Posts tagged "photography"

Mark J. Asher has a way of getting not just the animal, but real emotion in his photography. He shoots dogs of all ages (in fact, he has a book of senior dogs called "Old Friends"), and the prints in his Etsy shop feature a range of funny, posed shots as well as candids with thoughtful quotes.

This week, one lucky Paw Nation reader will win the print of his or her choice from Asher's Etsy shop.

To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us which of the prints in Asher's Etsy shop is your favorite.

The comment must be left before 5 p.m. ET on Friday, June 4, 2010.

You may enter only once.

One winner will be selected in a random drawing.

One winner will receive a single print of his or her choice from Mark J. Asher's Etsy shop (valued at up to $25).

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete official rules. Winner will be notified by e-mail, so be sure to provide a valid address!

Like everyone else in the world, we can't take our eyes off Lady Gaga. Whether or not you like Gaga's music, her approach to costuming is positively captivating, and, in the case of pet photographer Jesse Freidin, artistically inspiring as well.

The San-Francisco-based Freidin has become an Internet sensation thanks to his recent work, "The Doggie Gaga Project." With the help of The Impossible Project, which provided him with two packs of discontinued Polaroid film, Freidin and a small team created Gaga-esque clothing for a variety of pooches and proceeded to photograph them. The result? Images as popular as the songstress herself. (Well, almost.)

Of course, the real stars of the shoot were a Boston terrier (named Pancake, pictured here), a Mexican hairless chihuahua, a shiba inu and two pit bulls. Pictures of these clothed canines (which, according to the press release, were neither harmed nor even irritated during the shoot) have found there way to Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, China and beyond. Want to get the latest news? You can become one of more than 700 Facebook fans of the Doggie Gaga Project or join the mailing list.

So tell us, do you dress up your pets? And do they seem to mind?

At Paw Nation, we share equal places in our heart for every breed, of course, but there is something particularly charming about the pug.

What is it about pugs that make them so darn cute? Ugh, that face! So wide, so full of life, emotion, and expression, the pug's face can say so much with nary a sound. Happiness, sadness, boredom -- it's all there, and photographer Jim Dratfield knows it well. The celebrity pet photographer and author of "PugShots" has returned with "PugNation", a collection of delicious photos that capture pugs in all their "quirky, bug-eyed, silly splendor."

An ideal coffee table book for the dog lover in all of us, "PugNation" does not disappoint. Dratfield's photos are both artful and thoughtful without ever feeling pretentious. It's clear that he is both great at what he does and exhibits a true appreciation for his subjects. Whether the pug is swimming, costumed, or nonchalantly chillin' beachside, the photographed pooches are a sight to behold, and Dratfield's gorgeous imagery details the evidence that the pug mug is, if nothing else, worth a thousand words.

What kind of pet owner are you if you don't have your favorite animal's image emblazoned on as many objects as you can manage? It used to be that you could get by using cute pictures of your dog as a screensaver. Nowadays, you have many more outlets for your pet's adorable mugshots.

Stained Glass Prove how much you revere your pets! Artist Holly Klay will turn your photo into a piece of stained-glass art. You approve the drawing ahead of time and then she gets to work. Depending on the size, they're about $300-$500.

Wildlife photog Steve Kozlowski recently got up close and personal with a spirit bear, the rarely-seen off-shoot of the American black bear population revered by native tribes in its home of British Columbia. The bear is, in fact, not albino, but merely the blondest of its kind.

"I emerged from my tent and was confronted with [it]," said Kozlowski. "The bear was startled and it charged at me over a log, its hair up, ears back, snapping its jaws.

Kozlowski escaped safely before setting up a hidden camera to take advantage of capturing the animal in its natural habitat.

And, yes, we know it's crazy, but how much do we want to give that big guy a hug? (...Okay, well when we really think about it...)

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