Southern Exposures

Lovable Laurel

2012-01-29T06:00:00.003-06:00

Laurel is one of the sweetest cats I have ever photographed at a shelter. She was so calm and content to stay in her cat condo, yet enjoyed being petted and playing with the feather toy too. Her round face and yellow eyes are adorable and I love those little black ear tips! She is available for adoption at Friendswood Animal Control 281-996-3391

Ready for Liftoff

2012-01-28T06:00:00.001-06:00

Those ears!

Sweet Ramona is still a puppy so maybe she will grown into them...if not she can always play the canine version of Sally Field's character in The Flying Nun.

Ramona is available for adoption at Friendswood Animal Control 281-996-3391.

Portraits

2012-01-27T14:47:00.000-06:00

During my recent Basenji session, I also photographed each dog individually for head/shoulder portraits. I shot them against a white background and added the pattern later in Photoshop. These were made into Photographic Gallery Wraps like the couch composite and are all hanging in a wall grouping.

Jorji


Tippy

Sasha

Another Composite

2012-01-25T08:19:00.000-06:00

Again, Photoshop allowed me to create a composite from three separate images of these Basenjis on their couch. And again, I learned some things that I need to think about the next time I shoot something similar --- first of all, don't have the dog with the darkest fur the farthest from the main light source! Second, shoot from the same position for the most accurate result --- I moved directly across from each section of the couch for each dog and that made each image have a slightly different angle...not horrible but it would have been better to stay in the middle and shoot left, center and right from that position. Third, bring a lint roller --- I spent a lot of time in post processing cloning away dog hair. Neither of the composites I did for this family were planned before the photo session, they were the result of not being able to get all the dogs together in the same shot.

The end product of this image was a 14 x 42 inch canvas gallery wrap (that is why the composite above has the colored frame, it was wrapped back around the sides) and it turned out great:

I do think the canvas would look even better larger. It will hang with several other canvas portraits of the individual dogs and other items in a collection on the wall.

Stella and Stetson Are Movie Stars

2012-01-23T06:00:00.009-06:00

Stella

Stetson

These two dogs were found running down a street near the now-completed Friendswood Animal Control facility back in November 2011. They may be brother and sister, and they are both striking looking dogs and very well behaved and friendly. They know some commands, Stetson is neutered, they have managed to stay sweet after many weeks in a kennel. Two months have gone by and no one has been interested in adopting them. We have all been very worried about their chances of ever finding homes.

But things are looking up ---- our shelter manager Lisa Bragg is married to Tom who is an Air Force pilot and also owns his own small plane which he uses as part of Pilots N Paws rescue to relay animals who need to get from a shelter to either a rescue or an adopter in another part of the US. Tom answered a Facebook request for Subaru owners who were also involved in Pilots N Paws and he and Lisa were chosen to be in a Subaru commercial! It was filmed last week in Friendswood and in Galveston with a complete New York production team (makeup artists, wardrobe people, director, grips, camera men, USA network executive, catering, an RV, the whole she-bang), and Stella and Stetson were the dogs who played the part of being rescued. The commercial will air during the Westminster Dog Show in Feb on the USA network. The dogs were filmed at the new facility one day, and then another day for 12 hours in Galveston and it will be very interesting to see how much air time they actually end up with. The exposure on Facebook has brought more attention to them and now there are some potential families interested. The dogs may not stay together, and the families still have to pass home visits and background checks, but it looks like Stella and Stetson have a good chance at last of having real homes. I love happy endings!

Thank You Photoshop

2012-01-22T13:07:00.000-06:00

Of course the photographer just about always prefers to "get it right in the camera", but when you are trying to shoot 3 untrained canines, I am so glad there is the option of compositing them. This is one image where I shot each dog separately on the window sill, pretty much in the spot they are in the final image, and combined them in Photoshop. I learned a lot with this shoot back on the fall...and only hope I will remember when/if I attempt something similar again.

I used one of my Alien Bee 800 lights with the octabox. The light reflected in the window but we moved it as far left as we could to get the reflection out of the frame.

More Precious Puppies

2012-01-17T06:00:00.002-06:00

This darling is Cassie, a Border Collie mix puppy. She is one of 37 animals waiting to be adopted from Friendswood Animal Control. The new facility is beautiful and spacious, but not big enough for all of the animals that are coming in these days. It is very hard to see such sweet young puppies like Cassie here in a shelter environment, waiting for a home. Please spread the word if you know anyone who may be interested in adopting to check out Friendswood 281-996-3391.

Cassie came in with the other puppy pictured below with her, Tasha. Tasha is pretty darn cute too, but a little too fast for my camera that day. She was often blurry!

They are both available for adoption.

The Best Name Ever

2012-01-16T06:00:00.002-06:00

This is Sir Meows A Lot! He is such a friendly, curious cat and he is very vocal --- he likes to tell you everything he is thinking...if only we could understand it. He is a small cat with a body and face shape like a Siamese. And he is waiting for a forever home at Friendswood Animal Control 281-996-3391.

I really like how fun shots can be when using a wide-angle lens. This was shot with a 17-35mm at 24mm.

Precious Puppiness

2012-01-14T08:10:00.000-06:00

This is Ford and he was a lot of fun to photograph last week. I am now shooting at the new animal shelter in Friendswood, and I really like being able to have the cats, kittens, puppies and small dogs off leash in a small "meet and greet" room. Here I set up a table which helps keep them in one spot and I have a helper who stands just out of the frame to keep the animals from jumping off and getting hurt. The walls are painted a taupe which I was happy to see at first because the wall color in a small room can really reflect on the animals, but now I am getting tired of it so brought a green microfiber throw and put it over my Scrim Jim reflector propped on some chairs behind the table. Ford was adopted the next day!

Labrador Love

2011-12-18T11:45:00.000-06:00

That face. Always close by, waiting patiently. She is so good with the shenanigans of the younger dogs. It is because of her calmness around all of the cats we have fostered that the others don't get riled up about having felines in their midst. She has been the best dog model from the day I picked up a camera. It has been a while since her sweet face has been on the blog so I thought it was time.

Smitten

2011-12-16T06:00:00.001-06:00

I love finding her everywhere I go around the house.

Everything she does is cute or funny.

She is soft and warm and demands to be petted.

It is so hard to be firm with her about not getting on the table,

or counters, or begging for tidbits.

Yep, we're smitten.

Ouch

2011-12-15T06:00:00.005-06:00

This is not the best time of year for a broken bone, but that's what I ended up with. Two weeks ago while walking my pack, one of them wrenched the leash from my hand when he went after a stray dog. I did not fall on it so thought my wrist must be sprained. That same wrist was shattered 20 years ago and I never got full use of it so it is not very strong. First I tried wrapping my wrist area but that was not enough so then I bought a wrist brace and still had a lot of pain and "crunching" when I moved my fingers or hand too much so I finally got an x-ray done last Friday. Now I have a very cool new kind of cast --- it is plastic heat-molded to my forearm, waterproof and removable for short periods for cleaning the skin. Having my arm stabilized has made a big difference...but not enough to allow me to decorate or go Christmas shopping, etc...or at least that's my story! No more extend-able leashes for my heathens, I have ordered a runner's leash system that goes around your waist for hands-free walking. Now if I can just keep from tripping over them...

It's Official

2011-12-14T10:37:00.000-06:00

Mike and I decided that we could not give up the latest cat we have been fostering, Clove, and we have adopted her. All of the cats and kittens we have fostered so far have been adorable and we came close to failing at fostering every one, but something about Clove makes her irresistible. She is so sweet and calm and gentle and all 4 dogs get along with her so well. Plus, Friendswood Animal Control has been overflowing with cats for months and adoptions have been very slow, so by our taking Clove out of the system we hope another cat will be adopted in her place. We are enjoying her so much --- she is small, quiet, easy to clean up after, and just so fun to watch as she investigates everything.

The Spice Sisters

2011-11-27T08:00:00.003-06:00

Clove and Pumpkin

Clove and Pumpkin are my latest foster kittens, and they are extremely adorable! Clove spends her day sitting on my lap when I am on the computer, just purring gently (it is such a sacrifice for me to make, but anything in the name of helping stray animals!). Pumpkin has fallen for Mike and seems to think he is a big lollipop because she is always licking his hands. Both girls have the softest fur --- petting Pumpkin is like touching air and Mike keeps calling her Fluffy (that is such a lame name!). They are so playful too, and make us laugh out loud at their silly antics. And they are fine with my big dogs. They are both fully vetted and ready for a forever home, so contact Friendswood Animal Control at 281-996-3391 if you are interested in adopting one or both of them. I think they would do alright separated if they are adopted soon but they are very bonded and I know they would be so happy to be together so that would be my hope.

Another Side of Rescue

2011-11-26T13:00:00.000-06:00

I recently learned of another area of rescue that I had no idea existed ---- animals who are being boarded in kennels for years at a time. These animals came to be left there in a few different ways such as they were originally boarded by their owners but never picked up, some were left tied to the fence at the boarding facility because whoever left them knew they would not be killed, and others were once part of a rescue organization but for one reason or another were deemed not appropriate anymore so that avenue to get adopted was lost. They are "safe" in that they will not be killed, but they are living their life in a cage with occasional walks or time out of their cage and interaction with the kennel staff...which is not much of a life for a dog or a cat. I was asked to photograph some animals in this situation at Fondren Five Star Kennels so that their photos can be used on flyers and posted on Facebook and Petfinder in the hope that they can finally find a forever home. So please share this post with anyone you know who may be looking to adopt an animal, all of these are wonderful pets who deserve a home and not a life in a cage. Contact Marlene at coolcolab4@yahoo.com


Aztec and Inca


Aztec


Inca


Beauty


Creedence


Rowdy


Gwinn


Iris Rose


Isabelle


Max


Parker


Sampson


Shadow


Snow and Flake

More Adoptions!

2011-10-25T21:37:00.000-05:00

These are some of the rescued animals I have photographed lately for Tails N Transition, a rescue group run by Dr. Susan Pickle and her daughter Ashlee, at Alvin Friendswood Vet Clinic. Many of these adorable animals had medical issues --- heartworms, broken bones, injured eyes, etc and they were on the short list for euthanasia. All 3 kittens came from a feral cat colony in Seabrook. They have all found forever homes.

I photograph in one of the exam rooms, or in the case of the aqua blue background shots, in the back laboratory area. In the small exam rooms I use a flash on the camera with a Gary Fong diffuser, but in the seamless paper shots I use a speedlight in a shoot-through umbrella. Since these were taken I have gotten 2 Alien Bee 800 flashes, a very large softbox and a large octabox but have not used them for shelter pets yet. I am looking forward to more consistent light, and hopefully to not bothering the animals as much with the larger light source...though really, none of these guys seemed to mind.

Selene

Venus


Luna

Mikey

Creamsicle

Eddie

Mitzi

Duke

Fiona

Prince Harry

Tiger Lily

Adopted

2011-10-19T15:33:00.000-05:00

My foster kittens were adopted together by a great young woman over a week ago, and I miss them! It was so fun to see them zip around the house, it was wonderful to sit at the computer and have one or both in my lap, and I had to laugh a time or two when I unexpectedly came across one somewhere unusual --- like on my kitchen counter. Unusual for me, not for a cat. All of my dogs enjoyed them too, but especially Pearl and Toby and keeping up with two active kittens kept them busy and entertained. I came very close to failing at fostering and adopting them myself, but I know they have a great home and were so lucky to be able to stay together and soon I will foster another cat and save another life. Still, Miles and Mica were my first ever kittens and they will always have a special place in my heart.

Fostering --- Love Well Spent

2011-09-27T11:40:00.000-05:00

This is Rusty. He is not an adorable, cuddly puppy but an older, skinny, arthritic, slightly tattered Heartworm positive mixed breed dog with a pancreatic enzyme disease but he does not deserve to live in a kennel for 23 and 3/4ths hours a day. He looks a lot like one of our rescued dogs and we began fostering him when the shelter got too many dogs a couple of weeks ago, he was pretty much next on the euthanasia list. But Rusty has some great qualities about him ---- he is housetrained, he knows several important commands, he walks GREAT on a leash, he gets along well with other dogs, he is SOOOO happy to be out of the shelter and shows that constantly. Oh, his owners were found but they "don't want him anymore because he keeps running away"...after 6 or 7 years of being shut in the backyard and having food thrown at him occasionally, and by his heartworm test and pancreatic enzyme deficiency that prove he was not taken to the vet in many years, I can't imagine why Rusty would want to run away.

Yes, fostering does take time away from your own animals, it does cost some money, it does take a commitment of time and energy on your part, and there can be an emotional investment that makes it hard to let the animals go, but it is definitely all worth it. A new forever home may not be found for Rusty, but that's OK, then he will become a permanent part of the Barker pack...My next vehicle may need to be a little larger though.

I'm Failing

2011-09-02T09:47:00.000-05:00

At fostering these two adorable kittens. They are as soft and silky as velvet, they have such warm little purring bodies, and are so much fun to watch as they wrestle and play and run. So far 2 of my dogs are doing well with them, though Pearl gets a little too enthusiastic with her licks and tends to join in their chases. They are being neutered today and though it will be very hard to let them go to a new home, if they do get adopted I can save more...

Mica

Miles checking out the morning coffee

Mica likes to watch TV

Sweet Miles

We are having WHAT removed on Friday?

Crazy kitten

Boscoe Goes For a Ride

2011-08-27T04:00:00.002-05:00

Boscoe came in to Friendswood Animal Control in June. He is some kind of American Bulldog mix and since that is a "bully" breed, he had to be temperament tested in order to be adopted. This guy is a marshmallow and passed with flying colors. Even in the stressful environment of the shelter in the heat of the summer, he was always a calm, friendly, happy dog. Still, he was never chosen to be adopted. Finally a member of my animal rescue group took him into her home as a foster, with her 4 other rescued dogs. He is living the good life now but needs a forever home. So, we decided he needed some new pictures showing how "cool" he is, and I had several ideas but going for a ride in a red convertible with a beautiful girl is the one we shot recently. Boscoe had a fabulous time going around and around a subdivision in Friendswood that was bought out and has only 3 homes now but the streets and lots are maintained by the city. We shot about 7 pm at night and I wanted to use a slow shutter with a flash on rear sync so I could get the motion blur of the car but also freeze Boscoe so he would be sharp...I never got the perfect shot, but below is very much like I envisioned, just Boscoe has too much blur:

Still, we got several shots to use and post on Facebook. Hopefully someone will decide they really need to adopt such a cool dog!

A few more of some we liked:

Whiskers

2011-07-29T04:00:00.002-05:00

He's waiting to be adopted at Friendswood Animal Control! 281-996-9931

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go

2011-07-24T17:59:00.000-05:00

Part of successful rescue work is marketing the animals well and Friendswood Animal Advocates came up with a way to catch potential adopters' attention with often overlooked animals in the shelter --- those mostly black and black and white ones. They asked me to photograph them in some fancy duds --- tutus, ties, boas, jewelry, etc. For the rest of July and possibly extended into August, the adoption fee is waived on all black, black and white, and even black and brown animals currently in the Friendswood Animal Control Facility. One of the black and white kittens below, Francesca, has already been adopted, the Boxer Clara Belle was pulled by Lone Star Boxer Rescue, and Sassy the Pomeranian was found by her owner (I know, she is not black and white, but looked so cute in her tutu!), which is another whole story about how she ended up in Friendswood from Pasadena. For information call 281-996-9931.

Charlotte

Clara Belle

Cricket

Felicia

Francesca

Mica

Phoebe

Reese

Rocky

Sassy

Seymour

Thursday Shelter Update

2011-07-21T04:00:00.026-05:00

This young cat was found by a family who wanted to keep him but had too many allergies, so he ended up at Friendswood Animal Control. When I photographed QT today he was so calm and sweet, he did not fear my camera and flash as so many do. A little later while another cat was out in the cat room playing, he started playing with the volunteer through the bars of his cage so he is already adjusting. Sweet, calm, friendly, playful and soooo gorgeous --- what more could you ask for?

Nutter Butter is another very cute one available now. He is a young Chihuahua mix who was so petrified when he was brought to the shelter last week that they could not get him out of the carrier he was in for quite a while. Volunteers have patiently worked with him for several days and I was able to get him to come willingly with me for his photos. He is still nervous and hates being in his kennel but is not aggressive or snappy at all, he just wants to be held and petted. Call 281-996-9931 to adopt either of these extremely darling animals.

The Barker Household has a Visitor

2011-07-18T04:00:00.002-05:00

of the feline variety. I am fostering a cat who is recovering from surgery while waiting to be adopted. I have never had a cat and am enjoying spending time with her.

Charlotte

So far she is very frightened by my dogs, even when Maggie is just snuffling under the door while I play with her...She may need a forever home without dogs but I will give her more time to heal and settle in before trying an introduction.

I had to use ISO 1600 and a large aperture...black animals are so hard to focus on, even with her gorgeous yellow eyes. Also this bedroom gets morning sun so the light was not very bright late in the afternoon and I did not want to frighten her with flash.

A Few More of Baby S

2011-07-11T04:00:00.002-05:00

This little doll is such a happy baby and so easy to photograph. The limitations were mostly the very small area I had to work in and how to find a decent background. In hindsight I could have put a couch behind her with some fabric draped over it. Her mother spent many summer days in her childhood at our lakehouse and it has not changed a bit in 20 years...so I guess the photos also capture the next generation there.

I loved the baby's expressions in this series -- - you can tell she loves her books already.

She's 6 Months Old Already

2011-07-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

Time flies --- it has been six month since I photographed this little doll last December. Recently my college girlfriends met at my lake house in Burnet for a few days and her mom, the daughter of one of my friends, brought the baby out for an impromptu photo session. She is not quite able to sit up on her own longer than a couple of seconds...which resulted in a few tumbles before we decided to try something different!

The quilt was handmade by my great grandmother and I was just really lucky that the two outfits the baby had with her coordinated so well with the fabrics in the quilt. I used natural light from some west facing windows and a large aperture to blur the uninteresting background.

Thursday Shelter Update and a WELCOME to Lisa

2011-07-07T12:29:00.000-05:00

Calvin

Calvin is just one of several very cute kittens and cats available this week at Friendswood Animal Control (281-996-3391).

Celeste

Suki

Suki and Celeste are two siblings who have been at the shelter for a few weeks now --- they are very playful and so entertaining!

Oswald

Oswald has the most sleek and shiny fur and really beautiful Bengal markings.

Tobie

Tobie is an 8 year old spayed female who was brought in by her owner --- they got a dog and it did not get along with her, so they brought her to a kill shelter! HOW can they think that is OK??? She was very afraid of my camera even with the flash off, and is trying to adjust to her situation by staying in her litterbox in a cage that is way too small for such a large cat. I hope someone can see what a great cat she is and will give her a safe forever home.

Rocky

Cowboy

Freckles


Jefferson

Morgan

Morgan with Lisa Bragg

We are so happy to welcome Lisa, pictured above, as the very first Shelter Manager at Friendswood Animal Control. She comes from Washington DC with her husband who is in the Air Force and was transferred to Ellington (and he flies his own plane for animal rescues!) and she has worked in shelters there and other places. We have come so far in the last year and a half, with many improvements to our city's animal control policies, a new shelter has broken ground, and now we have a dedicated person to help manage the adoptable animals! Huge steps forward, to say the least.

Patriotic Pibble

2011-07-02T04:00:00.001-05:00

Miss Rosie was the reason for the Patriotic photo session ---- her mama wanted to enter her photo in a contest...but she was not exactly feeling patriotic that day....

I am going to have to come up with some better treats for this diva, but she is worth it.

For those who don't know, "pibble" is an affectionate slang for Pit Bull, and Rosie is one of the sweetest, most affectionate, calm, and best-natured Pit Bulls I have ever met. And she is also very good at looking pitiful when she wants to.

Ready for the Parade

2011-06-29T04:00:00.000-05:00

Little Joe has grown so much, his foster mama wanted to get some updated photos of him. But when I arrived to photograph, a forever family was there filling out the paperwork to adopt him! He is such a darling puppy with fur like velvet and the sweetest personality. The family has two young children and I know he will have the best life. To think that he was found in a driveway with the placenta still attached and was accepted by a mama pit bull as one of her litter to be nursed, and is now so healthy and happy --- that's a happy ending!

Meet Catalina

2011-06-27T04:00:00.001-05:00

This sweet nose belongs to Catalina, a rescued dog I got to photograph recently.

Weekly Shelter Update

2011-06-23T04:00:00.002-05:00

There are kittens everywhere again, and they are very cute. All 9 of the cat kennels are full as of today and some have more than one kitten in them, so if you know of anyone looking for a cat or kitten tell them to drop by Friendswood Animal Control, or call 281-996-3391. I did not even photograph all of them as a few of the litters are being fostered in homes for a little while.

Pumpkin

Andy

Petey


Alexander

And the new dogs are extremely cute this week too --- all young females.

Molly

Patti

Bonnie

Adorable Adoptables

2011-06-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

I was at Friendswood Animal Control twice this week and was very happy to see some empty kennels. That is unusual for the summer season, but part of the reason is that there are several animals in foster homes so even though they are available for adoption, they are not in the stressful environment of the shelter. Being in a home even for short periods of time is such a relief for a cat or dog, and it also helps with socializing them to make their transition to a forever home easier. The darling Maltese mix below, Bonita, was pulled to be fostered as soon as her waiting time was up. She still needs a permanent home though.

Bonita

This handsome guy is Boscoe and we think he could be a mix of American or English Bulldog and Pit Bull, with maybe even a little Boxer mixed in. He is a very sweet natured guy and he passed a temperament test with flying colors. That means he allowed food to be taken away, his ears to be pulled, he was interested in but not aggressive toward both small and large dogs. And he knows how to sit for treats. He really enjoyed some time off leash in the grass and lots of cool water in the baby pool.

Boscoe

Tara has been at the shelter for several weeks but she was pretty shy for her first photo shoot and she has come out of her shell a lot since then so we decided to get some new images showing how much she loves being a lap cat.

Tara

If she stills looks a little nervous it is because the area where I photograph the cats is immediately next to the door to the dog kennels, and sometimes the barking can get a little loud. We are all looking forward to the new facility which is under construction and may open in October, but I think the cats are looking forward to a dog-free zone the most!

Toby is a gorgeous Tabby cat, who is another one who makes a great lap cat.

Toby

They Come In All Sizes

2011-06-14T04:00:00.003-05:00

The two dogs I photographed last week at Friendswood Animal Control were pretty much as opposite as they could be. Briggs is a young, large, rambunctious, affectionate male Shepherd mix, and Felicia is a tiny, Senior, very sweet and shaking-like-a-leaf Chihuahua...who is missing a few teeth but that only adds to her cuteness factor!

Both are waiting for a special human to appreciate their unique qualities and take them home forever, from Friendswood Animal Control at 281-996-3391.

New Kittens

2011-06-12T04:00:00.002-05:00

These new kittens are extremely adorable, and so entertaining! They are ready to be adopted at Friendswood Animal Control, and wonderfully, several have already found new homes since I photographed them just a few days ago. But there are many kittens still waiting as well as some older cats --- call 281-996-3391 if you are interested in any.

Celeste

Emily

Lexi

Maxwell

Missy

Timothy


Timothy

Rescue Successes and New Faces

2011-06-10T04:00:00.008-05:00

I am so happy to say that many animals I have photographed recently have found forever homes --- the kittens Angel, Sparkle, Sasha, Sage and Stanley, puppies Hoss, Princess Aurora, Chickpea, Sprout, and Simba. Also Minnie, Jilly, Jorja, Leo, Clementine, Rocky the cat, Snoopy the Dachshund --- whew! And even the puppies Aladdin and Little Joe have potential homes in the works. But of course, we are in the busiest time of year for shelters so many more have come to take the place of those adopted. Here are some darling ones from this week who are available through Tails-n-Transitions at 281-992-7500:

First up is an irresistible probably Labrador mix named Jasmine who was pretty hard to get in focus, but made me laugh the whole time:

Next are two Chihuahua siblings who are older but need new homes. They were both brand new to the clinic so still pretty fearful, but very sweet:

Goofy Grim

2011-06-07T04:00:00.001-05:00

My son has been bringing his Labrador Retriever puppy over to swim, and Grim has been thoroughly entertaining us! Brandon taught his first Lab Maggie May how to swim and even dive in the pool and the lake, but Grim is even more enthusiastic than she ever was. I have wanted to learn how to take action shots of dogs and thought I would try to capture Grim but I am still struggling. I don't know if it my technique, the pool in shade with an erratically moving black dog, camera settings, or possibly a combination of reasons. I need to find a high energy lighter-colored dog who will run toward me in a field to figure it out I guess...anyone know some possibilities? But here are a few pretty hilarious Grim shots to laugh at, though not all are tack sharp.

Floppy Eared Cuteness

2011-06-06T04:00:00.008-05:00

Meet Aladdin! He is a new rescue for Tails n Transition, and he is very adorable! He has brindle markings with some white splotches (just look at his white chin!), that precious puppy breath, and just all-around-cuteness. He is in a foster home now but available for adoption right away --- call 281-992-7500 to put in an application.

Two Beautiful Cats

2011-06-04T04:00:00.003-05:00

Juliet

This is Juliet, a gorgeous "blue" adult cat who was turned into Friendswood Animal Control by her owner, along with her brother Rocky, below. They were having some issues that the family was not willing to work on, and now they have been at the shelter for a few weeks. The shelter is full and Juliet and Rocky do not have long to live if they are not adopted. All of the volunteers love these cats and we have enjoyed playing with them and getting to know them, they are certainly worth the effort of working out their problems. So please share their information and maybe they can be saved.


Juliet

Rocky

Come and See Chrissy

2011-06-03T04:00:00.002-05:00

Chrissy is another darling puppy available at Friendswood Animal Control. She is an older puppy and is very sweet and affectionate and not too energetic at all. Her markings are so gorgeous and her eyes are a beautiful amber. We think she could be a mix of German Shepherd and Catahoula Leopard, but whatever she is she is darn cute! Very smart too --- she has already learned to sit and go down and walks pretty good on a leash. And her paws are not huge so I don't think she will get much bigger, she is probably about 30 lbs right now though she is a little thin. She will be at Friendswood's Concert in the Park tonight at 7pm unless she gets adopted first, so come and see her for yourself.

Someone Needs A Snoopy

2011-06-02T04:00:00.003-05:00

Well, Snoopy needs someone at least. This sweet young male Dachshund came into Friendswood Animal Control last week. Scared, stressed, and evidently afraid of men, Wednesday was the first day he was able to be worked with by the volunteers and though it took a while, he did warm up to being petted, talked to gently, and fed treats. Finally the volunteer was able to get a leash on him without scaring him, and he had a great time out in the grass and let me take his photos. He still startled when the male Animal Control Officers came near him so he may need someone really willing to work with him and train those fears out of him, and probably a home without children. He is very cute, calm and loves to be held in a lap.

Jinx, a Few Months Older

2011-05-31T04:00:00.013-05:00

This is my vet's little Yorkie puppy, who I first photographed back in January and posted here. Jinx has changed a lot in just 3 months as all puppies do --- his ears grew considerably and his fur has turned mostly silver. He is such a tiny, sweet, silky-soft little guy but he did not stay still for more than a shot or two this time. Back at the beginning of April I had been photographing her rescues in this field on a high overcast day, using my SB900 Speedlight in my hotshoe but it kept overheating and did not fire for Jinx's shots. I was able to brighten him up enough in post-processing and darken the field around him to make him stand out better, using Color Efex Pro's Darken-Lighten Center.

More Kittens!

2011-05-30T04:00:00.050-05:00

This new litter of kittens is now ready to be adopted at Friendswood Animal Control. They survived going through a car wash in the bed of a truck! The truck's owner did not know they were there or where the mama cat was so they were bottle fed by a volunteer with Second Chance Pets and are now eating solid food. The black kitten is the only male.

Cheese Puff

Jack Sparrow

Mittens

Sparkles

Pretty Sadie

2011-05-28T04:00:00.013-05:00

This is the mama cat of the kittens I posted yesterday. At first she was thought to be feral, but after her kittens were weaned a volunteer took her home to work with her and it was discovered that she was severely undernourished, and basically very stressed and frightened to be in the kennel at the pound. She is a very friendly small cat who looks to maybe have some Burmese in her lineage, with those gorgeous blue eyes and her light fur. She gets along great with the foster's dog too so would probably be fine in a home with dogs who like cats. She has gained weight already in just one week and was spayed and vaccinated so is all ready for a new home. Please share her information as it is going to be very hard on her to be sent back to the city pound.

If anyone is interested, the template I used for this blog post is free from Michelle Kane Photography if you "like" her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Kane-Photography/246282787075?sk=app_100527483349677.

They Were Irresistible

2011-05-27T04:00:00.013-05:00

Another litter of some extremely cute kittens were weaned and quickly adopted at Friendswood Animal Control. Great news, but more came in as soon as these were adopted, and if anything they are even cuter!

Sasha

Sage

Stanley

Art for Animals

2011-05-25T08:59:00.002-05:00

I recently applied, and have been conditionally approved, to become a member of an organization of volunteers called HeARTs Speak. It is a group of artists who use their choice of medium to promote animal rescue. Quoted from their site:

A compelling photograph can reach into the heart of a potential adopter, and bring an animal one step closer to a long-life outside of a shelter. An artist can be a life-changer, and that is priceless. HeARTs Speak was created to harness the power of art to effect social change, to connect artists with shelters and animal relief organizations, and ultimately, to save and better the lives of animals and people.

I can't think of anything I would rather do more these days, so I am very glad to have been considered to join such a great group.

And I cannot post without a photograph or two, so below is a darling dog who my husband and Jenny (pictured holding the dog at Friendswood's Concert in the Park) were able to save recently from being hit by cars while running down the very busy FM 528. Jenny is fostering him for Tails-n-Transition and has named him Matthew because he was so covered in matted fur that his skin was about to tear and you could not even tell what size he was. He is such a friendly, happy, lovable dog that you cannot be around him without smiling. He gets along well with other dogs and seems to be fine with children too, though he does seem a little too "interested" in cats. He has been vaccinated and neutered by Dr. Susan Pickle at Alvin Friendswood Vet Clinic and is all ready for a new family!

Puppies!

2011-05-23T08:29:00.000-05:00

Little Joe

These darling puppies are available for adoption through Tails-n-Transition at Alvin Friendswood Vet Clinic. The mama and just-born puppies were found subsisting on their own in the woods in the Woodlands area about 2 months ago. The brown and white one pictured above is not one of her original litter but was found alone by another person and added to her litter, and the mama accepted him. He is a little younger than the other two. Shawn is the son of one of my rescue group members and he has been socializing them --- hard work! They keep him running all over but then allow time for petting and hugs too.

Shawn with Princess Aurora

Shawn with Little Joe

Hoss

The two boys


Ladybug

The mama dog, Ladybug, is so sweet and friendly that the foster family cannot bear to let her be adopted and are keeping her, along with 3 other rescued dogs they already have!

But the puppies have had their first set of vaccines and are about to be spayed or neutered and are available for adoption. Call 281-992-7500 if you are interested.

Feeling Blue

2011-05-14T04:00:00.001-05:00

Another Life Saved

2011-05-11T04:00:00.001-05:00

This is Thimble, a little Maltese with a bad heart who was saved along with her brother Chigger by Dr. Pickle back in February. Thimble needed surgery on her heart so donations were collected by Tails-n-Transition, the surgery was performed by a specialist in April, and she recovered in a foster home until she was healed and could be adopted. I saw her just days after her surgery and she looked so content and relaxed in her foster mother's arms.

And now she is in her furever home!

A Few More Adoptable Dogs

2011-05-09T04:00:00.001-05:00

Chickpea

Matthew


Minnie

Oliver

Sprout


Trinity

Fosters in the Flowers

2011-05-07T17:03:00.000-05:00

Angel

These are some recent shots I took for the Tails-n-Transition rescue group. All of these dogs were or are in foster homes but only a few of them are in forever homes. Spring is a very busy season when there are many homeless animals who need rescuing, so please keep them in mind if you are thinking of adding a new member to your family.


Simba, a puppy


Chewie has been adopted!


Clementine

Izzy

Jilly has been adopted!

Jorja


Leo, traveled on the Rescue Transport to a foster on the East Coast

Toby Too

And finally, the poster child of Tails-n-Transition whose escape and rescue from deathrow at BARC is what inspired the creation of that rescue group, Miss Rosie:

Rosie, adopted and adored

It's Pet Week at I Heart Faces

2011-04-24T20:21:00.001-05:00

I believe this little one is still waiting to be adopted at Friendswood Animal Control, and since it is a pet theme for the contest at I Heart Faces this week, I thought I would enter her photo. After someone on Facebook asked if one of these kittens was green, I did a color correction layer and think I fixed that problem! No wonder she wasn't snapped up immediately, green kittens are not as appealing as gray ones I guess.

More Kittens, and More, and More

2011-04-15T17:43:00.000-05:00

These first two are brothers and they are so sweet and affectionate.

The younger kittens are all siblings too, we think the black and white ones are female and the tabbies are male. All of them need homes and can be adopted from Friendswood Animal Control.

Spring Brings Breezes, Blooms and ... Kittens

2011-04-14T12:19:00.000-05:00

These 5 gray kittens (yes, these are all different kittens) and their mama recently came in to Friendswood Animal Control and are now being weaned and are almost available for adoption. They are being fostered in a great home right now but will soon have to go back to the pound. That is not good for kittens especially as there are so many contagious diseases that come in with impounded animals and kittens do not have a strong immune system yet so if you know anyone who would love one of these furballs, let them know they will be available very soon, as well as their mother --- she is a wonderful sweet loving calm and beautiful cat.

Rescue Road Trip

2011-04-06T04:00:00.017-05:00

I was able to drive Pendleton to Bay Area Pet Adoptions (formerly the SPCA) in Dickinson to meet the trailer that would take him to another rescue in Tennessee, and through them to his new home. When I first got involved in rescue I became aware of trucks that made passes periodically through some Southern states to pick up adoptable animals and transport them up north to areas that had gotten a handle on their homeless pet population and had empty shelters as a result --- incredible. I wanted to see how the operation worked and since I knew I was going to an unfamiliar area at dusk, I made sure I took my camera home...never thinking I would want to document it! So, these are Droid photos, but they do the job.

I think the transport picked up about 20 dogs with Pendleton, and there were already animals on board. The kennels were stacked but secured well and clean, and the trailer was airconditioned...but still it must have been a scary trip for those animals. It is pretty sad that we must send our homeless dogs hundreds of miles and to other states to find forever homes for them but how wonderful that there are homes for them at all and people willing to get them there. That is why it is so important to spay and neuter your animals and to adopt rather than buy from breeders or puppy mills.

From the www.rescueroadtrips.com site:

Q: Why does the North

import Southern

dogs?

A:#1: Southerners have excellent taste in dogs - they just don’t spay and neuter or keep them on their property. Some northerners have figured this out and are acquiring first-rate dogs at bargain basement prices.

A: #2: Spay and neuter activism combined with breeder regulation in the North have generated restricted supply and thus high prices for adoptable dogs. The lack of spay/neuter facilities and breeder regulation and the prevalence of warm winters in the South have created excessive supply of adoptable dogs and thus low prices. Enterprising souls on both sides are making this market work. In doing so they are not only improving the lives of Northern Families but also saving the lives of southern dogs. These are not any dogs mind you, These are High grade, Southern-mannered and styled dogs. Thus the name for this market: “Southern Comfort”.

The drawl is free.

There's One Day at a Time....

2011-04-04T10:11:00.000-05:00

But for me lately it is "One Dog at a Time". Pendleton is the latest example of that ---- he was impounded at Friendswood Animal Control with horrible infected cuts on his face and back and he stayed that way for several days until he was there long enough to become "city property" and thus we (the volunteers) could have access to him. He was immediately taken to Dr. Pickle, our hero of a veterinarian, and all the staff fell in love with him too. Even though he had to be in so much pain, he was a happy friendly guy. They would not let him go back to animal control and he became their latest rescue. After some cleaning and antibiotics, neutering, and a little time to heal he went to get his video made by Tom English, another rescuer who has contacts all over the east coast. He too fell for Pendleton's charm and it was not long before Pendleton was off on the Rescue Transport to Tennessee, to A New Leash On Life rescue there. In one week he had a new forever home with a family with a 13 year old boy, perfect for Pendleton!

The Flashbus Tour Starring David and Joe

2011-03-27T16:19:00.001-05:00

My head is still spinning trying to contain all the information we were presented with yesterday at David Hobby's and Joe McNally's Flashbus workshop. I had attended Joe's workshop here in Houston two years ago and maybe that is why this time I learned more from David Hobby's morning session than Joe's in the afternoon. Or maybe it is because Joe shoots with his flashes in TTL mode and it can be inconsistent and confusing though he always gets the shot in the end, I am not confident however that I would. It was certainly an information-packed and entertaining workshop to say the least. Below are some of my very high ISO (1600 and 3200) shots from the day and let me explain the third one ---- when the crew arrived at the venue in the early morning hours it was set up (rather garishly it seems) for a wedding and they had to scramble to remove all the tulle, satin, tables, flowers, etc. So they opened a little late with an announcement that as a result of all the togetherness on their rock-group-set-up touring bus, David and Joe were getting married. Those guys are pretty quick on their feet!

Following are some shots of the large screen they projected their images on, David showed his Lighting in Layers instructions while Joe's were the shot he had just taken with his camera and then I also shot the set up.

This kid was one of Joe's grips and an excellent model!

Joe had us hold up our flashes and incorporated them onto this workshop attendee's "rock star" shot --- we had at least 87 flashes fire using the commander flash on Joe's camera.

I can only hope that at least a smidgen of the information we were given all day will stick in my brain and help me make some awesome portraits in the future.

More Murphy

2011-03-26T04:00:00.005-05:00

Murphy and his people ---

wouldn't you know, they are both petite and make him look even larger.

And one final image that I had hoped to use for the Blur assignment, but Murphy is in a lot of pain from his bone cancer and could not run very quickly so I was not able to blur the background much when I panned with him. He just was not up for multiple attempts.

Murphy, an Irish Wolfhound

2011-03-25T04:00:00.001-05:00

I recently got to meet and photograph Murphy, a 5 year old Irish Wolfhound who is suffering from bone cancer. He is such a regal and impressive dog. I had never met that breed before and I learned a lot about them --- they originally guarded castles and hunted wolves to keep the game safe and unfortunately they do not have very long lives, they only live about 7 years. Murphy was a great poser and I really enjoyed meeting and photographing this gentle giant.

Adopt, Don't Shop

2011-03-17T17:02:00.000-05:00

The Friendswood Animal Control Facility is full to capacity and these darlings are available for adoption. If you know of anyone who could give these animals a forever home, please pass their photos on. I have worked with all of them this week, and they are calm and friendly and affectionate, every one.

Sally, a 5 year old spayed female Persian and Maine Coone.

Darla, a young spayed female Staffordshire Terrier mix

Dixie, a young female Dachshund and Terrier mix

Scotty, an adult neutered male Scottish Terrier mix.

Cutest Pit Bull Ever

2011-03-14T04:00:00.003-05:00

This is Miss Rosie, a very sweet and loving Pit Bull. Her person wanted a shot to submit to a calendar contest so maybe Rosie will be Miss June or December or some other month one of these days. I first met Rosie last Fall but only recently learned of her narrow escape from death row at BARC and now she is pretty much the Princess behind the reception desk at Alvin Friendswood Vet Clinic. It is always wonderful to be greeted by her!

Waiting For Dylan

2011-03-11T04:00:00.003-06:00

A more contemplative image from Denise's maternity session,

converted to black and white in Silver Efex Pro. Dylan is the name

they have chosen for their little girl.

Watch Out for that Bump

2011-03-11T04:00:00.000-06:00

I am still photographing babies, but this one isn't here yet. A few weeks ago I had the chance to photograph my first maternity session. Denise made it so easy and fun, and it doesn't hurt that she is really photogenic. Paul and I had scouted out some "bump" signs and found this really grungy one with a great wooded background. I am still trying to figure out how to shoot in sunlight and ended up using some fill flash in these --- my Stroboframe with a speedlight in a Gary Fong diffuser. Then we headed to my house where I set up a white background and shot some more. I think we ended up using 2 of my speedlights --- one from behind the white background to blow it out and get rid of the wrinkles, one with a softbox from camera right...and maybe even a third aimed at the background from camera left. We moved lights around several times so I can't remember what we ended up going with. The pattern was added in post-processing.

Colorsplash

2011-03-10T07:53:00.001-06:00

This was my submission for our Blur assignment. It is a spinning striped umbrella and the colors are actually much more muted than the image but the only editing I did was to move the black slider in Adobe Camera Raw all the way to the right, and in Photoshop I cloned in a small section of the lower left corner. I had other ideas for this shot, to have a person spinning the umbrella and include them in the shot but did not get the chance to do that. So, I put my camera on my tripod and set the timer to engage the shutter, set the aperture as small as it would go and started experimenting. I got some really interesting effects with things in the background showing through the blurred colors but unfortunately it was a messy room! But something to pursue in the future. The settings for this shot were f22 for 10 seconds at ISO 100 with my 24 - 70 mm lens.

Lensbaby Gerbera

2011-03-09T04:00:00.002-06:00

Using blur and also complimentary colors to make the flower stand out.

A Little Blur or Even a Lot

2011-03-08T04:00:00.003-06:00

I've been working on some images for this month's assignment of Blur. There are so many ways to include blur in an image, and I think just about any subject can be taken in a way that will make it more interesting by blurring some of the elements. A moving subject looks great by panning with it and blurring the background whether it is a vehicle or a bird or a person running, etc. A slow shutter speed can be used to blur just the part of a subject that is moving the fastest such as wings or legs or blades on a windmill. A longer exposure will make moving water very interesting too, in a waterfall or rain or waves at the beach. I love shallow depth of field for isolating a subject from the background. The Lensbaby lens will distort and blur elements around a specific focused area. Then there is the option of shooting abstract blurs where nothing is in focus like I tried last spring shooting wildflowers from a moving car and getting bands of blurred colors. Sounds great, right? Maybe it is the perfectionist in me but I have not been super happy with most of the images I have tried to shoot and specifically incorporate blur in lately. Sigh. I had some great ideas but not many chances to execute them. The flowers above were shot with the Lensbaby lens and I was very happy that for once I actually got the part of the subject I wanted in sharp focus while blurring the rest. I think I had to use a +4 closeup filter on the front of the Lensbaby Composer. Many people (yes I am talking about you Jen!) would want to see all of the flowers and the vase and the stems in sharp focus, but not me.

A Different Kind of Newborn

2011-03-03T15:49:00.000-06:00

This is Gabrielle and she is just one or two days old.

I have been neglecting my blog mostly because I have been busy almost daily shooting photos for homeless animals for posting on Petfinder or recently another round of pet portraits to raise money for my rescue group to get those animals to safety. This puppy and her very young Rottweiler mother were saved by my vet Susan Pickle at the very last minute before they were both about to be euthanized. They appear to be full Rottweilers.

And here is her momma who is not harming her by holding her in her mouth.

Her name is Angora, named after Angie who had the mission of going to save her, and the puppy Gabrielle is named after Gabe who helped her ---- I love that! Two people who I am so glad to know who go to so much effort over and over to help these animals.

Jinxed

2011-02-08T04:00:00.002-06:00

This little guy is Jinx and he is about the size of a guinea pig.

A 10 week old puppy but sadly, he is not up for adoption, he belongs to my vet.

Do You Need a Whiskey...or a Bourbon...or maybe a

2011-02-06T04:00:00.002-06:00

Jack? These 3 very sweet and darling brothers need new homes. Rescued from BARC, they are now safe at Alvin Friendswood Vet Clinic if you or anyone you know needs a shot of Puppy.

Whiskey

I know they look the same but really are different puppies!

Bourbon (and I think he doesn't like his name)


Bourbon

Jack

Neglected

2011-02-03T04:00:00.001-06:00

I have started biking with Pearl around our neighborhood and the two subdivisions that border ours, and I often pass this horse who is corralled along with 2 others. They appear to be fed but the field is so sorry, it is a shame they have to live there --- it is always several inches deep in mud and they have no shelter at all, just some stands of barren trees. Not a very nice life for them, and it makes me wonder why. I wish I could help them.

Catnapping

2011-02-01T04:00:00.001-06:00

It is only fair that I also post some shots of my mother's cat Tai, brother to Chi, and who seems to be sleeping most of the time.

It's Getting Hungry Around Here

2011-01-29T04:00:00.001-06:00

If I just sit here right by my bowl she will notice that it is empty...

Excuse me, but did you see that my bowl is empty?

Hello! My bowl is empty and I'm hungry.

I'm really REALLY hungry!

My father's cat Chi while they were out of town in November...and it was 3 hours until feeding time.

On Fire

2011-01-23T04:00:00.011-06:00

Nikon D700, 24 - 70 mm lens at f19 and 1/4 sec at ISO 800

Another California shot, this time from on top of a dune at sunset. I had my camera on my tripod but the wind was really blowing and even at ISO 800 my shutter speed was too slow to capture the waves sharply and not long enough to blur the water...I did not have much time to try again as the clouds rolled in and covered the horizon just as we got there.

I did not add any saturation or vibrance in Camera Raw but did increase the contrast about 20 points. Also I used the Graduated Neutral Density filter in Camera Raw to darken the sky, then added a Curves layer in Photoshop but masked it off of the red at the horizon.

Meet Grim

2011-01-18T09:10:00.001-06:00

This is Grim, my son's new Lab mix puppy that he "found" just running along the freeway (yeah, right). He IS pretty irresistible as all puppies are, but actually pretty well-behaved too. We recently lost a pine tree in our front yard to pine bark beetles and had the stump ground up which left a large pile of dirt and mulch and between the rain puddles and the dirt pile, Grim was in puppy heaven. At least my son has his own place now, so I don't have to help raise this puppy.

Grim can also look extremely goofy!

My First Ferret

2011-01-17T17:29:00.000-06:00

Farrah the ferret

The number of animals coming into Friendswood Animal Control has slowed down lately --- there was one week recently when all the animals impounded went home to their owners and I did not have to go in to photograph at all. But this sweet little female ferret came in last week and is now available for adoption. She is litter box trained and loves to just cuddle and snuggle in your arms. I have had hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, my sister had a rat for a while but none of us have had a ferret, and I understand they do have some special requirements but I have no idea what those are. If you know anyone who would like a ferret and is willing to do the homework to find out how to properly care for this animal, tell them about Farrah at Friendswood Animal Control --- she is available for only a $25 adoption fee.

The Observer

2011-01-16T15:23:00.000-06:00

My brother took me out to one of his surf spots so I could photograph while he surfed. As soon as we pulled up I was struck by the golden grass all around. The early morning sky was overcast and the grass was glowing in the diffused light, and waves of it were covering the dunes. The landscape was interesting just by itself, especially with the cloudy sky but then one of the surfers climbed the dunes to check out the waves on the other side and I really liked the addition of a human to give scale to the grass and to interrupt the rhythm and texture.

At Camel Rock

2011-01-13T04:00:00.002-06:00

Nikon D700, 24- 70mm lens at f22, 1/180th, ISO 1100

I am getting back around to editing some of my shots taken at the end of October in California. This was from our trip up the coast to see my brother in Eureka. Late in the afternoon he took us out to a private beach area called Camel Rock, where we had to hike down through large rocks like the ones above to get to the beach. We were throwing the Frisbee for Shasta, my sister's dog, while I tried to get some action shots. It was overcast but with a bright sky near the horizon from the setting sun, difficult conditions to get everything in the scene exposed correctly. I could not have used a ND filter because I was shooting action shots handheld and needed the shutter speed to stop Shasta's motion and also the huge rock was jutting up into the sky and would have been darkened further by the filter, even if I could have kept it lined up with the horizon. I see in my metadata that the camera was set to center weighted metering mode and that was probably not the best choice for the lighting conditions. I was able to add fill light in ACR but there is a lot of green fringing around the rocks. I don't shoot enough landscapes to remember to check my settings more thoroughly...I guess Joe would have gotten out the SB900 and lit Shasta with a snoot...

New Tool

2011-01-10T04:00:00.001-06:00

I have been thinking about getting something to help me correct white balance in my images for a while but wasn't sure what to get. When I remember to shoot a gray card I do, but it is large and doesn't fit in my camera bag so I don't always remember to take it. I finally decided on the Color Checker Passport because I thought having neutral gray, several shades of white, and even some colors to use when correcting sounded pretty thorough and I like how small the case is and that I can hang it around my neck...Maybe I will remember to use it more. I was glad to have it at my recent newborn session because two walls in her nursery are painted a saturated pink and that color was reflecting on the other two white walls and the white furniture. There is also some software that goes with this device and I do not yet calibrate my monitor, but I could see a definite color change when using it in Camera Raw, and it seemed to clean up the color some but not all the way --- I had to use a Hue/Sat layer and/or a Color Balance layer to reduce the red even more in these images, mainly because the wood floor had a very orange cast that I knew was not true to real life. It would be great to hear what other photographers use and if they think something else works well for them.
Also, I shot these images with my new 17 - 35mm 2.8 lens. It worked well for getting a lot of the room in each shot but of course I had to do some perspective correction too....

There is a cute family story about frogs and finding your prince or princess and it is the reason for this wall art.

Baby in Black and White

2011-01-09T04:00:00.000-06:00

Even though both of these images have very little color in them as shot (the blankets are both cream colored), when processed in Black and White I think they have an even more timeless feel. I promise I did shoot some images with her in clothes!

Pretty in Pink

2011-01-05T04:00:00.001-06:00

I love the look of textures contrasted with newborn baby skin --- the texture really makes the baby's skin stand out as so smooth and creamy and unblemished. My mom crocheted this scarf for me to use (thanks Mom!) and the pink color lets you know that this is a GIRL baby.

Brand New Year, Brand New Baby Girl

2011-01-01T13:08:00.000-06:00

In 1974, on just about my first day of college I met Tonja in Dorm 15 at Stephen F. Austin in Naca-nowhere, I mean Nacogdoches, Texas. We have been great friends since then --- we joined the same sorority which shall remain unnamed, both of us became teachers (first grade for me, Junior High art for her), were bridesmaids in each other's weddings, etc etc. I watched her children grow up during many hours year after year spent at Lake Buchanan, and now her children are having children. This adorable baby girl is her first grandchild and I got to photograph her last week, at 2 weeks old. We spent about 5 hours one day and a couple more the next morning trying to get the baby to stay asleep while we posed her, but I am still trying to learn newborn photography and do not have all the necessary skills down yet. Both of us worked hard, but had a wonderful time doing it and I hope it won't be the last time I get to point my camera at this little doll.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-31T18:32:00.000-06:00

Nikon D700, 70 - 200mm 2.8 lens at f4.8, 1/1500th, ISO 200

Shot in Galveston in October, off Harborside. Norma, Steve and I went hoping to get a good shot for the Birds of a Feather assignment --- Norma got a gold! I wanted to practice panning and shooting birds and they cooperated so well. The pelicans were numerous and flew directly above me (no bombings thank goodness!) so low that I could not get all of their wings in the frame sometimes, and they flew all around looking back at me like the shot here, I guess trying to figure out what I was doing.

Baby J's First Christmas

2010-12-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

This is my friend Mary's latest grandchild, 5 month old J. I took photographs of him last July and entered one of his father holding him in BAPC's assignment of Sepia .

Five months later he is such a darling happy little boy, just starting to sit up on his own. He was still a little wobbly so I brought an enamel washbasin and it was the perfect size for him and worked so well to give him a little support and something to hold on to. Besides that, he enjoyed sitting in it.

But Diesel, their German Shepherd worked very well for some support too.

Summertime Blues

2010-12-18T04:00:00.003-06:00

Taken back in August when I was looking for things to shoot for the Blue assignment . I was drawn to the lines of the tiny snail shell on an emerging Hosta bloom, taken in the evening. I liked the soft tones of the color image but thought I would try a Cyanotone look so put it through Silver Efex.

More of Miss E

2010-12-17T04:00:00.004-06:00

Tis The Season

2010-12-16T04:00:00.004-06:00

It was so much fun to photograph this sweet 20 month old girl. She loved the antique wooden rocking chair I brought --- it was my son's and he loved it as a toddler too. I think I know at least one present she will get this Christmas. Her mom wanted photos for cards and also some Fall shots and I completely enjoyed the entire session. I used just one speedlight bounced with an umbrella and really should have added a second light, so I learned some things too.