Like a lot of dogs, these three are very happy and love being with their humans. They love being part of the family and they like doing things together, but their personalities are still all their own. Oliver is energetic and smart. He's one of those dogs who has taught himself to open doors. Only in emergencies please, Oliver. Not just when you're trying to impress the ladies. Like most human kids, Odin wants your attention as soon as you get on the phone, but he's the most caring dog in the world. He loves everyone, and he doesn't even have a favorite between mom and dad! Then there's Opie. Oh, Opie you're so dang cute! He runs around like a little rabbit with a huge smile on his face, and he has his favorite toy that he plays with before bed every night. Kelsey said she wanted her images to show the "organized chaos" that is their family. So, we found a place out of the way where these three could play and be themselves. They played and played, (and Opie barked a bit, ha) and then they played some more. But, we did manage to get them to stop for family pictures along the way. Between all the running, jumping, chasing and posing I think it's fair to say they had a pretty good afternoon. As a side note, I'd like to comment on how so very happy these dogs are. Kelsey and Donald adopted these pups one at a time and welcomed them into their family with patience and grace. They have found activities that let their dogs be their best doggie selves. Odin runs with mom, and Oliver and his dog dad are an amazing dock diving team. I love it when people are able to find something that their dog loves to do and then embraces it, letting their dog live their best life. Some of my most favorite images come from snow sessions. Dogs who love the snow seem to wear their personality full on for everyone to see. There's no holding back with them and because of that, dog parents tend to smile throughout the session without even realizing it and sometimes even find their inner kid. When thinking about what to wear for your session, a few of things are the same for snow sessions as they are for fair weather... If you have a black dog, don't wear black. If you have a white dog, don't wear white. And, stay away from large logos or pictures on clothing as we want the first things you see in your images to be dogs and humans not an advertisement for your favorite team or Marvel character. Because nature shows us lots of browns, tans, and whites during winter, we have the option of keeping things neutral for our taste, or dressing up our images with pops of color. Believe it or not, the farmhouse tans, grays, and creams actually look great in winter scenes, but if you're like me and tend to smile around lots of color, then winter is your season! We still need to stay away from neon colors, but this is the time for color-lovers to have some fun! The following is a guideline for how to dress for your winter session: First of all, think layers. Dressing in layers will not only keep you warm, but will add visual contrast and fun to your images. Visible layers look great in photographs! - Think about a collared shirt or blouse under a cozy sweater. - Winter vests, coats, scarves and boots are so fun visually, and they add a sense of warmth and coziness to your images. - Ladies, when wearing a coat over bulky clothing, make sure it has a belt or seam line that accentuates your waist, and as an added note, coats with large furry hoods are striking in close-up images. Hidden layers are pretty much a given during winter outdoor activities in SD. - Layered socks add extra warmth in the snow. - Cuddle Duds and Under Armour won't bulk up your outfit. - Hand and foot warmers in your shoes, your pockets, or your mittens can be just what you need to stay comfortable. Winter snow sessions are scheduled a little differently due to the fact that, well... it's cold and we need snow. For snow sessions to be safe for our dogs as well as ourselves we need conditions as follows: - Snow ;O) - Temps in the double digits - Wind chill (feels like temp) must be above 15 At this time of year I have a running list specifically for snow sessions. When the conditions are right I contact those on the list starting with the first person who signed up. If they can't do the session at that time then I go to the next on the list. If someone has to pass on a session for whatever reason, they don't loose their place, as I start at the top each time conditions are right. If you've always wanted to do a snow session and you're able to make a short notice session work in your schedule, just call and I'll get you on the list. :O) It was a freezing cold day with wind gusts up to 50 mph and she said, "I'll just put my hair in a braid." I love adventurous clients! So, off I went to a farm in Iowa. That's where I met my clients and a VERY happy dog named Tucker. Tucker is a lot like other two year old labs I've met, but he was having such fun playing my face was starting to hurt from smiling so much! He's a bit derpy, he loves to play hide and seek, and when he gets excited about something he tends to jump straight up in the air. There's nothing better than watching a dog when they're having so much fun. Or at least I thought there wasn't... When the guns came out and his humans put his hunting vest on, Tucker was all business. I mean he was still very excited, but now it was all about the birds. There was such a sense of respect for his job even when he was just practicing. Tucker knew he was part of a team and he was doing his part while his humans did theirs. If I'm being honest it was really quite emotional to watch. I could feel the pride that Tucker felt just watching him. I love watching working dogs. But, at the end of the day the best part is that they're still the same derpy and fun loving dog. Enjoy the hunt, Tucker! You've got a great team. What a way to end the season! October is always a crazy time for photographers. The parks are full of family sessions often with photographers standing just feet from each other doing their best to stay out the background of other photographers' aim. Because of all the activity, it's a carefully choreographed dance trying to find just the right location for dogs during this time of the year, but somehow things always seem to work out. So... Say hello to Mya! Her dog mom, Kelcey won a session from a silent auction put on by Wings of Valor. These sessions are always a win-win for me with the money going to a great cause AND me getting to meet great people and their pups. :O) Mya is 9 years old and she's gorgeous! She loves humans and always wants to say hi (making her the perfect pup in my opinion). She loves being with her dog mom and after meeting Kelcey I think she found her perfect match. Despite her age Mya can be quite the clown skipping and jumping when her inner puppy comes out. She's also one of those dogs who talks with her ears which makes her even more adorable. Kelcey told me that Mya is her shadow and protector. Mya goes everywhere with her - walks, car rides, dog friendly places like Lowes and Hobby Lobby, camping... she said she'd even sit in an airplane seat if mom was there. Mya's brindle coat looked beautiful with the reds of Fall, but the lucky girl looks just as good in gold don't you think?! Remember I said that things always seem to work out? Well, not only did we find a great place that suited Mya's personality away from the crowds, at the end of our session this happened. The sky put on a show... so we played a little longer. Thanks for a wonderful end to October, Mya. I hope Winter is just as good to you. If you're looking for a fun, professional photographer for your business needs, head shots, branding, real estate, as well as senior and wedding photography, check out Kelcey's website at Kelcey Schroder Photography. What do you get when you take three Frenchies to a photo shoot? A whole lot of fun followed by 3 very pooped pups. I don't know... something about having shorter legs. Meet Henri, the big brother who considers himself a prince in more ways than just looking very handsome... Jacques, the sassy one who's life goal is to get as many pets and belly rubs as possible... and Louie, the newest edition who wants to be just like his brothers. These three were happy to go anywhere and everywhere and around every corner was a new adventure. Louie had never seen a bicycle before and he stopped and turned every time one went past. I swear I could hear his little mind saying, "Did you see that??!!" He was so excited! They ran, they played, they snuggled, and...well someone even grabbed a quick snooze. In the end, all three were ready to nap, but they were all still smiling. At the first sign of the session's end, Henri took things into his own paws and led everyone back to the car. (Yes, he knew which one was his.) ;O) Three dogs can be a challenge, but when they look after each other like these three do you can't help but smile. They adore their humans and they are very much loved in return. Now, here's a dog who knows what it means to enjoy the life of a dog. Lambeau is fun, lovable, and most of all knows how to play. In fact, when talking with his dog dad at our consultation I found that I had written the word, play (or some form of it) 9 times! Can you see the smile on my face?? Lambeau is playful, Lambeau loves to play, Lambeau's job is playing, Lambeau is happiest during playtime, and one of the personality traits that Lambeau's dog dad likes about him is his playfulness.... you get the idea. ;O) I was told that this dog will show people his goofy smile that shows his teeth. I was also told that when he runs he does the same thing. I didn't get the "say cheese" grin from him, but he did show me his toothy run. ha! At the end of our session, Lambeau made his way back to the car like he was about to go on an adventure. I tell my clients that their dog will most likely sleep all the way home after a session, but I have to say I may have fallen a bit short on this promise when it comes to Lambeau. I think he could have gone another round... and smiled all the way through. Keep smiling, Lambeau. It looks good on you. :O) Luna's dog mom describes her as a dog who is gentle, goofy, a cuddle bug, and she likes attention from her humans. And, then she adds that she can be a bit dramatic. For example, when it's time to go to her kennel, she'll make a big effort to sloooowly stretch with added audible sighs. lol Luna, likes to be the center of attention, but then what dog wouldn't when it comes with giggles and butt scratches! She likes to make people laugh and if there's something in it for her, too then I say it's a win-win. When Luna can hang out with her mom hiking, playing or just going for a walk, there's no place she'd rather be. Her dog mom is her happy place and it shows from the shine in Luna's big brown eyes to the wag of her stubby boxer tail. Enjoy all the hikes, walks and car rides you can with your dog mom, Luna. Soon it will be sweater weather and the two of you can snuggle by the fire re-living all of your adventure stories. Boxer fans you're in for a treat! Meet Nala and Cooper. Their dog mom contacted me because she wanted to update the family photos to include Cooper and to get some photos of the pups together. It wasn't long into the session that I found out these gorgeous brindle boxers are just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. It rained until just minutes before the session so we walked around for a bit to let the dogs get use to their surroundings. Once I brought out the camera, just as with human siblings Nala and Cooper did a great job posing... until they didn't. ;O) ...After a few shots Nala subtlely let me know that she really wanted to do something else. ;O) So, off we went to find a good playing spot. Cooper is just a pup, and he can easily entertain everyone around him while entertaining himself, but sweet, calm Nala can match him head to tail when it comes to tug-o-war. I love that although Cooper and Nala have different personalities and energy levels, they're both such fun loving dogs and kind of complete each other. They seem to have a yin and yang thing going on. They like to do their own thing, but they also watch the other and silently praise them (I'm sure Nala's probably rolled her eyes a few times, too). ha! They love going for walks, playing a game of fetch, or keep-away (It's all about the games, isn't it guys) but, these dogs are genuinely happy just hanging out with their humans. Nala and Cooper I wish you lots of fun adventures with your humans in the months to come! Enjoy the rest of your summer! The HeART & Soul fundraising sessions are now complete! What a wonderful group of dogs to photograph and such great dog parents! Thirty-nine dogs posed for pictures raising $1560 for art supplies for the teens of the Vision & Voice program! The program was started by Joan Zephier. She was the recipient of the 2016 Mayor's Award for Individual Excellence in Visual Arts for her work with area high school students by inspiring them to create pieces of art that express their own depiction of what addiction and recovery means to them. Using art as an outlet, they are gradually able to look at life in a different light and are able to deal with everyday living more effectively. The Vision & Voice program now includes the art of original poetry, and expresses many forms of mental health issues dealt with by today's teens. Joan's philosophy is that every single person has a story, and every single person has an artist spirit. Our unique story told in a visual way has the ability to connect with someone else in ways that our words cannot. (Sioux Falls Arts Council) I met with Joan last week to deliver a check for the money raised and she graciously answered a few questions so that I could share a bit more about the program with you. • What is the mission of Vision & Voice and what inspired you to start the program? I can't really tell you about how Vision & Voice started without including the Recovery Art Show. When RAS started in 2013, Volunteers of America had included art from their adolescent unit to fill a wall. All these 8" by 10" random paintings, then included one artist statement for all. In 2014, we were on the stage at the Washington Pavillion for opening night. That show was hugely attended and received a ton of press, including a huge write up in the Argus. The thing that I felt was missing from the show was the stories of the kids. Kids that probably weren't using to the point of addiction yet, but were growing up in homes where someone was. Kids like my own daughters who were around me, witnessing both my spiral down and climb back out. In the winter of 2015, Janell Mills called me to come speak to her 211 class at Joe Foss, as I had done for the last few years. I would tell my story of addiction and recovery. After meeting with her students that time, the idea just came to me. I knew that if I just sent a call for art to the school, I would never get a thing. Most of those kids were kids at risk, which was why they were in that school to begin with. Kids like I was (I quit school my junior year and was kicked out by my parents, but that is another story for a different time). So I came back to the campus and asked my then boss, Dennis Ford, if I could buy some supplies and go work with Janell's students to tell their stories of addiction and recovery with art. He agreed and Tallgrass sponsored $500 to get the art supplies. I sent an email asking Janell if I could come in and work with some of the kids, then take their pieces to the Recover Art Show that fall. She emailed me back in 10 min with a YES! That was the beginning of the Joe Foss Project. The project has grown and changed a bit since starting out. I guess the mission was to assist the students to tell their stories. It no longer focuses solely on addiction and recovery, but encompasses everything and anything a teenager can go through. Eating disorders, abuse, rape, anxiety, you name it, someone has created a painting about it. I had high hopes of being part of all the high schools in Sioux Falls, and for a year I was at Roosevelt and a short time at Washington as well. Ultimately, I had gotten a new boss who wasn't real big on me being away from the campus that much so for a year I just took vacation and went to Joe Foss (Axtell Park) for a week in the fall and in the spring. We had a big show in the spring for the community in various spots down town, and one for their school at the end of each week. I think it was in 2017 that Janell wanted to see the program grow to include poetry and music. The Voice part started with Kim Bartling working with students on the written word and creating a poetry jam. That was when we moved to the Orpheum theater down town for the end of the year show. • What do you love most about what the program provides for the teens? I honestly didn't know what to expect back when I started. I had zero idea how much those kids and their stories were going to affect me. It is the best and the hardest weeks of the year. Someone will always tell me some secret that will rip my heart out, and I will attempt to guide them in how to tell it in a visual way through art. The students are required to write an artist statement that explains their piece, and what it was they were hoping to get accomplished. Those statements hang next to the piece. It is empowering for the artist and so moving for the witnesses. I can only assume that it is the same for Kim when she works with them to perform their poetry. Then to witness their bravery going to the mic and saying the words, it hits like nothing I have ever been part of. • Have you been surprised by anything resulting from the program that you didn't necessarily expect when it began? Something I didn't suspect would happen was that attendance would go up the weeks I was in the building. So much so that I was no longer able to handle the student load by myself. I have brought in various volunteers to help the last few years. Counselors, artists, teachers, art therapists, anyone who was interested in being part of it, I was willing to have help them. In a way, with its growth, it has taken away from the small group discussions and one on one that I loved so much. Growing pains. • Where/when will the gallery showing be this year? And, can the community participate or help in any way? The 2021-2022 show will likely be at the Orpheum, they have the space and the stage. If that is not available, we will figure something out. I think the greatest thing the community can do to support is show up for the show. So much has changed since covid and we are still waiting to hear how that will have long term effects on the program. So, stay tuned! What Joan has done for these students of Sioux Falls is something that will impact them in ways that even they will not realize until looking back at their own story one day. Thank you, Joan for all that you do for our kids and our community. Like Joan said, you are invited to show support for Vision and Voice by attending the show when it opens to the public. Monetary donations as well as art supplies are also appreciated for the program. If you're interested in being part of the art week, please reach out to Joan or Janell. To be on the exclusive invite list and receive advanced notice of Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions just go to the home page, scroll to the bottom, and you can sign up there. By doing so, you'll also receive a series of emails pertaining to classic sessions with me, but you can always unsubscribe if that's not something that you're interested in learning more about at this time. More images from this fundraiser can be seen in the Pawsitivity Gallery. It's time for this year's Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions! The goal of these mini fundraisers is to raise money (and awareness) for charities and causes in our community. Having worked with The Banquet for 20 years and being a part of 100 Women Who Care, I know all too well that there are many organizations that the public isn't aware of. The larger non-profits who have the money for advertising are all too often the first to benefit from a fundraiser simply because the public isn't aware there are other organizations who are also in need of support. So, through these fundraiser sessions I hope to introduce you to a few new organizations and their causes. World at Your FeetThose who participated last year in the World At Your Feet sessions, made the event a huge success raising $1000 to purchase new shoes for the kids supported by Children's Inn and Mission Haiti. This year we'll be supporting the arts through Vision & Voice. Joan Zephier was the recipient of the 2016 Mayor's Award for Individual Excellence in Visual Arts for her work with area high school students by inspiring them to create pieces of art that express their own depiction of what addiction and recovery means to them. Using art as an outlet, they are gradually able to look at life in a different light and are able to deal with everyday living more effectively with the realization that life is possible. The Vision & Voice program now includes the art of original poetry, and expresses many forms of mental health issues dealt with by today's teens. Joan's philosophy is that every single person has a story, and every single person has an artist spirit. Our unique story told in a visual way has the ability to connect with someone else in ways that our words cannot. (Sioux Falls Arts Council) * If you'd like more information about the Vision and Voice program Joan is happy to connect with you. HeArt and SoulHeArt & Soul is what I'm calling this year's Pawsitivity fundraising event. The resulting images will depict your pet in an artistic fashion. There will be a limited number of sessions available and registration begins on Thursday Feb 18th. Watch the Facebook page for more information! We had so much fun during the first event. I hope you and your furry friend will consider joining us this year! |
Quoted...I can't really get them to say "cheese," but I can almost always make them smile. -Kelly Categories
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