 Hello! Well, I hope you're all well and enjoying the winter while it lasts. I love winter - nothing nicer than curling up in front of the fire with a warm milo and a cat on your lap! There's no shortage of cats here for that task either...they almost line up for a comfortable belly to spend the evening on.
I've been riding the horses in the morning before heading off to my 'real'/ daytime job, and I've really enjoyed the fresh, crisp exercise...there no better start to the day and my colleagues wonder why I walk in smiling!
Anyway, before long it'll be hot and hotter, and we'll have another excuse to stay inside scrapping during the baking heat of summer! I for one have a pile of photos, and a head full of layout ideas awaiting attention...
Check out our latest products below to see if they match your layout ideas and photo backlog! And our 'On sale' page for the items we've discounted this month...
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Part 3 - How to photograph your pets  8. Freeze the Action
Many pets are difficult to photograph because they’re always on the move. If you know what you’re doing with your camera (unlike me!) the key is to freeze the action by using a fast shutter speed. If not, you can use ’sports’ mode which will mean the camera will select the fastest shutter speed possible for your situation. If your pet is a fast mover you might also want to consider shooting in continuous mode (burst mode) to take a quick series of shots in a row. This can also lead to a wonderful sequence of shots that work well together. [and look great in a frame or a scrapbook layout!]
9. Be Playful
Pets can be playful, and rather than attempting to contain this to get them posed for a special shot it’s often very effective to go with their playfulness and make it a central feature of your image. Include their toys, stimulate them to look longingly into your camera by holding a special treat above your head or take a picture with them sitting on top of you mid wrestle etc. Make your photo shoot a fun experience for both you and your pet and your shots are likely to reflect it.
10. Catch them Unawares
Posed shots can be fun and effective but one that looks great is candid paparazzi style shots. I have very fond memories of stalking a friend’s dog as he played in a back yard one day. I took shots while he dug up flowers, as he buried a bone, as he fell chased a bee around and ask he sat contentedly with his head sticking out of his dog house. The whole time I photographed him he was barely aware of my presence so the shots were very natural without me distracting the dog from his ‘business’.
Article used with permission: Digital Photography School
Photograph by Andrew Morrell.
Full article here. |
New products this month
A range of new products in store this month - some coordinating with products already in store, others altogether new (to us anyway!).
Hope you like them!
Check our new items here! |
Creature Features
Some of our favourite recent animal layouts...
1. Rani
I'm biased, but I reckon this is one of the sweetest and prettiest horses on the planet - as my riding coach Tom said during one lesson "She'd rather sit under a tree and eat ice-cream with you". So true! Anyway, I wanted to capture the fact that I love this horse to bits, and as it says at the bottom, she's not for sale (I get asked all the time "how much?"). I used the double-sided cowgirl paper in pink, which suits her to a 't', and coordinating brads.
2. The second layout 'Strike a pose' is of Mousetrap, who I found curled up inside a reel of hose one morning. He unfolded himself from it slowly - pausing each time as if posing for the camera! We used cat classifieds paper and cat epoxy stickers from art warehouse.
3. Jade & Jill. This layout was a recycling masterpiece, constructed from scrap pieces of cardstock! My friend Laurie created this, and I reckon it's really eye-catching, not to mention 'cost effective'!
Visit Creative Creatures. |
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Just for fun, we're finishing up with a picture of a maze owned by some very spoiled, but no doubt constantly entertained cats! Thanks to www.icanhascheezburger.com for their ok to use images from their site.
Well that's it for another month - until next time, keep warm and happy scrapping.
Cheers,
Alison & Ida |
