An Introduction to Pet Photography

Introduction
Photographing your pet can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Done well, it will allow you to immortalize Fluffy or Spot - that significant member of your family - the pet that shared you food, chewed your shoes, and brought you the newspaper. In fact, the act of seriously photographing your pet will bring you both closer because the process opens you to noticing the small, wonderful things that you might have missed before - the way he wags his tail, etc. This is a grand adventure.

Goal
As with anything, it's best to proceed with a goal in mind so you know where to start. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to capture your pet's playful side? Are you trying to setup a funny photo using a prop such as a birthday hat? Is this an interactive portrait between your pet and your child? Sit down and put on paper this goal, because it will help you in preparing properly. Nothing is worse than spending an hour going to your favorite scene with equipment in hand and realizing your forgot a favorite toy - do your self a favor, do not skip this step.

Setting
Now that you have decided on your goal, it's now time to decide the proper setting. Indoors vs. outdoors. Near the fireplace with an open fire in the background, or in a studio. At the beach or in the woods. As you think about the proper setting, think about how your pet will respond to that setting. If you decide the public park is the perfect place, you must think about your pet's resistance to distractions. Is he/she able to resist running after another animal or person? The more you know your pet and look through his/her eyes, the better off you will be.

Preparation
Now you are at the critical preparation stage. You've set your goal, you've decided on the appropriate setting - let's try to anticipate all that can (and will) go wrong. I use the word 'wrong' loosely - try not be too rigid and to have fun - we will talk more about that in a minute. Write out on paper every possible thing you can think of. Here are some suggestions:
· Exercise your pet - just enough so they are still alert, but not hyper
· Lighting - outdoor is best, but flash will work too - should be natural lighting
· Grooming - only if it doesn't adversely affect your pet's mood - then do it days beforehand
· Props/Toys - favorite of the pet
· Food - favorite of the pet
· Be prepared for sudden movement - shutter speed about 1/125th and use iso 400 or 800 film (if indoors)
· Watch the scene clutter
· Have pet at least 6 feet away from background to reduce shadows
· Bring an assistant to help manage your pet
· Zoom Lens
· Camera, Film, Tripod, Equipment, etc.
Etc., etc. Are you getting the idea? The first time you make out your list, the process will be a little tedious, but the beauty is that once the list is made, all you need to do is modify it slightly for the next sessions.

On Location
Whew, you've made to shooting location - congratulations. Hopefully, you've brought everything you are going to need, right? Right! Now, it's time for setup. Be organized; get everything laid out in a logical fashion. The last thing you want to be doing is fiddling around with equipment when you need to be shooting pictures - an animal has a zero attention span and you have got to be ready to snap that picture when the moment is there. How is you animal's demeanor? Is he/she super wound up? If yes, then perhaps some light exercise would be in order - nothing too heavy, but just enough to help him/her calm down. How are you? Are you stressed? Relax, and go with the flow - animals are super sensitive to your mood. Give your pet some last minute grooming - just touch-ups. If you are outdoors, how is the wind? Is it too strong? Is the sun too bright? Remember, overcast is much better for exposure. Make sure that your pet is far enough away from your background so as to not cast any shadows.

The Photographer's Mindset
Your mindset should be one of peace and serenity. I can't overstate that enough. Also, you need to climb into the mind of your pet as best you can. What are they thinking and feeling? Align your expectations properly. If you have never done this before, don't expect perfection the first time out - that will just raise your anxiety level and will stress out your pet.

Shooting
One of the most important things to remember is to get down on your pet's level, physically, as much as possible. A shot from above doesn't portray intimacy. In addition, when you are at your pet's level, it's easier for you to empathize with it. If you've never crawled around on the ground before, you might feel a bit foolish, but trust me, it makes all the difference in the world. Make sure that you and your handler work with each other - you have got to be in charge, but also try to be flexible - you have a lot of variables that you are managing.

Be patient, and have a lot of fun!!!

Kitten-Pictures.com

Stan Beck is a self-proclaimed animal lover. He also runs the website Kitten-Pictures.com.

Related Information of Interest:

7 Tips To Keep Your Pet Safe On Halloween
Children aren't the only ones who should be closely
monitored on Halloween. The holiday can be a scary and
dangerous time for your pet as well.

By following some simple tips you can keep your pet safe and
comfortable without infringing on the family fun:

1. Don't put costumes on your pets unless they are used to
it. Wearing clothing can make pets uncomfortable and even
sick.

2. Candy is for humans and not for their furry friends.

3. Chocolate is toxic to animals. It can make them very sick.
Make sure that the "after Halloween" candy is put away so
your pet can’t get it--especially the chocolate. We hear
from owners every year of pets they had to take to the
emergency room because they managed to find the candy and
eat it. Give them a pet treat instead.

4. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten some Halloween
candy contact your veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. Some candies,
especially chocolate, can be life threatening. If you can’t
reach your veterinarian you can call the ASPCA’s Poison
Control Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at (888) 426-
4435.

Caution: A $50 consultation fee may be applied to your
credit card.

5. Costumes may look strange to people, but just imagine
what they look like to a dog or cat. Animals aren't used to
seeing that kind of thing, and it could frighten them. So,
it's best not take them trick or treating.

6. If your pet isn’t good with strangers, it’s best to put
her in a separate room away from the door, so she won’t be
bothered by the presence of strangers.

7. If your pet is going to be free in the house, with the
door being opened repeatedly, there is more of a chance that
your pet can get outside. So, remember to make sure he is
wearing his license tags. That way, if he does get away,
there is a better chance of getting him back home sooner.

About the Author

James Kelly is the owner of Travelin Pets, a web site
specializing in providing information and quality products
for traveling pets and their owners.

Visit his website at: www.travelinpets.com
e-mail: tpservices@travelinpets.biz

Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide
The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a natural insecticide according to experts at the Texas State University in Austin.

American black walnut tress contain a tannic acid chemists call juglone. The reddish yellow substance leaches from leaves, and some believe exudes from roots, or transfers from branches and foliage to the roots. Tree physiologists agree that roots of other plants that come in contact with those black walnut tree roots die--even other black walnut seedlings.

Juglone is sometimes washed out of the still green walnuts during late summer or even autumn rains. The growth of plants 60 to 80 feet away are inhibited by the juglone. The substance affects plants of various families. Studies have found that tomatoes, alfalfa, potatoes, apples, blackberries, rhododendron, mountain laurel and pine trees are all affected.

According to a professor and extension forester at Iowa State University, juglone is known to repel various garden insects. Just by placing branches of the tree around the house and under furniture dog and cat owners are amazed to find that their pets have fewer fleas.

About Marilyn: Marilyn Pokorney is a freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment. She also loves crafts, gardening, and reading. Website: www.apluswriting.net/

Using Filters In Photography
Photographic filter is an attachment that will allow certain kinds of light to be able to pass through, and able to reduce or block out other unwanted light sources.In short, the term filter really means anything that modifies the incoming light in some way and includes: polarizing screens, multi-image prisms,close-up attachments, soft focus filters, neutral density (ND) filters, graduated ND filters, and color filters for black and white photography. Filters come in two main shapes: round and square.

Filters add color and a certain touch to a photo that complements the individuals style of photo taking. When you are using a black and white film with filters, you can darken or lighten the tone of the subjects color. The color filters that are used can darken the tone of an opposite color and brighten the tone of the color filter that is being used. For an example, a red filter will make the red leafs on an autumn tree look very rich and bright, while on the other hand the sky behind it that was blue, is now almost black.

Neutral density filters reduce the light entering your camera so that a slower shutter speed,or a larger aperture can be used. Graduated ND filters are used to balance out bright skies against darker foreground scenes.

A neat filter is called the star filter. This type of filter in photography is placed on the cameras lenses to create a star look effect form any source of light. This is very popular with television game shows and used for portraits to provide a soft overall diffusion. A split field lenses is really a full lenses but only half of it is close-up, it is great for taking a picture of something close-up at the bottom like a small flower or bug in focus. The top of the lenses is just blank or empty and the camera uses its lenses to background in focus, say the mountain in the distance.

Albreht Moy has many photographs for sale at his website.

Marketing a new business without a big budget
Anyone who has started a business without a lot of start-up capital has faced a vicious catch 22. You have to market your company in order to increase sales, but until sales have increased (and you've received payment) you can't afford to market your business. Fortunately, you've got more options than you realize, after all, more than a few other businesses have gotten past this hurdle. So can you.

First of all, don't advertise in the newspapers, on television or the radio because it can take considerable time to see results from these mediums and at this stage of your business, your budget will likely be gone long before you see them.

One powerful way that a business with a small marketing budget can gain exposure is by innovative marketing company that specializes in guerilla marketing techniques to help smaller companies compete with larger companies and win.