet away, I let her rest her front paws on my knee as I worked to level the distant horizon line with her eyes. This is one reason I find that shooting without looking through the viewfinder often works in my favor.  

This second image explains her personality much more than the first. Bitsy is an explosively playful and fast dog, so I ran backwards while holding my camera at grass height to catch this one. Where many would try to make her be still long enough to capture one good shot, I decided to work at her speed. There is never an animal that I work with where I find that working at their speed doesn't pay off. 

Photography: Family With Hooves

Blaze is a super loving quarter horse who has some sweet little things to watch after! I loved shooting him and the gang in their favorite open pasture.

One of my favorite artistic elements is leading lines. Do you feel like Blaze is sniffing your face?

Interaction and relationship is such an important thing to capture! I love imagining what these two friends are whispering to each other.

Photography: Easter Puppies

What a fun photo shoot with New Horizons Service Pups on this fine April evening. I think the puppies had almost as much fun as I did!

This scene was a blast to set up! I grabbed a bunch of Easter themed and puppy proof items, spread them out in the back yard or New Horizons headquarters, and shuffled puppies around as I played with them, grabbed their images and enjoyed the gorgeous late afternoon light.

Of course, I had to stop them from actually eating the whole set. Their Momma thanked me for this!

Puppy curiosity is one of the cutest things!

I have learned that the best way to photograph puppies is to occupy them, and then capture what they do with those occupants. 

Was this information helpful or inspiring? Click here to sign up for my newsletter to receive exclusive content about dog behavior every Friday.

Photography: Bayshore Animal Hospital

I am so blessed to have collaborated with some awesome veterinarians in the local areas! Dr. Carnathan at Bayshore Animal Hospital brought me in to decorate his recently renovated veterinary clinic. I had a blast choosing the photos and arrangements myself, installing these prints and getting to know the staff there.

Are you interested in press printed decorations for your own clinic or business? Check out my online store here.

Photography: Sand Dunes Dog Park

Sand Dunes Dog Park is such a fun place to bring your dogs for photos! It is one of my favorite places to photograph at, so here's a few of my favorite shots.

Photography: Horses At Sunset

Mariah & Socks are some of the most beautiful horses I have met! They looked stunning against the warm sunset flooding into their pasture. What a lovely time I had with them! Sometimes the scenario just calls for fine art style images. This stunning sunset light called to some deep part in my soul, and I truly believe the horses had as blessed of a time that I had! 

I love catching those sweet details. As if beautiful colors and light from sunsets wasn't enough to make my artsy side go crazy, horses are possibly my favorite animals on this planet. I believe that whatever we are most passionate about comes though very evidently in the photos we make.

Photography: Countryside Animal Clinic

I am so blessed to have collaborated with some awesome veterinarians in the local areas! Dr. Brewer, Dr. Bryson & the Countryside Animal Clinic gang are a fabulous group of people! They brought me in to decorate their clinic with my photography, and it has been a privilege to bring in new pieces that the vet's pick out every now and again.

If you're interested in browsing or purchasing images for your clinic or business, check out my online store here.

Photography: Chasing Puppies

Koa is an adorable Corgi pup that I had the honor of training and photographing! These photos were taken in his owner's back yard in the late afternoon. One of my favorite things in photographing animals is interacting with them. While most people who photograph animals are mostly photographing and then creating brief interactions in between, I am mostly interacting and then creating brief photos in between. This is how I can cut down the time on my process, because let's be hones, animals have a short attention span.

Because I create an interaction with the dog that I'm photographing before I just start shooting, I can draw that animal to me using my energy. It's of utmost importance to me that the images I make show the interaction and relationship that I am creating with that animal, and this is one major thing that sets my style apart.

It's pretty amazing that what I do is chase puppies around back yards, capturing their expressions. I'm not quite sure who has more fun! If you're thinking about hiring a professional pet photographer, I would encourage you to find out how they interact with animals. The last thing you want is someone who makes your animal feel uncomfortable and for that to be obvious to you or others in the images made.

Photography: Business Decorations

Producing press printed, prestige quality framed prints and fine art canvases for your business is my pleasure. Within the Central Florida area, I will hand deliver and install the decorations of your choosing myself. I offer options ranging from custom barn wood frames and Giclée prints to press printed standouts and canvas wraps.

It is a privilege to provide businesses in Central Florida and beyond with these decorations. Here are a few samples of the options available. 

Visit my Online Store to browse more photos and to make an order for your business!

8x10 (with 11x14 frame) Gicleé Fine Art Print with Barnwood Frame (above)

16x20 Fine Art Canvas Wrap (above) located at Bark Avenue

Traditionally Framed Prints ranging in size from 11x14-16x20 (above) at Countryside Animal Clinic

Press Printed Standouts ranging in size from 8x10-20x224 (above) at Bayshore Animal Hospital

To view all photos at Bayshore Animal Hospital, click here

20-x24 Press Printed Standout at Chiropractic Connection Center

Photography: Interrupting Cat

Baby Doll actually interrupted another photo shoot that I was doing, but I was able to sneak this shot of her in her owner's yard. The car shop and trees in the background make her look like a jungle cat, though she is as sweet and innocent as any domestic Rag Doll kitty. I was shooting with a wide angle lens, so I propped my camera on the ground and meowed at her, calling her over to me. I just love snapping shots from this angle, I think it brings an "ants eye view" into perspective for people who are normally looking down at the furies at their feet. With every shot I take, I aim to bring people into the animal world and bring an appreciation for the beauty they have that often goes unseen.

Photography: Agility Dogs

This session post is a bit of a blast to the past! Ashley Deacon came to Fast Friends Dog Agility for an agility seminar in 2011 and I had the privilege of capturing some fun shots of the event! I don't usually photograph at agility events, mainly because I don't enjoy shooting without being able to move around, but I hopped on this opportunity because I was able to be inside the arena with the dogs and change my shooting angle very often. These dogs are incredible athletes and their owners have done an amazing job of training them! Thanks again to Ashley and Fast Friends for inviting me to come out.

Photography: Quick Snaps

Check out this adorable hairdo! Lulo is a super playful schnauzer with whom I had a brief interaction. She wasn't too sure about my camera, but I managed to get her to make eye contact with my lens and to position her with the clean background of these pebbles during the quick interaction we had. Many people believe that the dog has to be all set up and ready for a photo, but the way that I work with my camera and with animals always depends on the animals' speed. Since Lulo was quick and unsure, I worked with the few seconds I had. This is the major reason that I offer photoshoots for 30 minutes, because I know that I can get the exact shots you're looking for (regardless of the pet's reaction to my camera) in this time frame.  

Photography: Elderly Pets

We grow so attached to our precious pets. It never ceases to amaze me how loving animals can be and therefore how much space in our hearts they house. It is always the worst day of my life when I have to say goodbye to a precious furry friend, and I grew up with so many ferrets, fish, dogs, horses, the list goes on!

Our animals live in our hearts forever, but if we don't have an accurate image made of them, how are we going to be in full detail of the best expressions they had? I hear far too often that someone's sweet pet passed away before they had a chance to get them photographed, and this is so sad. Why would you not want to have a lasting image made of them?

I've been very blessed to be chosen as the one to capture many elderly animals personalities, and it's never an easy task. Generally speaking, I move quickly and shoot non-stop when I'm working with animals. However, when I'm working with older pets, I shoot at the tender speed that the animal in front of me moves at. I don't take the task lightly that I was chosen to capture this precious soul's expressions, and I'm thankful to be trusted with this task.

Photography: Dog Park Pals

I always have a grand time at Barkley Square Dog Park! This time I met some great new people and dogs, and the dogs' slobber and dirt stains prove how much fun they had, too!

Photography: Bailey & Penny

Bailey & Penny are two stunning Catahoulas who clearly love to play together! I had a blast photographing them (and chasing them around) in their back yard. If you've never googled a Catahoula before, check them out! They're really interesting dogs!