The Peak of Animal Portraiture

Adorable Adoptables 9.16.10

September 22, 2010

Bailey was so polite I only needed to click the shutter twice.

Happy Autumn everyone!

I’m going to make a little change to the dogs that I highlight in these weekly posts. Due to the sometimes extensive process it takes for a dog to become available at HSCC I will only post the newly available dogs, not the newly photographed dogs. I don’t want to post photos of a dog that, due to behavior or medical challenges, won’t be available for adoption for possibly several more weeks. The shelter staff are very careful to make sure that each dog is ready for a new home, no matter their background. Another reason for only posting the current dogs is that some dogs are adopted to staff and volunteers before they even get to the adoption floor (I *may* be guilty of this). So, if you see a photograph of a dog with a lovely leafy background in a couple of months when the snow flies, that’s why.

Let me bring you up to speed on the dogs that are currently available at the shelter.

Austin is a plucky little fellow. A typical Jack Russell!

Callie is a lovely, stately girl.

Celia needs a little reassurance in life but she is as sweet as they come.

Hunter is your typical happy-go-lucky hound dog.

Isis is another very polite dog who patiently wagged her tail and tilted her head for the camera.

Can you tell that Maddie has a funny bone?

With a little direction Pippi will make a great companion.

Now on to the kitties! I generally only photograph the cats once they’re available for adoption, so no need to wait!

This idea was all Ripple's. She found the box and curled up in it for a little nap while Ian and I set the studio lights up for the day. I think she had been planning her shoot for some time because she really knew how to work it.

Pessimism and optimism.

Ripple on her own.

Hermione has a "serious face" but don't let that fool you. She's a love.

When I first went into the kitty clubhouse to meet Patches he was quite shy. After a little coaxing he started demanding attention on his perch. He was a bit of a challenge because he would not look at the camera if my eye was in the viewfinder. In order to make him more comfortable I simply composed the image "blind" so that he could see my face. I then tapped the top of my lens shade and voila, a relaxed look. Of course I wasn't smart enough to turn my eyes away from the flash, which was pointed towards the ceiling and slightly back. I probably deserve that though for the number of times that I've blasted Ian and other assistants with a dose of flash.