I’ve gotten my first Urma book recently and I can’t let it go from my - Page 2

That is so awesome that they are coming! This will perhaps ever be worth the drive all the way to Pittsburgh with my dogs! They make the best portrait/stack photos I’ve ever seen. Dawnmarie, I enjoyed your photos very much, and there are many excellent ones, but they are from a different category than Urma pix. They are more like newswire shots, but I am talking of a picture that I would like to frame and to put on my wall! Great job anyway.

Thank you Janis and Makosh, guess my point was lost in the hostilities of the message. I thank the Keystone Buckeye club for bringing such a great event such as NASS 2005 to us and to be able to bring such a great photographer such as Urban to the Show. This is the grand premier of the Sieger Shows for the United States and should have the "best". It is so easy for anyone and everyone to hang a camera of their neck and claim to be good but I think that we all know better. And I think that the idea of "Papparazi" offends everyone because they seem to feed off someone else's freedom. If you are at an event and someone asks you to take pictures that is one thing but when you infringe on an event with your camera and then publisize the pictures, I think you have crossed the boundry. And I do not believe that you have the right to publisize the pictures of anyone else's dogs on your web for gain without their permission. Just my own personal opinion.

Elizabeth, in this day and age of digital photography, even *I* can take good shots! Well, 1 good shot out of 100 . When Urban was at NASS2002, Steve and Connie set up the "photo area" to his direction. A mown area, with trees in the background, no vendors nearby, no podium, etc. It's the cleanness of the background that are the hallmark of the Urma shots... no handler, no distraction of anything, just the pure dog in the photo. Yes, stacked shots do not tell ALL the story, gaiting shots are nice too... but there is simply something breathtaking about a beautiful dog in a beautiful photo JUST STANDING THERE. IMO, anyway. JDN - US

Personally, I don't think an amatuer with a good camera can take consistently good snaps. I for one have failed despite spending a small fortune on buying a professional range canon. I am taking classes now. In otherwords, only James bond can fly to the moon on his first try with a space craft!! In my opinion, URMA snaps are the best by far. However, I do think that a few of our American photographers can match them . I have seen some brilliant snaps taken of AKC show dogs by American photographers, which would compare favorably with URMA snaps. Dawnmarie's site clearly says she is not the official photographer, and also points to the official person. IMHPO I don't think boundaries were crossed.

hmmm - can even non entered dogs be photographed??

Elizabeth... pplmao you are a trip i cannot wait to meet you one day! on the flipside... ok.. now i dont know if you are old enough to work... but if so, did you ever have a job where you felt worthy of the position, that you feel you do the best job you can? if not, then i guess i will have to understand your self righteousness... but perhaps if you listened instead of judging.. you might understand the real world :) HOWDEDO, yes i do that and i even refer clients to wait until they see the officials photos as well because the angle they have inside the ring is better sometimes.. and when i am the official, and someone is on the outside... perhaps they do the same... i dont know, it doesnt really bother me because if someone else captures the dogs trueness and heart, thats what counts. Is about taking photos from the heart... its not about money, if it was.. i should be rich.. but i am not, i used to give all my creations away because i took many candid shots and these were the photos the officials didnt take.. they were the dog making a certain "Regal" look or them being silly or looking serious where you can feel what they feel.. ya know what i mean? i have so many pictures of show dogs being "pets" and i love those pictures more because they show the "real" dog.. the dog that loves its human pack.. the dog that is loyal and shares unconditional love. and this is the photo folks yearn for when they lose their loving animal. thats why i started taking professional photos because i had my first GSD that died at only 15 months old of a very tragic illness and i didnt have any good pictures of him.. His show photo was terrible... because i didnt know to groom him quickly for the picture.. i would always hear breeders say "GOD i wish i had a picture of my dog just being himself" so thats what i started to do and love doing more than taking "show" stuff...well i try to combine the both :) Anyway, Yes there are alot of photographers at AKC shows that do really well... i learned from a man who is now in his 80's and is still taking pics. I am hired by alot of the local clubs, but i ask them to be sure to ask him first because he has been loyal to the breed for over 50yrs and although they feel his eye isnt as good... its still respectful to ask him. I wont do the shoot unless he declines... i may lose out but its the respect i have for him. Same thing with the Regionals, although i dont have to ask, i asked the photographer, Michael if he minded if i took shots of dogs for my friends and associates outside the ring and he basically saids its fair game... go for it. I actually showed him some of my moving shots from NASS and he was very impressed.. and although typically humble.. i have to say... its a little more than luck with me lately.. because i am learning each dog how to capture the moving shot.. its timing and knowing when to click. It used to be luck Its very difficult for children to understand the concept when they can only go through life being guided by their "sources" and you are correct HOWDEDO, its not as easy as everyone thinks as Liz says because if it was.... everyone would be doing it :) Sorry Janice i thought you were venting that you were not able to get any good shots. Regards, Dawnmarie

Oh Dawnmarie, you missed my point completely. If you put any photos on your web it should be with the permission of the owner (I am not talking only of the NASS shots). If you do put one of you photos on your web and it is less than a compliment of the dog, then you have reduced the value of someone else's asset. Final word is that it is best to advertise only what you yourself own.....Seldes, Loving, Brown and even Urban get "permission" to exhibit their work (not to mention that their reputation speaks for itself after many years of "proving" themselves). HOWDEDO, keep in mind that you could become a victim of this reckless freedom to post pictures of your property in the future. With that thought, I bid you good night.

Your point on the privacy part is well taken, elizabeth.

Elizabeth, Norman doesn't have a website if he does he didn't tell me i talk to him ALL THE TIME lol. Gimme a minute here, i have to process this. While you are looking down at me and my alleged bad doings, its ok for YOU to outright bad mouth people and breeders that you have NO PERSONAL CONTACT with or ever met, or have any first hand real proof of negative things they did wrong, and do this on this public board, and continue to go by your "statistics" and continue to judge them and degrade their kennel or training ability or club affiliation, etc...to potentially mame their reputation and livelihood, but its not ok for me to post complimenting photos of dogs whose names are NOT even on the page anyway? not to mention the stud dogs have FREE recognition from the photos and potential Stud service and they may never even know how the person learned about the dog IF they even get to find out who the dog is???? Sure if they have a catalog they will know, and if they have a catalog then they were at the show and there isnt hiding ANY THING if you were at the show you already saw the dog. You have a serious hard on here, and you are just not getting it... i dont know if its because you have nothing better to do than try to drum up some negative things about someone you DONT EVEN FREAKING KNOW, i try to be nice.. because thats how i am.. but you are like a gnat that wont go away its getting really annoying. i really am not trying to hurt your feelings but i have to be honest here. there are many causes out there i sincerely feel you would be good at helping.. how bout RESCUE.. they need devoted people like you... i am very serious here.. why not help there where its needed. People whose dogs i take loving photos of can handle themselves. They all have my email its there for them to email me. you are like some unnecessary vigilante!!!!! why are you wasting time with this crusade???? for real i honestly dont want to sound mean.. but there are homeless dogs dying and inneed of RESCUE transports... why not help there... thats something to be proud of. I do them all the time.. yes it takes a toll on the heart but its helping where helping is needed. Are we done yet? Email me any time if you have some serious concerns about my ethics. vonwymargsd@optonline.net i have no problem speaking to you.. for you to understand what i am about. I dont know your email address or i would have wrote back privately there all these times!!! Regards, Dawnmarie

Urban takes fantastic photos. They are so smooth setting the dog up. When I had my male photographed at the Sieger show in Karlsruhle it only took a few minutes start to finish and the photos are fabulous! I'll definitely look forward to them at the 2005 NASS show in PA.