7/365 A furry source of inspiration

I'm amazed by the number of great, successful photographers out there who specialize in one thing and one thing only. And I'm not talking about weddings, not senior portraits, and not even little-league sports teams.

It's pets. People and their (mostly) furry family members. Those furry family members who we love so much it makes our spines tickle just thinking about how special they are.

I'm not surprised that people are willing to pay a photographer to capture the essence of their pet for visual eternity. In fact, as I work to expand my own photography career, this is an avenue that I seriously want to explore. Senior portraits, weddings, engagements, and family portrait opportunities are easier to come by, but I'm such an animal lover that this subject matter really appeals to me.

Some of my inspiration?

• Cowbelly Pet Photography. I can't look at her photos and not smile.
• Nicole Mlakar Photography. Just look at the face in that header.
• And even Jasmine Star, an amazing wedding and portrait photographer who has a little white dog of her own that regularly makes an appearance on the blog. She can't resist, either!

And of course, my biggest source of inspiration, pictured here.

Photography + furry creatures = awesome!

Camera: Canon 40D, 1/250s, f/4.5 at ISO 125 at about 4:30 p.m.

166/365 Camera + Dog

Is it obvious that I love this little guy?

Just watching him go about his day warms my heart. Here, all he's doing is sitting in the yard, observing the action in the neighborhood, scanning for changes, but I just want to hug him. I love when he's sitting up tall, tail curled, ears perked, at attention.

I also love when he's sprawled out on the floor in a completely opposite state of mind. And just about every point in between.

It's not just me. Good luck finding a person who owns both a pet and a camera who doesn't feel compelled to capture just a little of the essence of their love for their buddy. Some do it better than others, but the feeling is still the same.

Want a couple good examples? Here are two of my favorite photographers, whose blogs are kept near the top of my Photography category in my Google Reader:

1. Cowbelly Pet Photographer, a woman in Seattle who actually makes her living photographing pets (what an awesome job!). She has her own dog, Fergie, and regularly turns her lens to her own furry friend. Her latest post is especially sweet, and this woman knows what she's doing. These aren't your average pet photos.

2. Jasmine Star, a photographer in California whose style really inspires me. She has a fluffy white dog of her own, named Polo, who makes appearances on her blog. He and Buster look like they could be long-lost cousins.

See, I'm not the only one!

Camera: Canon 40D with 60mm macro lens, 1/125s, f/5.6 at ISO 250 in direct sunlight at about 7:00 p.m.

SightSalad on hiatus

My laser eye surgery went well, I'm healing nicely, but it's taking longer than I anticipated. The surgeon made the decision that day to perform PRK instead of Lasik, which is safer but takes longer to get clear vision.

I've been taking my daily pictures with my PowerShot, but honestly, they suck! I've been confined to the house, I can't see the screen to even tell if the photo is in focus, and it's just not pretty. So I'm going to scrap those photos and pick up when I can reasonably see again -- hopefully within the next few days.

Until then, here are some links to keep you busy:

The Big Picture. Always blows me away.

Danese Kenon, a local Indy Star photographer, who inspires me with her daily variety.

Digital Photography School encourages you to never give up.

I'll be back...

Fantastic photos -- The Big Picture

The Big Picture, which is the Boston Globe's photo blog, is continually rising in my ranking of favorite photo blogs, but two posts in particular in the past week have really blown me over.

You have to check them out!

Days of Autumn -- photos of Autumn from around the world.

World Animal Day -- celebrated October 4th, a day to honor all of the animals we share our world with.

Enjoy!

SightSalad on hiatus

Due to a fantastic trip into the gorgeous Colorado Rockies, SightSalad will be on hiatus until Monday.

Don't fret -- I plan on coming back with some great photos.

For reading material until then, I'll leave you with some of my favorite photography blogs:

Digital Photography School. Great photography tips for both the amateur and pro photographer.

Strobist. Focuses on lighting using accessory flashes, not studio lighting, though that is occasionally included. Great links to other blogs with up-and-coming techniques and styles.

Danese Kenon. Not really a blog, but a daily photography site. She's a photographer for the Indianapolis Star -- and an excellent salsa dancer!

The Big Picture. My latest favorite. Posts at least three times per week, all pulled from international media, all timely.

Enjoy, and see you Monday!

Fantastic photos -- volcano in Chile

These pictures of the volcano erupting in Chile struck me so much that I had to share them here.

I've mentioned my fascination with meteorology before, but that fascination also extends to all other facets of our wild Mother Nature. And that includes volcanoes.

The first photo of the lightning in what may be a "dirty thunderstorm" is what amazes me most. I've studied it several times since I ran across it. Unbelievable.