Jul 03 2013

Coley in 2013

Coley,

Today you turn 4.    Hard to believe that 4 years ago today I was at work trying to get through that one last patient before I headed over to the hospital.    We had so many false alarms with you, that I was bound and determined to wait for my water to break before I claimed to be in labor again!

I wanted to take a minute and record  some of your favorite things today… at four… in 2013.

Macaroni and Cheese.   The kind in the blue box that you actually have to COOK is your favorite… of course.

Purple.    No wonder the “P-U-R-P-L-E ” song  was one of your favorites…. after hanging your laundry this morning and realizing 90% of your wardrobe is purple… I think we need to expand our horizons a bit in this area.

Kittens.     The meaner and less complacent they are… the more you want to stuff them into your stroller.

Cameron.     I can count on whatever he says,  likes,  wants… you want one too.    I find this especially funny when you repeat a statement that Cameron did 10 minutes ago and expect it to be accepted as an original thought.

Strawberries.     Guaranteed to make you stick out your tongue and pant like a dog… kinda like this:

 

or this…. this is a face you like to make often when I get my camera out…

 

If you haven’t figured it out yet… I have A LOT of pictures of your tongue.   However… you are more easily bribed now and at least will tolerate me for a little bit.

You can be a very moody child.     You really never know what your gonna get in the morning.    Luckily you have a very forgiving heart… and you can go from This

 

 

To THIS very quickly!     

 

IN fact… I think you FAVORITE thing to do is to make people laugh… whether you mean to or not.     Almost anyone who spends any amount of time with you always remarks how you keep them rolling with laughter.      Much to my chagrin sometimes… because there is NO TELLING what secrets you are revealing.

 

Other things of note in 2013…

You are 41.5 inches tall…. *just* under the height limit for a good number of rides at Dixie Landing- all of which you wanted to ride.    Luckily nothing a little cardboard in the shoes couldn’t fix.

You finally have enough hair to wear in bows, braids, etc… but generally refuse to let me fix it.

 

You STILL intentionally put your shoes on the wrong feet…. always.  Even tight fitting boots.

You STILL act/think/look/sound just like your Aunt Shanon, which reminds me every day that I am in for a rough ride in 10 years.    I think I will start making arrangements now to ship you off to her house in 9.

You STILL mispronounce words that I KNOW I should help you say them correctly.    However… sometimes I just like to hear you say them “your way”

You STILL  want me to do things for you that you won’t allow other to help you with.   And while I usually reprimand you for acting ugly like this… I secretly am happy  inside that I am still your favorite.

 

Happy Fourth Birthday to my sweet funny Coleybug!    Your family loves you dearly as you bring so much joy to our day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Tanya - Aww Happy Birthday, Coley! <3 Such a moving post :)

Michael Foster - Love this. Happy birthday, Coley!

Kayla - Such a beautiful and fun post. Happy Birthday, Coley ♥

lindatmartin - Happy Birthday my sweet Coley. I can’t believe you will be leaving me in Sept. to go to the big kids class. You have to come see me every Sunday morning. You are a JOY. Love, Mrs. Linda

Jun 05 2013

Vicksburg Shelter Adoptables!

Leigh Conerly from Paws Rescue and I went down to the Vicksburg Shelter to photograph some of their adoptable pets.    There were so many cute and cuddly faces down there.     They are over-run with cats and kittens… and hey.. did you know it was Adopt a Shelter Cat Month???    So if you are looking for a furry feline of any color  please consider checking them out!   All animals are available for a crazy low adoption fee of $20.   Adult animals will be spayed or neutered for that fee!    If you are anyone you know is looking to expand the family, please give these shelter pets a look!    Many more down there that we didn’t have the time to get to.   Many with collars who were once someones pet, either lost or forgotten.    Save a life today!!

This was our first time to attempt to photograph the cats at the shelter.    And while photographing cats in general is a great challenge… without a adequate and safe area to use.. this is the best we could do today.   Please don’t let that sway you from giving these darlings a second look… we are in the process of getting together some mobile studio equipment to take next time!

And the Puppies!!! Of course its spring.. and love ( and mother nature) is in the air.    There were several puppies including these very young 4-5 week old pomeranian/poodle mixes:

 

and these adorable 9 week old Lab mix brother and sister

 

And this… which needs no words… OMG…..

 

 

Here are some other young adults available: 

And last but not least.. the felines.. (these are all adults)

 

   
May 15 2013

For the Love of Film: May

 

So… group has gotten a little caught up in life and missed some months posting.  But we are getting back on the bandwagon and posting this month.    To ease the pressure, we are posting a free-for-all month.    Anything goes.    So here is mine:

These were some of the first film images I ever took by myself. (Without my film tutor- Michael Foster)   They are FAR from perfect… as I was just learning to focus by looking down.    The ones with the lines through the images  were taken with my grandfather’s old TLR, and so are very special to me.     We then took it apart and restored it into good working order.    I hope you enjoy them as much as I do…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now continue on the circle and see what Sharon Kain has in store for us!!  Thanks for stopping by!

   

Jenny Owens - Photos need not be perfect to be special. And these are special Rachel. xxx

sharon - Haha!!! Love the first and last shot!!! These will be gems for sure!

Michael Foster - Love every single one of them. :)

Joyce - Omg look at those faces! These are precious memories made by a treasured camera…very special indeed!

Annie - Ya know, this is the kind of stuff I like to look at. It’s authentic, tangible, interesting…and well, in your kid’s case, adorable. Great stuff!

Kim - Oh Rachel, these are such keepers. They just seem so REAL in a way that digital can’t touch. Love.

May 04 2013

Scruffy Dog Photography Mentorship: Experience of a Lifetime

Its been almost two years ago now that I first decided to try pet photography.   At the time, I was scouring the internet for both instruction, hints, tutorials, and inspiration from others who chose pets as their primary subjects.    True artists were few and far between at that time.      However… it was at that time I first stumbled upon Scruffy Dog Photography.     The images just captivated me.     The images seemed to jump out of my screen as if the very essence of the dogs were the room with me.     The site was bookmarked as a favorite and I began to follow Scruffy Dog on Facebook.     At that time… never in a thousand years – did I EVER think I would one day meet, learn and grow with the mastermind of Scruffy Dog, Illona Haus.

Fast forward to last summer.   I attended a wonderful workshop in Dallas given by Bev Hollis and Teresa Berg,  Unleashed.     It was my first time rubbing elbows with fellow pet photogs who saw beyond the snapshots of “Fefe in Santa’s lap at Christmas”.    Bev and Teresa gave me such a push to find the art in the photography.     Not only did I learn a ton and have a blast, I met fellow new pet photographer, Mary Siani.       We clicked almost immediately and kept in touch afterward.    Then one day,  Illona wrote a blog post about her new Mentorship Experience.     At first I was way too intimidated to even consider something as intense as that, but after chatting about it with my friend Mary, we decided to inquire about the Two on One Mentorship.   Even after we first made contact, I was still so starstruck that I seriously doubted she would accept us as mentors… or that we would be able to snag one of the few coveted spots she had left for 2013.       To our delight (and a honestly a little bit of terror) we were able to secure a spot in August of 2012 for April of 2013.   I was hesitant to make such a big commitment so far in advance, but we took the leap of faith.   We were booked!

Not long after we secured our spots, Illona, Mary and I all had a teleconference where we discussed our current skill levels, business models and goals for the mentorship.    She encouraged us to start a Scruffy Dog Notebook where we could jot down questions at any time for her to answer during our time together in April.     And so I did.   And it has become one of my most prized photography accessories!    The pages and pages… and pages of notes that I wrote like mad during those few days are just the tip of the iceberg of the value of Illona’s outpouring of knowledge.

Now…  its time to come clean.    By the time our mentorship actually arrived… I had begun to almost regret booking so long ago.     I had grown a good bit in my photography skills in the past 6-12 months and the thought started to creep into my mind that perhaps I shouldn’t be spending the amount of money for something maybe I already knew.    Not that I felt I was anywhere near that level, but I just started to doubt the potential return on my investment.      I only am admitting this to help those of you who- in the back of your mind -doubt the value the cost of this mentorship.     Let me assure you… you will learn something… you will learn TONS… and Illona does not hold back.   She treats her mentors as she treats her clients… and leaves you feeling as if you should be asking to  pay her MORE for the amount of attention you receive.

Well the big day arrived!   We stepped off the plane and got through customs (my first time using my new passport)  and Illona and Merrick were there in the airport to greet us!    We hopped in the Scruff-Mobile and set to work immediately.     From the first night my fears of meeting my long time pet photog idol were gone.    Illona was so approachable and just oozed  information.   We assessed the weather (which was crappy) and our time frame and set a rough outline for covering the topics we had selected.     We ended up having to wait until Sunday for shooting due to the weather, but we were able to cover so much before hand that by the time we got to shooting we could just focus on honing our technique and learning new approaches.

Our first model was Rosie,  an adorable American Bulldog who although was a bit camera shy at first, left me with wonderful images and gave me more experience with working with shy animals in a limited amount of space.

 

 

 

 

Phoenix was our next model.   Also a shy dog at first (which we had requested) and quick as lightening!    She gave us lots of opportunity to practice with long range and action shooting.     She eventually warmed up to us and became quite the little poser!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally the time came for us to venture to the infamous tunnel of trees.   I had to take a couple of shots there… just to say I WAS THERE!   And it is AMAZING!   We also hit the graffiti tunnel… undergoing demolition!    I hope that this beautiful backdrop gets preserved for the sake of future Scruffy Dog Clients, because it is such a fun place to shoot!   And can I just say that Merrick and Mattea are two of the most amazing dogs I have ever met!?!?   (not to mention insanely cute!)     As many of you know, I have a new Doberman puppy, Jinx… and I really hope to one day have the same amazing relationship that she has with her two guys.    Really was inspiring.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally some behind the scenes shots that I was able to get of Illona and Mary while on our shoots:

 

 

 

 

So if you haven’t guessed… I kinda love Scruffy Dog even more now than I did before.      If you have a passion for dogs, and a desire to succeed in pet photography… I really can’t recommend a better place to end up.      I think she has ruined all other photography learning experiences for me forever… for which I am eternally grateful.  I just hope that as one of her students, I can continue to grow and make her proud to call me her one of her own.    Hope you all enjoy all the eye candy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Reena - Rachel, these are FANTASTIC! I am so glad you got to go (it is a dream of mine–one day!) Love the ones of Mattea and Merrick, just gorgeous and the tunnel of trees is so beautiful it doesn’t even look real!

illona - wow, thank you SO much, Rachel, for taking the time to share your experience … so eloquently and generously. i actually got a little teary-eyed reading this!

and i absolutely love the photos. awesome job. but then i expected nothing less. :)

you and Mary were an absolute thrill and pleasure to spend a long weekend with. i would do it all over again, in a heartbeat. you both are SO amazingly talented, and it is my deep honor to be even just a small part of your growth as incredible pet photographers.

thank you again!

Allison - Rachel – each and every one of these is just AMAZING!!!

Lisa Van Dyke - Oh my goodness, Rachel! I am speechless! Absolutely stunning images and the ‘behind the scenes’ photos are SO great to see.

Catherine R. - Rachel, there’s some serious doggy eye-candy here! Love the one of Phoenix looking up at the sky–all majestic! Also love the near-black doggy among the red reeds! Sounds like such an amazing experience! So glad for you! Can’t wait to see how your work continues to blossom!

Sarah Mazza - Rachel, these are beautiful! I love the tunnel of trees and the graffiti tunnel is incredible…such an amazing experience!

Debbie - Rachel, Your images are stunning. It’s very obvious that you trained with Scruffy Dog, but yet your photos have their own special personality as well. Congratulations to you on your business and your bravery to go after what you want to do! I, too, have been following Scruffy Dog Photography via the Facebook page, and I am in awe of her work. I wish someday to have my own pet photography business, but I have no idea where to begin, and I am a little hesitant to start down that road. Every photo I see from Scruffy Dog (and from your gallery) makes me realize that my photography is not anywhere close to that level.

Mar 20 2013

For the Love of Film: March

Woohoo!  I’ve been waiting for this month’s post to share all of my images from my first family Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans this year.    My sister moved down to NOLA and I love that I can hop in the car and see her in just three hours now!    Plus I must admit… I *might* have just fallen in love with the city a tiny bit myself  (at least as a visitor!)

Our Theme this month was Ektar 100 in Daylight using any format of camera.     Our only stipulation was that it must include a person…hmmm… Mardi Gras Parade!?!??! Perfect!

I ended up ONLY taking film cameras with me to the parade.  Most of these are shot with my 35mm EOS3.    The square frames are taken with my Holga ( Since I didn’t have Ektar in this format… I used Portra 400 for those and am sharing those as well)

I hope you enjoy.   I will provide a brief commentary on some of these …

These were taken before the parade started.   We got there early… and thanks to some wonderful friends who got there EVEN EARLIER we had a prime spot!   I loved the ladderseats all lined up.   THESE ARE A MUST if you go and bring small children.  Period.

 

 

 

The streets filled up quickly once the parade got started.    A few times the parade stalled ( I was told probably because one of the floats broke down)   At one point the parade was stopped for almost an hour!!!  Luckily for us.. the rolling disco people were right in front of us.. so they just cranked up the music and we had a disco party!!!

 

 

 

 

During the break in between parades,  people just made their own fun!    Eating, Laughing, playing football in the street.   One family even started their very own line dance!

 

The whole weekend was thanks to Anita and Keith Martin… Anita is in the Crewe of Iris.    She had been trying to get us to come down as a family for a while to the parades.   But honestly… after my single college experience in Mardi Gras… I was REALLY doubtful of the “family friendly atmosphere” they were promising!     The Parades of Iris and Tucks are GREAT for kids.   They are not as busy, during the day,  and they throw TONS and I mean TONS of toys for the kids.   We made the mistake of trying to go to Endymion that night and it was just too much for the kids.

Here is a series of picks of Anita on her float.    She had a WHOLE BAG of stuff she squirreled away for the kids…  she wanted to throw us some beads too… Follow the succession.   In the last pic… I had some guy block my view… seconds later the beads landed OVER AND AROUND My head, camera and lens!   Wow… that was close!

This was followed by a “OMG … did I just hit you?!?!?! ”  Look from Anita.. which I DIDN’T get on film!   ha!

 

And finally… Thank you to my sister Shanon and her husband Gerritt for allowing us to crash at their house and enjoy a great weekend…. And for driving us around in the crazy streets of Nola… I’m still not used to the skinny streets and cars everywhere!

I hope you enjoyed my post!    I really enjoyed only taking film and having to be happy with just being in the moment and relaxing.
Please stop by our next blog in the circle!   Annie with Annie May Ogoshi Photography  has some amazing images for us I know!  Click HERE!!!

 

 

   

Jenny Owens - OMgosh Rachel! These are so much fun! Lots of colour – perfect for ektar.

Kim - Rachel, you can just feel the fun and excitement in these! Love what you did with the challenge, seems like the perfect event to try it out!

Marc - Aruba Photographers - I have never shot film. I admire anyone who does. Love all the photos. Great job at capturing the fun of this event!