LAFMIL Photography

We Moved!

2012-09-03T00:28:00.000-05:00

We have changed blog hosts and are now posting here...

www.lafmilphotoblog.com

click and come on by!

Pet Expo Explosion!

2012-08-06T11:12:00.003-05:00

This last weekend we set up our PhotoBooth at the San Antonio Pet Expo.

OMG!

We saw a lot of fluffy butts...smoochie faces...lil puppies, and (dare I say it)...fluffy butts! (yes, there were so many fluffy butts it is worth repeating twice).

We also saw our friends from the Paul Mitchell school, from 2 Million Dog Walk/Puppy Up, Rowdy Cruger, and Toki Poki!

Of course, my favorite part of the whole event was taking the PhotoBooth pics! Everyone had fun taking them and all the pups were awesome!

This one is one of my FAVORITES! I love this little girl's smile =I

If we saw you there, thanks for coming out and visiting with us! If you didn't make it, maybe we'll see you there next year, OR you can book a session with us and we'll either see you in the studio or at your place!

Happy Monday y'all!

It's a "Cool" Summer!

2012-08-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Summer's in full swing and it's been a HOT one! I most graciously and humbly thank the inventor of A/C, because without him my studio would not be so cool! (puns in this blog intended)

That is part of the reason I started my summer special "The Dog Days of Summer" so that I could offer "cool" deals inside a studio where it's "cool".

Yesterday was my first Dog Days session and I was able to play it "cool" with a couple of Dachshunds...meet Kolby and Konner!

Oh boy! Both of them were soooo soft and floofy, but Kolby isn't too keen on anyone touchin' his toes (not that I tried).

Konner on the other hand was a ham and loved being in front of the camera. Or loved getting treats? Either way he was "cool" letting me take his pics and jumping up on set as needed!

If this session was an indication on how "cool" this special is gonna turn out...I can't wait to see the rest of the pups and families that come in out of the hot sun and "cool" off in our studio!

If you haven't booked your session yet...you'd better hurry cause they're goin' fast and it's not getting any "cooler" outside. Plus you most definitely want to make sure you get pics of your pups frequently!

If you want to book your session, contact us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lafmilphoto or email us at lafmilphotography@gmail.com!

P.S. (shameless plug) We are going to be at the San Antonio Pet Expo tomorrow with our PhotoBooth set up! Come out visit us, have some fun and get you and your pup's pics taken!

Photo Dojo

2012-07-23T15:23:00.002-05:00

This is my very first installment of a "techie" segment I like to call Photo Dojo! I've been meaning to add a shop talk segment to my blog to discuss the technical aspect of photography and taking pictures. I just never got around to doing so. Well...now I'm doing so.

Welcome to Photo Dojo (folds hands, bows). Please, remove shoes, come in and prepare to learn the technical aspect of photography (air punch, air block "he-ya!")

Today, as with any initial onset of learning something new, we will start off with something light and easy. My best tip for instantly upgrading the way you take pictures!

Let's Get Started!

I get many people ask me about camera gear. Which is better Canon or Nikon? Which lens is better a prime (a fixed lens) or a zoom lens? How many lenses do you have/how many lenses do you need? And on and on. Recently, I was asked by an avid amateur photographer what she could do to take better pictures. She said she was looking to upgrade her camera so that she could take better pictures, but did not know which one and how much to spend. Presently, she was using a Canon 60D with a kit lens (the lens it comes with). Not a bad starter camera at all. However, I suggested she keep the camera she had and not worry about upgrading the camera, she needed to upgrade the lens ("the glass" in photo terms).

The Glass

Why the glass? Look at it this way, a person can have an outstanding, brilliant mind. They can be an Astrophysicist! But if they can't see well/don't have good vision, they're not going to have a clear view of the moon. Same goes for your camera. You can have a Canon 1DX with a full frame sensor, but if you have a 18-55mm kit lens on it...you're not going to get the best, clearest image you can get. As a matter of fact, the better the sensor, the more detail you will capture. Unfortunately, as such, the better you'll capture the flaws as well. Besides, would you be able to take a $4 million dollar picture with a Hasselblad camera yet have no lens on the end? I would venture to assume that your eye, your glass, has a lot to do with what your image ends up looking like.

What to do?

That being noted, I recommended, as I always do to aspiring photographers, to purchase a little power house of a lens...the 50mm. Also known as a nifty-fifty. This is a must have in any photographer's repertoire. There are a few versions of this lens, depending on your camera body, but you can usually get this lens (either new or used) for right around $100 or so.

The Specs

A fairly inexpensive lens (especially compared to $1k + lenses) but:

it is a prime lens. In other words you cannot zoom in or out so this will make you move forward or backward to compose your shot. Also forcing you to move around and find new/different angles which in turn gives you new perspectives.
it is a "fast" lens. This means that because this lens is at a fixed focal distance, it focuses faster. It also allows more light in and therefor adds to the speed at which the lens can focus.
it is going to provide for more focus on your subject. Most lenses, especially kit lenses, only open up to f3.5, where as this lens can open from f1.8 to f1.2. The more open your lens can get, the more light you let in and the more in focus your subject will be in while the background fades out.

All of the images you see here were taken with this 50mm lens (and a Canon 20D!). Some were taken with a macro lens. A "macro" lens allows you to get in really close and capture a lot of detail. I wouldn't worry about the macro lens right now, it's a bit more pricey and it's not a "fast" lens as it is a specialty lens used primarily for still images.

Development (punny)

So, if you want to expand your cache & your skill set, I recommend you start off changing your glass. Ditch the kit lens, spend a small change, and change the look of your images. You'll thank yourself for doing so after you sit down to go through what you captured afterwards ;)

www.lafmilphotography.com
San Antonio photography

Photo Booth!

2012-07-16T14:23:00.000-05:00

Mid-week last week I began a project. I had had this idea stuck in my head for a while now...building a portable photo booth!

How freakin fun would that be! Not just for the people and pets getting them, but for me! Taking the pics! It's always fun to get these pics taken, gets you all nostalgic n stuff. Plus you get to be all goofy and flirty in the booth. But how fun would it be for me to be able to be on the other side of that fun and capture it for everyone!

So my endeavor began. Researching. Measuring. More Researching. Brainstorming. MORE Researching! MORE Measuring!

Then finally...I got the plans down, went to Lowe's and got everything I needed and got to work on building my idea.

Usually, when I start a project, chore etc., something always comes up. It can never be easy or simple from start to finish. No. The proverbial wrench has to be thrown it. Luckily, I only had one wrench on this project. I had to stop mid construction and go back to Lowe's to exchange a few pieces.

That's it. Whew. After that, it was smooth sailing and construction got back under way. After a few hours...whala! The LAFMIL Photography photo booth was born!

On it's maiden voyage (again, luckily) everything went up fine and I had no snafus! Woo hoo! We had it set up at a benefit for Pet Pals of Texas at PetSmart.

My plan was to have this photo booth done by the time this event came up in order to work out any bugs in the design, construction and file printing/sharing.

I wanted to have this done at this event because we have a major event coming up August 4th! We will be setting the LAFMIL PhotoBooth up at the San Antonio Pet Expo, and I want to be sans snafus ;)

So now that it's done...we are ready for everyone to come out and get your PhotoBooth pics taken Saturday August 4th at the San Antonio Pet Expo! It's free to attend and you can bring your fur kiddos too!

Hope to "capture" you there!

Coffee with Some Edits Please

2012-03-07T14:07:00.000-06:00

I LOVE taking photos! I'm in the moment. It's fast paced. It's high energy. It's raw. All of my 8 cylinders are firing away! Snap...Snap...Click...shish boom bang!

Then I'm done.

I go home. Unload my gear. Ahhhhhh... Or maybe I drop my gear off and go meet up with my friends to unwind, eat, and review the day's events.

Huh? Wha...wait, hold your horses! At this point, you're probably asking me "Wait, what about your pictures? Aren't you going to look at what you got or didn't get?!!"

Simply put...no.

I used to. Don't get me wrong. I would come home from a shoot, take out my cards, upload the images to my Mac, bite my nails as one by one they would come up, then start away on "editing". Rifling through the images I thought were the best. Setting them aside for later, future, editing and most likely pull up one that I wanted to work on right there and then. And then maybe do another and so on.

It's taken me a couple of years to "allow" the procrastinator in me (yes I'm gonna admit it) to win. I realized it after, every now and then, not getting the chance to run home and start working on what I had just shot. When I finally had the chance to get to the files, sit down and look at them...I actually saw them with a fresh pair of eyes! It gave me more...hindsight? I wasn't just fresh off the shoot with that raw emotion I had while shooting. I was more relaxed AND more focused. I found that my end result looked and felt better because it was like looking at them again for the first time.

Sometimes, now, I kinda have to force myself to pull up my pics and sit down and start editing away. But it helps when I'm relaxed and have my cup of coffee with me. Happy Wednesday! ;)

www.lafmilphotography.com
San Antonio photography

...And now for something completely different

2012-03-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

My photography is embedded into my every action, everyday.

I say that to say this:

I was outside with my pup gang and I went to deposit organics into our compost tumbler. As I approached I noticed a few honey bees buzzin' around. Now, I don't normally shy away from Honey bees. Why not? Because they won't puncture you if you don't upset them. Now, mess with their hive and you got another thing coming...thousands of things..with stingers, coming!

That being said, my confidence in not being harmed was in tact, and I proceeded to open the compost tumbler. Unbenounced to me, there was an entire colony nestled inside! Yes, that's right (as you shock and awe at my near death experience) I thrust open the compost hatch and...FWOOOOSH! A wave of Honey bees nearly enveloped that which is my face! As I mentioned before, if you do not fuss with them, they will, generally, not accost you and turn you into a human pincushion. As such, I kept my cool and sloooowly moved back until I was out of harms way.

Then I breathed.

Upon taking inventory of my bodily well being, I began to asses the mass of bees that had engulfed my compost bin. After standing there dumbstruck for about 5 minutes, I realized two things. 1) Crap! I gotta get them out of my compost bin and (here's where the photog in me came out) 2) Woah! This would make for some awesome pictures! Now, in order to do one, I had to accomplish the other. In other words, I could not get nearly close enough to snap some pics with the hatch open due to there being WAY too many bees in the general vicinity. And, I wouldn't be able to get the shot I was looking at, or any shot for that matter, if I didn't clear out the bees and close the hatch. So...

I grabbed the water hose and began my assault on the little stingers. I was able to knock the honey comb off of the compost hatch and get enough of them out of the area to where I could get to the hatch, close it, AND unlock the latch to be able to rotate the tumbler and keep any more bees from crawling in.

Alright, so with that having been accomplished, I reached for my phone and snapped some pics. Then I came to the realization that "Hello...I have a long distance zoom lens with a descent camera inside...duh" so I rushed in, set my camera up and was able to snatch a few of these mesmerizing shots.

Educationally, did you know that Honeybees are important pollinators of crops, fruit and wild flowers and are indispensable for a sustainable and profitable agriculture as well as for the maintenance of the non-agricultural ecosystem. And that there has been a steady decline in Honey bees due to a disease that is causing them to decline in population (called colony depopulation). However, For the first time, scientists have isolated a parasite from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with complete success. If we were to lose honey bees it could have an enormous horticultural and economic impact worldwide.

Needless to say, I did not eradicate them from my compost. No. I doused them with much water to get them out of my area, then sprayed a diluted mixture of water and peppermint on and around my tumbler so as to deter them from building another hive. I only do this because I gotta keep my pack safe. Otherwise I would...I don't know. They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. So I guess I'd buy a bee keeper suit and make sweet, sweet honey!

http://www.lafmilphotography.com/
San Antonio Photography

Disconnection

2012-03-02T16:15:00.000-06:00

We are always "plugged into" the Human Network that is our everyday lives. Have you ever UNPLUGGED yourself? Stepped out from the network. Looked at life and others in "the network" around you?

I was at the airport yesterday and I did just that. I saw business people, flight attendants, security, families etc. Everybody just plugged into their own little world they call their lives.

With no clue as to anything or anyone else around. Just zooming by, zooming in, zooming out of airports and people's way and lives. Then, I had a realization.

The evening prior, I had the opportunity to visit with others in my profession. I spoke with them. I listened. I became part of their world for the moment I was present with them. I met people I had never, nor would have ever, met had I not made the trip out. My world expanded. New people in my field, in my life...in my Facebook group! Everyone buzzing around with excitement and anticipation. Enjoying the fun of the evening and the momentous occasion that we were all about to be a part of.

After the event we all left and went back to our own worlds. Most of us with new aspirations, connections, relationships, and knowledge. I flew back the next day to my world.

While in the air, right after take off, I could see the cars on the highway. They looked like little toys from my view point. But I knew there were lives down there. Going to work, school, meetings, appointments, groceries. All of them speeding along in their own world.

The point?

Have you ever had issues with your phone/laptop/desktop/other electronic device? Did you reset/reboot/restart/unplug it and plug it back in? And then did it start working ok again?

Every now and then...unplug yourself from your "network". Take the time to look around. Appreciate what you have. Yearn for that which is lost/needed/wanted. Search for clarity. Realize what is around you. Regain your center. Reset yourself. Then plug back in and (pun intended) start plugging away at your life again.

Everyone needs a quick reboot every now and then.

It will give you a new perspective and outlook to life.

www.lafmilphotography.com
San Antonio Photography

I Lost My Peanuts Cause I Consider Myself a True Photographer!!!

2012-03-01T14:45:00.000-06:00

So...I'm en-flight from San Antone to Dallas to see Jasmine Star for The Fix!

As usual, the flight attendants are handing out peanuts...I say "yes please" but in my head I'm saying "just leave them all in my lap cause I'm starving!" Any-whoosies (picked that one up from one of the photogs at the workshop!). I get my pack-o-peanuts and (on my other lap is my camera) out of my window I see an amazing opportunity! I swiftly snatch up my camera, lift it to my eye and SNAP!

I get my picture...but in the process of doing so, my pack of peanuts slipped off my lap and into the eternal nothingness that is the crack of the seat between me and another passenger! I looked down into the crack only to be glared at by the lady sitting next to me. "No ma'am. I was not just looking at your buttocks." I thought to myself. But I shyly smiled as if to say "hello, i'm really shy and innocent...blink, blink, blink." DAMNIT! I lost my peanuts! AND I'M STILL STARVING!!!

All because I had/have to be the consummate photographer who ALWAYS has his camera on him...nice.

On the plus side! I got to meet Jasmine Star and hear her divulge all of the secrets the universe has been holding back from us photogs who want to be a better business person...well...not that intense...but it was sure a heckofalotta fun!

Thanks again Jasmine for all of your insight and for caring enough about all of us "strugglers" to enlighten us and help us through the...dare I say it? Tribulation ;)

http://www.lafmilphotography.com/
San Antonio Photography

Christmas Time!

2011-11-27T18:10:00.001-06:00

Yay, so Christmas time is upon us yet again! We just finished our first Christmas shoot of the season and we all had a blast!

It's a lot of work getting everything set up, organized, scheduled, and then put together the day of. As a matter of fact, Lisa mentioned the very same thing this morning as we were loading Santa's chair in my truck, "I think it would be sad if we weren't doing these shoots...this is a lot of fun!".

And I agree. As time-consuming and tedious as it is getting it all put together, while the shoot is going on, and the Christmas music is playing and the pups, or kids, are posing and are in awe of Santa, I sometimes step back and take a look at it all and love every minute of it!

It's so much fun to see the pups come in and be totally and completely excited, or to see a little boy or girl walk in and see Santa sitting in his chair. Or to see parents come in and not have realized Santa was in town and turn right back around to go pick up their kids or pets...love it!

Well, the shoot is long over, the pizza is ordered, and the gang and I are kicking back about to watch a movie as we reminisce about the day's events...can't wait till our next shoot!

Until then... enjoy some of the shots from our first Santa shoot of the season.

And let me be the first to say...Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Tumbled on to Tumblr!

2011-09-20T11:01:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Just wanted to blog about our new blog on Tumblr (lafmilphoto.tumblr.com).

I don't think it will replace this one as I still like how this blog's features and how it runs. Besides, in today's world, the more social media the better...no?

Enjoy! Happy Tuesday!

My buddy IS Jesus!

2011-08-28T18:32:00.000-05:00

Ok, so in observance of it being Sunday, I am going to go semi-religous on y'all.

During our shoot today, as we were testing our lighting, Holly posed Buddy Jesus style and EVERYONE got in on it. So I'm blogging about it :D Happy Sunday, enjoy!

Even my pup Wobbs got in on it!!!

Prepping for a Shoot

2011-08-22T00:04:00.000-05:00

With every shoot that I do, I ALWAYS have to prepare for the shoot.

Check the location. Look to see what look will be good in which location. Check the lighting in the location. What props (if any) we will use and where.

That being said the most important thing for me to do is to set up and set my lighting. And here's how I test my lighting!

Hope you have a good a week as I have had this weekend!

Mobile Photographer

2011-08-06T18:30:00.001-05:00

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone either market
offers really neat (yes neat…in this case, this word best suits the description
:p) options in mobile pic taking!

I absolutely love where technology is today. And as a photographer, especially in
today’s market, you kinda have to be a techie too. I am no exception as I am ecstatic over my HTC EVO and the
apps for the “camera phone”. I
continually keep searching and am on the lookout for the latest, greatest
camera app. Just the other day I
found one that will actually (almost) allow me to take a pic and post produce
it as if I were using one of the “Big Boy” editing software! It is freakin awesome!

No, it does not take the place of my beefy Canon 7D, but,
neither do I want to be lugging that bad boy around with me everywhere I
go…well I do, but it’s not convenient.
And no, my EVO does not produce the same quality pics that my pro glass
does, but I can keep my phone in my pocket and snap a quick shot ANYWHERE!

I would look very silly, and weird, if I walked around
everywhere with my 7D (as pictured on this page ===>) in my pocket :p

Just take a look at what can be done with the right phone
and camera app paired together!

As a matter of fact...I posted this whole blog right from my phone as well! ;)

Stale=Fresh!

2011-07-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's been a LONG time since my last blog. But trust me, it has been on my mind the entire time.

"What do I blog about, what do I blog about?" over and over in my head.
Well...I finally came up with something. I am blogging about what to do when your creative fizzle goes flat.

What's the secret? What do you do?
If you are an artist- in any respect, writer, painter, photographer, model etc. you do nothing. That's right, nothing. Live. That is all there is to it. Go through each day with all your senses on! See, smell, touch, feel, embrace everything!

Don't stress about what to "look for" to be your muse. Your inspiration. Let it manifest itself. Then, only then, will you be able to produce your special art. The aesthetic that makes you, you. Hey...that's not to say that if you see someone else's work and you want to try that, or change it up and give it your own flare, you shouldn't. Go for it! Just don't plagiarize or copy it to a "T". Make it represent you and your ideas. Go ahead and let someone else's work give you the inspiration. After all, that is our main objective, our priority, our lot in life as an artist...to inspire others with our vision and art. Right?

Same goes for sleeping. (-_-) Did you know that even though you sleep (or, technically, pass out and lose consciousness) your brain keeps going at a 1000 miles a second? Yup, it's trying to resolve issues and solve the problems of your day. If it didn't we'd all be CRAZY!

So if thoughts are keeping you up (or rather, conscious) let them!...it happens anyway.

I find that if I can't sleep cause I got too much on my mind, I relax. I let my body relax so that it is ready for the next day, and let my mind wander. Eventually, I lose consciousness and wake up later!

Moral of the story...don't stress over lack of artistic oomph or sleep.
Certainly don't let your lack of artistic oomph cause you to lose sleep.
Just breathe in, and breathe out...then repeat.

The inspiration will come, I promise.

Puppy Pictures...a must!

2011-06-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

"Oh my Gosh! This puppy is soooo keey-oot!!!"

Yep, that's how they get you. Those big, soulful eyes. Or the pudgy, scrunchy face. How about that puppy "bref" and the plump puppy "tummeh"? However they nab you, they do. And just like that...you have a new addition to your family. Now that you have this rolling ball of fun, this flip-floppy, ear flapping bundle of energy, you sit back and enjoy the "puppiness" that is your brand new baby. But like a brand new car, or a new born baby, that new puppy breaf smell, and super adorable puppy face (and size) grows all up!

The transition was almost non-existant. Now you have an adolescent pup, or an adult canine and either they are frustrating you because they're getting into everything, or they become apathetic and nothing compels them to run around and play anymore. I've got one question for you...did you get some puppy pics made back when your pal was a pup?

Some people take it for granted. I even had a friend tell me "not everyone thinks of getting their puppies picture taken..." to wit I responded, "that's why I need to inform them!" And so begins the informing...

If you are a parent of a human child, I am pretty certain you have several, if not a plethora, of pictures of your child. You may even have a portrait taken of your child/children documenting their every year. But did you, or are you, going to have portraits made of your puppy?

Well…you should.

Puppies grow up a lot faster than kids…a lot. The longer you wait on having their pics taken, the bigger they will get. Take for example Julian and Angelo.

The first time I saw them was a week ago when they first came into rescue. They were cute, yes, but they were lackadaisical and only wanted to be held and to sleep. Yesterday, during the shoot, it was all we could do to wrangle them up and have them (somewhat) in front of the camera. They were EVERYWHERE! Curious. Sniffing. Playing. I’m sure by next week they will be talking and getting their driver’s license!

So to those of you that “don’t have the time” or don’t think it’s that important…just look at these pics. If you didn’t at one point in time say/think “Awwww” and pout you lip and yearn to swaddle one of these pups as you looked, nay drooled over, said pics, then I excuse you from ever getting your pup’s pic taken. For the rest of you (which is probably everyone who set their eyes on the pics) get your puppy’s pic taken. They are priceless, they last forever and, most importantly, the picture and memory will never grow up :)

Puppies Don't Stay Puppies Forever

Say me, Say you

2011-06-09T13:53:00.000-05:00

Usually the "About Me" section on mine or anyone else's website or Facebook, Twitter etc account elaborates on awards won, honors and prestige, how many years I've done this and who's picture someone took and blah blah blah...

Well, this once, I want to tell you a little bit about me...then, I would like to know a little about you (since we're in the sharing mood). One thing about me is that there are a few things that I WILL NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT.

1. My wallet (duh)

2. My ninja knife (another duh)

3. My watch

4. My car keys

5. My shades

What are you MUST HAVE things you don't ever leave home without?

Fashion Portrait vs. Pet Portrait

2011-06-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of doing a photo shoot with a friend and talented fellow photog Ruby Byrne of Ruby Byrne Photography here in San Antonio. We were booked to shoot some fashion sets with some very talented models, Natalia Madrigal, Rita Nova AND from America's Next Top Model Sara Longoria!

I know some of you are asking "But Abe, you do pet photography" well...that is just one facet of my skill set. I am, in effect, a portrait photographer. By that I mean that I specialize in capturing portraiture, be it a pet or a person, model or bride, graduate or child. That being said, what's the difference? Glad you asked...

When it comes to making a portrait of either a pet or a person, there is very little difference. The main difference is that you can direct a person on how you want them to pose or model. Um...that hasn't worked for me yet when it comes to directing a pet :/ they pretty much tell you what they want to do, you follow. However, sometimes, when you are working with talented models such as ANTM model Sara Longoria, you can also follow as they change their pose ever so slightly. It's a sort of dance the photographer and model do, and WOW is it fabulous!

With a pet, you are at their beck and call. You have to continually watch them through the lens and see their personality emerge, then you have to know when to snap the shutter and capture it. In order to accomplish this, you have to sit and wait. You have to have A LOT of patience. You have to enjoy watching and being with your subject. The only dance is the dance the pet is doing, you are just there to enjoy the show and hopefully get the shot that shows who they are.

The only other difference I can think of, and it somewhat pertains to the aforementioned, with pets, you have to be calm! On a fashion shoot, or a wedding, the mood is exhilarating...go go go! If there are several models, you have to get one ready, get her on set, then while she's getting her shots in, the other one is getting changed, hair and make up done, then switch models, change location, yada yada yada. As such, with weddings (especially when I am scheduled all day) it's get to the salon, get those shots, get to the church/chappel/ceremony area, get in position, make sure second shooter is in position, switch positions for next stage of ceremony, get to reception/reception hall, take pics of family...you get the picture (pun intended).

You cannot, nor do you have to be, on the "go go go" with pets. In fact, it behooves you to be in a relaxed, calm frame of mind. So, even the dress attire is more casual. You almost have to be non-present to accomplish what you are there to do. Yes, at first the pet is going to want to know who is invading their space. But as they get used to you, they let loose and let you see who they truly are.

Other than those differences, there really is no other distinction in creating the portrait. You have to have proper lighting. You have to know your subject and what your final product is going to be. You kinda have to have some assistance in either moving your light, doing hair and makeup, distracting or getting the pet's attention, giving them treats (both models and pets ;) ) so that you can focus primarily on taking the picture. All the technical aspects HAVE to be there regardless of who you are shooting. A portrait is a portrait regardless of your subject.

Super Quick Blog cause I'm Super Excited!

2011-05-24T19:05:00.000-05:00

I just got word that I will be a featured Pet Photographer in the nationally published American Dog Magazine! I have had some of my pics published in this magazine before, but this is the first time that I have actually had a bio AND my pic in a national magazine that is distributed in stores like Barnes and Noble, Whole foods and Borders! I am so stoked about this I can hardly contain myself!

http://issuu.com/americandogmag/docs/summer2011_new.lr

My article is on page 86 and the actual magazine will be hitting bookstands this coming month, June 2011!
Enjoy!

(pssst) keep checking in periodically as I will soon be posting about a shoot I recently did that includes a model and a popular t.v. show!

LAFMIL - Origins

2011-05-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." ~ Juliet Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

I have been asked many times to repeat the name I bestowed upon my photography business. I have been asked how to spell it, and I have been asked what it means. Well...here is the origin of LAFMIL photography.

Aside from having been adept at snapping pics early on, and having grandeurs of actually doing something I love and living off of it, I imagined the name of my craft being something unique. A name that would stand out from the rest. A title that would harbor thoughts of happiness (because, after all, don't memories caught forever bring us joy?). Much like my skill, the name evolved unto itself.

Quite literally it came to me one night whilst in a dead sleep.

Up until the time that I christened my business, I was still nurturing my love of creating images. Knowing that forming an actual business and living off of it would mean individuality in this arena, I did not want to present the populace with the usual "John Doe" photography. During the time I was pondering the thought of said name, we had already had a sizable fur family. Six to be precise. I must also include that along this beaten path we had the misfortune of losing a pup to the big "P", parvo, it becomes relevant in just a bit. Our kiddos were the inspiration for my specializing in pet portraiture. Capturing these pups' very essence in picture came so easy for me. Ergo, it made sense to honor them by somehow including them in this venture. I made an effort to include each one of their names, especially little Fred who went to the bridge after a courageous battle against the big "P" (see told you). However, tried as I might, I could not create a sensible title for the passion that would encompass my every day upon its inception.

As we lie asleep, our minds continue to resolve the issues of the day. Even problems that we maintain on the back burner. If we didn't we would quite literally go mad. As such, my mind systematically pieced together a word that would encompass the names for each of my pups and foster happiness and that warm fuzzy feeling. LAFMIL. Pronounced "laugh mill" it occurred to me that it could be considered a laugh factory where laughs are made. All while including the first initial of each of the pups and being quite unique.

What are their names? Glad you asked...

Loretta

Augustus

(but we just call him Beans)

Magnus

Monty

(I know, you're right, two "M"s. But we just morphed it into one.)

Isabelle

(We call her Belle for short) and...

Leopold

(aka...Pode)

Some of the folks that know us, know that we have adopted other kiddos since then. And as much as I would like for them to be somehow inducted into the formula, I rest, and have resigned myself, in knowing that 1) the pups contributing to the name are the "founding fathers" (as it were) and 2) the other kiddos, I'm sure, will understand.

Abe Ortiz

Photographer

LAFMIL (laugh mill) Photography

In Yo Face!

2011-05-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

I get a lot of people tell me that they can't get a good pic of their pet. Either because their pet is too rambunctious or because they are camera shy (yes pets can be camera shy) and they move away as soon as they see the camera.

How do I do it? (That's the question I get asked a lot right after I capture that fleeting moment the pet parent didn't think I would get) Well it's simple, actually. I listen to a little song that plays in my head by GnR...Patience. No, seriously, all we need is patience. That little virtue that no one seems to have now a days. I find that if I just sit (& stay) the moment presents itself. After all, inevitably your pet will come to realize "aw heck, this guy ain't leaving, and he's gonna keep putting that camera in my face, might as well go play now." And then, just like that...snap! The moment that everyone was waiting for appears as your pet relaxes and their true self emerges! Those are THE BEST moments! The ones that only you know and see, day in and day out. Captured right there digitally, and preserved forever, and all it takes is a few minutes of waiting/watching and perseverance and...poof! The magic happens right before your camera's eye.

Unlike human models, you really can't tell your pet what to do (well you can but they are not going to listen) and how to pose.

So the other thing you need to do is relax.

Let your pet be themselves, don't try to force them to do something you think will be the perfect pose. If you haven't figured it out by now, they know best and they're gonna do what they want to. So let them. And don't keep calling out to them to "get the shot". They're gonna ignore you regardless, so just sit back, keep your camera pointed at your pet, then wait. Let them do the modeling. I promise, you will get that shot. Actually, you will get a shot you never even thought of! And it will be better than what you were expecting. Then, in the background, as you hem and haw over the perfect pic you just got, you'll hear a soft voice saying "mmhm, told you I know what I'm doing". :)

Fashion Photo Shoot

2011-03-30T01:05:00.000-05:00

Was at a rehearsal for a fashion show that I will be shooting next week. I can't decide which aspect of my photography I enjoy doing more, pet portrait, landscape/botanical, or fashion. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE all aspects of what I do, but each one evokes different emotions.

Pet portraiture is SO much fun, and (not to be immodest) it comes really easy to me. I love to be around pets/animals. I feel as if I have a natural connection to them and I ALWAYS receive comments about how their pet is never that comfortable around anyone else. And just like that, I am able to capture their pet's true persona.

Landscape/Botanical photography is the "beautiful" side to my photography. I love to see, smell and be around and within plants and flowers and in an completely serene environment. My mood becomes so relaxed and calm. I don't ever have to try at getting good shots with plants, mother nature does it all on her own. Sometimes just the vibrant color of a bright red flower beaming in the sun makes the picture.

And then there's fashion photography. I don't know if it's the glitz and glam of the models, the buzz of the people around the catwalk or the models barreling down that catwalk in fabulous clothes and accessories...but I get a HUGE adrenaline rush as I'm snapping away throughout the show. I love the prep that goes into it, the anticipation just before the show starts, and then BOOM! the first model stomps the runway and the lights start to pop! Then the posing, the looking straight down the lens, the sassy flirtation at the crowd...sooooo much fun!

I guess I can use the analogy that the different aspects of my photography are like your very own children. You love them all for the different persons they are, but you love them all just the same.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them! :D

2011-03-17T10:06:00.000-05:00

I was looking at a cat outside of my kitchen window this morning. He had no idea, no clue, no concept of the fact that somewhere nearby, someone was watching him. He lay there as if in his own world with he being the observer of it all. All the while being watched himself.

It got me to realize that, as we travel along our daily life and routine, even though we are in our house, in our car, walking in the mall with a friend, sitting at our desk at work or working on a sales floor, we are unknowingly being watched. Not as to be ogled or stared at, necessarily, but just witnessed. We are not the sole proprietor of this our world, other people live here too.

And as an insight, stepping out of my own realm of comfort, I understand that we should not go through life complacent. Stop. Look. Listen to EVERYTHING around you. It only lasts one life time.

Always shooting

2011-03-12T11:08:00.000-06:00

Ok, so my fiance had to go to her Orthodontist to get her braces removed. I didn't hear "getting my braces removed" I heard "photo op" "nature shoot" "new texture pics", so, obviously, I tagged along and had my gear in tow.

I always have photography on the brain (and if my brain were a camera I would have a ton more, really neat, photos) and am always looking for that opportunity to capture that next fleeting moment. With today's advent of effin' awesome technology everyone and anyone can take advantage of the equipment they currently own and get really good pictures. Even if you don't own a camera that costs as much as a small luxury car, most everyone has a camera phone, and phones fit in your pocket whereas big, bulky, expensive cameras do not. That lends to more opportunities to be in the moment and seize it (Carpe photo)! What's more, if you own an iphone or smartphone with Android, you can drop free apps that add cool and fun effects to an otherwise plain photo of a tree, or a car, or cute kitty etc.

Here are some examples of the pics I took at my outing to the Orthodontist...enjoy, and let yourself be creative!

More pics from my trip on www.lafmilphotography.smugmug.com...it's my new website, still under construction, but in working condition!

Some new pics from Rainbow Diamond's show!

2011-02-24T21:39:00.000-06:00

Ok, so today we were producing Rainbow's webcast and one of the guests was Ellen, who is a volunteer for Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas, and she had with her two of the sweetest pups! One of the pups was Esther, a rescue pup...who...had a daughter named Chanel. OH MY GOD soooo cute!!! Here are some pics...