Man, was this little guy a tough one to get into a new home… but he finally got one! “Wally” was a little Miniature Pinscher and Terrier mixed breed dog that was surrendered to the animal shelter by his owner on June 28, 2019. Although a small breed dog, the chips were stacked against him.

When he first arrived, he was small in size but big in attitude! He was kenneled with his younger brother and Wally felt it was his mission to protect him. While Wendell sat in the back of the kennel, Wally stood his ground at the front of the cage barking wildly at anyone coming by. But once Wendell was adopted and Wally had no one to defend, he began to calm a bit.

The other issue was his hair… or lack of it. Wally wasn’t too well taken care of by his owner and had lost most of his fur from a flea allergy. His crusty gray skin made him a little less attractive to adopters as well. But after a good dose of flea medicine and a bath, Wally began to look a little better.
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But still, nearly two weeks Wally sat in the dog pound without any interest. Even with better photographs, nobody came to his rescue. Finally, after making a video begging for his rescue, Wally was picked up by TLC Pet Rescue on July 15, 2019! He had some help getting out with pledged donations to the rescue from Kay, Jason, Nancy and Anne. 

I was photographing at a mini healing crusade and concert outreach our church was having at an Athens neighborhood. Of course, I was distracted by a Mississippi Kite. The overcast sky from the afternoon thunderstorm didn't produce any good shots, but I noticed something else. What I first dismissed as Barn Swallows caught my eye a second time. They didn't have the forked tails. I emailed the photos to a local biologist/birder and he confirmed what I thought: Cliff Swallows. Poor photos, but a life bird photograph for me! 

As time passes, I look at my old photos compared with recent shots and I have the temptation to think, “Man, I’m good!” It is true that we become proficient by shooting every day. Our skills improve as we learn our equipment. But is all my improvement simply because “I’m so good”? I have to pop my big and say, probably not!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to buy better equipment. And the more modern cameras and lenses are absolutely phenomenal!
    Years ago, I would never have dreamed of the autofocus grabbing so quickly on a dragonfly… but the modern DSLR can do it!
    In the past, who would think you could hand-hold a 600mm telephoto lens and get a sharp image of an insect… but the modern image-stabilizing lenses can do it!
    Only a few years ago, who would think an image at ISO 8000 would be relatively noise free? But the modern DSLR can do it!
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So, I have to knock my pride down a few notches and give credit where credit is due. Maybe the full credit for beautiful shots isn’t my doing. Much of the credit may go to our Amazing Equipment! 

Quick turn around on this trio of cute pups! When the owner came in and surrendered these three from an unwanted (and unprevented) litter, we called a rescue on the list looking for pups. They were out of the shelter before the end of the day! Thanks to Walton Animal Guild! 

​In a lightning fast moment, as fast as the serpent’s strike, my entire life flashed before my eyes along with the fear that my life might soon be ending. The impact of the snake against my skin, and the sharp needle-like jabs told me 100% that I had been bit. As I was about to drop my camera and call for the hospital’s helicopter to air lift me out, I remembered… Oh yeah, it’s just a harmless Eastern Kingsnake!  
 
Snakes always make sensational subjects! From that very first encounter in Eden, snake stories are always dramatic. Some people only need hear the word “snake” to be sent off in a sprint of hysteria. But the truth is, the majority are totally harmless (depending upon where you live, perhaps).

Many people carry biases against certain breeds of dogs. It seems the American Pitbull Terrier always manages to make the news for a bite or an attack. While there are problem dogs within every breed, not every dog within a breed is a problem dog.

"Watts" was a handsome Pitbull dog that came into the animal shelter on June 26, 2019. When his hold expired and no owner came looking for him, it was time to find him a new home. After doing well on an interaction with another dog, it was outside for some glamour shots.

Part of my job as an animal shelter photographer and rescue coordinator is to overcome those prejudices people might have against a particular pet. One look at Watts' cheekbones and wide head and many click off his adoption page. But something as simple as a bandana can help soften an image. And with the Independence Day holiday coming up on July 4th in America, why not a patriotic American Flag Bandana!
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With so many dogs in America's animal shelters, do your patriotic duty and adopt a dog like "Watts" for the Fourth of July!!!!

You would think that after all the years of spay/neuter campaigns from animal welfare groups, the number of unwanted kittens would be next to nothing. You would think that with the abundance of low cost spay/neuter clinics established in nearly every major city, the numbers of “accidental” litters of puppies would be miniscule. But here we are, nearly twenty years into the twenty-first century and still our shelters get flooded with unwanted puppies and kittens.

As a shelter photographer, I love the little puppies and kittens. They are adorable and make great subjects. But as a shelter worker, I hate to see so many come through the doors. We can almost always find adopters or rescues for the puppies, but there simply aren’t enough interested homes for the numbers of kittens that come through.

There is no one simple answer, but many things that can be done to help reduce this pet overpopulation. But the overriding thought is… DON’T LITTER! Just one unspayed dog or cat can have several offspring in one season… and even more throughout it’s life if remaining unaltered. Then if all her offspring aren’t spayed and neutered… well, you get the picture. Our shelters will stay flooded.
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I understand that accidents happen. But accidental kittens and puppies can’t happen if your pet is spayed! Do your part: DON’T LITTER! 

It is nice to travel; but it is also nice to be back home! 

I recently travelled to Tucson, Arizona to attend our Fellowship's annual International Bible Conference. I’m always excited to return to the desert southwest each year; not just for the conference, but for the unique habitat and wildlife. But how do you fit in photography when travelling for another purpose? Find it where you can!
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The Bible Conference began each morning at 8 AM. But the beautiful thing about Tucson is the sun rises at 5 AM! Since I didn’t have time to travel far, I simply wandered the streets near my hotel. Even the little oasis in our hotel courtyard produced some wildlife shots! Each morning, I walked with my camera down several side streets in the industrial area near the Tucson airport. There are several large vacant lots covered in cactus and desert scrub. I couldn't resist a little trespassing to find some photo opportunities! 

On Monday afternoon my family and several other members of our church went to Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, Arizona. In the heat of the afternoon desert, most of the critters were out of sight. But the tour of the cave was incredible. "The park is located west of the north-flowing San Pedro River. Long hidden from view, the caverns were discovered in 1974 by local cavers, assisted by a state biologist who helped in its preservation."

It's time again for our annual visit to Tucson, Arizona for our Fellowship's International Bible Conference. Our first morning, I arose at 4:45 AM (without an alarm clock) and made my way to Sweetwater Wetlands Park for a couple of hours of nature photography before Sunday morning church service.  

I made a second trip in the heat of the day on Wednesday afternoon. Most of the birds were keeping staying in the shadows, making some real quality shots dificult. Still, quite a refreshing experience to be in a totally different world than the southeast. Sweetwater truly is an oasis in the desert.

Tuesday evening, June 11, 2019 - just taking in some relaxing bird watching in my backyard. I'll take a rest whenever I can get it!