Who is Ben?

It has been brought to my attention that everyone knows Hope. Everyone who lives within the three square miles that surrounds my house, that is. Everyone knows Hope because she gets out. Sometimes with me dragging behind her, sometimes on her own. She is hard to keep contained. She is a runner. She is the one I get phone calls about. She is the one that sasses me for leaving her behind the minute I return from anywhere. Everybody knows Hope, but Ben, “who’s Ben and when did I get two dogs?” is a question I hear a lot now that we are all out walking together.

Ben is my good boy. Ben is the one I don’t complain or worry about.

Why Celebrate Ben? Because, it’s his birthday! He is 10 years old!

Ben is like my middle child, though he is the oldest. He is the one most often overlooked. He is not the alpha dog, never has been, never will be. I have a daughter and she comes first. I also have Hope, the baby of the family. She is high maintenance. She is a runner, an escape artist and the hardest dog I have ever trained. Hope is like a cat. Hope is sometimes a pain. Everyone either knows Hope, or knows about her. But this is not about Hope. This is about Ben.

Ben is my good boy. He is sweet, and at one time was my baby when I could have no other. You see my husband had always wanted a lab. I had my dog, and he wanted one of his own. He wanted a lab. As we drove to the humane society to “take a look” I laid down the law. I didn’t want a chocolate, and I didn’t want a male. I didn’t get want I wanted, I got what I needed.

I will fully admit that for a split second I considered returning him. When I realized he was mixed with pitbull, I cried. How could I trust that kind of breed around children, but how could I send him back, I loved him. So I did my research and signed him up for every training and socialization opportunity I could find. I did my part and Kelsey did the rest. She was our alpha female and she taught Ben what I couldn’t.

Someday I should dig out the blue ribbons we won in our training classes for his agility training. The only word I have to explain the way we burned up the coarse is TRUST. He never hesitated when I asked him to do anything. The darkness of the tubes, the height of the ramps never slowed him down. If I called, he came.

Ben is my napping partner; he keeps my feet warm in the winter; he hogs my pillow and he snores like a train. He steals food off the counter and gets in the trash. He is not perfect, but he is ours and as much as I love him and he loves me I know I am not his favorite, the girl is. And that is the way I like it.

I promissed Ben I would not embarrass him by showing all the photos of him dressed up, just know this boy has taken his share for the team and the girl.

Happy 10th Birthday Ben!

Photo Copyrighting

My friend and fellow Bella Baby photographer, Carrie Lee Miller wrote this great article on copyrighting. Clients often ask me why the logo is placed on my images and Carrie gave a great answer so I’m passing it on!

Copyright… Michigan Children Photographer

My post today is intended to educate my clients and friends about a very sensitive subject amongst photographers and artists… the ownership of our work. I know that the topic of copyright is easily ignored and most likely not understood. Because of this I feel that giving my clients the proper education on the topic will help clear the air so that issues do not arise. This post is also intended to educate my fellow photographers that may or may not be aware of the importance of copyrighting their own works of art. Because essentially, that’s what every photograph we take are, our own interpretation of the moment, a little tiny piece of our heart, a precisely calculated and well thought out piece of art.

This topic can be sensitive because artists tend to feel like we are have to constantly defend our work and our right to make a living doing it. It’s also sensitive in a more painful way because we form such a close bond with our clients, to where they feel like family, and it’s hard to imply and discuss a Copyright Policy amongst family.

I cannot lie, I have had a handful of issues with copyright but I would like to believe that it is largely to do with the lack of education on the topic….hence, the reason for this post. Thankful I have never had issues with image theft, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t happen. It happens far more than you would imagine and it has happened to photographers in my circle of friends. Last year I read a story about a US family who had learned that their Christmas card photo has turned up in a Czech advertisement. I won’t link the story here due to the same copyright laws, but if you are curious just search on “Family Christmas Photo Czech Ad” and you can read about it for yourself. Imagine their shock! The members of this family were not models, there was nothing out of the ordinary with this image… it was just a nice family picture.

This story, plus the stories I have heard among the photography community made me realize that the watermarks I place on images for my blog and on Facebook must be there each and every time and must be prominent. I watermark all images I post on the web for my clients. In the past, I have not done this with images of my own family and children, but I have changed that now. I have struggled with the decision of where to place the watermark, how large to make it, what opacity to use because I didn’t want to risk taking away from the image. But I know now that it is my job as a professional photographer to protect myself and my clients from this sort of thing. So as before and continuing, any images that I post on the world wide web will be watermarked and will most likely not fit your description of being discreet. You may want to think about this yourself. Marking the images you upload to Facebook, Myspace, Flickr or personal blog. You never know who might be right-clicking to save your face to their hard drive.

Now for the part where I educate you on the legal side of this. When I started my business I was less than aware of the copyright laws. I knew they were there but I had to do some research to learn more and totally understand how it works and why.

Thanks to the Federal Copyright Act of 1976, a photograph is protected under copyright the minute it is created within the camera. That copyright remains in effect for the life of the artist plus 70 years, unless she legally relinquishes her copyright. Without express permission from the artist, it is illegal to scan, copy, reproduce or alter her photographs in any way. This includes saving an image from the artist’s website or anywhere else she has posted her work, to use it on your own website, MySpace or Facebook page, etc. It also includes scanning prints you have purchased and reproducing them in any way.

You may ask, “But if I pay the photographer to create portraits of my own child or family, don’t I own those images?” Quite simply, no. When a photographer creates an image of your child during your session, she owns the copyright to each and every image. By purchasing prints or other artwork created with the images, you have permission to enjoy the images in your home or office, or share them with family. You do not have permission to copy those images. This includes home scanners and printers, or photo stations at drug stores and other printing stores.

“But what is one little scan going to hurt? I invested a lot of money in my session.” I am always thankful for each and every one of my clients, and I appreciate the value of the investment you have entrusted to me. Photography is not only my passion, it is how I support my family. I have chosen this career because I am passionate about it and love it. I am very grateful that I can enjoy my work, but I also work to pay the bills. My income is a necessary part of our family’s budget. Just one or two people scanning may not impact my business, but imagine if it were more than a few? What if several clients purchased just one 5×7 of their favorite image, scanned it, and printed 8×10s at their local drug store to give to all their relatives. That would start to cut into my income, which would in turn influence my prices as I would have to make up for that loss in income. Scanned images also devalue my work, as the scans will most likely result in poor quality reproductions of the image. This impacts my reputation as a photographer, which also impacts the health of my business. Photography is hard work. It’s not as simple as clicking a button. It requires skill and care. Not to mention the cost of good camera equipment and the time it takes after the button is pushed to create the final image you see.

“Can I purchase the rights to the images?” The answer is yes you can purchase the right to duplicate the image, but no, you cannot purchase the complete rights. If you purchase a digital image from me, you are not purchasing the copyrights to the image. I am not giving up any of my rights as an artist. Instead, you are purchasing a license which allows you to reprint the image for your own personal use (or for business use, if and only if that is part of the license agreement). You may print enlargements, holiday cards, post it on your personal blog, etc. because my license gives you permission to do so. I still own the creative rights to the work, which means you may not make any profit off that image commercially, present it as your own work, or make artistic alterations to it.

I post images I create on my blog and on my Facebook page for several reasons. I want my clients to be able to share the images with family and friends. They love the images and want the share them with the world and who am I to say they can’t. I post the watermarks on the images for your own protection as well as mine. I also post the watermarked images for advertising purposes. If someone happens to see your image through Facebook or a google search and likes it, I want them to be able to know where they can find similar work for their own family. I do not do this because I am arrogant and feel my work is something worth stealing. I hope that know after reading this you have a better understanding of my reasoning. This is just the best way to protect everyone and it is my policy and #1priority when posting to the internet… you can never be too careful.

I’d like to close this sensitive post with a warm thanks to my clients, friends and family who have been so supportive and respectful of my work as an artist. I am truly blessed with some of the best clients and am extremely thankful that the clients who choose me understand and appreciate what I do and how I choose to run my business. Thanks for reading, I hope you’ve learned something without me boring you to death.

Seeing Ghosts

It has been four years this spring sense I lost Kelsey to old age. She was a month shy of turning 14. They say that is old for a large breed, I think that’s just getting started. We have had what some would call our replacement dog for three years now. I was never under the illusion that Hope could or would ever replace Kelsey. Hope was added to our family to help fill in the gap in Ben’s life, he too was lost without Kelsey and not so good at hiding it.

Hope is starting to live up to her name and lately I am finding that more and more she is showing signs of being a good dog. I have a soft spot in my heart for old dogs and Hope being part Husky I know it would take at least four years or more to settle into herself, but it is coming.

Today more than ever I’m hopeful, because today I finally have to admit ….

They kind of look alike.

Kelsey’s shoes are too big to fill and it would not be fair to ask that of Hope, but I did like that when I walked past the sandbox today that Hope was laying in Kelsey’s spot. I had to do a double take before I realized that I was not seeing ghosts. I have Hope.

The dog sitter

What was I thinking…?

As any parent will tell you, spring is a crazy, busy time of year. Winter sports are wrapping up and spring sports are starting so of course they overlap, and most of us are being bombarded with info on summer camps. I’m not ready to think about summer camps- I just want to get through this week!

It really has been a zoo of a week. As I drove across town to let my friend’s puppy out, I kept thinking to myself, “why did I say yes?!” I said yes because I know he would do it for me, so I went, and while I drove I was calculating just how long I had to stay.

It is funny how the universe gives you exactly what you need, though often times we speed right by it. Spending one on one time with Maggie away from my home, my work, my life and its demands was exactly what I needed. I just didnt know it. I had my camera, the light was perfect and I had a willing subject to shoot for no one and no reason other than I wanted to. This is why I became a photographer, this is the way I see. This was a great way to spend some time and as a bonus I will have the perfect birthday present for my friend this year!

Who knew what I needed was to play fetch with this sweet girl to catch my breath and remember what’s important.

Thanks Maggie, I needed that!

Photographing your own children

Earlier in the week I was at a photo seminar where the speaker talked about how hard it is to photograph your own children, thus the need for professional photographers.

As hard as it is, it is not imposable. In our house it needs to be on her terms. Earlier this morning I asked my daughter if I could photographer her as we will be celebrating her birthday this week. I got the look… OK not today, I know not to push.

Later when she returned from her soccer game I asked her to sit for me so that I could test the lights, this is what she gave me…

I could not ask for more!

Who wore them??? Contest

Correctly guess who wore these red boots to the last Leeper Photo Head Shot Party for a chance to win a professional photo session of your own. Clues will be given daily on the Leeper Photo fan page. You can enter as many times as you like. One winner will be randomly drawn from all the correct entries. To enter, email the name of the person who you think wore these boots along with your name and contact number to Melissa@LeeperPhoto.com

The winner will be selected Wednesday April 28th, so enter now, enter often.

Laura C. – Interior Designer

Ann – Head Vet, Detroit Zoo

Nancy – Engineer

Heather – Writer

Julie – Writer

Laura – Personal Assistant

Margie – Artist

Renee – Recruiter

The Hardest session I have ever had.

I woke up this morning all excited about my shoot, certain that it would be worth blogging about. I just know I would come up with all sorts of cleaver things to write. I would be witty, I would speak from experience, I just knew this was going to be fabulous. What I did not know was that this shoot above all others would turn me into a blubbering mess.

I photographed Jasmine 12 years ago. She was one of my first studio dog sessions. She is now 14 and she came back to me. I cant help but thing, I have been doing this a long time. I have been doing this a life time… and somehow that hurts.

I can think of no words that would do this justice. I will say I am completely humbled that someone out their thought enough about me to trust me with this incredibly important task. I only hope I did this relationship justice. Either you get it, or you don’t. Words can not explain, maybe photos can….

Thank you Beth, I am truly honored.

The future looks bright!

My head is still groggy with sleep but my mind keeps returning to last nights photo shoot. I have been affected in ways I have yet to understand, I woke up taller and hopeful.

When Mikhail walked into my studio last week to meet me and discuss his upcoming senior session I was meeting a polite, handsome boy. Not unlike many of the seniors I meet. I don’t believe anything substantial has changed for him over the last week, but when I met him on the football field last night for his photo session, I meet a different person.
I have never been much of a football fan and I don’t believe it had anything to do with being at my own alma mater. Although the field looked greener than I remember (MP informed me that it is now turf, silly me), something was defiantly different… it seemed more alive, electric even.

It did not take me long to figure out that the energy was coming from Mikhail, he was more alive, he was electric, he was home were he is king. Being on his home field was where he shine and it came across in his images. His energy, a gift I am convience he got from his mother is contagious. Being with the family, this woman who is raising the next generation son, and daughter gave me hope. Our future truly is looking bright. And I am certain I was walking a little taller as I steped off the field last night.

The smell of small engines

I have heard it said that certain smells can trigger a memory. For me the smell of small engine exhaust will always remind me of my dad. Not any one particular memory, just that is the smell I will always associate with him from my childhood. It seams that for every season their was a small engine that was in need of repair. For summer, my brothers mini bike, grandpa’s motor for his fishing boat,or the lawnmower. In winter it was a series of second hand snow mobiles that were constantly in need of repair.

I have just come in from snow blowing. My snow blower is second hand, ridiculously hard to start, and really too small for Michigan winters, this storm in particular. Once I finally got that first puff of black smoke to raise, and the engine to turn, it was almost like dad was standing over my shoulder. He is not, he is in Texas enjoying his retirement as it should be. His is the generation where a man desired a son to follow his footsteps. My dad didn’t get that, instead he got me and today I think he would be proud.

Creative Commitment

Like most things in my life, if I don’t write it down, it does not happen. Like most New Years resolutions the one I make annually new really takes shape. This year, I’m trying somthing new. I have it on the calender, but other than that I have given it no direction, no rules. Compleate and utter freedom to finish nothing. In years previouse my ambitions, goals were too big, unrealasitic. All I want to do this year is change a habbit. I want to make it a habbit to be creative.

So this morning, with cup of coffee in hand and butterflys in my stoach I sat down at the computer looking for insperation. A friend had sent me a link to a blog where the women was trying to get dressed more often. Her habbit to break was getting out of her PJ’s why anyone would want to break that kind of habbit is behond me, but I’m not here to judge.