Nizhoni Pet Photography

Another change...

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:50:00 +0000

We're changing things up again at Nizhoni Pet Photography. We've decided to move our blog over to our own domain, where we can use wordpress. It lets us match the website itself and post much larger pictures, so I think its a definite improvement. So, if you'd like to see Sugar's partner in crime, mosey on over to the new version... here

the swimming hole

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:32:00 +0000

Sugar has an interesting habit of submersing her entire head in her water bowl, followed by a frantic "digging" in the water dish which results in water ending up ALL over the kitchen floor. Based on this observed behavior, we thought she might enjoy a trip to the lake. And by lake, I mean one of the muddy cesspools that dot the Lubbock landscape. The most memorable point in the afternoon was chasing her around in an attempt to remove the nasty rotting fish head from her mouth. When we could distract her from the fish head, she did seem to enjoy the swimming quite a bit though.

Sugar

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:59:00 +0000

So adorable little Roxie was adopted on Saturday, big surprise. I'll admit it, I got a little teary eyed when I said goodbye. Of course it only took them a matter of seconds to zero in on me as an foster-less foster home and I was soon asked to take another one home. Actually, they asked, could you maybe take two? Just for tonight?

Name: Sugar
Breed: Boxer mix-ish
Age: four months-ish

She does the superman thing with her front legs when she sleeps

Oh I suppose, just for tonight, I told them. That was Saturday...

We have a winner.

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:32:00 +0000

Two, actually. The winners of the Humane Society of West Texas's drawing for a free photography session from yours truly are (drum roll please)...

Sergio Larez

and

Norman Elstone

Congratulations to our winners! If you happen across this, feel free to send us an email, otherwise we will be contacting the winners on Tuesday. And, of course, thank you to everyone who came out to the concert to help support the Humane Society.

And while I have your attention, here are a few more lovable dogs that are looking for a forever home in the Lubbock area.

breed: Collie

breed: Australian Cattle Dog mix

breed: Boxer mix

As always, please contact the Humane Society of West Texas if you are interested in adopting one of these beautiful dogs.

My first canvas

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:01:00 +0000

One of my clients from the session in Columbus ordered an 8x10 canvas wrap of one of her images. Its the first time I've had one printed and I was so pleased with how it turned out. I think I'm going to have to get a few larger ones to have on hand for displays.

I think, in the future, for smaller wraps, I'm going to go with a slightly shallower frame; while this depth should be fine for the bigger sizes.

And, of course, I ordered a ton of prints, both for clients and for my own use.

Roxie

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Tue, 19 May 2009 22:10:00 +0000

aka: Roxarelli, Turd Bird, Little Dog... I've picked up my sister's habit of calling dogs by anything but their actual names.

Roxie is a boxer puppy, probably six or seven weeks old. She was found by a guy just outside of town, who kept her for two weeks before he found out about the Humane Society. Everyone else he called was going to put her down if they didn't find a home in three days. He said his landlord wouldn't let him keep her once she got big, and he knew if he kept her any longer, he wouldn't be able to give him up. I can see why.

She is hilarious... all floppy legs and wrinkly skin. And she jumps when she walks. She also has her whole tail. I think it might be the first time I've ever seen a boxer with an intact tail. It very rarely stops moving.

she loves to play with toys.

She's constantly harassing Kodiak and Nizhoni, who are trying to teach her how not to be the most annoying dog ever. Their barks and snaps of reprimand are generally ignored in favor of continuing to run around like a mad woman. Or she barks right back at them, much to Kodiak's distress.

We are trying to crate train her. She's good in the crate while we're at work and she'll wander in and out of it when we're home. She just doesn't like to sleep in it. And against our better judgment, she's been sleeping in our bed. Its just that she's so damn cute, I can't say no. And I figure we'll only have her to the end of the week, then someone else can break her of the habit. I'm a terrible foster mom, I know.

One minute she's running around all spasmodic, then next she's out like a light. And she's uber snuggly when she's sleepy. Unfortunately, right this minute, she's tearing around the house like a bat out of hell. Oh, and she chews everything... but not until she's paraded around the house with it for a good five minutes. This is especially true of shoes and slippers that are bigger than she is.

The nice thing about fostering is that we get the cuteness of a new puppy, without the obligation of a big dog. She's awfully precious now, but she's going to be a good sized girl, and we do NOT need another big dog.

Can you tell I love her little tail??

But if YOU are in the market for a big dog, she is perfect... in a hilariously obnoxious, delightfully cuddly kind of way. Seriously, I can't even explain how snuggly and adorable she is.

Dukem

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

I have never felt the desire to get a pit bull. Its not the I have anything against them, because I don't. And I've met some very sweet ones at various dog parks. I've just never looked at one and thought, gee that's the kind of dog I want.

Most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen on a dog.

Until yesterday. This is one of the sweetest, most beautiful dogs I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He was, by far, the most well behaved dog at the adoption event. And the sad thing is, he will probably remain in foster care because he is "too expensive to adopt."

He was all about sitting all up in Ken's lap

There were several inquiries about adopting him, but each time they heard that they would be required to pay for the training class at Petsmart on top of the adoption fees, there was a change of heart. Not to mention issues with homeowner's insurance and all the other crap that comes with adopting a bully breed

Knowing that after another month or two, we would easily be able to afford this dog is heartbreaking. I know I say that I want to take them all home, but this one's options are far more limited than the others through no fault of his own. For us the problem isn't money. Its the fact that Kodiak is a dumbass and would probably start a fight that would get him maimed or killed. So no pit bull for us.

So if you, or anyone you know, is willing and able to give this handsome guy a home please, please, PLEASE contact the Humane Society of West Texas.

Puppy love

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:06:00 +0000

I'm not even sure I needed to bother with pictures of these cuties. Surely they aren't going to be in the system long. I mean seriously, how can you look at these faces and NOT take them home??

Tom

Tammy

Toby

Tank

Tank had some outdoor pictures too, but is this not the cutest "take me home, PLEASE" face ever? All four of the T's are litter mates. Their dad was an Australian shepherd, though Toby is the only one that really looks it.

This fellow is a few weeks older, and a little bit bigger, but that didn't stop the T's from starting some wicked wrestling matches.

Nightcrawler

Everyone just wanted to be on the other side of that baby gate...

Some product shots

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:02:00 +0000

Back in March I had ordered a 5x5 book for my aunt as a thank you gift. I took some pictures of it at the time, but then forgot that they were on my card when I formatted it for a shoot. Whoops!

Luckily I stopped in Dallas again to say hello on my way to Lubbock, so I was able to snag a few shots of it. I am pleased with how it turned out, though I think I may try another company or two, just to compare. I had nightmares about the two-page spreads not lining up properly, but they turned out just fine.

I also hit the craft store to find some goodies that I could use to make my discs look a little less utilitarian. Scrapbook paper is magical; I swear I could spend all day in that aisle and I don't even scrapbook. Turns out, with a little help from a paper cutter, it makes a lovely lining for CD cases.

I've also got my first canvas wrap on order and it should be arriving in the next couple of days. I can't wait to see how it looks!

Rescue me!

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Adriana is another beautiful dog up for adoption from the Humane Society of West Texas. She's a bull terrier mix and as sweet as can be. And she has the cutest bat ears...

One of the volunteers said that HSWT has over 140 adult dogs in the system that need homes. There are so many advantages to adopting an adult, I wish more people would consider it.

And, whether you've got an adult dog or a puppy, every dog needs some stylin' gear. So hop on over to April Ziegler Photography for a chance to win a super stylish new dog collar.

Doppelganger

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:04:00 +0000

We had our first Humane Society of West Texas event this morning and it was awesome! We had to take pictures in the parking lot, which obviously wasn't ideal, but everyone was SO nice. There were a couple of youngsters there who were excellent assistants, and who could recite each dog's stats from memory. I was very impressed.

We got lots of cute pictures, which I will most likely post once we get our arrangement with them all nailed down. But I had to post this cutie.

Her name is Starlight, and she's a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. But more importantly, she's Nizhoni's Doppelganger! Ok, obviously her color is different; but her face, her ears, her tail, and even her stance are dead on. If Ken hadn't been there, I would have adopted her in a heartbeat. Not even kidding.

If you live in Lubbock, and want a dog (or are even thinking you might possibly want a dog at some point) you should adopt her. Immediately.

#1 Buddy Holly fan

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 10 May 2009 19:43:00 +0000

Turns out Kodiak is a big Buddy Holly fan. Who knew??

He actually sat. And stayed. (Two skills we have failed to cultivate and at which he usually fails dismally) But apparently he too was mesmerized by the giant glasses, because he sat for a really long time.

Since I had a few days between getting into town and reporting for duty at my next rotation, we decided to drive around to see what kind of cool locations we could find for future photo shoots.

Some of the framing and processing on these (particularly on the first and last images) is inspired by a wedding photographer team that I have a secret photography crush on. While I in no way claim to have anything close to their mad skillz, a gal can dream :) If you're getting married, check 'em out. Seriously.

Lyla

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:33:00 +0000

Lyla is Zabu's more sociable counterpart. She was all about her day in the spotlight.

She was a tiny, skinny little thing too; none of that belly fat that my cat's are always dragging around. Maybe she stays fit by chasing Zabu around the house.

Not even kidding with the eyes here. A little boost in contrast and that's it for the editing. Seriously.

Thanks again Tricia, I hope your daughter likes them!!

Zabu

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:36:00 +0000

Zabu and her sister Lyla belong to one of the technicians at the hospital. Tricia helped me survive last month by providing lots of girl talk and chocolate; so to say thanks, I offered to take some pictures of her cats.

The post-processing on this next one was somewhat inspired by this photo. Its not nearly as awesome as hers, but I really liked the look of black and white with a dark colored animal and it seemed to work with this image.

Zabu did NOT want to look at the camera, but right before I gave up he stopped in the doorway and I managed to snag a few.

Oakley

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0000

And the final dog from Saturday is Oakley, a Brittany Spaniel (looks a lot like a dog I used to know, eh family??)

Oakley is too funny! He was so wound up, he played frisbee for like an hour straight while the other dogs were having their pictures taken, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't even tired. His tongue was all over the place though. I think he wins the award for the smiliest dog ever.

At the end, he took a dip in the Goodale pond to cool off. There are three of these that I think would make a sweet triptych.

And of course everyone needs a pretty picture they can send to the grandparents. :)

Thanks for a great session, Shannon. He was a riot to photograph!!

Sagel

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Next up we have Sagel (pronounced like "toggle"). I don't even know what to say about this little guy. Seriously, I just wanted to stuff him in my bag and run away.

Sagel is a shih-poo and he has this long, super-soft fur that just screams "cuddle me."

His fur is this unique mixture of black, brown, and orange that looks different depending on the lighting and the angle. Most of the time he followed his mom with his eyes everywhere she went, but every once in a while he showed the camera a little attitude. :)

And sometimes I had to trick him into looking at the camera by stealing his new favorite stick. bwa-ha-ha.

Looking at mom again...

I didn't actually mean to make this black and white but accidentally hit a black and white action button during editing. And I kind of like the high contrast look that it gave.

Thanks for an awesome session, Dannelle!

Rose

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:15:00 +0000

I know I said it was going to take a while to get all these images processed, but turns out that having nothing to do at my rotation = lots of time to work on images.

The first dog of the day Saturday was Rose, a black cocker spaniel. Rose's mom is the one who helped to set up the whole affair on Saturday, which was awesome of her. (Thanks again!!) We all met up at Goodale park just north of downtown Columbus. It was a gorgeous day for some photography.

Rose is definitely the most relaxed dog that I have worked with so far. She was totally content to sit where ever we put put her.

While she looked pretty smiley for the most part, I love the serious look on her face in the next one.

The secret for black dogs is open shade... and a pretty brick background doesn't hurt either.

I hope you like them Jan! Thank you so much for a great session and all the fantastic publicity :)

Nesties sneak peek

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:40:00 +0000

A beautiful day, three beautiful dogs, and three of the sweetest clients a photographer could ask for. Why did I leave Columbus again??

Still going through them all and I will give each of them their own post, but here are a few to whet your appetites!

Columbus Portrait Party

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:15:00 +0000

This posting is just to let everyone know that there are some last-minute openings available for the Columbus Portrait Party tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. The event is shaping up to be a good group of dogs (and doggy moms/dads!) in a park with plenty of beautiful backdrops.

Please email me if you're interested.

Dozier

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:19:00 +0000

I have to say, this lack of internet access is putting a definite cramp in my style. But I have managed to line up some more pets to photograph this weekend, so I should have a decent update sometime next week.

In the meantime, Dozier was feeling left out because his littlest sister Gypsy was getting all the attention. So here he is doing his hound thing. I can't wait to get back to Gallup to see how gigantic he has gotten!

Official Website!

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0000

I am now the proud owner of www.nizhonipetphotography.com

Its set up through photobiz.com and they are AWESOME! Its the easiest website setup ever, and their customer service is great... obviously I'm super pumped. :) you should check it out!

Still working on the about page and on getting an official email @nizhonipetphotography, but its otherwise all set.

Boots and Mittens

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:02:00 +0000

An appropriately named pair of cats, considering how cold it was here today.

Boots was definitely the more cooperative model, and handsome too. He photographs so well, you wouldn't even know he's not feeling too well. Unfortunately he's not, and I'm happy I could get some good pictures of him for his mom and dad.

Mittens is the prettiest cream color with beautiful blue eyes. I definitely learned some lessons about shooting a light colored cat today.

The house was a perfect set up for natural light pictures. There were lots of big windows and beautiful furniture for the kittys to sit on. I just wish it hadn't been quite so overcast as a tiny bit more light would have been perfect.

Seriously

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:54:00 +0000

I can't get enough of this dog!

Cynder II

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:23:00 +0000

I spent some more time practicing on Cynder, this time trying to get more posed shots incorporating some of the furniture and decor in my Aunt's home. One thing I have learned is that even when it seems as though there is quite a bit of light, my camera still struggles and I often wish I had a slightly higher ISO to bump up to. An upgrade is a long way off though, I fear. Still, there were plenty that I liked.

This couch used to belong to my grandmother. The dog is probably not supposed to be on it, but it was only for a few minutes... honest :)

This pose is SO Cynder. She is thirteen years old and as playful as any puppy I have ever seen. I am having a book printed as a gift for my Aunt (who has been more than generous by letting me stay and taking excellent care of me!) and this will be a two page spread. Its my first time having a book done at my current printer so I am excited to see how it looks.

And this one I love because of the colors (overcast days really do make for the prettiest photos I think) and the tail. I have been trying to get a good shot of that tail since I got here. She really is a sweet, beautiful dog.

Gypsy

noreply@blogger.com (zarafa) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Quite possibly the cutest puppy ever, and the pictures that inspired the creation of Nizhoni Pet Photography.

Matt would have preferred we not let her sleep on the couch, but can you wake up something that precious?