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The Creation of Powder Dog Portraits


Recently “Powder Portrait Sessions” have been all the rage over the last few years.  They’re cool, flashy, and have that WOW factor that catches attention on social media. And with that attention owners are seeking out Photographers who offer these sessions.

I have several potential clients reach out to me about having their own “Powder” session, but personally, I have some reservations about the safety of these sessions for both the dog, the handler, and me, the photographer.  I’d be worried about the implications for those involved in inhaling the powder and the contact of the powder against the dog’s skin.

I am not the only professional photographer who sees potential risks involved, check out this article, “Why Coloured Powder Shouldn’t Be Used in Pet Photography.”

Now, I bet you are wondering, “Okay, but I have seen “Powder” portraits on your social media and this blog is about Powder Portraits. So, how can you say you disagree with them?”

Well, that is because I have found a way to create the effects without sacrificing the safety of those involved while using actual powder. The “Powder” portraits I create, have a bit more emphasis on the “create” part because the powder effects are ALL created after the portrait session not during it.

Each session begins with photographing a dog in action – jumping, banking off a flyball box, leaping, etc. – against a black background, and then once the client has selected the action portrait they want for their final piece of custom art, the magic begins.

September 23, 2023 Karen Hocker , , , , , , , , ,

Improving My Art Through Competition

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell

Once again this past year I entered my work in print competitions at both the local and national level.

Print Competition

The first print competition I entered was for the Professional Photographers of Massachusetts (PPAM), a chapter of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Both the images I entered in this event earned good scores and it was a nice warm up for the rest of the print competition season.

Animal Image Maker’s (AIM)

The Twin Cities Professional Photographer’s Association (TCPPA), a PPA affiliate in the greater Minneapolis-St Paul area, hosted the inaugural print competition for the first annual Animal Image Maker’s (AIM) Conference in April. I entered this content next. It offered the opportunity to have my work viewed and evaluated by photographers, specializing in animal photography, from around the world. A jury of trained professionals, who understand how best to create images for this market, judged my work against the 12 Elements of a Merit Image, as set by the PPA.

AIM’s print competition offered several different categories, including: Dogs, Cats, Equine, Baby Animals, Other Domestic Animals, Wild Animals, and Animals and their Humans. The event did not limit the total number of images entered, so I entered four portraits in the Dogs category, two in the Baby Animals category and two on the Equine category. All but two of these images earned scores above 80, a meriting score.

Much to my amazement, my image Equine image, “Graceful Meditation” (seen below), won first place in the Equine category.

Graceful Meditation

Although I could not attend the conference, the organizers mailed me this beautiful award.

2019 Best Equine Image – Animal Image Makers (AIM)

PPA’s Northeast District Print Competition

After AIM, I selected and entered four images that had earned good scores at AIM in PPA’s Northeast District competition. Unfortunately, the results were less than I hoped, with only two of the entered images earning merits. This sealed those scores. This automatically made them meriting images for the PPA’s International Print competition (IPC) in August.

With these results, I needed to make some hard choices about which images I would be entering for IPC. Of course, I kept the two images that earned merits, but I decided to choose two new images to replace the images that did not earn good scores.

PPA’s International Print Competition

The IPC judges evaluated only these two images. Fortunately, they both earned meriting scores. With all four of my images earning merits, I again earned a Bronze Medal—for the second year in a row.

Here are my entries for 2019 year’s PPA International Print Competition (IPC).

Golden Retriever sitting on a deck in the woods surrounded by trees with yellow autumn leaves
Greeting Autumn with a Smile

“Greeting Autumn with a Smile” earned an image merit and was accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Black Labrador Retriever puppy lying on a wooden box, paws hanging over the edge, looking at the view
Okay, You’ve Got My Attention

“Okay, you’ve got my attention” earned an image merit. The PPA accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Blue merle, Australian Shepherd puppy sitting in a metal washtub, paws on the edge, head tilted down, peering bashfully at viewer
Someone’s Being Bashful

“Someone’s being bashful” earned an image merit and sealed at PPA Northeast print competition. It was later accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Golden Retriever standing, looking at viewer, with autumn gold plants in background
Shades of Gold

My “Shades of Gold” portrait sealed at PPA Northeast print competition, earning an image merit at IPC. PPA accepted this image into the IPC Showcase Collection.

Print competition encourages growth, not only in the creation of the images in the camera, but also in the way a photographer edits the image to create the artistic vision for the final print.

After the successes of 2019, I’m ready to move on to the 2020 print competitions. I want see how much further I can grow and become better at creating my vision for my art.

December 1, 2019 Karen Hocker ,

Book Your Fall and Holiday Portrait Sessions

Labor Day has come and gone. The kids have returned to school. The night air has a slight chill to it. All signs that autumn is coming with winter not far behind.

Autumn’s brilliant and bold colors will soon burst into their full glory, creating a wonderful background with a dramatic flair for portraits of your canine or equine companion. It is also the perfect time—well before the craziness of the holiday season begins—to plan your family holiday portraits.

Together we can create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece of art, featuring your best friend. Maybe something like this?

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Feeling inspired? Fill in the form below to get started. Let’s get together to create a stunning piece of artwork for your home that you’ll treasure for years to come.

I look forward to meeting you and your companion.

 

BOOK NOW

Please provide the following information to reserve a date for your session today.

September 17, 2019 Karen Hocker , , ,

Mini Portrait Sessions for 2018 Holidays

It’s time to come in from the cold for a little holiday mini portrait sessions cheer!

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Karen Hocker Photography will be hosting a day of holiday-themed mini portrait sessions at Dogstar Activity Center coming up in November.

This is a great opportunity to have unique, professional images created of your dog. Without making the full investment of time and money in a portrait session. These studio mini portrait sessions only occur once or twice a year. If you’ve been waiting for studio shots, you won’t want to miss out.

This year’s special holiday background color is green. A beautiful natural and timeless hue that’s perfect for anytime of year. For the holiday card senders like me, I’ll have props available to dress-up and festive-up your pup’s portraits. If you need inspiration, check out my studio portfolio, studio examples, or my 2017 year-in-review video.

What is included in a mini session? So glad you asked. For the $75 session fee, you will get:

  • 30 minute photo session
  • Individual & family portraits
  • 2 dogs per session
  • 10-15 edited images
  • Online photo gallery

There is a maximum of two dogs per session. Have more than 2 dogs? Want more time for your dog in front of the camera? No, problem. Simply sign-up for a second session.

Special holiday products will be available for order separately, including holiday cards and ornaments. You can also select from various prints and other photo products á la carte.

Events details

Location: DogStar Activity Center
Address: 310B School Street in Acton, Massachusetts
Date: Sunday, November 11th, 2018
Time: 10 am — 5pm

Wednesday, November 7th is the deadline to sign-up.

BOOK NOW!

Please provide the following information to reserve a time for your holiday mini portrait session today.

October 18, 2018 Karen Hocker ,

Preparing for Your Portrait Session 10 Tips on What to Wear

When most clients contact me, they are looking for portraits of their beloved animal companion (canine, equine feline or other). They have not considered taking part in the portraits themselves. I know from my own personal experience that one of my greatest regrets with my own dogs is not having had professional portraits created with us together before they passed away. I highly recommend not passing up the opportunity to do so, if it presents itself.

Here are a ten tips to assist you in selecting your outfit in order to create beautiful and timeless family portraits.

1. Keep it simple and timeless

The best family portraits are those that are timeless. Fashion trends come and go—sometimes very quickly. Trendy clothes can easily go from stylish to dated in a blink of an eye. You want the viewer’s focus to be on you and your pet, not the once cool fashion find that makes you cringe a decade later.

Keep your outfit simple, clean, and well-fitting. Clothing should be flattering to you, but shouldn’t overwhelm or distract from your pet.

Simple jeans and blue t-shirt keep it cool and classic for a summertime session

Khakis and a polo shirt are a classic look

2. Coordinate, don’t match your outfits

One of the best ways to create a classic look is to coordinate the outfits of each member of the family. That does not mean all the outfits have to match. Think of the white shirt and blue jean clad family portrait fad from several years ago.

You want to be unique, show your personal style. Choose a color scheme, one that compliments your companion best, and then select pieces that stay within that color scheme. To add a little interest, vary the tones of the color, add a little texture (for example a sweater), or add just a little bit of pattern—nothing too bold—that stays within the color scheme you’ve chosen.

Subtle color scheme accentuate the Golden Retrievers and suits the fall scenery

It is important to keep in mind the color of your companion’s fur when choosing on your color scheme. Choose a color that will best accentuate your companion’s color best. In general medium tones/colors work best with most colors of fur. Also, it is not recommended to choose colors that create too much contrast – for example wearing white with a black dog or black with a white dog.

For instance, in the photo above, the neutral brown color scheme accentuates the Golden Retrievers gold while the blue jean provide a good contrast. The scarf adds a touch of color and pattern without overwhelming, providing a nice visual midpoint between the two dogs.

3. Start with one piece and build on that

Choose your favorite scarf, hat or any other favorite piece of clothing and build your outfit around it. This one “statement” piece is a way to add a little bit of your personal style and flair without it overwhelming or becoming a distraction in your family portrait. The scarf in the photograph below provides a splash of color that draws the eye to the focus of the photo.

Adding a splash of color and personal flare with an accent scarf

4. Keep your location in mind

You’ve got the perfect location for your session, now you need to choose the perfect outfit for it. Going to the beach for session? Choose color and outfits that reflect the beach’s natural soft tones. Going to a location filled with autumn’s bright foliage? Then choose colors and outfits that reflect the bold colors of autumn, but don’t disappear into it.

This perfect combination of grays, black and bold reds complement the bright autumn colors.

5. Comfort matters

Choosing comfortable clothing and shoes helps to create a more relaxed atmosphere for your family members. When you’re comfortable, your expressions—face and body—are relaxed which creates a better portrait. Also, when you’re at ease, your beloved pet is more likely to be calm and less stressed during your session.

Sometimes it can take time to get the perfect shot. Dressing appropriately, so that you’re comfortable during the heat and humidity of summer or the chill of late autumn, is also important. It can be the difference between having fun and enjoying your portrait session and absolute misery for you and your pet.

Classic blue color scheme while keeping cool in the summer heat

6. Avoid being too seasonal unless that is part of your goal

It’s best to stay away from outfits that are overtly seasonal. Leave your favorite holiday sweater or Halloween costumes at home. The goal is to create portraits that can be enjoyed all year around not just during specific times of the year.

A touch of red adds some seasonal cheer

On the other hand by choosing the right combination of colors it is possible to create portraits that can reflect a specific holiday or season in a subtle and pleasing way. In the photograph above, a bright pop of red creates a portrait that can be used to celebrate the Christmas holiday, but it’s not so seasonal that it can’t be enjoyed through out the rest of the year, too.

7. Consider your home decor

Your home is a reflection of your personal style. So, it is important to consider how the final artwork of portrait will look when displayed with your decor. If your home is full of bright and bold color, then choose bold colors for your wardrobe. On the other hand, if your house is decorated in neutral tones, then a bright palette for your portrait may be inappropriate. Unless, of course, you want to create a bold, eye-catching piece of art for a focus piece. It all depends on your desired outcome.

8. Stay away from too many patterns & textures

Patterns and textures can be fun, but they are not always flattering. Some is good, more isn’t always better. Too much can distract from the main subjects of the portrait. Small, subtle patterns are work well, as long at they are limited to a small article of clothing, and/or to just one person.

Subtle combination of color, texture, and patterns that complements both the location and lovely equine companion.

 

Well-coordinated outfits of medium blue and grey tones allow these two happy Tollers to shine amongst fallen autumn leaves

9. Say no to characters or outfits with logos

Just say NO—to outfits with logos, your favorite Disney or Marvel character T-shirt. Just like bold patterns they distract from the main focus of the portrait.

10. Plan in advance

Plan out your outfits in advance of your portrait session. It can be helpful to lay out all of the pieces of clothing, including accessories and shoes, so you can see what the overall look will be in your portraits. If you’re still not sure, you can always send a quick snapshot of your outfits for review. That way I can help you to make the best choice so that we can create the stunning piece of art you’re looking for.

Remember your goal is to create a portrait that you will be admiring for years to come.

If you would like to talk about holding a portrait session for your family and your animal companion, please get in touch.

September 13, 2018 Karen Hocker , , ,

Always Moving Forward 2018 International Print Competition

“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. “- Henry Ford.

Growth can only come from stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Last year I did just that. I entered the International Print Competition (IPC) held by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) for the first time. You can read about my first steps in this new journey here on the blog.

Every year over a thousand professional photographers participate in IPC, submitting their images to be reviewed by a panel of four judges against the 12 Elements of a Merit Image. There are two main categories for which images are judged—Photographic Open or Master Artist. Images that receive a score of 80 or above earn a merit and are accepted into PPA’s General Collection.

This year I entered four images in the Photographic Open division and I am thrilled to say that ALL four images earned Merit awards. This means that I earned a Bronze Medal for this year’s competition. All in all my images scored a little better than last year. But it’s not the overall results that are important; it is the process and learning that comes with creating the images that are submitted for the competition. During the process I gain new skills as a photographer and artist that will allow me to create better portrait artwork for my clients.

Here are my entries for this years event:

The Stowaway earns a PPA international print competition merit award

The Stowaway

This puppy portrait earned an image merit and was accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Reflections of a Life well Lived earns a PPA international print competition merit award

Reflections of a Life Well Lived

My portrait of my girl, Babe, earned an image merit and was accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Double Scoop of Cute earns a PPA international print competition merit award

Double Scoop of Cute

These adorable puppy portrait created for a client session also earned an image merit and was accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Autumns Sentinel earns a PPA international print competition merit award

Autumn’s Sentinel

This autumn portrait of an earnest black Labrador Retriever earned an image merit and was accepted into the IPC General Collection.

Now with the 2018 IPC behind me it is time to begin to plan next year’s images. I am looking forward to the challenge.

August 10, 2018 Karen Hocker ,

Special Limited Studio Portrait Sessions

Karen Hocker Photography will be hosting a limited studio portrait session event at Dogstar Activity Center in June. Join us at 310B School Street, Acton, MA 01720, Massachusetts on Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17th from 9 am to 4 pm.

This is a great opportunity to have unique, professional images created of your dog. Check out my Studio Portfolio or my recent year-in-review video on my website to see examples of my studio portrait work. You will cherish the artwork for years to come. My limited studio session events only occur once or twice a year. You won’t want to miss out.

This year’s sessions will include four background colors to choose from: black, brown, blue, and gray. Pick a background color and then pick your time.

Studio Portrait

Saturday, June 16 2018
Gray Background – 9 am to 12 noon
Black Background – 1 pm to 4 pm

Sunday, June 17, 2018
Brown Background – 9 am to 12 noon
Blue Background – 1 pm to 4 pm

Each session is $85 for a half hour with a max of two dogs per session. Have more than 2 dogs? No, problem. Simply sign-up for a second session.

Each portrait session will include:

  • 30 minute photo session
  • Individual & family portraits
  • Selection of 10-15 edited image
  • Cards, prints and photo products will be sold separately.
  • Online Gallery or “In Person Image review consult”

Feeling inspired?  Fill in the form below to get started. Let’s get together to create a stunning piece of artwork for your home that you’ll treasure for years to come.

I look forward to meeting you and your companion.

BOOK NOW!

Please provide the following information to reserve a date for your session today.

May 25, 2018 Karen Hocker , , ,

My Dog Won’t Stay When Your Dog Needs to Stay On-Leash for Portraits

One of the biggest questions potential clients have is, “My dog does not have a good stay and has to remain on leash. Will you still be able to get portraits of my dog?”

My answer? Yes!

Safety always comes first. If your dog needs to remain on leash—for any reason, there are a number of tricks that can be used when shooting your portraits. Typically, I use a combination of leash handling during the session and editing when creating the final portraits. A little pre-photo preparation can turn your on-leash portraits into off-leash portraits during post-processing.

Let me show you a couple of examples.

On-Leash Portrait 1: Sadie

Sadie was a lovely subject during her session. She posed like a champ, and never let the leash hold her get in her way. In this portrait, Sadie’s dad exhibits the perfect leash-holding technique. He was standing off to Sadie’s left and kept as much of the leash from touching or crossing over Sadie’s body as possible. It’s usually far easier to edit out the leash if it involves editing the background and not a large portion of the dog. The more the leash touches the dog the more editing is required to create the final artwork.
Before: Sadie posing for on-leash portrait
As you can see in the before (above) and after (below)images, I removed the the leash and collar tags from this portrait of Sadie. Because you can compare images, you can clearly see the differences. However, without the comparison, you wouldn’t know there was ever a leash involved.

After: Sadie's edited off-leash final portraitThere were other post processing changes that I made for artistic purposes. For instance, in the original photo, there were a number of highlights in the trees behind Sadie. Softening those did not affect the overall golden glow of the light, but did remove the visual distraction, focusing the viewer’s attention just where it should be—on Sadie.

On-Leash Portrait 2: Tuesday

At the time of our session, Tuesday was a very energetic not quite two year-old Labrador Retriever. Like most young dogs, she was a lot like an overgrown puppy. She would have greatly preferred to be moving and not staying still. So, we chose to leave her on leash for her posed portraits. Tuesday’s dad took on the leash holding duties, standing off to her left just out of frame, while I captured this portrait of her.
Before: Labrador Retriever Tuesday on leash
Just like with Sadie’s portrait, I removed Tuesday’s leash and her collar, giving the resulting portrait a less-cluttered look. Additionally, I cleaned up the debris on the bridge, and removed the distracting vegetation alongside and behind Tuesday. Making these additional edits helped to keep Tuesday as the center of attention.
After: Tuesday's off-leash portrait

On-Leash Portrait 3: Ticket

Oh, my goodness! How can you resist a fluffy Golden puppy?

Obviously, it’s not realistic to expect a puppy to be able sit still for the duration a portrait session—and chasing him around would tire us out pretty quickly. So Ticket stayed on leash for his formal portraits. Once again, we used our tried-and-true leash-holding trick to make it easier to removed. Ticket’s owner stood off to the left holding the leash high enough to keep it from crossing over his body or drooping into the vegetation.
Before: Golden Retriever puppy on-leash portrait
Editing Ticket’s final portrait was extremely simple. I removed the leash, easily replacing it with blue sky.
After: Golden puppy portrait with leash edited out
Light retouching/editing is part of creating the final artwork for a portrait session. A little pre-planning and teamwork during the session, not only keeps your dog safe, but makes for some fantastic final images.

If you’re interested in booking a portrait session, please get in touch to get started or learn more.

May 1, 2018 Karen Hocker , , , , , ,

Booking Spring and Summer Sessions

It may be the middle of April, but Old Man Winter is hanging on. But don’t fret—spring will eventually come! Book your custom, spring portrait session now so you’re good to go once it finally arrives.

Just imagine it. Green grass. Yellow, red, or pink flowers. Blue sky. Puffy white clouds. The brilliant spring sun. Your dog or horse enjoying the great outdoors while I capture their unique personality moment by moment, photo by photo.

Together we can create a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece of art, featuring your best friend. Maybe something like this?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Feeling inspired? Fill in the form below to get started. Let’s get together to create a stunning piece of artwork for your home that you’ll treasure for years to come.

I look forward to meeting you and your companion.

 

BOOK NOW

Please provide the following information to reserve a date for your session today.

April 29, 2018 Karen Hocker , , , ,

Product Highlight: Framed Torn Edge, Fine Art, Watercolor Print

Turning beautiful portraits into unique artwork is one of the things I love about what I do for my clients. This lovely portrait of Kraken was printed on fine art watercolor paper with delicate torn edges, was then float-mounted, double-matted, and framed. I think the two tones of the Rum Raisin Antiqued Black frame complements the color of Kraken’s tri black coloring. And best of all it comes ready to hang. There’s no searching for the perfect frame or having to wait while a professional framer finishes it for you.

Art to be cherish and loved for years to come.

 Check out the delicate torn edges on the fine art, watercolor print, the double mat, and frame.
April 16, 2018 Karen Hocker , , , , ,