A Fresh Start

Well, it has been a long time coming, but it had to happen. It’s time for a fresh start.

On March 10, 2012, I purchased the domain www.sportdogphoto.com. I knew absolutely zero about websites, and was relying on the experience of a couple good friends to get me started. Being that I had no clue what I was doing, and that there was going to be a learning curve to building a website, it was decided at the time to build the site under a sub domain, and then transfer it to the primary once I had everything in place. I’m sure that some of you noticed that when you went to my site, the domain was newsite.sportdogphoto.com.

As time passed and I took longer than expected to get everything set, I began to build pretty good search ratings on the “temporary” domain. Even when I had things at a comfortable place, I wasn’t sure how to move my content over to the proper domain. Ergo 2017. 5 years is enough and it was now time to make this happen. I decided that since I was going to have to basically rebuild my site at the new domain, that I might as well give it a fresh look while I am at it.

And, here we are. I like simplicity and ease of use. I try not to over infosize(yeah, just made that up) my visitors, and let them get to the places they want to go. I hope that this new site provides the necessary content that people are looking for, while still engaging new visitors.

So, whats new? Well, not a whole lot is exactly new. I have fresh home page that while similar to the old, has a cleaner menu and allows the viewer to browse the images uninhibited by the menu or content. I am constantly building my collection of images available for stock commercial and editorial use. I have so many images on so many drives, it will take some time to go through them all and get them loaded on the server. I will also be adding new images as I go.

I am also hoping to be a little better at keeping this blog stocked with fresh content. What that will be, I haven’t quite decided yet. Leave a comment below, and let me know if there are any subjects you would like to read about. I am thinking besides covering events, I may also cover some general photography tips, thoughts, and occasional rants.

All in all, this is the right step to be taking. I hope you will continue to help make Sport Dog Photography the go to service for all your dog, hunting, and outdoor photography needs.

2015 Year End Review for Sport Dog Photo

It really has been a great year for Sport Dog Photography. There are still many things that I would like to be doing to further my business, but this year has brought me many growth opportunities. The intent of this post isn’t to bore you with wordy details, rather to highlight some of the things that have taken place in 2015. I was fortunate to be able to expand into some new areas this year, and also was able to see many familiar faces, as well. If you take the time to read to the end, there is even a little surprise that most of you don’t know about….But you’ll just have to keep reading to find out.

Probably the biggest achievement for me was making my business official. In January, I filed for my LLC. I had been putting it off for a while, as I had been running the business through an older company. Now, the photo business is officially Sport Dog Photography LLC. Nothing really changes for most of my clients, but it makes things easier for me, and adds a layer of protection.

The spring started off pretty typical with a few RGS events. It is always fun to get out int he field with old friends, and make a few new ones along the way.

Toward the middle of 2014, I was asked to shoot the 2015 Michigan Sporting Clays Championship, by Michigan Shooting Centers. It was great to be able to see some of the pros doing their thing on the course. It is hard to be creative when watching basically the same thing over and over, but those are the situations that make you better, and keep you thinking. I would love to pick up a few more events like this, in the future.

As fall approached, I had lined up a few different hunts, including my first waterfowl hunt. While grouse and upland hunting are what I love to do, I am also equally drawn to the duck blind. The nature of duck hunting lends to certain challenges for a photographer, but I welcome them all, and adjusted as needed.

Of course there is there is grouse season. And, while I may not get to hunt as much as I would like, I consider each step into the woods a blessing, and whether I am carrying the gun or the camera, I am creating memories.

This year was the first time that I decided to publish a calendar. I have toyed with the idea in the past, but wasn’t really sure who would want it. I created one this year primarily as a “thank-you” for some of my clients. I then put the remaining prints online for sale. To my surprise, I sold out in about a week. I have more in stock now, so if you are reading this and want one, I still have a few left. Below are some of the images in the 2016 SDP Calendar. Follow the link to purchase one for yourself.

And now, if you have been looking through this post only looking forward to this big secret project, well here it is. Since I started doing photography professionally, I have always told people that I don’t shoot wedding or babies. Well that still holds true for the most part. I prefer shooting events, dogs, and hunting. It’s what I feel I am good at, and what I have chosen to focus on. I was approached by a friend early in the year wondering if I would be willing to shoot her wedding. I said no, and gave them some options of other photographers that I feel do an excellent job of capturing weddings. Apparently she wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and eventually I agreed to take on the task. As I said up front, I think it is important to try new things as a photographer. It keeps your mind fresh, and makes you think beyond what your are comfortable with. So, that being said, I did it! They were looking for a photojournalistic style of coverage, and I felt that I could provide that. I will admit, when it come to posed shots, I struggled, but the rest fo the weekend felt pretty natural. I was honored to be a part of their special day.

Am I a wedding photographer now? NO. Would I do it again given the right circumstance? Maybe. Was I pleased with the outcome? Yes. So, you be the judge, or better yet, keep your negative comments to yourself…just kidding…sort of.

Ehde Wedding Photo Highlights

Thanks for taking a look at my year end review. I look forward to seeing many of you again in the coming year. I have a couple things already lined up for 2016, so if you are thinking of booking and event or shoot, please contact me soon. I am hoping for an even better 2016.

Important Changes for Sport Dog Photography

If you are not signed up to receive emails from Sport Dog Photo, here is the latest with some important information that you might be interested in.

Hi everyone-

Hope this email doesn’t find you going too crazy from this long cold February. A lot has been going on behind the scenes here, even though not much has been happing in the field, lately.

First off, if you haven’t heard, I have officially incorporated Sport Dog Photography LLC. It was a long time coming, but needed to happen. It really doesn’t affect too many people, but just less confusing than running everything through my old company.

Also, over the past couple years, I have been using a 3rd party website to sell images online. While it is convenient, and has quite a few options, it is not cheap. Between paying for the service, and the fees they charge, I came to realize it was costing me almost 50% of sales. I have also found some great partner labs that I now work with directly. They provide outstanding quality and great customer service. I also get much better pricing through them, which in turn allows me to adjust some of my pricing options. This brings me to the part that may benefit many of you. I will be closing down the 3rd party website by the middle of May. This means that all of the albums that I have made available over the past 3 years will be going away permanently. The benefit? I will be offering ALL images from events over the past 3 years at a substantial discount through the middle of May. Sure, it will mean a hit to me, but I wanted everyone to have a chance to grab any images that you may have previously put off purchasing. There are no codes or coupons. All prices are already cut. Many by as much as 50%.

Looking forward, I will be transitioning to new software built into my main website to display and sell images. This will allow me greater freedom to take care of the processing myself, and ensure higher quality, and a better customer experience. That being said, most of the old albums will no longer be available after May 20, 2015. Sure, I still have all those images locked away on hard drives, but there are over 12,000 images on the old site, and I just can’t get all those transferred over efficiently. I will probably post a couple of the more recent events, and will be putting all new events on the new platform.

I cannot thank all of you enough for the support of this venture over the past 3 years. I purchased the domain “www.sportdogphoto.com” on March 10, 2012. Since then, I have had the great pleasure of meeting so many of you, and getting to know your pets. I look forward to many more years of being able to serve you in various capacities.

Here are some links to help you get started. RGS Events HRC Events NSTRA Events ALPA Events UAD Events BDC Events There are a few more albums on there, including any private albums that you may have. All private albums will also be taken offline. Again, I do still have all of the images on file, they will just not be readily available after May.

Also, I just want to let you know that I am already booking events for this spring and summer. I only have a limited number of weekend dates available, so if you have an event coming up that you would like me to shoot, please contact me soon. I am looking forward to some new shooting experiences this year, and hopefully I can add a few more. If you would like to book a portrait shoot or private hunt shoot, I also have dates available for those as well. Just contact me and we can discuss the details.

Again, thank you to all of you for the huge support.

Dave

Pulling the Wool – Border Collies Working

Normally when someone wants shots taken of their dog(s), they are looking for your standard portrait, or a dog on point or some other creative pose. The reality is, most of my contacts are hunting dogs, and people want to remember their dog doing what it does best.

A couple weeks ago, I was privileged to be able to shoot a few border collies at work. These dogs live to herd sheep. If you have one, and don’t let it work out its natural abilities, you are doing yourself and the dog an injustice.

When I was approached about this shoot, I really could not wait to just go witness these dogs at work. Even had I not been able to photograph it, I still would have gladly made the trip to watch non-hunting breeds doing what they love to do. The first dog I got to watch was named Emmy. She is a ball of energy and she loves those sheep. She would barely approach me when I met her at her home, but once she saw me in the pasture, she decided I was alright.

It really was amazing to see a dog so dedicated to its craft, that it would barely take its eyes off of the sheep even for a moment. Even when taking a break, you could tell that she just wanted to get back to herding those sheep.

Well, it turned out that Emmy has a littermate sister that likes to work sheep as well, and with her came her brother and older sister who also wanted their time in front of the camera to show off their skills. I was more than willing to stay in the field and watch each dog put on their display of talent. First up was Wren. With the same energy as her sister, she immediately took command of the flock.

Next Moss hit the field. He immediatly made wide sweep along the border of the field to “sneak” up on the sheep. He is an incredibly intense dog, and kept his purposeful low stance the entire time.

Finally there was Abby. She is an older dog that moves a touch slower, but when she works the field, you would never know her age. She was the friendly one, and even came back to walk with me out of the field when we were finished.

This truly was quite the experience. I really hope I get the chance to go back and see it again. On a side note, it was humorous to watch all the cars along 119 pull off the road and get out and watch as each do worked the flock. I really can’t blame them, though.

The Klinefelter Boys

Today, I did some shots of the Klinefelter dogs. They are a diverse group of small dogs, with big personalities. Here are some of the shots. They live on a farm, and have all the space any dog could ever want. Check out their page here: Elk Island Winery. A few of the photos on the web page are mine.

I give you Oscar, Angus, and Macaroni

“The best of both worlds”…APLA Michigan

Up until a couple years ago, having a dog was never really that important to me. After all, I’ve been hunting for many years, and usually did just fine. I did know that if I were to ever get a dog, that I wanted a chocolate lab. I don’t really know why, but I just like them. Now that I have one, and one that likes to hunt, my outlook has changed. When I learned that there are labs that can point, that changed my outlook even more. To have a chocolate lab that will point…that’s the best of both worlds. I now have my sights set on a pointing lab, as soon as my dog has worked through his useful years. I’m in no rush to replace him.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to check out an APLA event, was to watch these dogs in action. It is also a good place to make some connections with people and trainers. The other reason… taking pictures of dogs doing water work is never boring. The sheer determination and enthusiasm with which these dogs perform, is inspiring.

On Saturday, I was invited to shoot the APLA Michigan hunt test, by my friend Dave. It was beautiful day to be out watching these dogs. The event was held at Omega Farms in Williamston, MI. Even with both man and beast present, there were wild ducks and geese flying past all morning. It is great natural setting for a dog test. The tests were held on several different ponds and fields that simulated hunting scenerios quite well. Because of the high level of certification that was at stake, I was not allowed to shoot the entire event, but I was able to grab some nice images. Below is a slideshow of the event. You can visit the full photo gallery HERE, to view and purchase photos, or use the menu above to search through sportdogphoto.com.
Enjoy.
Dave

Work in Progress

A Work in Progress

Like this website, my blogs are a work in progress. I am not the best a keeping a blog, but I have tried in the past, and will continue to do so as I find time. My first blog is all about Michigan’s great outdoors. It started as a blog to review michigan campgrounds, but soon took on new life forms, and now I cover all of my adventures around the state. You can read that here. http://michiganoutdoorexp.com. My most recent post is for Holiday Park Campground, located in Traverse city, MI. A great place, I might add.

I have decided to continue that blog, because I have already built content on it. It is a work in progress, and will most likely undergo a URL name change in the near future.

As for Sport Dog, I will keep a blog of the events that I attend and shoot. Probably not the most exciting reading, but it will be a way for me to add some back story to the photos that are posted on my site. If you just look at the albums, it may kind of all run together. Sometimes a picture is worth a 1000 words, and sometimes it may take a 1000 words to develop a picture. I appreciate you stopping by, and hope that you will continue to follow this blog for the latest news from Sport Dog Photography.

The Latest

Now, to the latest. I would like to expand my collection of fine art photo’s, and offer them for sale, at what I consider reasonable prices. I have looked at many art photographers works, and some of the prices are quite high. I understand…if you are making a living as an artist, the money has to come from somewhere. I am fortunate, and am not relying on that as my sole income. I am just hoping to share some of my art with others. I am also working on an art print that I will be offering for sale, with all of the profits going to a specific ministry. I would like to do this periodically, and hopefully benefit some groups that need it. In the mean time, check out my website, or you can see my other art prints here. Here is one that I have been working on lately. Enjoy.

-dave

Tag: Artist

I give you Oscar, Angus, and Macaroni

A Work in Progress

The Latest