Capturing The Perfect Shot -> Pet Portraits

With diffuse light I can really bring out the details in Polly's coat

Polly is a black mutt and from a photography point of view it I couldn’t have picked a harder subject. If you’ve ever tried to photograph a black dog you know exactly what I mean. In half the shots doggie comes out as an unidentifiable black blob, while in the other half the background gets so “blown out” so that all you can see is an alien white mass (with black blob in front).

But thankfully I’ve got a trick or two. This past week in the forest we’ve had the absolute perfect conditions (soft, filtered light and a neutral background) so I snapped up a bunch of Polly shots and decided to share some of my tips on the blog with another addition to my photography series. So, here ya go:

This was taken on a cloudy day

1/ Target Soft, Diffuse Light - I’ve always gotten my best pet shots in a soft, diffuse light.  Bright, direct light tends to bounce hard off shiny pet coats and ”blow out” the picture. It’s just far too harsh and the effect is even worse on dark-colored pets. A much better option is to find somewhere the light is filtered (e.g. through a window or under a forest canopy), or use very late evening or early morning light. Cloudy days are another great time to shoot. This kind of light will even out the coat and allow you bring out the details in your picture.

Sometimes you'll only get a second for that shot. My shutter speed was 1/200 here.

2/ Go Fast - Pets, like kids tend to move around a lot and sometimes it can be hard to capture the moment without blur. You best bet with pets is to go fast. So, set your camera to a fast shutter speed (around 1/200th is pretty good, or even faster if doggie is very active) and snap away. If the pictures look too dark I’ll usually up the ISO (to 400 or so), but I’ll always try to keep the shutter speed fast. On my Nikon SLR camera I use a simple fast lens (50mm f/1.8) for all my pet shots. On my point and shoot I’ll fix the shutter speed and let it chose the rest of the settings. Some point and shoots have a “pet” setting which does the same thing.

Getting those eyes is key. I used soft window light and a toy bribe for this shot.

3/ Get Those Eyes - One of the secrets to any kind of animal photography is to get the eyes in focus. The eyes are the window to the soul, and for pets in photos that certainly rings true. Even if the rest is out of focus, if the eyes are sharp the picture is really appealing. So, try to focus there and worry less about the rest.

Keep a simple background

4/ Choose a Simple Background - When you’re doing any kind of portrait work you want the focus of the shot to be on the subject. A busy background is always distracting, so try to choose a neutral or very clean background. For up-close work an even neutral-colored background works great (leaves, ground, wall etc.). For wider shots you can include some clean background (e.g. ocean, forest), but make sure the pet remains the main focus.

Get down into your pets' world

5/ Get Low and Close - Most of my best pet shots come from playing with perspective. So, I usually try to get down low and close to the pets’ level, or shoot from above or the side or below. Getting down low and close will get you more into your pets’ world and that’ll show in the shot.

Interaction with family can create lovely, intimate shots

6/ Cheat, Play & Bribe – I almost always bring treats or toys when I’m shooting pets. With Polly I’ve trained her to look at the camera, and get a treat for it, which helps to get that connection with the shot. You can dangle the treat right next to the lens as you’re shooting or get great “action” shots while your pet plays around with a toy. With the cats I’ll usually dangle a toy or treat. Interacting with people can create wonderful moments too, so bring in your other half to capture some family moments.

Snap away and you might get something unusual and fun

7/ Snap Away – In the digital age it’s so easy to snap away and I definitely encourage that with pets. Don’t be discouraged if your first shot isn’t any good. Just snap away and see what you get. Sometimes catching unusual moments (such as kitty yawning, or doggie laughing) can create really interesting shots and it only takes that one moment to get the perfect shot!

That’s about it folks. Got any tips of your own?

Spring Blooms In Summer

Blooms galore in the forest

So it’s officially the first day of summer, the solstice, the longest day of the year. Technically the earth’s axis is at exactly 23.4 degrees relative to the sun. Historically it’s a day of celebration, ceremony and fascinating pagan rites, but in Nina terms it means beautifully long sunny days and barefoot walks in the grass.

It’s the turn of a season and the beginning of a  fabulous new day.

Beautiful blue in the turf

We woke up in style to the most glorious of mornings, slightly on the chilly side but beautifully refreshing, and astonished to find the very first drops of rain this year had fallen in our forested “back yard”.

After I had peeled off the cat (who had hermetically sealed herself to me with the low temps overnight), and put the hair back on hubby’s chest with  an espresso so solid even a Turk would approve, I took pooch by the reins and bounded with youthful joy, or my best impression thereof, into the moist and fragrant forest.

A show of white for the morning

Ahhh to be a fawn of the forest, fairy of the trees and dryad of the greens. Doggie and I skipped with all abandon up the creek and immersed ourselves in the new scents of dew.

And then I noticed the blooms.

Not that I hadn’t seen them before, but on this day they seemed to shine particularly bright. As if on cue blooms of spring much delayed by drought and a long winter blanketed the forest for the first day of summer.

A dust of dandelion

We had a fine time pooch and I, out there by ourselves. I snapped up flower shots on my stomach while doggie bounded around with ever-hopeful thoughts of rabbits and squirrels. No locals were harmed and we returned with dignity intact to the campground. 

It may our last day in the forest, and the end of a very enchanted ride, but it’s the beginning of a whole new season and I, for one, am really looking forward to it.

NFS Campground Review – Columbine Canyon, Questa, NM

Enjoying a glass by the stream next to our RV site at Columbine Canyon

A lovely forest campground next to a running stream near Questa on the Enchanted Circle in NE New Mexico.

Link to campground here: Columbine Canyon, Carson Forest, NM
Link to map location here: Columbine Canyon, Carson Forest, NM

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Very nice site quality here, especially for a National Forest. All sites are paved with a good selection of larger and relatively flat ones. The entrance to the campground has a small circle of 8 large, perfectly flat open sites easily accessible to big rigs, but with limited shade/privacy. The remainder of the campground runs away from the main road up alongside a creek and has more private and dispersed forested sites of varying size/flatness. On left a selection of back-ins (#10-17 or so), with pull-throughs on right (#21 onwards), several of which can accommodate larger rigs. All sites have good separation, lovely “sitting areas” with picnic table and fire-pit, while some even have direct stream-access (e.g. #26/27). No hookups.
2.  Facilities = 2/5
   Very basic facilities here. There are several sets of pit toilets, kept nicely clean and several water spigots. Access to the stream and many (many) miles of hiking directly from camp. No showers or dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   Another lovely location. You are deep in the woods here, shielded from the wind and right next to miles of wonderful hiking. Short drive to popular Red River as well as to visit other sights (e.g. Wild Rivers BLM).
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Great pet playground. The stream provides wonderful refreshment, plus there are literally days worth of hiking in Carson National Forest on the trails directly from camp.

Overall Rating = 4
BONUS ALERT = Camp deep in the woods next to the calming song of a running stream!

Summary: There are 5 forest campgrounds on the Northern End of the Enchanted Circle between Red River and Questa, but Columbine Canyon is by far the most accessible, quietest and nicest in our opinion. Set beautifully in the forest right alongside a running stream, the campground has both fully open sites as well as more private forested sites. All are paved with good access, nice separation and a selection large and flat enough for bigger rigs. There are lovely “sitting areas” and even a few sites with direct stream access (we thought our site #26 by far the nicest of the lot). The surrounding area has plenty to do and see including Red River, Wild Rivers BLM and literally days worth of hiking (there is access to at least 40 miles or so directly from the campground). This is a typical primitive forest campground with no hookups and no dump station but it feels wonderfully peaceful and secluded. It also has full protection from those famous New Mexico winds, a rarity in the area. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would most certainly come again.

 Extra Info:  Verizon extended network with a few bars, so you’ll get a slow 1X connection, but no more. Sites cost $15/night (no hookups). All 27 sites are first-come-first-serve. Several on-site water spigots, but NO dump station.

Extra, Extra Info: More Remote? If you’re looking for something more remote El Aguaje Campground at Wild Rivers BLM has plenty of room for big rigs and allows camping right on the upper rim of the gorgeous Rio Grande Canyon for $7/night (no hookups). Very few people seem to go there.

Extra, Extra, Extra Info: Boondocking? There is aparently a lovely boondocking spot nearer to Taos off Forest Service road 9 at Cebola Mesa. Official RV size limit is 32′, but we weren’t able to make it over there to check if they take bigger. If anyone goes, let me know!

View from front of campground down right-side of loop. Pull-through #27 on left. You can just (barely) see our RV peeking out in pull-through #26 behind it.

Another view down campground loop from the upper side. Site #22 in front, with an RV in site #23 behind it.

Typical back-in site (#12 shown)

View down campground loop showing one of vault toilets and site #14 behind it

View from top of loop. You can just see site #17 hidden on left.

View of "circle" at front of campground with sites #1-8

View of one of large, spacious and flat back-in sites in lower circle. Site #3 shown.

View of our very spacious and private "sitting area" by site #26. Although you can't see it in the pic, the stream runs directly on the left.

The Ultimate RVer?

43 years in a Volkswagen Beetle...now that's what I call extreme RVing!

I often talk about the interesting and unusual people we meet RVing. Believe it or not, the folks who full-time RV are as varied and individual as the stars. We’ve met young couples in their 20′s, families with home-schooled kids, older people (up to late 80′s), artists, writers, geeks, individualists, professionals….and they full-time in all kinds of rigs anything from pop-up trailers to enormous 45-foot Class A’s with almost equally large trailers. In fact, the more your RV and get around, the more you realize that all kinds of people do this and just about anyone can live this lifestyle if they’re willing to be flexible.

We’ve been on the road for almost 17 months now and we pretty much thought we’d seen it all….until we met, let’s call her Doreen. She’s a quirky lady no doubt, and her lifestyle goes in the definite realm of alternative . For the past 43 years she’s been living out of her Volkswagen Beetle with no phone, no internet and just a few coolers of food and vitamins. We met her here in Columbine and got chatting about her life. Asked why she’s still in the same car she simply answered “well, I started out and just didn’t think of stopping”. She’s been just about everywhere (as you’d expect) and knows all the regular campground hosts by name. The ultimate RVer? I don’t know, but she sure puts RVing in a whole new perspective. Something to think about on a Sunday afternoon…

Finding Great Things to Do on the Road

A scenic shot from Wild Rivers BLM overlook at the confluence of Red River and the Rio Grande. A fabulous recommendation from our camphosts.

We’ve been very busy these past weeks exploring all the cool little corners of The Enchanted Circle NM. There is so much to see here, and so many interesting side-stories to discover. From hidden petroglyphs in the Rio Grande Valley, to the moving and beautiful Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the life-work of a father in memory of his son), stream hikes in Cimarron and Columbine Canyons, gold history in Elizabethtown, beer and music festivals in Red River (another one coming up this week-end) and wild, wide open views at Wild Rivers BLM (talk about remote!). It’s a wonder we get time to eat and sleep!

The very moving and beautiful Vietnam Veterans Memorial near Angel Fire, NM

Some time ago someone asked me on the blog how we find all these interesting spots. I do seem to have a happily gifted nose for good food and wine which, combined with a total lack of direction leads us into a plethora of unusual and fascinating areas. But, I also cheat a bit and figured I would share some of those ideas on the blog. So,with that said here’s my winning poker hand for finding great things to do on the road.

A restored wagon in Eagle Nest. We got tons of interesting history on the place from the Visitor Center and our neighbors.

1/ Go to the Visitors Center – Many major towns, especial those with a bit of a tourist bent have a visitors center, and if you get chatting you can find out all kinds of interesting things to see and do. They’re a great resource from anything from sightseeing to hiking and eating out.

2/ Talk to the Camphost – If you’re in a campground with a host, they’ll often be someone who’s very familiar with the area. As an example our current host here in Columbine Canyon Forest has been coming to this area for 40 years. Talk about experience! He gave us tips on great hikes as well as the remote (and totally amazing) Wild Rivers BLM. I always make it a point to chat to the host.

Hidden petroglyphs on the Vista Verde trail at Orilla Verde. We found them by chatting with the local Ranger about his favorite hike.

3/ Meet the Ranger - If you’re anywhere near a forest or BLM, the local ranger can be a wealth of information. Not only can they tell you about camping and boondocking spots, but they’ll help you root out some great hikes too. We met the lead ranger at Wild Rivers the other day who gave us all kinds of history on the area as well as the best place to remote-camp with the beast (it’s El Aguaje Campground in Wild Rivers, by the way -> *no-one* goes there). After an hour chat he even offered us a hosting job. We may well come back for that one!

The cute little ski town of Red River rocks it out with food, wine and music festivals throughout summer. A good tip from our neighbours.

4/ Get Friendly With Your Neighbors – I’m naturally a very sociable person and will usually stop to chat to neighbors in the campground. You’ll often meet people who are local or have traveled to spots you have yet to see. In Eagle Nest we met a couple who RV for blues festivals and that’s how we found out about the week-end gig at Red River. We also met Bob at the same campground…the guy who knows a guy who knows about the gold…you know…

5/ Go Online - The online RV forums are a *wealth* of information on RVing, but they can also be great resources for things to see and do. If I’m testing out a route or destination I’ll often ask on the forums. There are also a bunch of great websites including Roadside America, a fabulous resource for quirky and unusual attractions on the road.

Hiking to Gold Mountain in Columbine Canyon. A wonderful recommendation from our host.

Oh and if you’re wondering how I get all the cool low-down, apart from natural charm and bribes I ask two very simple questions…first ”What is your favorite thing to see/do/eat in the area?”…and second “Why?”. The lead-off question gets the info flowing, but the second question gets to the really juicy stuff. It’s an old sales-trick don’t you know, and it works every time. Got any tips of your own?