(......And what they can do for those "not-quite-right" photos)

Below are a few examples of how a bit of cleaning, cropping, removal of extra
background items, and sometimes setting subjects into a more appropriate "scene"
can make a so-so shot a photo to remember..... or one to use in a special ad.

Some are rather dramatic changes, some are just a bit of cleanup or exposure repair.

Dogs are "what we do".....we raise them, we breed them, we show them......and we photograph them.
Sometimes the photos need something we didn't manage to capture with the camera.

Sometimes OTHER folks didn't get exactly what they were after, either.
So our Photo Enhancements page emerged.....more or less out of necessity

The photos and techniques below are just a small sample of what we do.
They're here to show you what CAN be done....not necessarily what always will work for all problems.

BEFORE	AFTER
ABOVE: In the "before" shot, the fenceline and foliage in the background were just WAY too busy. The actual dog was not altered in any way. He was just placed on a more attractive & suitable background for advertising purposes.
ABOVE: Dog was completely removed from less than acceptable background and placed into more interesting surroundings. In the process, the dog was in no way structurally altered.
ABOVE: The original photo on the left had terrible exposure, but the pose was great, so we adjusted the exposure, removed the leash, cleaned up the wall and the floor in the background, and produced a lovely "typey" shot of a very nice Cairn youngster.
ABOVE: "OK" jumping picture, but it was made more dramatic by creating a "pop out" to emphasize the dog's focus
ABOVE: By cropping the shot down, removing the leash, removing the fenceposts in the background, the so-so shot became an attractive portrait of the dog.
ABOVE: This is a basic "Vignette" style. Background may be white, transparent, or any other color
ABOVE: Simple removal of annoying objects in the background. We left what's in the right corner mostly so it wouldn't look so bare.
ABOVE: Pretty nice gaiting shot of a lovely young Warmblood filly....but the background is messy and distracting. Placed into a more attractive setting, with subtle changes of lighting direction, the filly makes a statement of how really gorgeous she is
ABOVE: Another simple "Vignette". Cropped to the subject and this time USING the original background as a successfully interesting backdrop.
ABOVE: This is a techique that's kind of fun to do with a photo that's ok, but just isn't jumping out at you. We removed the color from the actual photo, except what we "framed and shadowed", and suddenly the photo has become interesting and eye-catching.

• • •
Photos "sent" for enhancement may be emailed, BUT they need to be sent as an ATTACHMENT.....not just as a simple email.
JPG is the most acceptable format, but when a JPG is "emailed" it is
automatically reduced to 72dpi (dots per inch) and loses most of it's "editable" quality.
A JPG "attachment" retains its quality and resolution, making it a more editable.....IF the resolution is at least 240dpi to begin with.

300dpi + is ideal....as well, photos that have not been altered in any way from the original are the best.
Once altered (crop, sharpen, resize, etc), they tend to lose resolution.....and in turn, their enhancement capabilities.
• • •
All photos have to be examined prior to any work being done .

We need to determine if the finished quality will be satisfactory or not.
If the photo is high enough quality to proceed, we will email a cost estimate.
(From $$ to $$)

You also need to tell us a bit about what it is you're expecting from enhancing/editing the photo.
[For example: Do you want it edited for a website, to print, for advertising, or just to make it look better...]

Even if we cannot do any major editing similiar to what you see above, we will be happy to enhance the basics on your photos.....exposure corrections, sharpening, color cast, and usually intensity, contrast &/or brightness.
Charges per photo for the Basics is $12.50

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~~Additional Services~~
1. Removal of objects (leashes, collars, fences, other)
2. Correct blemishes , smudges, etc...
3. Cropping to specifice sizes - correcting lopsided photos (horizontal & vertical)
4. Red eye removal (we won't change the eye color on a dog)
5. Vignette (white, black, specific color, transparent, etc...)
6. Removal of subject and inserting into different scene/background
(ideally, the background or scene should be provided by client.
If we have to SEARCH, we have to charge for the time)
7. Inserting different objects, sky, subjects, frame, etc, into original photo
(Client will hopefully provide what they want inserted)
8. Other improvements or adjustments requested to satisfactorily correct a photo

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~~CHARGES~~
• Enhancement Basics: Per photo $12.50
• Serious Editing and Correction: Per photo $20 per hour (min 1 hour)
[Leash removal - Handler/Person removal - Objects in background removal
Correction/Removal of blemishes, stains, dirt, etc - See 1-8 above]

BE ADVISED......occasionally some client requests are very time consuming to do properly, so
cost for my time can sometimes be prohibitive

WE WILL NOT ALTER THE STRUCTURE, CONDITION, OR TYPE OF ANY DOG, so please don't ask

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~~Pre Payment Required~~
We require all work to be paid-for prior to shipment/delivery.
We will be happy to send you up to four lo-res proofs via email for your approval.

Once we've received your "ok", you've chosen your delivery method, and you've sent a viable email address,
we will send you an itemized invoice via PayPal with details and further instructions for payment.
[Please be aware there is a 4.5% charge (before S&H) for PayPal. This will be noted on your invoice]

Once payment has been received, and work is done and approved,
we will send your finished and approved photo(s) to you via the method you have chosen below.
1. CD in the mail
($6.50 S/H -including price of CD)
2. Via email as an attachment....
(Hi-res, and usually a pretty big file - zipped up)
WinZip 8 or higher necessary on your end

PLEASE  REMEMBER We cannot work on COPYRIGHT photos without written consent of copyright holder. Show-Win photos need the permission of the Show Photographer THEY OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO THOSE SHOW PHOTOS NOT the owner of the dog in the photo ~•~ So, if you are not the photographer, or if you don't have permission to edit a copyright photo, please either get the permission in writing to send along with the photo, or let's don't embarass us both by asking me to edit/enhance the photo, and me having to refuse. K?? [Thanks]

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