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My dogs are an important part of the family. So important, in fact, that I have portraits of them hanging on my walls. Dogs are so cute, do so many funny things, and make adorable faces. We're always trying to capture their personalities in our cameras, but sometimes it's harder than it looks. Here are a few tips to get great pictures of your dog.If you're photographing outside, be sure your dog is safe. Keep him on his leash if you're not in an enclosed area. No picture is worth endangering your pet.Relax and have fun! If you…

I love spring! It's always a joyful time of year, people start coming out of their homes, the air starts to warm. This year I think it's even more joyful than usual. This spring brings hope of reclaiming a life where we can see one another in person!Have you ever read "Annie and the Wild Animals" by Jan Brett? This isn't her most famous book, but it's my favorite. During the course of this story, the world transitions from winter to spring. And the thing I love best about Jan Brett books is the foreshadowing in the illustrations…

March is National Disability Awareness month. My friend and neighbor, Christian Huber, is president of the Bucks Disability Pride Club at Bucks County Community College. It was enlightening to  interview him and learn about the club.Christian told me that the people in the club are "proud of who we are as disabled people despite the challenges we face". In fact, Christian told me that even though sometimes he wishes he didn't have his disability, and even though his disability makes life more challenging, he sees definite blessings in what he has had to face. He sees the world…

Women photographers - a subject near and dear to my heart. It's been fun researching them. One, Florestine Penault Collins, I wrote about last month.One of the earliest women photographers I found was Julia Margaret Cameron. She was given a camera by her daughter in 1863, when she was 48, and this was her start. She wasn't respected in her day. Her work was called "slovenly" and full of "mistakes". But today she has had a strong impact on modern photographers. She is known for soft focus and close crops. The image to the right is titled, Vivian…

Gordon Parks, one of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century. I had heard of him, but really didn't know anything about him until I started researching for this blog post. What a fascinating person he was!He made a huge impact with his still photographs, and he also was a writer, film maker (he directed the movie "Shaft"), and composer.Parks was born in Kansas in 1912. He was a self-taught photographer. He was inspired by the likes of Dorothea Lange. Parks said, "I saw that the camera could be a weapon against  poverty, against racism, against all sorts…