Oakdale, California is known as the cowboy capital of the world.  Only a couple hours outside of San Francisco, there are wonderful expanses of rolling hills and cows galore!

My amazing assistant, Laura Owens, and I had more fun than should be allowed.  she is the best, and I am extremely grateful that she was able to come out to California to help. Thanks, Laura!

The skinny: Shoot Your Dog is scheduled for the evenings of September 26-28 from 3-7 p.m. in Elkton, Maryland at Rebel Ridge, my favorite dog spot around.

The stuff: The Shoot Your Dog workshops will consist of 3 separate classes*

Your Camera 101 – Take your camera out of “AUTO”. We’ll teach you how to use your fancy camera effectively. Making sense of the buttons and dials, and using them to get the images you want. [beginner]

Lighting – We’ll teach you how to use existing lighting to your advantage (Hello, black dogs!), the best times of the day to shoot, and how to shoot anytime. It’s all about the lighting, after all. [beginner - intermediate]

Composition – We’ll teach you how to compose your images more aesthetically, using different elements of design, what to look for, when to shoot, and how to “see”. [all levels, recommended pre-requisites: Your Camera 101 & Lighting]

*Please note that all classes will review all 3 subjects with greater attention to its titled emphasis.

Each workshop will give you some nice surprises for your new dog photog persona. We’ll have you out of automatic and into some nice work. Private sessions also available.

BONUS:  Receive 20% off when you pre-register (before August 31st) for any one of our workshops. YAY!

Please also note that because of the limited number of spots in class, you must make reservations to be included. First come, first serve. 

We get lots of questions about how we do what we do.  Shooting your dogs, making them look like movie stars, making YOU look like movie stars. . .  So we are planning a series of workshops.

We want to share with you our secretest secrets of how to do the magic we do behind our lenses.  The objective of the workshops is to help you take better pictures of your dogs. And we want to know how this would work best for you.

We would appreciate any and all feedback you have for us.  If you are interested, or your club may be interested, please click through to take this very short survey for us.  Do that for us, and we’ll give you a free puppy.

Just click the BIG ORANGE BUTTON:

NOTE:  If you would like to remain anonymous, that’s fine, but if you would like me to know who you are, please add your name and email in the comments section.  THANKS!

Congratulations to Chad Baker and Grady (NAFC-FC Cody Cut A Lean Grade)!  A well-deserved win to an awesome team.  Grady and Chad were clean throughout and picked up all the birds effortlessly.  Go Chad and Grady!

The weather was perfect, the scenery was amazing, the people were fun, and the whole world smelled like sage.

When you look around “big sky country” you’ll see a horizon that is distinctly different from what I am used to on the east coast.  If I get a wide open landscape around here, I might see a hill or two, but looking around Montana an entire snow capped mountain range spread out around me.  It was amazing, and I felt so blessed and fortunate to be there.  Truly.

Special thanks to Purina for hooking up my pale face with some shade.  And it helped everyone see the pictures better.  Look for us at future Nationals under the orange Purina tent!  And of course, we couldn’t have done it without the “Purina Three”, Mike, Jerry & Roy–our favorite guys ever!

Thanks to the National Amateur Retriever Club and the Retriever News who hook me up with just about everything else.  You’re great, and I love you!

Once again, thank you to the tireless and fabulous Laura Owens. This uber talented photographer has no fear!  Her energy and smiles are limitless.  Thanks, Laura.

Click on the title or the image above to see all the images from the National Amateur!

New slideshow style!

Check out the 2011 National Amateur slideshow by clicking on the image below.  The best part about it, I think, is that it is completely viewable on your iPad-iPhone-gadget thingy.

Please let me know what you think of the new slideshow format:

Click on the picture to view the slideshow of the event!

Del Bay Spring Test

Master National Judges, Marty Kress and Jim Morris, reigned at this year’s Del Bay Master Test.  They did a great job with some challenging tests for those big dogs. Friday became a gorgeous day, and this photographer got her first sunburn of the season.  (I need a newBrenda Little hat!)  But by Saturday, we had a drizzly, overcast thing happening.

The Junior Test also had some nice looking tests with Lyn Yelton and John Augustine in charge.  Everyone talks about the great property at Rebel Ridge, and I have to agree.  But I especially loved that Lyn and John set up the water test beyond a perfect little patch of buttercups.  Thanks, guys!

It was a great weekend, and I just love getting to photograph down at Rebel Ridge Farms.

Click on the title to go directly to the gallery of this event!

Early Bird Special

In celebration of this, I’m extending the love.  Now until April 10th, get 25% off any of your prints, frames, gallery wraps or basically EVERYTHING in your cart.  Just use the coupon code: THANKYOU2011 when you check out.

In case you missed them, or in case you just miss seeing them, below are our events from 2010.

Thank you so much.  You’re the best.

NATIONAL OPEN 2010
Vicksburg, Mississippi

MASTER NATIONAL 2010
Corning, California

NATIONAL AMATEUR 2010
Klamath Falls, Oregon

SUSQUEHANNA 2010
Elkton, Maryland

RAPPAHANNOCK 2010
Remington, Virginia

HUDSON HIGHLANDS 2010
Newburg, New York