Learning As I Go

Jake (71306) before correction

This week’s assignment is to pick one of my many photos from last week that I did not post.  I’m supposed to evaluate it and offer my own critique of three of its strengths and weaknesses or areas for improvement.

The photo I chose to critique is of Jake.  You’ll notice I’ve done a great job of capturing Jake’s personality.  It’s hard to tell he’s a Rottweiler mix by this photo because I’ve caught him in his playful mood.  Jake is very playful and needs someone who can give him the time and space he needs to play.  I’ve also done a great job of showcasing the catch lights in his eyes and focusing on his face.  With this picture, who wouldn’t want to take Jake home?  

The biggest weakness I notice in this photo is the yellow cast of the photo.  I’ve corrected the cast this week so the focus is now completely on Jake, with a truer color presentation.   I did this by going back into Photoshop and correcting the color balance of highlights, shadows, and mid-tones.  By increasing the opposite colors of these balances, I was able to correct the color in this image.  I've also gone into my camera (or rather, Professor Johnstone has) and corrected the way the white balance is read from custom (I would set it up) to auto (the camera sets it up automatically).  The reason for this change is the light changes from area to area at the sheter, and also if I'm photographing outside.  This should mean that I would need to make less improvements through Photoshop.  Another area for improvement actually had to do with sizing this photo for the internet.  I have since corrected this problem so you will see the entire photo, whether on your smart phone or your wide-screen desktop computer screen.

Jake (71306) after correction

Also something worth noting this week is that the Shelter is offering a Mem"aww"rial Day Special on their fees this weekend.  Here's the link to this weekend's fees:  http://www.wakegov.com/pets/events/default.htm

More good news.  After checking the Shelter's website for adoptable pets http://services.wakegov.com/adoptiongallery/ it appears Jake found a home!  Congratulations Jake.  I hope you enjoy many years of happiness with your new family.

Do You Think Dogs Can Talk to Us?

When I visit the Shelter, I can walk into one of the dog areas and it can be perfectly calm and quiet.  The dogs do not get alarmed by me for the most part.  Sometimes, however, one dog will become quite anxious and start most of the other dogs in the room barking to the point of giving some of the more mild-mannered dogs a migraine.


On Wednesday, I came in contact with two dogs that where showing symptoms of a migraine.  I have first-hand experience of migraines.  Mine are typically set off by florescent lights, the only lighting available within the shelter.  When you have a migraine, even the slightest noise is sickening.  You don't want to eat.  You just want to lie in quiet darkness until the pain goes away.  Both of the dogs I visited with today had no desire to acknowledge me as I approached them, their eyes were sad, they refused to get up.  I felt like these were the dogs that needed my company most that day so they were the only two I chose to visit with.  I spent a lot of time with each one.

Chesney (71034)

Chesney (71034) is a six-year old wolfhound mix who was lost or found.  He has been at the Shelter since May 8th.  He was camera shy, but enjoyed my company.  He clearly had a headache and wished the other dogs would quiet down.  I stayed with Chesney and calmed him.  He snuggled up close to me, never enough to put is head in my lap, but always enough to show me he appreciated the calm I brought to the room.  Chesney enjoyed my petting and got comfortable for a while.  It was sad when I had to leave him, like he knew someone else would come in the room and make the other dogs bark again. 

Me and Lolly, taken by Prof. Johnstone

Prof. Johnstone had me go into Lolly's kennel with her.  Lolly (70503) was another stray, scared and timid.  She almost appeared abused or as if symptoms of hip dysplasia were already evident in the Labrador mix.  Lolly is only five months old and has been at the Shelter since April 27th.  Prof. Johnstone stayed at the back of the kennel taking photos with both my camera and her own.  Lolly warmed up to me easily, making herself comfortable in my lab, offering me kisses as payment for her thanks in my interest.  Lolly is so sweet, I want to take her home with me. 

As I've stated before, I'm out of room at our small residence.  The best I can do is get Lolly's and Chesney's photos out there so someone who could care for them would adopt them.

Julia (front) and Olivia (back) with Lolly

While at the Shelter on Wednesday, I met another Meredith girl who looked very familiar.  She was not part of our class.  We spent time trying to figure out how we knew each other, but were both certain it was Meredith.  Turns out we both took a phys ed class together.  Olivia was at the Shelter with her friend Julia, just looking.  Julia wanted a brother or sister for the dog she currently owns.  Julia said she had a large backyard.  I immediately introduced Olivia and Julia to Lolly.  Both of them grew as attached to Lolly as I had.  I stayed with them answering their questions, watching the bonding taking place.  Oh Lolly, I prayed, this may be your forever family.

Julia and Olivia were both ready to Lolly home, but were trying to be responsible pet owners.  They decided to go home and think about it.  I do hope they came back for Lolly.

I've included before and after photos of Lolly to showcase how photographs can improve the adoption potential of animals.  In searching for Chesney's previous photo, I found happy news.  He is no longer up for adoption.  Congratulations Chesney!

Lolly, before

Lolly (70503) after

This week's assignment also included watching NOVA special, Dogs Decoded.  The video, about an hour in length, follows the study of the domestication of dogs, how they communicate with people, and how tameness and aggressiveness are bred.  This video shows that dogs are clear descendants of the wolf.  And a study of tameness vs. aggressive breeding was compiled on the silver fox in Siberia, Russia.  Studies proved how these qualities really are a result of nature, not nurturing.  Several studies were performed on both the foxes and wolves that involved nurturing dogs with aggressive genes to be tame.  Both studies proved that tameness is not learned but bred. I think this study further proves my theory, and that of other animal workers, of why you should let your pet choose you rather than you choosing your pet.  This video also went down a medical study path with the Boxers, showing how the breed can speed up medical research with humans.  I found that quite interesting.  To my knowledge, no animals were hurt during the research.  It was all composed of blood that was collected and tested from both dogs and humans.  Also in the video, scientists studied how dogs and people communicate and how dogs are more connected to humans than monkeys. It was a very interesting video.  If you ever have a desire to watch it, it can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM1JsGr76Ro&noredirect=1

How Do We Put an Animal's Best Paw Forward?

Agusto (69920)

This is Agusto.  If you're interested in him, and he is a sweet, sweet cat, his number is 69920.  Agusto has been at the animal shelter for a little over a month now. He is two years old.  Notice how bright his eyes are and how fadded the background is.  While this was a great photo to start with, I've enhanced it through Photoshop.  It's kind of like a woman wearing makeup.  Something she does to enhance her natural beauty. I've added a little light to his eyes by adding a dodging layer in Photoshop.  The better to see with. And I've darkened or faded the background by adding a vignette to the background.  I've also cropped in around Agusto.  He's really shy about sharing his home online!

Smokey (52906)

My inspiration came from Smokey (52906).  Smokey is a female cat that has been at the shelter for 370 days. She's 11 years old.  Luckily, Smokey found someone to foster her.  I'm not sure who took this picture because the photographers' names are not listed on the Animal Shelter's website. But look at how bright Smokey's eyes are.  That was created by "dodging" the photograph, or lightening certain areas.  And the background has been "burned" or darkened by adding a vignette.

Agusto and Smokey would love to go home with someone.  Agusto was ready to go home with me and I have not personally met Smokey.  She is enjoying life in a foster home.  She is patiently awaiting her forever home.  I don't think Raleigh (my cat) and Agusto would get along very well.  Two male cats, the adjustment is huge.  There's territory to be marked and while both would be neutered and therefore cannot actually spray, they will urinate to mark their territory.  But if you don't have a cat at home, especially another male cat, that should not happen.  Agusto loves to be petted too.  And he will give you a friendly bite.  It's not aggression.  It's playing.  Tell him no and he will stop.  Smokey appears to get along well with other cats as that is the case in her foster home.  She has not been around dogs yet, so at this age I wouldn't recommend subjecting her to that. 

Be sure to visit the Wake County Animal Shelter's website at http://www.wakegov.com/pets/default.htm  Click on "View Animals At The Shelter" to see who is available to be adopted or if you've lost your pet.

How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?

The kids and I went to the Shelter last Saturday.  "Mommy, please.  I'll contribute money.  I'll walk and feed it.  Please.  Mommy.  Please." 

"How much do you think it costs to take a dog home," I asked.

"I have $35.  Is that enough?" was my son's reply

"Sadly, no."

"I'll do more chores, I'll ask for more money."

My son is an innocent bystander to this course.  He wants a dog of his own badly.  Never mind we already have a dog.  And a cat.  And goldfish.  He just wants someone else to love.  This I understand.  I gave my mother the same begging speech.

How much does it cost to adopt an animal from the Wake County Animal Shelter?  Dogs cost $45.  Cats cost $15.  Rabbits cost $20. 

What's included in that price?  A microchip, so when your pet runs away, escapes, or however he or she gets lost, you can be tracked down.  The first series of shots, we want these animals going to their new forever homes healthy.  And deworming.  Again, better to take home a healthy pet.

Spaying or Neutering is not included in that price.  Please note that all animals will be leaving the Shelter spayed or neutered.  It's the responsible thing to do to prevent over population of unwanted animals as well as preventing the animals from being bred for negative reasons.  It also curtails puppy mills from popping up all over.  The price for this operation is $50.  You as the new owner of the pet will be responsible for the cost.  However, some animals come to the shelter already spayed or neutered.  If you adopt one of those, you will not have to incur this cost.

My children and I had a conversation about why the Shelter doesn't just give away the animals for free.  While giving the pets away for "free" would be a fabulous idea and possibly get more people in to adopt, it leaves open the question of who pays for everything that happens at the shelter?  Would it come from taxes?  Or would the shelter have to close?






I think the only way to answer this question is to ask what are some of the hidden costs at the shelter?  There's overhead.  The property and building cost money to maintain.  Although minimal, there are salaries.  Someone has to run and manage the shelter.  Volunteering doesn't happen on its own.  And then you need someone to organize and train the volunteers.  These animals need medicine, food, and water--necessities that are not free. Laundry gets done regularly.  The washer and dryer have been in constant motion everytime I've been there.  That includes bleach and detergent.  So there are costs involved in operating a shelter. 

What's not included in the cost of adopting a pet are other costs that every responsible pet owner should consider before welcoming a pet into their home.  They include regular vet visits; while these pets are provided with their first round of shots, many need multiple doses.  Collar and leashes or leads.  Food and treats.   And extras would include toys, crates (for crate training, which is great for puppies), training for the dog and you, puppy pads, clothes, and the list can go on depending on how much disposable income you have.

The kids and I had so much fun at the Shelter on Saturday.  It's a free outing and the pets enjoy the company and the cuddling.  It is free to cuddle!  I want to send a huge shout out to Ricky for helping Walter learn the importance of responsible pet ownership.  I hope you enjoy the photos from Saturday's visit.  The children in the photos are Walter and Emily interacting with the animals.

My First Visit to the Animal Shelter . . .

Okay maybe it wasn’t my “first,” but it was my first official visit for this class.  I do have to confess that I made a forced visit to the Animal Shelter two winters ago when my dog ran away and the City was closed due to snow.  Some kind sole took Phoenix down to the Shelter where he waited for me to come get him.  (No, he hasn’t learned his lesson.  He’s a greyhound and likes to run!)

Today was a new experience for me.  My first introduction was to Zach, a sweet, sweet cat that is waiting to go home with an employee.  Zach was very smitten with me.  He was so easy to pet mindlessly and licked my fingers to say “thank you” when I was done.  He was very social and polite.  We got to see the room where the Shelter keeps supplies for fostered animals.  You can foster an animal.  I’ve done that before and it’s very rewarding.  The hard part is when you have to give them up, but you know the Shelter did it’s best to make sure your animal is getting a good forever home.  They really want to make sure you get an animal that you will keep.  I went through those rigors when we adopted Phoenix.  Trust them.  They know what they’re doing when they help you pick out your pet.  One thing you should keep in mind, and this was not stressed to us today, but something I learned when I rescued our greyhound, the pets pick you.  If they don’t like you, don’t force it.  The best fit is when the dog or cat picks you.

We then went into another section of the Shelter where some animals are quarantined.  It’s not as bad as it sounds.  It’s the job of the Shelter to prevent the spread of disease.   Sometimes animals come in with communicable diseases and they have to spend some time alone to let it run its course.  I wish humans would do that with the flu!

The lights are bright and florescent; it reminds me of a hospital.  And it really is very much like a hospital in this section.  I could smell the cleaners, which did not leave a pleasant taste in my mouth.  Commercial Grade is so much stronger than what you're used to at home.  I kept going.  As a visitor to the Shelter, you will not go through this area.  It is a veterinarian hospital back here and there is no need to see this.  If you’re curious, I suggest you ask your vet if you could see where they operate before you come back in this part of the Shelter.  We saw the lab where techs and a veterinarian were testing feces for disease.  We saw the operating room where the animals are spayed or neutered or have any other surgery that is required. 

We moved on to the old kennel, which is not that old when you consider the real age of this building.  The dogs are housed in this area when they are first brought to the Shelter.  This is where your dog would be waiting for you if he or she ever got lost and was taken to the Shelter.  You can easily check the website http://www.trianglelostpets.org/  to see if your pet is there. 

We moved on through the kitten area.  Cats are so adorable.  They speak to you, asking you how you are enjoying your visit, begging you to come see their new pad.  They want to get to know you and decide if you are the one they want to go home with.  Cats are so different from dogs.  There are so many kittens coming into the Shelter now.  I hope you can find a place in your heart and home to welcome one into your family.

We kept moving.  The Shelter is so big and they’ve added more space because they outgrew what they had!  More dogs, of course.  The dogs are loud and bark incessantly.  They want a real home so bad.  And they are so competitive.  “Me, pick me.  I’ll be your best friend.  Just take ME home!”  Some even jump to show you their prowess.  It’s so hard to walk by them and not want to love on them.  The stalls are cold and bare.  They are given the minimum—food, water, and medications as needed.  The areas are immaculate, but the space is still confining, like a prison with no release for good behavior.  The only human interaction they get is when volunteers come in to love them or people come to adopt them.  We, the class, were actually placed in one of the stalls and it was not fun.  Seven girls in their early twenties and me.  It reminded me of a field trip when I was younger to a police station, where we were placed in a holding cell.  The quarters are tight and surrounded on three sides by cinder blocks.  A metal wire door allows the occupants to be seen by onlookers.  A cold concrete floor at your feet.  Claustrophobia sets in quickly.  These dogs are well cared for while at the Shelter, but they need love and a forever home.  They need your love.  Can you find room in your heart and home for one of these sweet animals. One dog was being visited by a young couple, testing to see if he was the right dog for them.

On our way out today, a woman brought in a box filled with a litter of newborn puppies, saying the mother ran away.  We all wanted to take a puppy home.  I guarantee that if you come, you will want to take a puppy home too.  Pet ownership is a responsibility, just like being a parent.  These animals become your family.  Make sure you are ready to accept the responsibility, including the financial aspect.  When you feel you are, come to the Animal Shelter, where it is certain you can find your new “best friend.” 

I hope my blog over these next few weeks will inspire you to make a trip to the Shelter with the intention of adopting a new member of your family.  And if you don’t find that one special animal that fits you on your first visit, come back again.  There are so many new animals coming in daily.  If adopting is not an option for you, please consider fostering an animal.  These animals need love, just like children and just like you.

A Bit About the Camera I Will Be Using

For this course I will be using a Canon Rebel EOS T3 Digital SLR camera.

 A big con for this camera is that it is larger than a point-and-shoot camera and therefore is susceptible to damage at the Animal Shelter.  The size of the camera may scare the animals as well.  Another con would include its price.  While this is not a cheap camera, its price tag is on the low end for a DSLR, which was a plus for me as a budding professional photographer. 

I especially like the various controls that are available to me as a photographer, including the control over the depth of field through the use of AV Aperture Priority.  By changing my depth of field, I am able to focus more on the animal than the background.  And we all know that it's the image of the animal that gets you to come see it and hopefully take it home to be your pet rather than the image of the animal's background.  

One of my goals in this class is to learn more about utilizing the many controls available to me on this new camera.  I have used a DSLR before when I borrowed a Nikon for another photography class.  But I'm a loyal brand follower and since my film SLR and point-and-shoot are Canons, I easily gravitated back to Canon for the Digital SLR.

One pro of this camera versus a point-and-shoot camera is that I can use a higher quality lens with a DSLR and can even change out lenses depending on the focal length I'm after.   This camera came with an 18 - 55 mm lens.  The quality of the lens is also important because it improves the quality of the picture.  It is my goal to give you the best quality photographs I can.  I want you to see the details in these animals that cannot be conveyed by a point-and-shoot camera.  And learning to capture these details is important to me as a budding professional photographer, because it will help me to capture the details better in my future photographs and portraits.

Another pro I will point out about the DSLR camera is the control of the ISO/ASA I have.  This is the same as a 35 mm SLR.  The higher the ISO/ASA the greater the ability to photograph in low light situations.  This is such a huge benefit for the pictures I will be taking as many of the kittens hide in the back of their kennels where it is dark and you normally would not see their individual markings or details.  With a lower ISO/ASA chances are good you would believe the cat would be all black.  But with the higher ISO/ASA, I can capture the color markings of the cat and you would see that it really is a tortoise colored cat with brown markings around the eyes.

The last pro I will point out about the Canon DSLR T3 is the resolution quality.  DSLRs typically capture a higher resolution than a point-and-shoot camera.  This does not mean much to the novice/amateur photographer, but when you go professional this is an important quality.  There is more information available so we (the professional photographers) can give you (the client) the absolute best quality photo possible.  As professional photographers, we can size the resolution down before posting our photos online so that you do not have to face the challenge of waiting a long time to download the photo from the internet, but you will be receiving the highest quality image because of the work we do in "developing the photo."

That's the pros and cons of the camera I have chosen to use for this course in a nutshell.  I hope you will enjoy the photos of the animals I will be posting in the coming weeks and that they entice you to make a trip to your local animal shelter. 

About Me

My name is Karen Santrock and I'm a 23+ student at Meredith College.  My major is Studio Art, with a minor in Photography, which I stumbled into quite by accident, but happily accept the journey.  I'm taking a Photography class with Shannon Johnstone as my professor.  We will be photographing dogs, cats, and other animals that are found at the Wake County Animal Shelter.  I'm taking this class because I have an insatiable appetite for photography and am hoping to make a career of it.  This class, I hope, is the first in a long and successful career as a commercial photographer.

Something about me is I'm a nurturer.  Dogs, cats, fish, kids, rabbits, turtles.  Had them all.  Currently my two kids and I have a rescued greyhound who will be ten in June and is a retired racer.  We've had Phoenix for six years and I love him as much as I love my kids.  We also have a "rescued" cat, Raleigh, for nine years.  He's about ten as well and of course he's the light of my life too.  Raleigh found us.  The funny thing about both of them is they look like brothers!  They have the same coloring.   Currently, we have a school of goldfish as well.  There's Stanley, Dory, Fido, and BillyBob.

By being a nurturer, naturally I'm very drawn to this class.  I get to photograph the animals at the shelter so they can find good and loving homes as well, without me having to personally take them home.  I would if I could, but we're busting at the seems at our house as it is!  It's nice to know there are ways I can help without having to adopt each and everyone personally.  And of course, if I did that, the police might come and put me away for Animal Neglect or something, LOL.

I have one thing I'm a little intimidated by.  I learned about the disease that is in the shelter.  The story reminded me of when I used to work in hospitals.  The goal of a hospital is to get you out as quickly as possible so you don't come down with an infectious disease.  It's the nature of the beast.  But I'm afraid I might bring a disease home to my animals. Like the time I went to the Emergency Room with my daughter because I got dishwasher detergent in my eye:  my daughter caught  pneumonia while we waited in the waiting room.  I know that there are precautions in place, so you know I will be following them to the letter.  But still, one cannot help but wonder what the chances are that I could bring home a disease like distemper.

This is also the first time I'll actually be sharing my photos with the public.  That's scary.  It's a leap of faith for me.  I'm no longer saying "I think I can;" I'm actually doing it.  Sink or swim, right?

This is not my first online course.  And I have to say I haven't had the most positive experience with online courses in the past.  I found I was teaching myself everything and that's a lot of responsibility.  It took me three times longer to learn online than in a classroom, so I've shied away from online classes.  This one seems a little less challenging in that I've already had Prof. Johnstone.  She's already taught me how to use Photoshop.  I'm not an expert by any means, as a matter of fact, I would still call myself a novice.  But it is my hope that by the time I graduate Meredith, I have mastered Photoshop and have a good online following with my blog and photographs. 

The best thing is I get to combine my two favorite things:  photography and writing.  And I get to see where it leads me.

The picture is of my kids at Jones Beach, NY last year because I prefer to be behind the camera.

That's me in a nutshell and about why I'm here.  Hope you enjoy following my Blog.