Gunner...

[rpcrowe]

Gunner is a rescue Maltese-Yorkshire Terrier cross sometimes nicknamed a Morkie...





Gunner's image has been on www.petfinder.com less than a week and we have received over thirty adoption applications. It's wonderful to have a selection of prospective adoptive families from which to choose for his new furever home...

[Donald]

Good one, Richard. Well done again.

[rpcrowe]

With this easy setup, I can pretty well mass produce these images for www.petfinder.com and for our website www.americanmalteserescue.org.

I use a reclining lounge chair as my shooting "table" and background holder. I drape a piece of fleece fabric over the back, the seat and the arms of the recliner. I once used only a 430EX flash bounced off the ceilng with a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro to modify he light. However, a while ago, I had a four CFL bulb daylight softbox set up for video work and decided to add that to my flash. The softbox light comes from above at the left of the image. I kind of like the extra light it throws on the background and the mixed light sources cause no problems.

I shoot at 1/60 second @ f/4 using ISO 160 with a 70-200mm f/4L IS lens on my 7D camera. I sit on a rolling stool so I can be down at the level of the dogs but still can move around.

The fleece is dirt cheap and I have several colors so I can choose which one I like for the dog. I was surprised that the red looked good for Gunner. I like a bright background because it stands out quite well on the website. Marketing is everything for these little dogs.

Here is a new rescue we just received. She is a small, young Maltese female who had some sort of trauma to her eye. The shelter did the surgery to remove the eye and spayed the girl. One of our fosters is now provinding post operative care. This is not my image but, was shot by her foster. She is being fostered in the Sacramento, California area. We have already received some preliminary adoption queries.



Her prognosis is excellent. Except for being one eyed, she will recover completely.

[Loose Canon]

Hi Richard,

Gunner sure is a cutie alright!

Just curious, though...

What is that light reflecting in his camera right eye?

Is that your softbox?

[rpcrowe]

Whops... I missed that. I think that it is corrected now...

[Soozie B]

ohhhhh Richard, Gunner is just delightful. And as for your little female Maltese, I wouldn't worry too much about her only having one eye.

Most humans suffer that affliction too - but just don't know it! (or is that terminology an Australian-ism?)

[HMW12]

More wonderful doggie pics. If you get tired of me saying that just let me know. Hope the little girl has a speedy recovery and finds her furever home.

[Maritimer1]

Wonderful as always. Until I started reading your threads, Richard, I didn't even know there was a Maltese breed rescue. You're definitely using your skills to help others, whether they are two or four footed.

[rpcrowe]

I was at a Shelter Partners meeting at the San Diego California Animal Shelter and the director said; "Don't worry about the adoptability of a dog with one eye. These dogs touch the hearts of people and they line up to adopt them."

We have found that to be the case. We have placed Samson, who has one eye. This photo was shot by Samson's furever mom!



And we placed darling Peli who has been blind since birth. The goggles are to keep him from scratching his eyes because we have a lot of ground cover roses growing on our property...



We are also getting a female who is blind from severe glaucoma as soon as the vet clears her for adoption...

[pinakibaidya]

Wonderful pics Richard.Your studio set up seems to me quite interesting.

[rpcrowe]

I used even a more simple setup for these shots. We were at an adoption event at a local pet supply store (Unleashed by Petco) and had our display under a white canopy. I simply covered a folding chair with one of my fleece throws and shot using a single 430EX flash bounced up into the canopy and modified with a Joe Demb Flash Diffuser Pro to get these shots of Payton; a rescue Maltese who was going home with his foster mom at the end of the event. Our organization has had this great little guy for only a week. He has a wonderful personality but was on a shelter's euthanasia list before we rescued him.







BTW: It was a successful trip! We facilitated four adoptions, including Gunner, the Morkie who started this thread.

[Loose Canon]

I'm sorry to have to be the one to inform you of this Richard, but that shot of Peli totally rocks!

Very cool in his hipster specs!

Congrats on the adoptions Richard.

[rpcrowe]

Thanks Terry,
He was our Christmas card illustration last year!

[pinakibaidya]

I feel sorry for Payton .Why euthanasia for this lovely dog?I am happy to learn that he has found his home.Richard ,if you don't mind ,how are you associated with your rescue centre?You are doing a very good job .