FOR CAT FANCIERS ONLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAvys4fVss




CATS, KITTENS, AND MORE CATS: The parking lot of the JMC ice Arena was jammed Saturday afternoon with row upon row of vehicles, many from out-of-state.

Inside the arena were cages full of cats, forty different breeds in all. Some were sleeping, being groomed by their owners, or simply eyeing up the hundreds of spectators who gathered for the competition sponsored by the local Cat Fanciers' Association for the top Cat awards in the Kitten, Championship, Premiership and Household Pet classes.

Judges, vendors, breeders, cat owners, and one professional pet photographer attended the 21st Annnual All-Breed Cat Show this weekend, with one thing in common -- their love for felines! The entrance fee was nominal, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Because You Care Inc. and the Erie Zoo.

CAT FANCIERS' ASSOCIATION judges independently ranked the competing cats in color and sex. Six winners' ribbons are required to earn the title of champion or Premier. Cats were also judged for Best in Breed or Division or Color or Sex. Top Cats were awarded ribbons which earn points for CFA Regional and National ranking and awards.

All the owners I approached were more than willing to pose with their animal or encourage it to perform for the camera. Photographers were asked to check with the cat's owner before using a flash or taking close-ups.

One of the judges puts a feline contestant through its paces.

The judge sets up the cat for evaluation.

The judge measures the length of a contestant's reach.

Visitors were asked not to touch the show cats without the permission of the owners. The licensed judges washed their hands with a disinfectant after handling each cat to avoid accidentally passing germs from one cat to another. All were willing to answer questions when they were not engaged in the handling and evaluating of cats.

The owner of "Blue Eyes" opened its cage so I could take a photograph.

Red-haired "Henry" receives a loving hug from its owner after winning a ribbon.

This owner chatted on the phone while offering lap time to a relaxed contestant.

Alas, our own low-maintenance pet Kitty the Cat was ineligible to enter the Household Pet Class because she had been declawed. She didn't take offense, but instead enjoyed a quiet afternoon home alone on her favorite knitted afghan, unlike the cat above, who watched from the window of the Winnebago in the parking lot of the JMC Arena for its people to return.

RE-CREATION Assignment, Part 2

AP Pulitzer Prize winning photograph by J. Scott Applewhite in 1998.

This is the Re-created version, after Photo-shop, in which the columns were further straightened in Picasa.

See details of setting up the photograph in Re-creation, Part 1.

RE-CREATION Assignment, Part 1

Selected location for the re-created photo shoot: Strong Vincent High School on West Eighth Street, Erie, Pennsylvania.

In order to more realistically re-create the selected famous photograph, I took several shots of the columns while holding a branch in front of the camera, because a branch will need to be added to the top corner of the finished re-created photograph.

I also took several photos of grass and other greenery, to be used to edit the photo, since the columns at the high school did not extend into the grass, like the photo of Bill Clinton entering the White House Rose Garden.

This is my main photograph, prior to Photo-shop edits. The columns were cleaned up, the thumb removed, the bottom greenery added, and the branch in the top corner was added. I decided to ask my subject to wear a cap, since there was not an easy way to "re-create" Bill Clinton's hairstyle. This had the added advantage of shading his face, so he didn't squint into the sunlight.

Here is the Photo-shopped version of the re-creation assignment. If my Photo-shop skills were better, I would shorten the shadow on the subject's left shoulder, darken the suit, and change the alignment of the columns to more closely replicate the original famous photograph. Because of the landscaping in front of Strong Vince High School, I was unable to stand where the columns would look more similar to the photo below.

AP Photograph by J. Scott Applewhite
December 11, 1998

After President Clinton apologized to the country for his conduct in the Monica Lewinsky affair and said he would accept a congressional censure or rebuke, Applewhite shot this photo of the President entering the White House Rose Garden.

RE-CREATION: For this assignment, I selected a Pulitzer-prize winning photo taken by then AP photographer J. Scott Applewhite.

I scouted out locations in nearby Erie, Pennsylvania for the re-creation. Strong Vincent High School on West Eighth Street, the Erie County Court House on West Sixth Street, and the Erie Art Museum on State Street at Fourth all seemed likely prospects. I anticipated the need to take a budding branch with me to recreate the upper left corner of the photograph, or Photo-shop one in later. The bottom grassy area in the original photograph needed to be added also, since none of the locations mentioned above have similar ground level grass near the columns. I selected Strong Vincent High School for the venue, since there were six smooth columns, parking was readily available, and pedestrian traffic would mostly be light on a weekend.

I alerted my husband to dust off his dark suit, and be prepared to pose this coming weekend, when optimum weather conditions are expected.

Saturday, April 10, 2010: I enjoyed this assignment, although my husband who portrayed an older, bald and bearded Bill Clinton, is glad the photo shoot is over! My Photo-shop skills are severely limited; hence the shadow is still present on the final version, and the columns are a bit uneven and not exactly like the original photograph.

SPORTS Assignment, Women's Softball Game 1 on April 3, 2010

Pitcher Beth Mullins (No. 41) allowed zero runs in the first three innings. Sports mode. This photo was cropped for better composition.

Edinboro's Lauren Smith (No. 15) tags California's Merissa Daley
(No. 7) out at second base, while Lady Scott Jade Thrower (No. 8) looks on.
Photo take with Nikon 3000, on sports mode, 1/1000, f5.6, ISO 160,
55 mm, auto fine setting.



Edinboro's freshman, Ashley Black (No. 1) hurries back to first base after her second hit of the game. Ashley was Edinboro's only player with more than one hit in the first game against California.
Photo taken with Nikon 3000, on sports mode, 1/1000, F5.3, ISO 125, 48 mm, auto fine setting.

California's left-handed batter, Julia Mueller, at the plate.

Photo taken with Nikon 3000 camera, on sports mode, 1/1000, f5.3, ISO 180, 44 mm, auto fine setting.

Fans, canine and human alike, line up to watch Saturday's doubleheader in summer-like weather.

Photo taken with Nikon 3000 on sports mode, 1/1000, f4.5, ISO 110, 28 mm, auto fine setting.

California's Head Coach Rick Bertagnolli and Assistant Coach Stephani Moore watch from the dugout as Edinboro's Kari Falk scores a home run. Kari is a freshman from Frombell, Pennsylvania.

Photo taken with Nikon 3000 camera, on sprots mode, 1/500, f5.6, ISO 500, 48 mm, auto fine setting.

BOTTOM PHOTO: A consolation hug was in order after the game. Edinboro's Women's Softball Team ruined its winning streak by losing the doubleheader on Saturday to California University.

Photo taken with Nikon 3000 camera, in automatic mode, 1/200, f14, ISO 100, 55 mm, auto fine setting. This photo was cropped for better composition.

SPORTS: Women's Softball Game 1 on April 3, 2010. Unfortunately, Edinboro lost 4-1 to California in Game 1, with Edinboro's Freshman Kari Falk scoring a home run. Out of over 300 photos taken at the game, I selected these, either because of the action or reaction shown, and chose players who scored, made a hit, or some other contribution to the game. I especially tried to get reactions after the game, or after a point was scored. Because of the restrictions of the fence, the best places from which to take photographs without a long lens usually offered the players' backs!