Project 52 - Family

December 05, 2014 by Carol Locey

After taking a break for the past two weeks due to travel and the Thanksgiving holiday, I was really itching to get back to the blog!

This week's theme is family. If you are really lucky, like I am, you were able to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and loved ones. This year was very different for me. It's the first Thanksgiving without my mom, without our dogs and cats that perished in our fire, not living in our home and the very first Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant.

But, I consider myself to be very blessed and I'm grateful for my family who has provided support, love and a home to live in these past 5 months.

This Thanksgiving is also different for my Lucy and Huck. It's Lucy's first Thanksgiving without her sister (and brothers) and also not in her home. For Huck, it's his first Thanksgiving ever. And I'm so happy he is spending it with us, a family that loves him so much; instead of in a cold, scary shelter.

I thought it was fitting for the photo's in this week's blog to include the dog family that is no longer with us. And to include Huck who makes our family complete again. The composite I've included in the photo's was created and gifted to me by a very dear friend, Jen Powell, who is the Ohio Volunteer Foster Coordinator for Louie's Legacy Animal Rescue, the rescue I work with and where we have adopted all of our dogs the past 4 years. I will treasure this gift forever.

After much cajoling and handing out of treats, I finally was able to get a shot with Huck. He looks like the typical kid in a family photo, who does not look happy at being made to sit still!

Please click on Khanya Photography of Poughkeepsie, NY and continue clicking through all the posts to meet everyone's family!

Project 52 - Catchlights

November 14, 2014 by Carol Locey

Beautiful Beasties is an online resource and forum for professional pet photographers where we can share and learn from each other. 52 Project is a group that is provided a different theme each week to stretch and grow our creative minds.

It is now week 46 of this year long project! I have been on a self imposed hiatus from participating, due to a tragic house fire this past June. But, it's time to move forward and attempt to create a sense of normalcy in my life. Taking part in this weekly photo/blog project is a big step for me towards that end.

The theme for this week is catchlights. This is a term commonly used by photographers. For those of you not familier with it, Wikipedia's definition is: "Catch light or catchlight is a light source that causes a specular highlight in a subject's eye in an image." It's the "twinkle" in the eye and is really what brings life to a portrait. Be it human or pet.

There are many different ways to create catchlights. If the photographer is using artificial lighting, then the type of light diffuser or modifier she uses can affect the shape of the catchlight.

In Greater Cincinnati, summer is long gone and Autumn provided one last (we think) glorious weekend of weather. We headed out to Cincinnati Nature Center since the dogs love going there and smelling all the smells.

I decided to start breaking Huck in as my new little model. Let's just say he is a work in progress. This first image is how not to capture catchlights!

I was finally able to coax him to look at me. Since I wanted to capture natural catchlights from the sun, I made sure it was situated at my back. This would be critical if you want to capture natural catchlights in your subjects eyes.

Cute Huck with catchlights and derp face.

Click through the blog circle to check out everyones take on catchlights! Next up is MJ Photography!

52 Project - Fun time!

June 13, 2014 by Carol Locey

I've been out of the 52 Project for a couple of weeks now. We've had a lot going on and as much as I wanted to, I just have not had the time or opportunity for the weekly themes. I've missed being a part of the blog circle big time!

This weeks theme is "Fun Time"!! We have had a lot of rain this week and I was worried I wouldn't be able to get the pack outside to make some fun. But, the skies cleared in the nick of time and what better way to engage in summer fun time than...BUBBLES!!

Lucy and Buttercup have played with bubbles before, but it's been a long time. This was the first experience for Jethro and Peanut Butter.

At first, Peanut Butter was intrigued. But when the bubbles started touching and popping on him, he got a little freaked out. Silly Peanut Butter.

Surprisingly, Jethro was not a big fan. At all.

Lucy is by far the biggest bubble fan. She really enjoyed chasing and biting after them. And waiting for more!

After a while, Buttercup became bored and just watched the shenanigans from a safe perch.

I must thank my daughter, Emily, and husband, Dan, for being the bubble makers for this session!

To see more of the fun times theme click on my good friend Kathryn Schauer Photography and keep following the blog circle until you end up back here!

If you'd like to schedule your own custom session contact me at carol@carolloceyphotography.com. We will have our own fun time!

52 Project - Paws

May 23, 2014 by Carol Locey

This weeks theme for our 52 Project is Paws. I have multiple sets of paws with 4 dogs and 3 cats in my house! But, I concentrated on the dogs, all 4 this time. And, let me just say that I need a more powerful vacuum cleaner in my house after editing these images!

I used my macro lens and ring flash for this week's challenge. It was a challenge getting close enough for detail, while keeping muzzles out of my gear (and eyes away from the ring flash) and trying to keep the dogs in one place long enough!

Lucy had a last minute toenail injury as witnessed with the bandaged paw. Poor girl split her nail in half somehow. She tears down the deck steps so fast, I'm afraid she may have injured it in her eagerness to get after a squirrel. We took her to the vet immediately after discovering the injury and they were able to put it right. I love all the vets and staff at Milford Animal Hospital! Thank you all for keeping my babies healthy!

It's hard to tell, but Jethro knows how to "High 5" like nobodies business! Buttercup needs a pawdicure (like her mama) and Peanut Butter is the fuzzy, wookie paw in the upper left.

I love each and everyone of these paws.

For more pawsitively pawsome shots (sorry!) click on Hudson Valley, NY photographer, Khanya Photography and keep following the blog circle until you end up back here.

To book your very own custom session with Carol Locey Photography, contact me at carol@carolloceyphotography.com.