Visual Harmony Photography

HALO Rescues | Phoenix Photographer

Jill Flynn — Thu, 03 May 2012 01:32:30 +0000

I took photos for HALO animal rescue last Friday. HALO stands for HELPING ANIMALS LIVE ON. It was a fast and furious shoot that day. I was there for 4 hours taking photos for a project. Lots of things happening at HALO and as with all animal rescue organizations – the priority is saving animals and finding them loving homes. My heart breaks every time I take pictures for animal rescue. The stories of abuse and abandonment fills my eyes with tears and I lose faith in humanity. BUT my heart then soars when I see the kindness and love being given to homeless animals by “rescue people.” What a strange world … acts of cruelty and acts of kindness working side by side so to speak. Below are some of the dogs and cats looking for homes. They all have their own personality … some love to ham it up for the camera, some are shy and tend to look away, some are sad, some are unsure. For more information about the animals pictured below and many others looking for homes click here.

And from May 1 – May 31, HALO is offering a BACK in BLACK ADOPTION SPECIAL – Black cats $15, Black Dogs $25 (6 months and older). What do you say? Every family needs a classic black dog or cat enriching their life. I have two black dogs, Gracie and Rascal. Can’t imagine my life without them!

Dudley

Elijah

Joey

Zeke

Jane

Bliss

Cacti Impressions | Phoenix Photographer

Jill Flynn — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 01:44:30 +0000

Two of my favorite places to take pictures are the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior, Arizona. I know most people don’t think of the desert as being lush – but in the spring and fall, the desert is glorious and lush. Unfortunately, the majority of the time the sky is bright and sunny. Bright and sunny translates to harsh light, which is not ideal for taking photos unless you want to get creative with shadows or high contrasty imagery. So when the clouds roll in and act as a giant soft box and fill the sky with beautiful light, I’m off to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens or the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. I do a lot of private instruction at the Desert Botanical Gardens which means early morning sessions to take advantage of that magical morning light or on soft cloudy days. Desert gardens are fantastic places to learn composition and develop your eye. There are lines, patterns, textures, colors, contrast everywhere you look. I love taking students there and challenging them with shooting themes. It gets them seeing and thinking creatively. Below are a few photos from recent trips to the Botanical Gardens and Aboretum. I am working on a photography tip post and will use a couple of these pictures along with other pictures to illustrate a particular theme. Can you see what that is? And while most of these shots were composed with a shallow depth of field, that is not the theme.

Experimenting with camera motion blur. The tubular shaped cacti below were perfect for that. Attached a ND filter so I could slow down the shutter speed.

Dog Eyes | Phoenix Dog Photographer

Jill Flynn — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:04:33 +0000

The last post was dedicated to cat eyes. This post is dedicated to dog eyes. Dog eyes are very different from cat eyes. Dog eyes don’t have as much intricate detail as cat eyes do. Cat eyes are more exotic and mysterious while dog eyes are more vulnerable and open. No one does sad eyes like dogs. They are masters at it. I get goosebumps when an animal reveals himself or herself to the camera. It really is a magical moment for me. Below are some dog eyes that have captivated me over the years. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed photographing them.

Cat Eyes | Phoenix Pet Photographer

Jill Flynn — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:56:31 +0000

There is something so mesmerizing and beautiful about cat eyes. They remind of jewels full of intricate detail and rich color. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. And just like people, their eyes often do not match. One may be a little larger or be just “a little off.” Some cats have the classic cat eye shape that we know so well and others have round eyes. I hope you enjoy the selection of eyes below. I cropped the images tight to keep “all eyes on the eyes.”

And for all you dog lovers – I will be doing a post dedicated to dog eyes. Dog eyes are very different from cat eyes but equally beautiful and striking.

Lin Sue Cooney & Max | Phoenix Photographer

Jill Flynn — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:13:54 +0000

I recently took photographs of Lin Sue Cooney, News Anchor for Channel 12, and her dog, Max. Max is a bit shy, very mellow and one of the sweetest dogs I have photographed. Just like his mom, Lin Sue, he is at ease in front of the camera. I love capturing quiet moments. They are my favorite types of photos to take. It’s those moments that are the most intimate and revealing in my opinion. And when you have two subjects that are calm, relaxed and can ignore the camera so to speak, you can really capture some special moments.

I had a wonderful time photographing Lin Sue and Max. Lin Sue is as kind and generous as she is beautiful. Thank you Lin Sue for allowing me to photograph you and Max. It was a real pleasure.

Below are some photos from that session.

Pet Photo Sessions | Arizona Pet Photographer

Jill Flynn — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:27:30 +0000

It’s been awhile since I posted pictures from client photo sessions. I love client photo sessions because every session is unique and different. Some clients prefer outdoor portraits, some prefer lifestyle, some prefer studio style and some like artsy/moody portraits. Below are photos from recent client shoots. I think it’s an eclectic mix of portrait styles as well as dogs. No cats this time around. A couple cats are on the schedule for next month though. Photographing pets is great therapy for me and I love every minute of it.

I hope you enjoy looking at the eclectic mix of fantastic dogs below. And many thanks to the humans for the opportunity. It was a pleasure photographing your dogs!

Roxanne

Heidi

Duncan

Zoey and Ziggy

Sammy

Callie

Friends for Life Rescues | Pet Photographer Phoenix

Jill Flynn — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:07:23 +0000

I recently photographed over 50 animals at my last visit to Friends For Life Animal Rescue. I was in a green mode when I photographed the dogs. It’s the second time I used a green backdrop to photograph dogs. I read that the color green is both a healing and calming color. The walls in my doctor’s office where I am getting my treatments are painted a soft green. I think there is a lot of truth to the psychology of colors. Below are some doggies working the camera “on the green.” I also photographed several cats during that visit. The cats are housed in different rooms, so I just went with the flow and photographed them where they were the most at ease and comfortable. All of the animals pictured below and many more are available for adoption at Friends For Life Animal Rescue. When you adopt a shelter animal you free up space so another one can be rescued. Most of the animals are rescued off the street and from euthanasia lists from other animal control facilities. They each have their own story of how they came to the shelter. To find out more information about the animals pictured below and many others available for adoption through Friends for Life, click here. Please ADOPT don’t shop and save a life!

Rhea

Mr. Timbers

Lilo

Snowball

Yeagermin

Buster

Fancy

Daydreamer

Cider

Annabelle

Bugsy

HALO Cats Looking for Homes | Phoenix Pet Photographer

Jill Flynn — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:42:47 +0000

My last blog post featured dogs available for adoption at HALO Animal Rescue, so this blog post is dedicated to the fantastic felines available for adoption at HALO. All of these photos were taken at the HALO shelter. This is just a handful of cats looking for homes – there are many, many more. To find out more information about these cats and other cats available for adoption, click here. No home is complete without the presence of a cat. I don’t know how many times I have heard people say – “I am not a cat person.” Then they get a cat and wonder how they lived without one. And here is some cat trivia for you courtesy of Freekibble Kat – A Japanese myth says that cats have the power to turn into super spirits when they die. I know I am one of the lucky ones because I share my life with many super spirits, both past and present. I could not imagine my life without a cat curled up on the bed beside me …. such bliss!

Arugula

Rutabaga

Van

Mozart

Trapezius

Kobe

Cauliflower

HALO Dog Rescues | Phoenix Pet Photographer

Jill Flynn — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:38:17 +0000

I recently photographed dogs at Maricopa County Animal Control West for HALO rescue. Halo rescues dogs off euthanisia lists and other places and keeps them at this facility until there is room for them at the HALO shelter. Seventy percent of the dogs they rescue are pit bulls and chihuahuas. When I left I had to walk by the other wings at Maricopa County Animal Control … so many broken dogs staring as I walked past, many of which will be put down. I lost it and fell apart in my car afterwards. Animal rescue people are truly unsung heroes. They see this plight every day. They are compassionate souls with an unbelievable fortitude. It’s not about feeling sorry for animals, it’s about saving animals – and that is exactly what they do. I salute all my animal rescue friends and am here to take pictures as long as you need and want me to.

Below are photos of some of the dogs I photographed for HALO that day. I photographed over 50 dogs. We only had a small area outdoors to photograph the dogs, but with patience and lots of love, the volunteers and I got the job done. Click here for more information about these dogs and other animals available for adoption. I also photographed cats for HALO and will do a separate blog post about them in a few days.

Please ADOPT don’t shop the next time you are ready to add a pet to your family. Visit your local animal shelter and save a life. There are terrific animals all over the world just waiting to enrich your life!

Eyore

Shultz

Maci

Memphis

Caldwell

Amiah

Snookums

Yvonne

Flora

Pimpin

Essie

Birds of a Feather | Arizona Photographer

Jill Flynn — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:57:06 +0000

Yep, birds are dazzling and they are the closest living thing related to dinosaurs. Most researchers support the view that birds are a group of theropod dinosuars that evolved during the Mesozoic Era and yes even “feathered dinosaurs” have been found. Thank you Wikepedia.org for that information. For a fascinating read, check out the Origin of Birds on Wikipedia. With that said, below are a few birds I photographed. Got a little crazy on the second photo – used motion blur and the reflection of a group of flamingos in the water to create an impressionist photograph if there is such a thing. Hope you enjoy the colors, feathers and birds - and maybe you can see a hint of their great ancestors in a couple of the photos.

Flamingo Tango

Flamingo Impressionism

Guinea Hen ~ It looks like she is wearing an Elizabethan gown.

Duck Meditation

Bird Feathers

The Long and Winding Neck