Jul 22, 2011
This week’s theme was completely about seeing the light and shooting into the sun. Goes against conventional wisdom in some respects, but the results can be beautiful! So, my goal was to find some amazing sunlight…
Well, Toronto had a heat wave this week and yesterday, there was records broken. As the mercury soared higher and higher, any thought of taking an animal outside to photograph was foolish. In fact, I went about my day singing the Noel Coward song…mad dogs and englishmen go out in the noonday sun! (If you want to hear the original, click here.)
In the midst of all that heat, Ripley asked to go outside. I tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted. So…I opened the patio door. He put one paw outside and then, as animals are wont to do, looked at me like I was a mad woman for having turned on the heat outside. He spent the rest of the day in this position in front of the air-conditioning.
Outside, it looked like this. How I love some gorgeous flare!
As for me, I did what any self-respecting person living in Canada would do. I went out and got an Ice Cap from Tim Hortons. It seemed the right thing to do, as I needed something to backlight!
So, how are you beating the heat?
Jul 15, 2011
How quickly the weeks fly by! For our Project 52 theme this week, we were asked to capture our pets “strange behaviour”. Generally, this is the stuff that makes them our pet’s uniquely them and why we love them so much. That is why I knew exactly what I had to capture.
Our wonderful girl kitty, Lady Jane, has a real penchant for sleeping in the middle of the floor with her back legs straight up in the air. So not a lady! From behind, she kind of looks like she has been shot and rigamortis has set in. I know, a little morbid, but it make me laugh every time I see her. The added strangeness is that she makes sure that she is right in the middle of the of the floor where there will be the most foot traffic. I guess she absolutely trusts us not to step on her!
So, here she is, in all of her glory…
And because I woke her up when I took these images, you get to see the front end too! Lady Jane really has the cutest face. (In the background of this image is our boy Ripley, who cannot understand why anyone would sleep in such a fashion – so unbecoming for a feline.)
This week, Posh Pets is linked to Dana Cubbage Photography. Please check out her images here as I am sure she has something wonderful to show of her fur-babies! And then follow the blog circle all the way around – we have some new members this week.
Jul 8, 2011
Posh Pets’ theme for this week’s Project 52 was “spots”. It was described in broad enough terms so as to allow for a wide range of interpretations. Looking at our two cats, Ripley and Lady Jane, it was evident that they would more correctly be considered striped as opposed to spotty. However, they definitely have their favourite “spots” that they like to hang out in.
Like most cats, a sun “spot” is one of their favourites. So, in honour of such a spot, I present Ripley, basking in yesterday’s morning sun. Enjoy!
Next, please check out Ann Kearns blog to see how she interpreted spots. You can follow the blog circle all the way around until you come back here to basking Ripley!
Jul 1, 2011
This week’s image was all about the movies which took me back to one of the first Disney movies I ever watched – The Aristocats. I remember being enthralled with the lives of these cats with such personality. And it stayed with me. Even though it was released before I was born, as an adult, I had my own copy of the movie. My favourite line? The conversation between the siblings Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz.
Marie: Me first! Me first!
Toulouse: Why should you be first?
Marie: Because I’m a lady. That’s why.
Toulouse: Oh, you’re not a lady.
Berlioz: You’re nothing but a sister!
So, for this week’s images, I bring you Thomas O’Malley, Duchess, Marie, Berlioz and Toulouse! Great models they were – patiently sitting while I adjusted the lighting and found my angles. No wiggling, no moving, always looking in the direction they were asked, they were perfect.
So…what is your favourite pet-related movie?
Now, please check out our newest blog circle member, Judy Babinski of Dog Biscuit Photos, and see what movie inspired her this week! Don’t forget to make your way around until you wind up back here. Welcome, Judy!
Jun 24, 2011
This week’s challenge was to create a high-key or low-key portrait. Sometimes, if a pet is not used to a studio portrait session, it can be a blessing. They have no idea what to expect and so the flashes are met with interest and curiosity. Not so with my usual model, Ripley. After enough studio sessions, he knows what those large, black, suspended boxes do and he does not approve of it one bit. They even have the audacity to “beep” after they fire as if to taunt him. So, this week I decided to post an image of Ripley from a few weeks ago. It still makes me laugh for here he is talking. To the flashes. They are his nemesis and he is letting them know that the war is on.
Next in line is Blue Amrich from Chelmsford, MA! I have a feeling she went low-key for her image. Please check her out and the rest of the other photographers in the blog ring!
Jun 17, 2011
Today is a special day in our house – it marks the close of the 14th year that our cat, Lady Jane, has been with us.
Lady Jane is short for Lady Jane Grey, the former, very short lived, queen of England. Her name came from the fact that she was quite obviously a grey tabby, she looked so dainty and small (a “lady”), and the fact that my sister, who paid the adoption fee as a gift to us, has the middle name Jane. It all seemed to fit.
Lady Jane, like her brother Ripley, is also a rescue, the exception being that her original home was the Brampton Animal Shelter. We adopted her as a kitten of about 3 months old. Now, when I say “we”, I should clarify. My husband wasn’t there when I picked Lady Jane out and adopted her. My sister was. But, I had to call Dean and let him know what I had done. I’ll never forget the conversation.
“Hey honey, you will never guess what I have gone and done!”
“You adopted another kitty?”
Silence. How did he know? He says now that it was simply in my voice. And the fact that we had had some conversation about Ripley needing a sister at some point. I honestly have no recollection of such a conversation, but I was so happy that Dean was willing to welcome Lady Jane into our home.
Lady Jane changed our home forever. Initially, she did not stop moving and I do not remember her ever sitting down. She would only collapse on occasion to sleep. At night, she would walk on us constantly until such time that she needed a warm place to nap. While Ripley preferred my feet, Lady Jane’s “place” would be my husband’s face. She seemed to like the warmth of his breathing, kind of like a heating vent. So, he would awaken to the feeling of being suffocated, which in retrospect, he probably was.
She climbed plants, she chewed things and enjoyed laying on her back with her legs in the air. Anything but a lady! She also has an eye defect – the pupil of her left eye does not contract completely in bright light. So, she compensates by closing her eye a little. However, it also throws her perspective off a little bit and in the beginning, she would run into things at break-neck speed or miss things when pouncing. She purred all the time. Even at her Veterinarian’s office while getting her annual shots. When we spayed her, we were supposed to keep her “quiet” for a couple of days. But that was a lost cause. Apparently, even in Recovery at the vet clinic, she had opened her eyes and begun running about. She was such a happy, comical cat that through everything we would sit back and laugh and love her.
Today, Lady Jane is much calmer than in her kittenhood. She has grown to the point where she is bigger than Ripley. But, she is content to be the little sister and allow her brother the role of Alpha Cat. She moves less and sleeps more as the 14 years of life take their toll. She no longer sleeps on my husband’s face – that would literally kill him. Rather, each night, she lays on the bed, holding my finger in her paw for a few minutes. It is our good-night ritual, just before she moves to sleep on her ottoman by the side of our bed.
Tonight though, we will celebrate. With new catnip mice and treats and belly rubs. We will tell her what a good kitty she is. And she will purr, just as she has for all these years. Happy Anniversary Lady Jane!
Jun 10, 2011
When we received our theme for this week, I immediately thought hockey. Living in Canada during the last days of the Stanley Cup finals will do that to a person. However, when I suggested to our two cats that we dress them up in hockey jerseys for this week’s image, it was met with such a look of disgust, I immediately thought better of it. Their idea of “sport” is “endurance napping” or “finding just the right ray of sunshine to bask in” or “convince the humans that 5 a.m. is an excellent time to put down some food”. Not exactly Olympic events, although I have my suspicions that they would think that a failure on the Olympic Committe’s part.
As a result, I was thrilled to meet Caleb, a beautiful Rotti mix who loves swimming. Now, that is a sport! So, we arrived early at the park to photograph her and her wonderful family. After some beautiful images on dry land, Caleb was very excited to show off her skills in the water. Here is an image from that session. Please enjoy!
Next up is Natalia and Bill from Photo Lab. We cannot wait to see what great animal sport they captured! As always, please follow the blog circle around, until you end up back here. Caleb will still be enjoying the water!
May 20, 2011
This week it was all about the details. In other words, the little bits and pieces that together make up our wonderful furry family members. It was fun to shoot with my macro lens, as getting that close to something seems to set it apart for special attention. It allows one to capture the amazing beauty of these “feline parts”. So, without further ado, please take a look at the images Posh Pets captured this week:
First of all, we have two different paws. Elegant and small, paws are a wonderful thing made up of four little toes. Flexible and padded, they are just perfect for running, jumping, leaping and pouncing. Fortunately for us humans, they do not come with opposable thumbs. Imagine the mischief our kitty family members could get into if they did!
And then we have the feline nose, so cute and small. Regardless of the colour, it is used to track a wandering mouse, to ascertain exactly who in the neighbourhood was here last, and to hold on high if anything does not meet its possessor’s high standards. Always working, a nose gives a cat the information it needs.
Last, but not least, are the eyes. Who has not been the subject of a cat’s stare? Sometimes intense and direct, sometimes sleepy and lazy, they truly are windows into a cat’s soul.
The next step in our blog circle will now take us to the west coast to beautiful San Francisco, California! Please check out the blog of talented Cyndi Kuiper of Chickpea Photography Studio to see what details she captured this week. And please keep going all the way around until you end up back here in Toronto.
May 6, 2011
This week’s theme was a real challenge. Our group was instructed to “find a stranger with a pet, introduce yourself and Project 52, and ask if their pet would be willing to model”. Which would give you about 5 minutes. That was no easy task, but it was much harder considering how much it has rained in Toronto this past week. Most days, I did not want to go outside, let alone approach a stranger and ask them to stand in the driving rain while I photographed their pet. I am pretty sure my equipment would not have enjoyed it either.
However, yesterday was a beautiful day with gorgeous sunshine. We determined to get out to High Park in Toronto, in part to see the Cherry Tree Blossoms. We have lived in Toronto a long time, but I do not think it ever registered that we have Sakura Cherry trees in our own backyard. Once I found that out, I was determined to photograph them this spring. It turns out that we were a bit early, as they are not yet in full bloom. But, they are already beautiful. Even better, High Park boasts its own off-leash dog area. What better place to visit and see if I could find a willing, on-the-spur-of-the-moment kind of model to photograph.
Well, when we arrived, there were so many dogs out and about, enjoying the glorious sun with their humans. But the one that caught my eye was the beagle standing on the pathway with her family. Why? Well, I am kind of a nut for beagles. It must be a Snoopy thing. Back when I was in grade school, I would write and illustrate stories about Snoopy on my own time! And when little Uno became the first beagle in history to take “Best in Show” at the prestigious Westminster Dog Show in 2008…well, I have to admit that I had a little tear in my eye. It is that great face, the unassuming personality and the fact that they seem to just be themselves. At this point, I have pretty much decided that one day we will have a beagle in our home. (But please, do not tell the resident kitties about this plan…)
For all those reasons, I was beyond thrilled when her human family stopped me out of the blue and asked me to take a photo of them. At that point, I got introduced to Lola, their (approximately) 6-year-old beagle. Lola’s mom explained that she had been a rescue from a pound. They had gone to visit and realized that no one wanted her, which is horrible to imagine. But, like most beagles, Lola leapt into their hearts and found her forever home.
Lola was a wonderful little model! Even though this was early afternoon and therefore, the worst possible light you can have, she was more than willing to help me out. Of course, it did not hurt that her Dad had treats on hand as rewards. And the fact that she is so well trained. She posed, in between breaks to go and have a grand ole’ sniff of something interesting. It did not take more than a few minutes to find her look.
After everything, I just have to say: Lola, I really enjoyed meeting you, hearing your story and having the privilege of photographing you. We even snuck in a few images of you with your human family so that they did not feel left out. A sincere thanks to you, and the three humans you share your home with who all helped make it happen!
Look at her “big dog” shadow!
And we’ll leave you with one of the best things about Lola – her smile!
Blur – The Answer
For those of you who saw last week’s image and wondered how to achieve that kind of effect in camera, here is the answer. It is nothing more than a zoom lens and slow shutter. I set my shutter for 1.6 seconds and focused using the 70mm end of my zoom lens. When I depressed the shutter, I then proceeded to zoom all the way in to 200mm while the shutter was still open. It is that change in perspective that creates the lines. The trick though is to pause ever so slightly at the 70mm focal length before zooming through. That creates a slightly darker imprint of your initial image. So there you have it – go out and give it a try!
Going Around in Circles
At this point, you all know the drill. Now, we are heading north to Collingwood to see Cynthia Wood of Georgian Bay Pet Photography and see who she met! And then you get to click all the way through until you end up here with Lola’s smiling face.
Apr 28, 2011
Hard to believe that another week has slipped by! But that is a good thing in Toronto – it means we are inching ever closer to the nicer weather. It also means we had another theme to work with at Posh Pets for our on-going Project 52. This week’s theme was blur.
If you spend any time with photographers, you will come to realize that they are generally obsessed with “sharpness”. They can wax poetic about how “sharp” a lens is, the “sweet spot” of any particular lens and how to properly “sharpen” a file for print. But, this week we needed to produce blur. And, more importantly, to ensure that it was not mistaken for the dreaded out-of-focus image. It was also important for us that the blur be created in-camera and not as part of some manipulation done with Photoshop.
So here’s our take on blur. Thankfully, my subject was patient. You should see the outtakes! (You are welcome to post your guesses on how we created the blur!)
Next, take a trip a little to our south to New Jersey to see Stacey Axelrod of Wacky Dog Photo’s image. Please start here and follow the circle all around. When you get back, you can post your guess!
Apr 22, 2011
For those of you that went looking for last week’s post, so sorry, but we had to miss a week. With all of our travelling, the days just went by too quickly to shoot, edit, write and post. But, Posh Pets is back this week with a new theme – Landscape!
The instructions were: get outside, let the landscape inspire you, try to positively incorporate the surroundings rather than cut them out, and possibly shoot wider than usual. Which, truthfully, sounded like a lot of fun. However, if you live anywhere near Toronto, you will know that this past week featured absolutely horrendous weather. It was hard to go outside without being rained upon, blown about, hit by hail…never mind trying to do this with animals. So, what could I do? Well, in order to meet the deadline, I must confess. I cheated. Just a little. But I will come clean – this week’s image was not shot this week. Rather, it is one the images I took on my vacation about 10 days ago.
You might not find this landscape particularly “inspiring”, but, for me, it tells a story. I will always remember coming upon this dog with the soulful eyes. Who, after having checked us out, continued down the obviously seldom-travelled road alone. And who, just before she disappeared around the corner, turned back one more time, as if to wish us well on our travels. That look is this week’s image. It made me think: as we travel through life, we will meet new people and have experiences quite “by accident”. Sometimes this will happen in the least “inspiring” of places. Do not take these for granted. And, whether we enjoy them for years, months, weeks, days or for only a few moments, be sure to wish them well before we depart.
For another take on this theme, please check out the wonderful Steph Skardal’s image and blog. Do not forget to click through each link to complete the circle and end up back here. We will be waiting for you!
Apr 8, 2011
This week’s theme was “Perspective”. Seeing as we are currently travelling in Europe, finding animals to photograph was a little more of a challenge this week. But travelling does change your perspective on the world, does it not?
I was able to capture this image of a very small, adorable pup who we found by the side of a country road. He doesn’t look that tiny in this photo, but if you are looking for a reference point, look at the height of the grasses where he is sitting. Those are normal blades of grass. Mama was close by keeping watch to make sure we did not hurt her baby. That in itself was quite a touching example of a mother’s love. When we got out of the car, Mama approached our car, obviously very frightened by strangers. As we went to pat her, she lowered her body and turned away – perhaps strangers have not treated her well in the past – but her fear did not stop her from doing all that she could to ensure that her little one was safe. So, we talked softly to her, gave her some water and moved slowly to take photos of her puppy. By this time, the little one had scampered away and was watching us from a safe distance. How he must have wondered who these strange beings were with what must have looked like a gun pointed at him (my 70-200 lens with a hood on is imposing). It made us think, what would your perspective of the world be if you were only 8 inches tall?
To see the next image by Ann Kearns, please click here. Remember, this is a blog circle, so click through each of the links on each of the photographer’s sites until you end up back here.
