I've been pretty busy in the past couple of weeks working like mad behind the scenes trying to get images loaded into my new photo website. This site has been a long time coming, and it feels good to have it underway. I won't say "to have it done" as it will continue to be a work in progress, but at least I now *have* a website with a substantial number of my images loaded, and more being put into the system all the time. I started this blog over a year ago so that my photos would have some sort of presence online until I got a website up. Add in at least a year before that of dithering about a website, and you start to understand why I'm happy to be where I am with it now. I had a couple of false starts with web designers, the last of whom (as he was ditching me for a bigger client) said that he really thought I should think about the Smugmug option for photo display, since it could be customized and was designed with photos in mind. I resisted this for quite a while, but eventually looked a little further into the options and had to admit he was right. I signed up for a free trial website, looked at the instructions for customizing, and was ready to throw in the towel again and just give up totally. I got far enough, though, to figure out a couple of things that gave me hope.
One was that if I could get the site set up to my satisfaction, the plugging in of photos and text was actually pretty easy. The second, and key thing, was that by going onto the Smugmug forum, I discovered there were people on tap who could be hired to do the actual customizing. This was the information I needed, and in short order I was working with Jerry Roek, one of the "customizers for hire". His style of communicating with clients was one that I could relate to. He gave very clear email instructions and directions in concise point form. "First you need to do this, then do this, then that..." For some reason this was exactly the right approach for me. I felt like I was doing my homework, but it was never overwhleming, too technical, or more than I could handle, and in short order and without too many stumbles, we had the site ready for me to start entering visuals and information. Which I continue to do, on a daily basis. So if you have the time and the inclination, check it out at www.judywoodartphotography.com
There is also a link at the upper left of the main blog page which will stay there for future reference.
Today's shots reflect a bit of my past week, which other than the weather being a bit nicer was much like most of my other weeks of late--horse and dog photos in some of my usual locations. Ho hum. Guess the only different thing of note is that I inadvertently did something while composing this to split the photos above and below the text and I can't figure out how to get it back the way it usually is, so I'll just go along with this format.
The top two shots were ones I got this afternoon when I went out to Ebon by way of my favorite herd. Thought there might be some good visuals as it was quite foggy all day, but it wasn't that exciting. Tonight the air is just saturated with moisture, so we might get some nice frost tomorrow. We'll see. I was heading back towards the car when I heard an odd noise and there was one of the barn cats boogeying across the snow to come and visit me. This was the first time I've seen this cat away from the buildings, and it caught the attention of the horses as well. The young palomino mare in shot two was quite taken aback at the cat rushing about in a location where he doesn't usually appear. Then when I knelt down in the snow to pet him, she just couldn't believe what she was seeing. She was looming right over top of us with her eyes practically bugging out on stalks. Too funny. Guess it's been a slow week for the mare herd and any excuse to be amazed will do.
The remainder of the shots were taken at Ebon a few days earlier. Terry does all the starting of the young horses, driving them in long lines with a saddle on, to accustom them to the feel of saddle, bridle and reins, and to teach them about going where they are asked to go even if it doesn't seem to them like a very good idea. For better or worse, part of being a good saddle horse is learning to follow instructions. In this shot, they are working on their "nose in" parking technique between two vehicles.
While they were working on their concerns, little Murphy (who handles greeting clients and rodent control at the stables) was also out front having a happy play with his beloved frog. Poor frog has been pretty well eviscerated and loved to death, but he hangs in there for play sessions.
Final shot is of one of the Ebon mare herd, who came over to peer through the chewed out hole in the fence between her turnout and that of the gelding group where I was lurking. I liked the compositional elements of this shot, the textures, and the quality of light.
