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One of the great things about photography is the learning never stops. There are some really terrific photographers out there not only revealing all their secrets but also creating on-line communities for photographers to share their knowledge, ask questions, and inspire growth. One such photographer really stands out. He has cleared the path and set the bar for others to follow. His name is David Hobby and his site is Strobist. I had the good fortune of attending one of his seminars this weekend and can't wait to put some of what I learned into practice! His layed back, lighting ain't rocket science approach really struck a chord with me. His site's tag line, less gear, more brain, better light is a great mantra.

I became familiar with another phtoogapher, Don Giannatti thorugh the Strobist site. Don is a seasoned pro who is also a master at lighting. While I never communicated with him, I always appreciated the time he spent responding to questions and guiding those new to photography. There seems to be a trend where those that have been doing this for a while are giving back to the photo community. It's a great thing to see!

I was especially honored when Don posted an entry on his blog about me here. To be recognized by other photographers is no small thing, at least not to me. We are, without a doubt, the harshest critics. Following Don's entry about me, we exchanged some e-mails and I convinced him to come to the Tampa Bay area and teach a lighting workshop. He'll be here in May. I can't wait for the opportunity to again learn from someone who does great work and is also a great teacher.

My hat is off to David, Don, and all the other seasoned pros out there who are sharing their knowledge and experience to the benefit of the entire photographic community.

By the way.....the photo posted here has nothing to do with the content of this entry. I just happen to like the photo. That's Heidi, a very sweet Schnauzer who recently modeled for me for the upcoming Popular Dog's Schnauzer Issue.

Seiko is such a handsome boy, it's no surprise he made the cover of Popular Dogs' Pit Bull Terriers Issue. I'm so happy they chose this particular photo too. There were so many great shots to choose from but this one stuck in my heead after the shoot. As you can tell, he was walking straight towards me as this image was captured. About one second after this shot, I was getting a big wet Bully kiss.

This guy is a wonderful Ambassador for the breed. He might look tough but he's a total sweetheart. We did a series of vet related images (several are in this issue). He sat patiently through the whole process. When I was driving him home after the shoot, he sat in the seat next to me but rested his chin on my shoulder. I'm pretty sure he wanted to sit in my lap but he was too well mannered.

There were more than 20 LMEimages in this issue. Most of the photos were of adults and puppies belonging to Jeanette at Diablo's Bullys a local breeder who is clearly dedicated to the welfare of the breed. The second photo is another of her dogs, Diablo, who is gettting a big wet kiss from the little girl who lives next door. He was so incredibly gentle with her!

I can't forget Dime! He's also in the issue along with his little puppy pal. Here, they're having a ton of fun on the set. Dime is one of those dogs that I can always count on to "perform". He's great with everyone and everything. He'll sit, stay, laydown on command and won't budge until he's given permission. Of course, it's always sooooo much more fun to just let him be his silly playful self.

Shutterbug Magazine Radio has a weekly radio show / podcast where the host conducts "inspiring and educational interviews and discussions with world class photographers and photo industry leaders. The list of guests on the show is quite impressive. It includes Pulitzer prize winners, well known photojournalists, photographers who shoot for well known publications such as Sports Illustrated and National Geographc, basically a broad range of photographers at the top of their respective fields.

Imagine how flattered I was when they contacted me to do an interview! On January 18th, I had the honor and pleasure of being the featured photographer on the show. One really nice feature about this program is the podcast is archived and there is also a gallery of images so listeners can view the images while listening to the interview.

The show is divided into four segments. I participated in the first three. A link to the podcast is here

To view the gallery of images which has been archived in the "Hall of Fame" gallery, click here.

Over the past few weeks, I've kept my portrait shooting light so I could spend some time shooting and enjoying the great nature and wildlife Florida has to offer. I love Florida this time of year. While everyone else is shoveling snow, we get to wear shorts, aren't bothered by biting insects (mostly) and can enjoy, rather than flee the outdoors.

One of my favorite places is the Hillsboro River, just on the outskirts of Tampa. The landscape and wildlife always provide great photo subjects.

In this first image, an Anhinga has just found his dinner.

The soft light at dusk that filters through the canopy of the Cypress trees creates a mysterious and relaxing environment.

It wouldn't be a trip on the Hillsboro without seeing at least one Alligator. We actually saw four but this one was my favorite. To get this shot, I had to lean out of the canoe and get my head, and my camera close to the water to avoid an overhanging branch that was obscuring my view. I was wondering if the Alligator might be thinking his dinner was about to be served.

Towards the end of our trip down the river, the light was quite dim. It was almost too dim to keep shooting. I started stowing my gear when this Great Blue Heron, that seemed to be following us, decided to fly right in front of the canoe, as if leading us home. The blur is caused by a relatively slow shutter speed. I was pleased with the way the blurred wings and the way the light illuminated the individual wing feathers conveyed the sense of motion.

I have some more photos from recent visits to several Florida rivers and springs. I hope to have those posted soon so please check back.

Also, I was honored to be inverviewd by Shutterbug Magazine Radio on Friday. The interview, a podcast should be available on Monday. In addition to the interview, they'll be posting a small gallrey of my images that correspond to the interview. I'll post a link as soon as it's available.

My last scheduled pet shoot for the year was of Liza, an adorable Yorkie puppy. I was shooting her for a magazine submission. The planned shots included mostly veterinary, nutrition, and training related editorial images. Of course, I always like to shoot some straight portraits and have some fun after I know I've got the needed shots "in the can".

I always have a list of shots planned out ahead of time. I review the list with my assistant so she knows exactly what we need to do to get what we need. Of course, we can never plan for the way our furry models will behave or react to the process once we get under way. With puppies, we always need a bit of luck. We got plenty of that with Liza. She was a ball of energy but still cooperated with the mock vet exam, and the traditional portraits. She wasn't so keen on the grooming shots so we skipped that. My shooting philosophy is to NEVER try to force a shot or make a pet do anything that upsets them.

Instead, I try to keep an open mind and eye to what will bring out the personality of the pet and result in the best images. On this occasion, I was given a wonderful treat. After a brief introduction, Liza and Wally (a cat in our adoption center) entertained us endlessly with their antics. Both were oblivious to anything but each other as they played, pounced, and wrestled on the backdrop. I hated to end the shoot. I think these two would have played all night if we let them.

With pets, you can never plan things too tightly. The key is to be ready with the camera when the true colors of a puppy and kitten, who don't yet know they aren't supposed to get along, offer up photo opportunities beyond anything I could have planned.

By the way......Wally will be moving into his new home after the first of the year! He's been with us since he was just a little guy. If you scroll down, you'll see more photos of him.

For about a year now, I've been a contributing photographer for a number of magazines published by Bowtie. Their line up includes quite a few pet related titles including Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Popular Dogs Series, Dogs USA, Puppies USA, Dogs for Kids etc. I've thoroughly enjoyed my relationship with all the editors.

Many of my pet models have been featured in issues. My clients get a thrill out of seeing their furry family members gracing the pages. Most exciting is when they're on the cover. Over the past two weeks, three issues have found their way onto the shelves at major pet store outlets, book stores, and even grocery stores.

Lynch, a beautiful German Shepherd is seen here on the cover of Popular Dogs Series-Training Secrets for German Shepherds. I think his smile is what got him on the cover. On the inside are roughly 15 images of four of my wonderful German Shepherd models.

Echo, the sweetest Golden Retriever pup is on the cover of Dogs USA. He has been in several issues. It's no wonder he's so popular when you see his adorable and expressive face! Having been trained by the terrific trainers at Pet Peeves, he was a breeze to work with. Even at his young age, he had mastered all the basic commands.

Inside the Dogs USA issue is my first article. It's an 8 page article on photographing pets and features several of my favorite models. Seen here is Harley. This dog completely stole my heart. His housemate Prissy (Yorkie), Gia (Boxer), Friday (Great Dane), and Dax (German Shepherd) round out the lineup. My thanks to Sarah, Jen, and Kim for loaning me their dogs for all the before and after photos for the article. You gals are the best!!

Of course, I can't forget to thank my fabulous assistant Amber. While I'm working behind the camera, she's working just out of the frame to make sure we bring out the best in all our models. By the end of every shoot, I think all the dogs (and cats) want to go home with her. Dogs are great judges of character and they all LOVE Amber. That's her, a bit further down the blog in her wedding dress and mask, fins, and snorkel.

As I work on finishing up all the last minute orders for prints, holiday cards, and framing, I can't help but wonder what the heck happened to 2007. This year has flown by. It's also been quite a year for LMEimages. My shooting schedule has been almost fully booked all year. I've had four magazine covers, a few hundred images, and my first article published.

In addition, I'll be ready to launch my greeting card line by the end of January. On tap for 2008 is a book, expansion of my stock image library, and of course, a lot more portrait sessions.

This will be my last week of shooting pets for the year. I need to catch my breath so I can hit the ground running in the new year. Tuesday, I had great fun shooting a wonderful dog Zeus, Mutley, the two daschunds seen here (Ruby and Tiffany), and an adorable kitten. Tomorrow, I'll be doing a third shoot for Charlie, a fabulous little Yorkie and his new sister Liza. I can't wait!

The new Bully Breed issue from Popular Dogs is now on the stands! I had a great time shooting for this issue and it's such a treat to see my wonderful models gracing the pages. Even my assistant Amber ended up with a full page image of her cuddling with a little Pit puppy.

Also exciting is the newly released issue of Dogs USA (2008). This is an annual publication. Echo, a wonderful Golden Retriever puppy I had the pleasure of photographing is on the cover! On top of that, I have an eight page article in the magazine explaining how anyone can take great photos of their pets with just a little patience and a few tricks of the trade. I don't have my hands on the issue yet but here's a link to Dog Channel if you want to have a look. I'll elaborate more when I get my copy.

I'm still reviewing the photos from our recent trip to Olympic National Park. Fog was certainly a prevalent feature. There was a fascinating dance of light and shadow as the sun rose behind the peaks and the fog, aided by wind, moved through the valley.

The 2008 GPA/Tampa Bay Calendars are here!! This is the second year I've produced the calendar for Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay chapter. Over the past two years, I've had the opportunity to meet most of the volunteer staff at this "greyt" organization. Their tireless efforts to care for these retired racers and find them loving homes is truly amazing.

My thanks go out to all the families that brought their dogs in for calendar photo shoots. For those still waiting on their proofs to be posted, I promise they'll be up soon! (Hopefully by the end of the weekend).

The calendar is 13 months and measures 12x18 when opened. They're available through GPA Tampa Bay or by contacting LMEimages using the contact form. The cost is $15 plus $3 s/h if we mail it.

I've been told the worst thing you can do with a blog is let it sit idle. I can't believe it's been nearly two months since I've posted an update. Shame on me!

Anyway....I might not have been posting blog entries but I've been very busy with my camera. My wonderful, witty, charming, most excellent assistant Amber was recently married. Since her wedding was out of state, we didn't get to see her walk down the aisle in her wedding gown. Even worse, I didn't get to shoot any wedding photos for her.

To make up for it, we had a little beach reception for Amber. It was one more opportunity for her to wear her dress and a chance for us to see her looking like a princess. The really great thing about this from a shooting standpoint is we didn't have to worry about keeping the dress clean. The wedding was over and the dress had yet to get to the cleaners. It was time to have some fun.

Amber was a great sport. Before the evening was over, Amber and the dress were in the surf.

Squirrel Update I've had a number of e-mails asking about the squirrels I was raising. Here's the update. Ansel and Annie, the two older squirrels have been successfully released. They still visit daily for nuts and reassurance but are happily scampering about in the back yard and in the Oak trees. The younger Squirrel, Disston, who fell onto the hard asphalt is in no hurry to be released. His head injury has left him mostly blind and way behind schedule developmentally. He makes small improvements each day but will never be able to return to the wild. He loves to cuddle and has a voracious appetite. He's also quite comfortable hanging out in my dishware.

English Bulldogs- I recently completed a submission for an upcoming Popular Dogs Issue on English Bulldogs. I had the great pleasure of shooting two separate sessions with Autumn and Otis. One session was in the studio, the other at the beach. Both made terrific models!

The Family- Long time friends Phil and Melanie recently asked me to shoot some family photos for them. It was great seeing them and the kids. We had lots of fun though it was tough keeping Phil's attention off the TV. No....he wasn't watching the game. He was watching Dancing With the Stars. Phil is one of those jocks who can also cut a mean rug. While it's not so obvious here, Melanie was gorgeous as usual and the kids were total charmers. While we created quite a few lovely traditional portraits, I thought I'd use this one for the blog. That's one impressive set of feet that family is sporting. I'm sure if Melanie sees this she's going to kill me.

Olympic National Park- Last month, we spent nine glorious days in Olympic National Park. If you've never been, I highly recommend it. Covering over 1,400 square miles, the park occupies a large portion of the Olympic Peninsula. From Pacific Coast Beaches to Temperate Rain Forests, the park has something for everyone. The first part of our visit was spent on Lake Quinault. We had a lovely view of the lake and took full advantage of the hiking in the Quinault Rain Forest.

Hiking through the damp fog shrouded forests, it was easy to let go of the day to day worries. The trees were blanketed in mosses and the forest floor was a carpet of ferns. Photography was both a challenge and a delight. Like most dense forests, it can be difficult to find orderly compositions. There's almost too much in front of the camera to capture in a meaningful way. With patience and an open mind, the photos eventually reveal themselves. In this case it was the backlit leaves of the foreground vegetation that inspired me.

There's this feeling of being small and insignificant that's inescapable in such a place. It's an oddly reassuring feeling. Walking through this forest, my typical suburban life seemed so far away. I have to admit, I didn't miss Walmart, fast food, or road rage one bit.

After several days spent in the forests, I started to see it in a different light, literally. In such a dense forest, light is a commodity in great demand and short supply. There's a play of light and shadow as the sun arcs across the sky, hitting the lower valley floor only when it's at the right angle relative to the hills, mountains, and neighboring stands of trees. The light also has to muscle it's way through the fog that often shrouds the forests. When it breaks through, the nearly monochromatic palette of cool greens and blues suddenly becomes warm and vibrant. A whole new vision of forms, color, and texture is revealed.

We also spent a few days along the Pacific Coast at Kalaloch Lodge. The lodge sits right on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. What a change from the beaches here in Florida. I was immediately impressed by the pounding surf as it rolled onshore. I have to admit, it seemed a little odd to be wearing a sweater and long pants on the beach in September. Still, I enjoyed the familiar cadence of the waves, the chatter of seagulls, and the feel of the sand beneath my feet. The skies were heavily overcast for most of our visit along the coast. Again, it was quite a contrast to the sub tropical beaches I call home. My usual approach of shooting early and late in the day to take advantage of low angle sunlight had to be revised. Instead, I turned my attention to compositions that took advantage of the more subtle merging of land, sea, and sky under heavily diffused light.

Perhaps my favorite part of visiting the Pacific Coast was exploring the tide pools. Pools of water, left by an outgoing tide, reveal an amazing variety of wildlife including anemones, starfish, sponges, barnacles, and small fish. It's amazing how these animals thrive in such a brutal and constantly changing environment.

After out time along the coast, we spent several days along the north side of the park. We even managed to take a ferry across the Straight of Juan de Fuca for an afternoon stroll through Victoria, British Columbia. I haven't had a chance to go through all of the photos from this wonderful trip. I hope to have some more posted in the coming weeks.

Wow, I have been so busy lately that I'm behind on blog entries. The last few months have been booked solid with projects and portrait sittings. I recently completed submissions for the Bully Breed issue and the German Shephard issues of Popular Dogs magazine. I had some great models and I can't wait to see which images are selected. I just received my copies of the Pomeranian issue and the Toy Breed Issue. LMEimages had over 20 images in each one. Foxy Lady, a favorite model graces the cover of the Pomeranian issue. I just love her smile!

I did manage to squeeze in an afternoon canoe trip on the Hillsboro River on Labor Day. After sitting out a thunderstorm under Morris Bridge for about half an hour, the light and conditions became magical. The cool rain on the warm water and ground created a light mist that veiled the cypress trees. What a relaxing way to end the holiday weekend.

Dakota is just one of many recent portrait sittings. This happy 14 year old was a joy to shoot. He always seems to be smiling. It was a pleasure meeting him and his mom who takes great care of this geriatric sweet heart.

I've just finished shooting for the 2008 Greyhound calendar. Like last year, I'm down to the wire in getting in getting the images to the publisher. This year's calendar will be in color and packed with photos of the beautiful Greyhounds of Tampa Bay. The calendar will be available for purchase by mid November. All proceeds benefit Greyhound Pets of Amerca/Tampa Bay. There are limited quantities of the calendar. If you're interested in reserving one, let me know. I'll make sure you get one before they're sold out.

A local women's biker group sponsors an annual "Poker Run" to benefit GPA/Tampa Bay. Here's a photo of the event coordinator, a club member and some terrific dogs. They were all good sports to stand in the mud of low tide overlooking Tampa Bay. As you can see, a thunderstorm was brewing in the background.

This photo was captured in almost the same spot as the previous post with the ladies and the Greyhounds. The storm started moving in fast, creating a dramatic sky, complete with a rainbow and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the background.

I can't forget Wally. He's a kitten in the adoption center at Pinellas Animal Hospital. He was a riot to shoot. It's not obvious from the photos but he's a little lover boy. He purred up a storm as soon as I picked him up.

This is a composite of several frames. Wally here may grace a notecard set before too long.

Next week we're off to Olympic National Park for some rest, relaxation, hiking, and photography of course. It will be nice to get away for a little break before all of the holiday portrait sittings that are quickly filling my calendar.

The other night while in the middle of a pet portrait sitting, I was told by Wendy Kelly, Animal Behaviorist extraordinaire that she had just captured a Peacock that was wandering the busy streets outside the office. She was wondering if I wanted to shoot some photos of it. OF COURSE I WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BIRD!!

As Wendy decsribed how she chased the bird down the street, I was wishing I'd had the chance to shoot that as well. It's not often one sees a woman chasing a large gaudy bird down the middle of the street narrowly avoiding traffic, motorists honking, staring, wondering what the heck was going on.

I only had about fifteen minutes between pet portrait sessions. With the help of several staff members at Pinellas Animal Hospital, the Peacock was corralled onto the backdrop. He was reasonably cooperative but there were a few instances when he let me know I was too close.

I was hoping he would display his wonderful tail feathers but he wasn't in the mood.

Wendy contacted the Humane Society who agreed to pick the bird up. Apparently there's a "Peacock Round-up" going on. The birds are then relocated to a Sanctuary.

Once again, I'm raising some orphaned squirrels. This little girl just recently opened her eyes. Luckily, at this age, they tend to sit pretty still after a nice big meal. In a week or two, I'll be chasing them with the camera and will likely end up with lots of frames of them looking like a brown blur.

Here she is sitting in the viewfinder of a vintage Autocord. It's a wonderful medium format camera that still works perfectly after more than fifty years.

With six cats about the house, one might think the squirrels are in constant danger. In reality, the cats are so accustomed to having squirrels around, they do little more than give them a disapproving glance as they intrude on the set or walk by during feeding time. That said, I would never leave one of the squirrels unattended. Cats, after all, are cats.

Work continues on the Greyhound calendar. We're getting down to the wire and still have a number of shoots planned. I absolutely love their big expressive brown eyes!

It's true....most of my dog models work for food. Most of them work for toys too. Dax here was more than willing to do whatever we asked of him as long as a treat or his favorite frisbee was involved.

Of course, there's a fine line between an incentive and teasing. They can get pretty cranky if you don't actually give them the treat you've been dangling in front of them while shooting frame after frame.

Actually, Dax barks on command. That's what he's doing here, not growling or showing his teeth. He was amply rewarded for his cooperation. I have no idea what was up with all the drool. He normally has better manners than that.

More photos of Dax to follow in a few days.

Here's a sweeter side of Dax. He's gorgeous. Weighing in at over 100lbs. He's a very heavy lap dog.

What a terrific week it's been so far! I'm working on a magazine submission featuring German Shepherds. Last night, I had the opportunity to photograph three wonderful officers and their K-9 partners from the City of Pinellas Park police department. Working in a warehouse during a routine training session, I was able to witness and shoot the dogs as they searched for drugs, caught the "bad guy", and worked in tandem with the officers. Their focus and exuberance for their work is truly impressive. Even more impressive is how readily the dogs go from beyond intimidating to relaxed and submissive with a single voice command. That was very reassuring considering I was only a few feet away during much of the action.

The relationship between officer and K-9 is a true testament to the strength of the bonds that form between humans and dogs. Whether a family pet or a working partner, there's no denying the vital role dogs play in our society.

My thanks to the City of Pinellas Park, the officers, and of course the wonderful dogs for giving me this opportunity!

A total shift in gears.....This past week, I also had great fun shooting the children of the staff at Pinellas Animal Hospital. Having shot most of their pets, it was time to shoot their kids too.

While shooting them, it occured to me how similar a portrait session with a kid is to a portrait sitting with a pet. I found myself using the same toys to "inspire" the kids that I use with dogs (I swear I didn't give any of the kids a milkbone.) Their tolerance for the process, the span of emotions, and the clear message they send when "enough is enough" was nearly identical. My youngest child model even had an "accident' on the backdrop, a common occurrence with puppies.

So, it's been quite a week so far. From kids to K-9s, it's been fun and inspiring. The best part is that it's not over yet. I have two more shoots before the week is done.

It's times like this that I really love what I do!

Like most photographers, it seems there's always some new gadget or piece of equipment on my wish list. This past Monday, the lens I've been drooling over for some time finally arrived (gotta love it when that UPS driver shows up at the door!). Of course, I had to take it out for a spin, just to make sure everything was working as it should.

It was already late, only about an hour of sunlight left so I headed towards the beach, just a mile from my home. As I left the house, I noticed some clouds heading in from the east. By the time I'd made it out onto to the beach (less than five minutes) the clouds had caught up.

I had a feeling I was about to be treated to a show as the incoming storm clouds met the light of a setting sun.

Sure enough...the sky started it's show, as if on cue. Every second brought changes in the color and light. The drama in the quickly moving clouds was mirrored in water surface. Just as the sun was about to dip below the horizon, the entire sky became a surreal tangerine orange. After that, as the sky became darker, it was the lightening that claimed center stage.

These images, and quite a few more, were shot within the relatively short time span of forty minutes. The visual dance that happens when the setting sun meets an approaching storm is always a treat.

My new lens perfomed flawlessly. I'm thrilled to be adding it to my arsenal. I actually bought it for portrait and event shooting but I'm happy to see it has a place in my bag as an all around terrific lens. I shot quite a few frames of birds on this short outing and am thrilled with those results as well.

[note: My new lens is a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR. The photo with the danger sign was shot with a different (wide angle) lens]

I just finished a large submission of images for Popular Dogs upcoming issue on Bully Breeds. I had the good fortune of shooting some terrific dogs for this submission. Included were two Bull Terriers, two English Bulldogs, and a variety of Pit Bulls, all wonderfully willing models.

I had a hard time choosing from the series but for a look at some of my favorites click on the link below, click the proof tab, and enter the password 1

Click here for some of my favorites

My thanks to: Barnes, Dime and Rainbow, McBride, Champ, The Pound Puppies (on loan from the humane society), James, Porsche, Sin, and all the puppies from Diablo Bullys

There is nothing more important than spending time with family. Shared experiences, secrets between sisters, the love of parents for their children, are all woven into who we are and what we'll become. As families grow, it's sometimes hard to find time to get together as a group, to reconnect and remind ourselves of those all important bonds. When the opportunity to get together presents itself, we owe it to ourselves and our families to take full advantage. That's exactly what one of my pet portrait clients recently did. She organized everyone for a picnic at Ft. Desoto Park (which was recently named the best beach in America by the way) I was honored when she asked me to photograph the event.

From a photographer's perspective, light is the single most important factor in creating great photographs. While we all hope for great models, great surroundings, and great interactions, light can make or break the final outcome of an image (at least technically). The best light for photographing people outdoors is when the sun is at a low angle or better yet....softened by an overcast sky. The worst is when the sun is right overhead and direct. Harsh shadows, squinting eyes, and extreme contrast are all the result of this "worst" light.

On the day of this event, the sun couldn't have been brighter. The sun was blaring. Even when facing away from the sun, eyes were squinting from the light reflected off the sand and water. I confess to being very worried about the final outcome of the shoot. I didn't want to use artificial light (flash) to fill in shadows or even reflectors because that would require more controlled and posed photos.

Luckily, light became a secondary consideration. I quickly realized this family's joy and exuberance would be all I needed to create some great photo memories for them. I stopped worrying about the light and just focused on them, their interactions, their playfullness, and their willingness to cooperate with the process.

What could have been a photographer's worst nightmare became a photographer's best case scenario.

My thanks to Theresa for inviting me to shoot this fun family event!

While I tend to prefer more subtle backgrounds, I couldn't resist shooting this black and white kitten against a red backdrop I picked up a few weeks ago. The past few weeks have been incredibly busy with pet portraits and some shooting for an upcoming Bully Breed issue of Popular Dogs, published by Bowtie Publishing. I've shot some great dogs for the submission and should be posting some of the images soon.

This black and white kitten is just one of many currently in the adoption center at Pinellas Animal Hospital. She was great fun to shoot. She's also very lovable. She'll make a great addition to the family lucky enough to adopt her.

It's after midnight and I'm editing images from one of last weeks shoots. This is Porsche and I just had to post her photo. Now on to the rest from the shoot which includes six of Porsche's beautiful puppies.

No matter how much you plan or prepare, shooting pets always brings surprises. To begin a pet portrait sitting with spedific poses in mind is usually an exercise in futility. Jet here was the exception. His owner Jeanne specifically requested an image of him in this pose. I warned her it might not happen. Jet, eager to please his new owner surprised me by striking a perfect pose.

What was supposed to be a simple portrait shoot of a Pit Bull Puppy was anything but.

I was hoping for a nice straight forward portrait with the puppy looking into the lens with happy curiosity. While he wouldn't look into the lens, he sure liked touching it with his cold wet nose. I think I spent more time cleaning my lens than shooting photos. After some time, I gave up on the portrait and decided to just let him play. A kitten in the adoption center was eager to get out and join him. They both played together chasing toys until the puppy made the mistake of once again putting his nose where it didn't belong.

The kitten wasted no time in letting the puppy know that was not a nice thing to do. After a hiss and a swat, the play resumed.

I was left with no formal portraits but lots of fun out takes. That's just the way it goes. The pets dictate most of what happens. All I can do is try to respond to their lead.

This past month as I've been cleaning up my image archives, I was reminded of the many influences that have shaped my way of seeing and photographing the natural world. Artists and the art community as a whole continuously evolve in style and subject matter. This evolution is the result of a variety of influences including world events, contemporary trends, years of experience, and experimentation. Perhaps the greatest influence is the work of other artists.

Viewing the work of others, understanding how they think, why they make certain choices, what influences them, and how they choose to look at the world, is in turn inspiring and motivating. Next to the natural world itself, the comminity of artists is my greatest influence and harshest critic. It's that influence and criticism that pushes an artist to go beyond their comfort zone, to learn how to both gain control and relinquish control for a more emotive end result.

Over the years, I've had the good fortune of studying under some terrific artists. A few years ago, I took a course with William Neill. William is a well respected Landscape/Nature photographer with a regular column in Outdoor Photographer Magazine. Since the course, we've remained in contact. HIs work and words continue to influence my own. His connection to the natural world is so clearly apparent in his work. I was pleased to find out today that he has started a blog. This is great news for outdoor photographers and those who simply appreciate beautiful photographs. I encourage you to have a look for yourself.

William's Blog

I recently had the good fortune of spending four days in the Smoky Mountains. It was a wonderful retreat from work and obligations. There's something special about the color and light in the Smokies that I find irresistable.

While in the Smokies, I spent a great deal of time hiking along the abundant streams and rivers. The leaves, just unfurling from their spring buds reflected their lime green hue on the river.

The green, mixed with the reflected sky was the perfect combination for shooting some abstracts that for me, offers a greater sense of the place than a traditional scenic photo.

We spent most of our time in the Cades Cove area of Smoky Mountain National Park. We knew seeing a black bear was a possibility. To our delight, we saw 21 Black Bears during our short visit. The mothers with their cubs were a special treat.

LMEimages made the cover of the latest Popular Dogs issue devoted to Pugs. In addition to the cover, there are about twenty LMEimages througout the body of the issue. Many thanks to the staff at Seminole Blvd Animal Hospital and Dr. Dawn Daniels for helping with the dogs from Pug Rescue. Thanks also go to Jina and Robbie for bringing in their four lovable dogs. Once again, my husband, Dr. David Elmer was included in the issue as he performs an exam on a wonderfully cooperative dog. This was a fun issue to shoot!

I recently had the pleasure of shooting China, a Chinese Crested for an upcoming Popular Dogs magazine issue on Toy Breeds. China started off very shy but by the time she donned her Paris Hilton sunglasses, she was relaxed and ready to have some fun!

After finishing the shoot with China, my wonderful assistant Amber brought out a fledgling Starling she's been rehabbing. Of course, I needed to shoot a few photos before we packed up all the lights.

When it comes to wildlife photography, Florida is hard to beat. On any given day, I can head out on foot or in a canoe to find amazing animals and scenery to shoot. Of course, finding the subjects is just the first step in capturing great wildlife images.

To move beyond the snapshot requires patience, practice, and an understanding of wildlife behavior. It also requires perfect light. Had it been a bright sunny day, the contrast would have overwhelmed this scene of a Great Blue Heron preparing to take flight. I was treated to a slightly overcast sky which resulted in this gentle diffused light, perfect for capturing the detail and color of the birds feathers.

Exciting wildlife photos don't happen by accident. Taking the time to understand an animal's behavior is paramount. It's that understanding that enables a photographer to safely photograph an animal without causing stress to the animal or intefering with it's natural behavior. Having lived in Florida my entire life, I've been around a lot of alligators. In many areas, Alligators and humans coexist in close proximity. Many Alligators have become habituated to human presence and in some cases have lost their fear of humans. Sadly, that makes them a greater danger and often results in their being destroyed. When photographing these wonderful animals, I use a telephoto lens that allows me to shoot from a distance that's comfortable for me and the Alligator.

Things have been very busy for LMEimages lately. Portrait sittings, magazine submissions, personal projects, fund raising events and family gatherings have all been on the agenda the past two weeks.

The latest issue of Popular Dogs Magazine's, French Bulldog Issue is now on the stands. Seventeen LMEimages are featured in the issue. My thanks to Nikki and her dogs Padame, Darth Vader, and all the puppies for graciously modeling for the images submitted.

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming Pug issue! There will be loads of LMEimages in this issue, including the cover.

Sunday was spent shooting and enjoying GPA-Tampa Bay Poker Run for the Greyhounds

LMEimages is proud to donate time and images to this worthy cause. Greyhound Pets of America (GPA)-Tampa Bay works tirelessly to find homes for retired racers. The volunteers and the dogs are always a pleasure to work with. The Poker Run was a lot of fun and a great success!

I did manage to fit some time into my schedule to continue work on my abstract series. This image was created by combining camera movement with a long shutter speed. The result is a painterly "look", a blending of colors, and a softer mood. I find that regularly mixing subjects and techniques and working on personal projects keeps me seeing things with a fresh eye.

Oh my goodness!!! What a time we had shooting a litter of Lab puppies. They were simply adorable. They were also a handful! It took three adults and a young girl to keep track of and shoot these furry little balls of energy. When they weren't gnawing on my toes, they were attempting to chew on light cords, running off the set,, and doing "you know what" on the backdrop. It's all just part of shooting puppies and it's always a blast.

I managed to spend some time visiting with family this past weekend. The boys all went fishing. They don't let me go anymore because I release everything I catch. I've also been known to release some of the fish caught by others. So....I'm banished from all fishing trips. Instead, I prefer to "catch" photos of the fish when they return.

From a distance, the color and pattern of fish often goes unappreciated. However, if you look closely, you can find wonderful combinations of color and form that make great abstract images. I was getting some very strange looks as I shot this abstract. I just couldn't resist.

I recently completed a submission for an upcoming magazine issue on Pomeranians. I had the pleasure of shooting a number of great dogs for the project.

One evening, after shooting Pomeranians, I was introduced to this adorable kitten, a new admission to the adoption center at Pinellas Animal Hospital. This little guy was amazingly cooperative, was curious about the camera, and even made friends with one of the Pomeranians. It won't take long for him to find a wonderful home!

Abstraction: To express the qualities of an object or scene through form and color (or lack of color) vs. a pictorial representation.

Well, that's one definition. It's a tough thing to define because there are limitless levels of interpretation and techniques. Abstractions can be found in any artistic or expressive media including poetry and music, even philosophy.

For me, abstraction is both the paring down and broadening of artistic language to present an image that expresses the sensory qualities of a place, beyond just a visual record. While a straightforward image might record details with some accuracy, it may fall short of conveying more emotive qualities.

With no obvious representation of objects, abstractions rely on the viewer's associations with color, texture, and form to assign meaning. The viewer must cooperate by allowing associations to occur. Ideally, the cooperation between artist and viewer will result in a more emotive response, a dialogue that goes beyond what the eye is seeing.

In these examples, I've used long shutter speeds along with camera movement to express the dynamic and ephemeral nature of waves as they approach the shore. Of course, these really have nothing to do with waves. I'll leave it to you to decide on their meaning.

Recently, I've had the pleasure of working with Debby Bacon, a terrfic perfomer who plays eight instruments, sings, and is just an infectiously nice person. She recently completed the finishing touches on a new show and was in need of photos for her promotional materials.

One of the great things about working with Debby is she's up for anything. Our second outing involved getting a piano out to the beach, in the surf. The scheduled date was unusually cold and windy but Debby handled it wonderfully. She made it look like a typical balmy Florida day at the beach. Since I was standing and shooting in the surf, also barefooted, I can tell you that was absolutely not the case (brrrr).

Last week, We spent a few days visiting North Carolina's Outer Banks. February isn't really the best time to visit if you want to hang out on the beach swimming or soaking up some sun. It is a great time for viewing migratory waterfowl and enjoying practically deserted beaches.

Many businesses are closed during this off season but the beautiful sights are still available and uncrowded, a great combination in my book.

On our first afternoon, we visited to Bodie Island Lighthouse. I was treated to a wonderful sky just before sunset that made a wonderful backdrop for this terrific structure.

The threat of rain, on our second day provided some dramatic skies, a nice backdrop to the color and pattern in the sand dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park. These dunes are really impressive as they rise steeply in the middle of a residential area. The dunes here are the highest in the Eastern US. If you visit, try to go early in the day before the patterns in the sand are trampled by visitors. Shortly after shooting this image, a bus load of kids stormed past me, obliterating the wonderful patterns. The kids did seem to be having a great time so it was hard to be too upset. I even shot a few of them (with my camera of course) as they slid down the steeper parts of the dunes.

The sand dunes along the beach are constantly moving. Here, the sand is overtaking a prominent building, once occupied by the coast guard. The fence post and barbed wire in the foreground, only inches above the sand, once stood at least seven feet above the ground.

Yesterday, late afternoon, I went to the beach to shoot more seascapes and surf abstracts. As I was setting up my tripod and getting ready to begin some shooting, this Snowy Egret approached me. I immediately took my camera off the tripod, adjusted some exposure settings to allow me to hand-hold the camera and slowly lowered myself down to a knee for a lower shooting angle.

Of course, I was disappointed that I had a wide angle lens on my camera instead of a telephoto. This would normally mean I wouldn't be able to get frame filling shots. I was afraid if I tried to change lenses, the bird would be spooked and would fly off. Boy was I wrong on all counts.

This bird just kept getting closer and closer. Before I knew it, he was practically in my lap. I slowly adjusted my position so I was lying in the wet sand (did I mention it was a little cold that evening).

He kept adjusting his position so he remained directly in front of me. Had I managed to put on a telephoto lens, I'd have been in trouble. A telephoto lens can't focus on a subject this close. I fired off about 30 frames before I needed to change my memory card.

Since he wasn't scared off as I rummaged through my camera bag for a fresh memory card, I went ahead and changed lenses. I thought I'd give my macro lens a try. A macro lens is designed to allow focusing at a very close distance. The trade off is a very shallow depth of field. In other words, only a very narrow plane of the scene or subject will be in sharp focus. The rest becomes soft and blurry. Knowing how this works allows for the creative use of a shallow depth of field.

I made it a point to shoot a variety of poses. Where the bird's head is parallel to the lens, the entire head appears in focus. When the bird was facing the lens, you can see I put the focus on the eyes and let the rest go soft. I was only a few inches from the bird in many shots.

After another 30 frames or so, the light was gone and the bird became bored with me. He slowly wandered off in search of small fish trapped in the shallow water.

This was one of those lucky encounters. It's not something you can ever plan. That said, to get lucky, one has to put themselves in positions for great things to happen and be prepared to react when they do.

I'm enjoying my continued relationship with Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay. This past week, we worked on shooting an image for a 2x3 lightbox that will be displayed at Derby Lanes, promoting the adoption of retired racers. Our goal was to show the sweet "pet" side of these dogs. That's not that hard to do. Every Greyhound I've met has been sweet and loving.

After feeling confident we had ample images for the lightbox project, we decided to get a little silly. Rooney here was terrific to work wtih. He endlessly chased a cat teaser, graciously accepted lots of treats, and enjoyed plucking feathers from this feather boa. I'm happy to report that Rooney was adopted by Joe, who has been fostering him for a while now.

For information on adopting or fostering a Greyhound, please visit the GPA/Tampa website . A link for the National GPA webiste can be found there for those living outside the Tampa Bay area.

This is a photo of my father and his new cat Deliu. Deliu had been at Pinellas Animal Hospital for weeks recovering from a broken pelvis. She was in need of a home so I persuaded my parents to adopt her. In just a few short weeks, my father and Deliu have become inseparable.

Deliu insists my father play the piano for her regularly (he's a composer/musician). She is intrigued watching the hammers rise and fall as he plays. After a while, she just settles in and listens contently.

Another beautiful day of canoeing on the HIllsboro river offered up this shot of a rather large gator.

I've also been continuing work on my shoreline series.

This is Padame. She graciously modeled for me for a recent submission for Popular Dogs' French Bulldog issue, due to publish in a few months. Padame recently delivered a litter of six beautiful pups.

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming Popular Dogs Lab issue. There will be eight LME images included in that issue.

With Christmas behind and the New Year ahead, I wanted to spend a day without work, household chores, phones, e-mail, or TV. My photographic roots are in studying the natural world and capturing it's beauty. It's still the best way I know to appreciate life.

Yesterday was spent relaxing in a canoe on the Hillsboro River. Enjoying the weather and wildlife in Florida, in the winter, is always a treat. This Little Blue Heron is about to catch an afternoon snack. The toes on this bird are amazing.

This river is a gem just on the outskirts of Tampa. The narrow slow moving current allows for an easy paddle while observing the wildlife. On this day, we were treated to sightings of Osprey, Bald Eagles, Limpkins, LIttle Blue Herons, Tri Colored Herons, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Night Herons, Kingfishers, White Ibis (pictured), Alligators, and several species of Basking Turtles.

The floodplain forest is covered with ferns, Bog Lillies, Pickrel Weed, all under the canopy of Oaks, Palms, Cypress, Dahoon Holly, just to name a few. It's an incredibly lush landscape.

The wildlife is somewhat habituated to humans on the river. If you're quiet, you can pass closely without disturbing their activities. The Great Blue Heron pictured on the left barely gave us a glance as we slowly glided by. The basking alligator opened an eye briefly before nodding off again in the warmth of the mid-day sun.

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of shooting Harley and Prissy. These two special dogs were a joy to shoot and to watch as they played on the beach and in the water. Harley had to be supervised as he has a penchant for chasing birds. Prissy on the other hand was happiest when she found something washed up on the shore to roll in. It's funny how certain smells can seem so unsavory to humans and so delightful to a dog.

As you can see, Harley is short a front leg. It didn't slow him down a bit. He was chasing balls, dancing with Susan in the surf, and was like lightening when he saw a seagull land a few hundred yards away. 14 year old Prissy did a great job of keeping up despite her miniature size.

The warm sun, the gentle water of Tampa Bay, doggie ice cream, and the lovng attention of owner Susan made for a perfect afternoon for these two wonderful dogs.

Is it possible to be any cuter? Charlie, a young Yorkie was a terrfic model from a recent portrait sitting. His owners, Dan and his beautiful wife Theresa, were also a pleasure. While we had no idea before the shoot, it turns out Dan and Theresa lived only four houses away from my parents before their recent move. The home they lived in was the home of my childhood best friend. They also happened to be the next door neighbors of a family I shot recently. The two photos in the prior blog post are of children in that family. It really is a small world.

I'm happy to report that two of the Greyhounds featured in the 2007 GPA/Tampabay calendar have found wonderful and loving homes.

Bingo (top photo) was featured on the inside cover of the calendar. Camp (bottom photo) was "Mr. April". Both were great fun to shoot.

The dedicated, all volunteer staff of Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay does a terrific job finding the right homes for these retired racers. Please consider supporting this organization with a purchase of the 2007 Greyhounds of Tampa Bay calendar. Click Here For Details

The past few weeks have been incredibly busy. With the holidays fast approaching, my portrait sitting schedule has been completely booked. Print orders and framing requests have also been rolling in. I did manage to spend some time on Sunday with a childhood friend and her beautiful family. Of course, I brought my camera! She has a charming yellow lab which was perfect for a current project for Popular Dogs.

Shooting candid photos of her children was an irresistible temptation. Here, her four year old daughter is playing in the surf, just dancing and spinning without a care in the world. The late afternoon sun and thinly overcast skies created a beautiful soft light, ideal for shooting such an angelic face.

One of the challenges I often encounter when shooting pets (or kids) is overcoming the anxiety they sometimes experience when the lights start flashing and they're being asked to "perform". This Boston Terrier is a prime example.

Of course, after a little bit of play, bribes with treats, and reassurance, the anxiety gives way to pure doggy joy.

Also on the agenda this past week was shooting some veterinary related photos for the upcoming Lab issue for Popular Dogs. This sweet puppy is getting a thorough exam by Dr. Elmer. She was also getting lots of hugs and kisses from everyone nearby. Who could resist?

Following a recent portrait session, I thought I 'd have a little fun with some kittens from the adoption center at Pinellas Animal Hospital, where I hold many of my studio portrait sessions. Sarah, a technician and occasional photo assistant was standing outside of the frame wielding a cat teaser a few feet above the kitten's heads.

We shot for at least an hour. I thought we'd wear out the kittens (four total) but it was the other way around.

Anyone in the Tampa Bay Area, interested in adopting a kitten or a young cat should contact Pinellas Animal Hospital at 727-546-0005. Currently there are two teenagers available. Mowhawk, an absolute charmer really does have a natural mowhawk. He's great with other animals, including dogs and has a lovely black and white coat. If I didn't already have a house full, he'd be coming home with me. The other young cat is a sweet tortoise shell colored kitty. She's very calm and will make a wonderful lap warmer for the person lucky enough to adopt her.

There are four kittens and they won't last long. All of them are well socialized and very sweet. Evident in the photos is their enthusiasm for play.

[NOTE: All the kittens from this shoot, as well as Mohawk and the Tortoise Shell cat have found loving homes. I'm certain new adoptees will be arriving soon]

These two dogs, Murray and Jake are quite the little matchmakers. While playing at the dog park, they managed to bring Jennifer and Justin together. Now, Murray and Jake get to play together all the time, not just at the park.

Recently, in a single sitting, I had the pleasure of shooting Knuckles, Sophia, China, and Griffin. Pictured on top is Knuckles, a young African Gray Parrot who was a sweatheart. Owners Catherine and Lorraine are spoiling Knuckles in all the good ways one spoils a pet. Below Knuckles is Sohphia. She was catching a little breather in between treats and playing with the ball. It wasn't long before she was up chasing toys with her housemates, China and Griffin.

Foxy Lady was boarding at Pinellas Animal Hospital where I often hold studio sessions. She was the perfect model for a shoot for Popular Dogs upcoming toy breed issue. With permission from her owner Margie, we spent an hour playing and shooting. This is one energetic little dog. She wore me out.

Biscuit, a wonderful Labrador Retriever was very well behaved and patiently sat for quite a few formal portraits. Her owner Linda should be very proud of her. She was rewarded with an extended session of play with a squeaky red and white ball. As you can see, she was having a good time.

Girl Friday, a 50 lb six month old Great Dane was an unscheduled shoot. She belongs to Kim, a technician at Pinellas Animal Hospital. Kim was assisting me with two other shoots and asked if we could shoot Girl Friday when we were done. After one look at Girl Friday, I didn't hesitate.

This dog is over flowing with personality and seemed to completely enjoy being in the spotlight.

Despite the impression given by many of the images, Girl Friday can be dignified when she wants to be. Here, the studio lights were balanced to give a more painterly look to the background and highlight Friday's shiny black coat.

Well, enough of being dignified. Here she is jumping after one of many toys we offered her during the session. During a typical session, we go back and forth between play and more controlled poses. This makes the session fun for the model and gives variety to the final proofs. The goal is to coax the models personality out and not have images that look stiff and posed. Friday didn't take much effort.

This image has been converted to black and white. Actually, it's been toned to give a richer look than a straight black and white image. During the shoot and during post processing, there are many options to consider in creating a final image. Because most of my work is done digitally, I have total control of the final image versus relying on a lab to develop negatives and preparation for printing.

Look below for another photo of Friday dancing for the camera.

Hooray, I'm jumping for joy with the launch of the new website for LMEimages. Many of you expressed concern over lmage loading times, server errors, and difficulty with reviewing proofs on the old site. Portrait clients will now have enhanced viewing of proofs. Visitors with high speed Internet can view the added features of a flash site while those still on dial-up can view the html version without having to wait centuries for images to load.

This new blog feature will allow me to keep everyone up to date on projects, new work, and to see some of the great pets I have the priveledge of photographing. Stay tuned for more!

Oh... I can't fail to mention Girl Friday pictured here in a photo titled Dance of the Dane. She's a six month old Great Dane weighing in at about 50 lbs. She was a joy to work with. Her owner Kim was present during the shoot and we had a terrific time. Don't be surprised if you see more of this dog.

The 2007 Greyhounds of Tampa Bay Calendar is now available.

I was honored to shoot all the images included in the 2007 calendar for Greyhound Pets of America/Tampa Bay.

During the project, I was repeatedly impressed by the dedication of the GPA/Tampa Bay volunteers. Adopting families were also wonderful. It was great to see the interaction between these retired racers and their new family members.

Included in the calendar are dogs that have already been placed in homes and dogs awaiting adoption. The purpose of the calendar is to raise funds for GPA/Tampa Bay who relies solely on donations for their entire operation. Another purpose is to illustrate how these beautiful dogs make wonderful pets.

If you would like to support this organization through the purchase of a calendar, please send me an e-mail. The calendar measures 9 x12, is printed in a beautiful rich warm monochramatic tone that gives it an artsy flare. It runs through January 2008. The entire purchase price goes to GPA/Tampa Bay. The cost is $9.00 plus an additional $5 shipping and handling fee.

Nine images were recently selected for the Golden Retriever Issue of Popular Dogs Magazine from the editors of Dog Fancy Magazine. Pictured here is Echo, a four month old Golden Retriever having his way with a bowl of kibble. Also pictured is Echo getting an exam by Dr. David Elmer of Pinellas Animal Hospital. Dr. Elmer said not only was Echo in perfect health, he was a very good patient!

If you want to have a look at the full issue, it's Volume 4, 2nd edition and can be found at most large pet product retail stores and larger bookstores.

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming Boxer issue on training. There will be 21 "LME" images featured in this issue.

This image of a little girl in front of the Crowne Fountain at Millennium Park in Chicago was recently awarded first place in an online photo contest sponsored by BetterPhoto.com. Thousands of images are entered in this contest each month.

This image was recently awarded 3rd place in an exhibition of prints from a photo project called Feet on The Street. The project was sponsored by The City of St. Petersburg, The Arts Center, and several local businesses and civic groups. The project brought together about 100 photographers of all ages, professional and amatuer, to shoot photos of St. Petersburg's Midtown community. The community, once the hub of African American business and social life in St. Petersburg is undergoing a revitalization. The photos will serve as a record of the people, buildings, businesses, and culture.

The project also coincided with other events designed to bring people into the community and expose them to the many great things the area has to offer.