Playing Dress Up

I purchased a new, more powerful strobe for studio photos and the shelter, and I just got some props for Valentine's Day, so I recruited my personal models for a couple of quick photos.

Fi was not super impressed with the pink tutu.

 Nor was she wildly impressed with the red feather boa. (Yes, there were many treats involved...)

Abby, however, loves the whole dressing up thing (okay, she loves just about anything that involves treats).

"While these aren't Mikimoto pearls, I still think I look rather sophisticated!"

Yes, I am easily entertained, and Fi and Abby like snacks, so it's all good.  (And ignore Fi's mournful demeanor - she just wants snacks.  No Doodles were harmed in the taking of these photos.  I promise!)

Animal Shelter Photos

No matter what kind of day I'm having, I always feel better when I go out to the Salt Lake County Animal Services shelter to photograph adoptable pets.  It's a good environment, the staff and other volunteers are all enthusiastic and good to work with, and I like to think that I'm doing something to help adoptable animals find their furever homes.  Lately at the shelter we've been doing 'studio' photos with a backdrop and lights and a variety of props.  Here are a few photos from last week's visit to the shelter.

The goal, of course, is to get good quality photos of the animals for Petfinder and other websites, and that happens.

This is Opie, and the bandanna doesn't lie!

Chicha is just a happy girl!

Lady is a stunning gal!

And Lacy has a great smile.

 

Ryuu was a total goofball, and getting photos of him where he wasn't bouncing all over the place was a challenge, but that is always part of the fun!

Midnight, as you'll see, was a total super model!

Peppermint hadn't read the Husky manual that says she shouldn't obey commands!

Once we get the glamour shots, then we have some fun.  Usually this involves seeing if the photographees can catch treats.  Some are better at it than others!

Chica was a treat-catching champ!

Lady managed to let most of them bounce out of her mouth, but she caught a few!

Lacy showed excellent enthusiasm for the treat-catching portion of her photo shoot!

This is probably one of my favorite photos of the entire day!

Little Midnight wasn't so interested in catching treats, but she was extremely tolerant of all the props in my basket of goodies!

"Give me treats you must".  (She's wearing Yoda ears.)

 

Not only are those photos fun, but they help potential adopters get a sense of personality of the various pets.

The shelter posts individual photos on their website, but on Facebook, I like to put together collages of some of the more fun photos - they are different and they get people's attention (which is the whole point), and it's entertaining.

Seriously, Ryuu was a goofball!

Chica really is a happy gal!

I really do enjoy the animal shelter photography (if you couldn't tell!)!

It's Cold, It's Cold, It's DARN Cold!

For those of you who are fans of the Prairie Home Companion, you'll recognize the title...

We haven't had measurable snow (well, technically 0.5" is measurable, but I'm talking more than a dusting) in a while, but it has been quite nippy (-2F at 5am today, and -9F at 9am this morning), so the girls' forays into the backyard have been truncated a bit, but they are still having fun.

We had a foggy, frosty morning yesterday, and while I don't think I quite "captured" the feeling of it all, it was very pretty (if very cold!).

Happy New Year!

Bing Crosby Has Nothing on Us!

White Christmas?  Yup, we got it.

We received about 18 inches of snow in the last 24 hours (and more snow before that) - enough that Gary had to use the snow blower to cut a path for the girls in the backyard so they didn't (completely) founder in the deep snow.  With the path cut the girls were able to frolic and wallow with wild abandon!

Abby got a little stuck here...

Well, more than a little stuck!

At least I didn't have to break out the shovel!

Fi loved springing in and out of the snow!

Oh yeah! There's no zoomies like snow zoomies!

Yup, the path was a big help in navigating the back yard!

And it allowed for much ear flappage!

Happy snow dog!

The picture of contentment!

Gary may not be thrilled about clearing the driveway multiple times a day, and I had an interesting (but thankfully uneventful) commute, but the girls are happy - which is really all that matters!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!