Christmas Album for Nancy and her Family
Just wanted to give a shoutout to Nancy for booking a fantastic family Christmas photo session with me at the beautiful William Goodrich Jones state forest near The Woodlands, Texas. The Houston fall foliage in November was stunning and the blue sky reflected in the lake waters made for some truly breathtaking photos. I can't wait to share these gorgeous images!
Downtown Houston portraits with a dog
Yosaphat Puspo booked a creative environmental portrait session with his dog in Downtown Houston. He showed me a whole bunch of inspirational photos that we tried to recreate and then we got unstoppable.
SnowShow for Lucy Holley, her niece Lily and their dog Bella
“I love the photos!!! They are stunning!”
~ Lucy Holley
An Ode to Winter with a Macro Lens
Still testing my new Nikon camera, this time with a macro lens Nikkor Z 105mm f/2.8.
Love this prime lens for its versatility. It’s very sharp and produces really beautiful portraits with a swirly bokeh. I can capture a dog running at me at full speed or a bird taking off from a tree branch or a feeder.
Having switched to the macro mode, I can fill the whole frame with a close up of a water droplet frozen mid-flight from a tree leaf at f/18, still hand holding the camera.
All this beauty was captured last week and now the Winter Wonderland has melted away and Spring is in the air. Can’t wait for the cherry blossom!
If you would like to lend me your dog to test this camera’s boundaries, please reach out. :-)
From Pennsylvania with Love - February 2022 edition
New Nikon camera with Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 again.
I had to bring this lens again into the woods as the light conditions were perfect to capture the sunshine reflected in every single icicle on the the branches. In my eyes the sparkly winter wonderland wins over the bright-colored fall foliage we enjoy in Western Pennsylvania
I wanted the snow fairytale and I got it and now it’s gone sadly. I must say judos to Joyka who patiently waited for me stopping every five minutes and completing our morning hike only by lunchtime that day.
If you would like to lend me your dog to test this camera’s boundaries, please reach out. :-)
Testing Nikon’s focus tracking in combination with an ultra-wide lens
I continue testing my new Nikon camera - this time with Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 on.
It was the last day when we could enjoy the light reflected from every single surface - leaves, tree branches, snow flakes before it all melted away. I thought that I needed an ultra-wide lens to capture the overall atmosphere of the ice kingdom while it lasted.
What I also love about shooting wide is this wonderful feeling of a participant in the scene, not a distant observer.
If you would like to lend me your dog to test this camera’s boundaries, please reach out. :-)
Testing Nikon’s focus tracking with a hyper-active dog playing in the snow
I decided to test my new Nikon camera with all my lenses. This time I have Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 on.
Love this lens for its versatility. I can start shooting Joyka when he’s quite far away and keep zooming in until he bumps his head on the lens cap (he does this quite often actually). Wide angle shots give the feeling of presence, as if you are part of the scene. Zoomed in shots offer a nice separation from the background. Both options are available within milliseconds by turning the zoom wheel on the lens all the while the dog is closing up on me.
The only downside is the aperture that wouldn't go wider than f/4 but then again, when the background is not completely obliterated, it offers great for story telling.
Regardless of the distance from the subject or numerous distracting objects around it, the camera locks its focus dead on Joyka’s eye with an amazing sharpness!
If you would like to lend me your dog to test this camera’s boundaries, please reach out. :-)
Testing Nikon Z9 focus tracking: dog on the run
I am getting to know my brand new Nikon Z9 camera and its outstanding focus tracking abilities, this time with Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 on.
Joyka is finally cleared for unlimited physical activity, so we are back to daily hiking. This Golden loves to run fast. Anyone who ever tried to photograph a dog galloping at you knows that it’s not easy to get your photos in focus. But not with the Nikon Z9! This camera tracks not just Joyka, but his eye with admirable determination. Every single shot. Wow!
If you would like to lend me your dog to test this camera’s boundaries, please reach out. :-)
A Golden Retriever on a hiking trail: Winter
As we are anxiously watching the snowflakes outside, bracing for the snow storm, a few positive winter photos are in order. Our Golden Retriever Joyka loves winter and all winter activities - hiking, playing with snowballs and especially “helping” to shovel the snow out of the driveway.
Joyka’s portraits at Lake Erie (part 2)
You should have seen Joyka yesterday when we took him to Lake Erie for probably the last time this year to spend time on the beach and splash in warm waves. He didn’t sit still for a second and swam back and forth retrieving a stick from the deep turquoise waters countless times. I wish we lived a bit closer to come here more often.
Joyka’s portraits at Lake Erie
I haven’t posted Joyka for a while, so here’s a bit of dog portraits and candids from one of our trips to Lake Erie.
Swimming (and everything to do with water) is Joyka’s favorite activity, mine as well, and Presque Isle State Park is a perfect location for that.
I wish it was a bit closer to home or we lived a little closer to the lake.
Aces Wild, a French bulldog
Meet Aces Wild, a French bulldog, an incredibly sweet and kind 6-month-old puppy. The frenchie is known to be a household companion to the upper class and royalty. Did you know that one French bulldog traveled aboard the Titanic? How did this fact survive the tragedy? The poor pup was insured for an incredible sum at that time - $750.
Winter Wonderland Action Dog Photos
Here in Pennsylvania, winter offered some perks... finally. After miserable ice rain at night came broad sunshine in the morning and I couldn’t resist taking my 70-200mm lens for a hike. The reflections in the icicles were spectacular. And as always, I ended up taking photos of Joyka. He’s my best hiking buddy and gets all the attention.
Jumpin’ for Joy in the Snow
Why else are snow days great for besides playing snowballs all day instead of school? If you have a dog that hikes with you every day, like Joyka does with me, such days offer a welcome break from scrubbing all that mud from your dog and your hiking boots. Actually, you can even use that old granny’s method of winter rug cleaning on your dog. Make your pup roll in the snow and then brush it all off. Believe me, Joyka’s coat gets a couple shades lighter after such treatment.