Adventures with puppies

Couldn't get much better than this!

Dream House Rescue saves dogs from kill shelters and the entirely-volunteer team fosters them until they are adopted at events! These dogs are fostered in home environments and socialized often. Every week they interact with volunteers at the adoption events, and meet new friends visiting the Petsmarts in Oakley and Tri-County.

This month, I started volunteering to take photos of the dogs for their Petfinder account that offers profiles on all the dogs being fostered by Dream House Rescue. I could not be more happy! I have met and photographed and fallen in love with 50 dogs so far.

Here are a few of my favorite photos of these cute pups:

Dreaming of Summer

Today was the first day in about a month that made me feel truly comfortable to be outside. So, I'm dreaming of Summer with a popsicle shop photo shoot! I started working for Kiki Magazine, a DIY/fashion publication for tweens and teens girls, and planning our June/July issue took me to Streetpops to photograph the store and owner.

It's a really awesome spot in OTR that sells amazing small batch gourmet popsicles. The flavors being made on the day I visited were raspberry lemonade and mango lassi.

I met Sara, the owner. She was kind enough to save a part of her popsicle-making routine for me to photograph: the pour!

Streetpops yet another breath of fresh air coming through OTR. I worked there for a couple years, and I loved seeing it grow around me. It's becoming an accessible, active community with art popping out its ears, and playful shops like this one springing up from the empty storefronts! Congratulations to Sara for winning Entrepreneur of the Year OTR award. I am glad to see her contributing her delicious talents to Main Street!

P.S. Streetpops is having an opening celebration on Friday, March 29 with a sweet photo booth, kickin' tunes and yummy popsicles! They'll be open Thursday-Sunday 1-6 in April. That sweet taste of Summer!

Digital photography: what the f-stop?

Last week I heard a startling statistic:

The most popular camera on Flickr right now is the iPhone. 

For a photographer who started off in film, gradually tested the waters of digital, and finally jumped in with an SLR, this is difficult for me to wrap my mind around. Don't get me wrong, as SLR-snobbish as I can be, I noticed the quality of Apple's phone cameras right off the bat, and even used my husband's iPhone to take all of our honeymoon photos (sand is NOT good for expensive cameras).

After receiving an iPhone 5 for Christmas, I am sold. It's no substitute for a real, 15 megapixel SLR with interchangeable lenses... but it gets the job done in a remarkable way.

I was tickled to discover the panorama feature, even though I was equally bummed that it distorts anything closer than a city skyline, and mutates people's faces into comically bizarre caricatures if you move the phone too quickly, or if the subjects moves during the exposure.

Still, it's a lot of fun, and that lazy part of me that doesn't want to carry a camera case with me everywhere I go is silently nagging at me to "just use your iPhone- it's got a camera too!"

Shut it, Siri.

Enjoy my iMadness!

Introducing the Lovely and Talented... Robin Hoskins!

I am so happy to be showing off this lady. She's been one of my closest, most supportive friends for 4+ years, and she's also one of the most talented and driven person I know.

She's an artist/teacher, just like me. I've watched her perform for Permafringe performance art projects during events like Second Sunday on Main, or Final Friday. She's diving into the Cincinnati art and music scene now, and I'm so glad she is such a dynamic a part of it. 

I was so happy when she asked me to take some headshots and full body shots for the acting and music video projects she's been getting into. I knew these shots wouldn't be your run-of-the-mill head and shoulders smile-for-the-camera type photo shoot. 

This girl busted out her belly dancing moves, and we even brought in props like a book on Delsarte Expression, a technique she discovered in NYC.

It was so much fun, and I think the photos turned out beautifully. 

Through November: Special Sunday rates for Seniors!

Special Sunday rates for Seniors!

To me, Fall is one of the most gorgeous seasons. The leaves provide an amazing natural backdrop, and the light is just magical. Sadly, it only lasts for a month or so... so it's the perfect time to schedule your senior photo shoot!

Every Sunday between now and the end of November, I'm offering a special rate of $150 for a one-hour photo shoot, producing 15 gorgeous, high-quality photographs delivered to you on a CD with full printing rights at any location of your choice (within a 25 mile radius of Cincinnati) I can also order prints for you, if you prefer. Photos will be delivered a week after your shoot date!

I am also accepting engagement and family portrait sessions.

Call or email me today to schedule your session, before November ends!
(513) 646-3119, or email burton.mindy@gmail.com.

Jammin'

My super-talented husband and his friends started a band a while ago, and they've been playing together at least once a week. I joined them the other day and shot some photos while they were jamming. They're looking for a vocalist, by the way, if you are great at singing, and love fast-paced rock/ska like the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Sublime.

Mountains!

I just took a fabulous trip to the mountains last week. First I went to visit my best friend Mere, and photographed some of her newest ceramic work:

Then we took a short trip to Asheville, NC, which is an amazing little town. It has an art gallery district (we had a little too much fun there, as you can see), and tons of sustainable businesses (although a few were the snotty kind... hate that). The people who live in Asheville were so nice, and the energy coming from that city was refreshing.

We got a lot of great recommendations from friends, because apparently everyone loves Asheville. We found a great local brewery called Wedge, which has AWESOME beer, and metal sculptures all over, including cool metal bar stools.

When I got home from driving back through the mountains, my hubby and I promptly drove back through those same mountains to the Smokies. We rented a cabin for a few days, hiked, ate too much delicious food, and soaked in the hot tub.