The last two dogs I have photographed for HeARTs Speak have come from a rescue dear to my heart: Herd It Through The Grapevine. This is the rescue through which I found my own special mutt, Niner. So it is a pleasure to get to meet more dogs being helped by this rescue.

Mabel is a true mutt, a Heinz 57 through and through. If there were a purebred mutt, it'd be her. There is just no telling what is in her. Her wide chest and square-ish head hints at a little bit of pit bull, some longer wirey fur along her back hints at some terrier, but there is just no telling what all is in her breed-wise. But what is in her that is abuntandly obvious is a sweetness with people that shows she will make someone an excellent best friend.

It is this sweetness that saved her. She was in a shelter and running out of time. On the day that she was scheduled to be euthenized, a shelter worker who had fallen in love with her begged HITTGV to take her and give her a chance at finding a home -- which the rescue of course did. She now is fostered by a dog walker and is enjoying daily runs while she waits for a forever home.

Another great mutt is Pumpkin, a red heeler and (probably) corgie mix. She is the most quiet, most cuddly, most mellow heeler mix I've ever met. It's hard to believe there's red heeler even in there. Pumpkin is already getting interest from potential forever families, but the one hitch is her get-along. She needs knee surgery. The rescue is working on raising the $1,700 needed for the surgery and it is a reminder that rescuing dogs is about a lot more than just pulling from shelters and placing in homes. It is also about caring for the dogs as if they are your own while they're in foster homes, which includes potentially unloading a lot of money on them. Pumpkin is a great reminder of why donating to local rescues is such a generous act -- it is money that goes straight to the dogs!

You can see more photos of these and other dogs available through rescues on my Flickr set of HeARTs Speak dogs.

Recently I shared a link on Facebook that got the attention of a lot of my friends. It was a fellow photograper's "Before and After" image of a shelter dog. The before was the quick and ugly shot of the dog when it arrived to the shelter, taken through the links of the kennel. The after was a portrait of the dog happily chewing a stick on a green lawn. I asked which dog my friends would rather adopt -- the one in the shelter, or the one happily chewing a stick on a green lawn. It was, of course, the same dog, but the photos had dramatically different emotional impacts. And the comparison hit home with many of my friends.

The purpose of an adoption portrait for a dog (or cat, or horse, or ferret or whatever) is not simply to show what a dog looks like as a supplement to its profile: "Fido is 35 lbs, knows how to sit, likes cats, is not housetrained, and oh by the way looks like this: [insert blurry cell phone snap]."

No, the purpose of an adoption photo in this era of social media-oriented, time-crunched internet surfers is to instantly make a person fall in love with the dog on first sight. It is to create a portrait of a dog and its personality so a person, with one glance, says, "Oh.... wow, what a dog!"

At that point, the potential new parent will read the adoption profile and most likely overlook some factors that might otherwise make them move on to the next dog: "Oh, Fido isn't housetrained. Hummm, that was going to be a deal breaker. But look at that face! Those eyes... We'll take the time to train him." And voila! Fido has a home. Thanks to love at first sight, not love at first profile-reading.

There is little debate to the matter. A high-quality portait that shows off who the dog really is -- happy, rolling in grass, fetching a ball, lolling around on a couch -- is going to attract someone to it a whole lot faster than a quick, blurry photo. And if we're dealing with animals in kill shelters that have literally days to find a home or face euthinasia, then we're talking about photos that can save a life. This is why I do what I do with HeARTs Speak and local dog rescues.

Here are some examples of my own "before and after" scenarios. These are side-by-side images of dogs I've photographed -- the first image the snapshot taken by the rescue or the foster parent and used in their profile before I started working with the local rescue; and the second is a portrait I took. None of these are quite as dramatic as the comparison shared on Facebook, but these nonetheless help to illustrate how a photographer taking an hour out of their day to photograph and process images of a dog can make a huge difference.

I've had the pleasure of photographing two more dogs with Grateful Dogs Rescue here in San Francisco. First, meet Tinkerbelle. This sweet pit bull is looking for a forever home that really is for forever. She has been through Grateful Dogs Rescue twice now. The first time when she was picked up as an abandoned dog and was adopted to a man who lives on a boat. They lived together happily until her owner decided to sail his boat around the world, and unfortunately Tinkerbelle couldn't come along. Now she's back with the resuce, and is hoping to find someone to give her cuddles and love. She has a very calm, gentle personality with people, though she needs to be in a home that doesn't have other dogs or cats. It can be tough to find an owner that will take a DINOS (dogs in need of space) and Tinkerbelle is waiting for someone who won't mind having her be the only dog in their lives.

If you're looking for a dog of smaller stature, check out Pascal!

This cutie is the opposite of Tinkerbelle and needs a home with other people, dogs, cats....anything as long as it is alive and offers companionship. Pascal doesn't like being alone, and was spotted without an owner over and over again in a local dog park. While it was clear he was finding food just fine, it was also clear he didn't have a home that watched his whereabouts. Since moving in with his foster family and living with another dog, two cats and some chickens, his shy, wary side has mellowed out and his loving personality shines through. He's a team player, gets along with everyone quite well, and needs a forever home with someone who either works from home, or has other pets that can offer constant companionship.

If you're in the San Francisco area, visit Grateful Dogs Rescue to see these pups and others that are available for adoption.

One of the reasons I joined non-profit group HeARTs Speak was a desire to use photography in support of dogs. When I was in the process of looking for my own dog and sorting through photo after photo on rescue sites, the vast majority were (not to be mean but) really poor quality photos of dogs with odd expressions, taken from weird angles, blurry, or in ugly environments. I really can't remember seeing a single photo that allowed me to simply concentrate on the dog and getting a feel for its personality.

Instead, I was often distracted by the depressing room or kennel it was sitting in, or wondering exactly what size or shape the dog was but couldn't tell because of the awkward angle from which it was photographed. It was clear very quickly that the rescues putting some energy into their photos would have more people responding to ads about their dogs than rescues that took cell-phone snap shots of dogs still in the vet's office. Unfortunately, it is a reality that too many rescues quite literally don't have the time or resources to focus on taking professional-quality photographs of their images. That's where photographers come in, like those who are part of HeARTs Speak.

In the very short time I've been working with a local rescue, we've already seen a success story. The very first dog I photographed was adopted this weekend, and I got some of the best feedback I could ever ask for. Her case manager emailed me to give me the news:

She went on saturday and will now be living in Calistoga on acreage with another GSD and a work-from-home human. Your pics made a huge difference. Tansy's adopter saw her because of an ad in the Marina times using one of your beautiful photos. A friend saw the ad and brought it to show Tansy's new mom and the rest was history.. :)

That is one of the best rewards I could possibly ask for -- a wonderful dog found a loving forever home and my photographs helped make that happen as quickly as possible. It meant less stress on the dog being in a temporary home, less of a burden on the rescue and the foster parent caring for her until she was adopted, and hopefully it also minimized the stress on the person who was out searching for a new canine companion to bring home.

We are visual creatures and yes, packaging matters. Having a beautiful photograph that tugs at the heartstrings -- rather than one that leaves you asking more questions about the animal instead of simply falling in love with it -- makes a huge difference for dogs, cats and other critters looking for a loving home. You can see more before and after photos of rescue animals to better understand the impact.

So, just how important is a good photograph in changing a life? There are few better examples than the stories of dogs, cats, horses and other animals who are photographed by professionals donating their time and talent to rescue groups. I have heard some incredible examples of the power of a good photo. For instance, there is a rescue on the east coast is acually getting animals adopted out so quickly thanks to the high quality photographs taken by a HeARTs Speak member that they're pulling animals from other nearby rescues and helping to adopt them to forever homes as well.

And in one of the best stories I've heard to date, a photographer recently did a shoot with a boxer that was in the shelter for two years. She photographed the dog on a couch with a lovely backdrop, and a colorful scarf draped around her neck. The very next day, the dog was adopted with the new owner saying that the instant she saw those endearing images, she knew that was the dog for her. The photographer said the saddest thing was knowing that the boxer had to sit in a shelter for two years all because of a bad photo.

That said, even great photos don't guarantee a dog will be adopted. It is a team effort, and the incredible dedication of the rescue staff, the media resources that help to advertise the animals, and volunteers at adoption events all help the cause.

Another dog I photographed, Scooter, is still waiting for his forever home. If you happen to know someone who is looking for a loving lapdog, show them Scooter!

Meet Tansy. She is a one-year-old working line German Shepherd. And while she is smiling at you, she's not winking. Tansy was found about two months ago tied to a pole, abandoned by her owners. When she was picked up, it was discovered that she had glaucoma in her right eye and had completely lost her vision. The vet felt that the safest thing to do was to remove her eye altogether. (My rather cynical guess is that the previous owners knew how much vet care would cost for her eye and decided to ditch her.) She is fully recovered and is staying with a foster dad who happens to be a dog walker and takes her on two group runs every day in a 300-acre park and a dog-friendly beach. All in all, I think things for Tansy are looking up!

In addition to being an inspiring and beautiful young girl, Tansy is also my very first HeARTs Speak dog. I learned about her through another dog walker who volunteers with Grateful Dogs Rescue. She knew that Tansy could use some portraits to help get her a forever home, and I was excited to get to meet her for a short shoot as a volunteer with HeARTs Speak. Tansy is incredibly sweet, wants to please, is energetic and -- perhaps best of all for a new dog owner who needs to train this pup -- is smart and food motivated.

I'm starting a Flickr set for HeARTs Speak dogs so you can see more photos of Tansy there. If you're looking for a companion (and are in the SF Bay Area), be sure to check out Grateful Dogs Rescue!

Sit, Niner! Stay still a minute.

Hey everyone, this is Niner. You may remember we adopted him from a herding dog rescue back in November 2011. He's amazing, and has changed my life in a lot of big ways. He requires a level of energy and time committment that, to be honest, I didn't fully anticipate when we decided to bring him home. And yet the rewards of spending every day with him more than justify how much effort goes into exercising and training him. He is just one of millions of incredible dogs that end up in rescues and shelters every day, needing a second chance with a loving family.

And this is Topper:

We adoped him as a 9-month-old rescue back in 2000 when we were just 18 and 19 years old, and he completed our little family for ten years. He taught us volumes about responsibility, family, patience, forgiveness, loyalty, humor, joy, and mindfulness. From the day we locked eyes through the bars of the shelter pen until the day he passed away, we were fast friends.

For Topper and for Niner, I will be forever grateful to animal shelters and rescues and the people running them who work so hard to give these amazing creatures a second chance. I will always be looking for a way to return the favor to animal rescues, but luckily I've found a starting point.

I was just accepted as an "aspiring member" to HeARTs Speak, a non-profit that connects shelters and rescues with artists to help get more animals adopted and cared for. The organization states: "HeARTs Speak uses the power of art to effect social change. We unite artists with shelters and animal relief organizations in order to save the lives of animals and better the lives of people. An artist can be a life-changer, an animal can live a long, happy life, and that is priceless."

Through HeARTs Speak and photography, I will be able to help more animals find homes and raise funds through dog photography to support the efforts of rescues and shelters. I can't begin to say how excited I am to meet animals looking for a home, and to photograph them so they more quickly connect a forever family. Every animal deserves the chance that Topper and Niner got to join a loving family -- I can't wait to get started helping through photography!

Okay, Niner... you're dismissed.

Right after getting home from a long week of working covering a conference, we all hopped in a car and went to the beach. I debated taking the camera at all, wanting to just hang out with my family and enjoy the afternoon, but it's hard not to take a camera with you when you know you're going to be where dozens and dozens of dogs are playing. So I brought the camera but I decided that to make things easier on my tired self, I wasn't going to try. I was going to take shots with some "can't miss" settings and just have fun. There's two distinct pros, and one major con.

The first pro is the simple fact that there is zero personal pressure placed on getting cool shots. There's no "I already have shots like that so I've gotta be more creative," or "I am not getting the lighting I want this way so we should go down the beach that way." It's great not to feel that and just be silly with the camera. The second pro is that I don't know what I got until I get home. So it's kinda like opening a birthday present. I'm happily surprised at what lucky shots I did get, and undisturbed by the junk shots which of course is the majority.

The major con, however, is that I'm not learning anything. I'm not pushing myself to figure out what's going wrong and fix it, or to get more interesting and creative with what I'm capturing. Without putting some pressure on yourself to really try, there's really no educational opportunities and that's a bummer especially when there's so much to learn.

So it's probably time I start putting the effort into trying again, into pushing myself to learn and get better. But I will report, the afternoon was a lot of fun. More photos are available on my Flickr account.

My dog of 10 years died shortly after I started getting into photography. I never really had an opportunity to photograph him the way I'd have loved to. I have hundreds of snapshots, sure, but not any photographs. After he passed, I turned my camera toward all the amazing dogs at the dogpark a block from my house. I started up the Duboce Dogs project for some much needed camera practice, and have loved the people and dogs who have taken part thus far. And while it's been wonderful, I always thought, "With the next dog I have, I'll be taking ridiculous numbers of photos." Well, I just got a dog. And while it might be true that I will soon take ridiculous numbers of photos, I have to say that it's been such a handful that I've barely had time to take any photos at all, let alone photos of him.

Um.. where's your face, Dutch?

So I was trying to practice shooting from the hip while on a walk yesterday -- something I really suck at. I always think I'm aiming the camera in the right spot but I never am, or if I get the subject in the view then they're out of focus. Yesterday my girlfriend and I were on a walk when I saw a woman with a couple dogs and I thought they'd be a perfect practice shot. I dropped my camera down to my side and tried to photograph one of the dogs as we crossed the street. I looked at the screen -- rats... just a blurry dalmation head and an in-focus car off in the distance.

I turned to my gf and said, "I really should just quit trying to do this," and right when I finished my sentence I heard the woman walking the dogs say, "Are you trying to shoot from the hip with my dogs?"

Caught! I turned around and said, "Well, I'm trying but it's really not working." I held up the camera in an offer to show the images, just to kinda prove I'm not a creeper. She was smiling (thankfully because some people aren't necessarily thrilled when they catch you trying to take their photo) and she gave me a serious surprise by saying, "Do you want to try it again? I'm a photographer too and I shoot from the hip a lot."

My gf just started cracking up, but I got excited. How randomly wonderful that the person whose dog I was trying to sneakily photograph a) caught me and b) wants to give me pointers about doing it better!

The woman's name is Amanda Bradshaw and she is a dog photographer. You can tell by her work on Frolic Photography that she is extraordinarily good at what she does. She's also really great at giving pointers on shooting from the hip. First, I had my settings all wrong -- I was using settings that are great for aiming at something, but not great for trying to capture whatever lands in front of the camera at a moment's notice. I also had a 50mm lens on which happened to be on the camera when I left the apartment for my walk, and she noted that switching to my 17-55mm lens would give me a much higher success rate.

It was a great, odd experience and I couldn't be happier that someone called me out on shooting from the hip. Not only is Amanda's attitude inspiring -- she actually ditched the person she was talking to on her cell phone to stop and give me pointers -- but so too is her dog photography. Looking through her website shows me how much I have to learn in my own dog photography, and it got me excited both to practice more with dogs. And of course, she also inspired me to keep chugging along at practicing shooting from the hip.

Just a picture of my friend's super cute dog. Enjoy!