Images from Yesterday...

Here are just a couple images from the meet up yesterday in Portsmouth New Hampshire to see the folks picking up their dogs from Last Chance Highway.

The truck hadn't even come to a complete stop and there was laughter and tears (and that was just from me).


Just after Kyle arrived with the dogs the skies opened up (insert "raining like cats and dogs" joke here) so I did not get too many images.

I intend on going back again (and again.... and...) so you can expect to see more.

"Last Chance Highway" assignment...

There is a new show on the Animal Planet that my family has become huge fans of called "Last Chance Highway".

It tracks the efforts of wonderful volunteers who have dedicated themselves (and their own money) to saving the lives of abused and abandoned dogs.

Shelly is the person who rescues the dogs and gets them healthy enough for their new homes, Kyle runs the company that drives thousands of miles every week to deliver them.


They drive as far north as Portsmouth New Hampshire to deliver these pups to their new owners and today is delivery day, so I'll be loading up my camera gear and heading down to photograph it (and to cry like a girly-man).

If you are considering adding a dog to your family might I suggest heading over to PetFinder.com and check out some dogs looking for a loving home (yes they have cats too).

They can also point you in the direction of shelters and resources in your local area.


Maybe you're not looking for a dog right now but want to do something, all of these organizations are looking for support, they can all use your help.

One of the biggest needs at our local shelter are volunteers to come in just to pet and play with the animals.

You can visit Shelly's website here, Kyle's here, PetFinders here, and The Last Chance Highway here.


If you love dogs, if you love happy endings, fire up the popcorn and sit down for Last Chance Highway tonight (Saturdays) at 8.

Below is a 1 minute sample of what you can expect.

(If you are a subscriber you'll need to return to the blog or head directly over to YouTube to watch this video)

Filming of BP Gulf oil spill banned...

Yup, you just can't make this stuff.

As reported by Anderson Cooper on CNN the Obama administration has placed a ban on filming the gulf oil spill.

If you are a subscriber you will need to come to Weekly Photo Tips or head directly over to YouTube to watch Anderson's (disturbing) report.

As Anderson says in the video, this ban on filming/photography sure "makes it easier to hide failure and hide incompetence".

Oil spill, homeland security, & photography...

It is probably appropriate that the first post we write going into year 4 is breaking the rule of "never talk religion or politics".

We're not taking on both, just politics (kinda).

For those of you who haven't read the story about the photographer who was detained by police you can (and should) read it here.

The gist of the story is photographer Lance Rosenfield was taking pictures of the BP refinery in Texas (from a public vantage point) when he was detained (but not arrested) by a BP security person, local police, and a member of homeland security.

Lance was released only after they took down his personal info (social security number, birth date, etc.) AND looking through all of his images.

My question is, if Lance was shooting from a public road why did/do they have the right to do this?

You can read more about this story here and here, you can see the images that led to Homeland Security "detaining" Lance here.

And this is not the only incident relating to photography and the gulf oil spill, you can read stories of British Petroleum restricting access to the oil spill over at Newsweek, the New York Times, and the Huffington Post.

Is this still the land of the free?

Troubling, extremely troubling.

Happy Birthday Weekly Photo Tips!...

Yup, we have just completed our third year of publication (or depending how you look at it, we are now entering our fourth).

What I thought we would be doing as a blog and what we are doing could not be more different. It would be like planning a trip to New York but ending up in the Virgin Islands.

And I could not be happier about it.

I never would have dreamed that we would have thousands of subscribers, a quarter of a million visitors, or have a YouTube channel.

We have had the opportunity to speak to, photograph with, and be part of seminars along with some of the most incredible professional photographers out there.

But what's the most surprising thing? The best part of this blog? You!

Weekly Photo Tips was named one of the ten best photography blogs of 2010 not because I am here, but because you come here.

The people I have met, the friends I have made because they took the time to visit this blog is amazing.

Words are inadequate to express how thankful I am to be here. But know that I am, every day.

Now sit down and have a piece of cake.

The Scott Kelby DVD winner is...

JW Stovall!!!

Jay, if you email me your snail mail address I will get the Scott Kelby DVD right out to you.

For those of you who entered but didn't win don't fret, we'll be giving away another Scott Kelby DVD, "Photo Recipes Live: Behind the Scenes", in August.

Have a great (and safe) 4th of July.

AN IKEA WEDDING

Inspired by the wedding of Swedish Crown Princess Victoria (wed in Stockholm on June 19 2010) Ikea partnered with stylist Lo Bjurulf and photographer Denise Grünstein and created an ad campaign to highlight Ikea's newest products. Below is "Paper & Fold" and "French Romance", two of six fantastic table settings featured in the campaign. Yes, this is really Ikea. Check out the link below to view the rest - "Harvest", "Artsy", "Folklore", and "Wood On Wood". The clever and creative styling will surely inspire!

Paper & Fold

French Romance

Photo Credits: Agent Bauer