Super Dog Sunday™ Tailgate Party

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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We're Ready for Super Bowl XLVIII

Tanner and Oliver and I want to share some of our photo tips with you today. This is our 4th year producing the Super Dog Sunday™ photo contest, so we've learned a thing or two. Here are our best tips in the most concise way I can present them. I hope this helps with your creativity. Please feel free to leave your questions as comments and I'll be sure to answer them as best as I can. Good luck!

When Does the Game Start?

•  Natural light always gives the best results.
• Consider a contrasting background to your subject's color and texture.
• Watch for unwanted objects in the background. Reposition your pet for a pleasant, contrasting background.
• Have some fun with themed items for your photo set--any suitably-themed props you may have available.
• Borrow colors for your theming, using bandanas, hair ribbons, Tshirts, collars and other props.
• Shoot with primary lighting behind you, if you're not outdoors.
• Moving subjects generally blur in photos. Set your shutter speed accordingly when shooting pics of pets.
• Use a photo editing program to remove red-eye, but generally you get your best pics when using little editing, and more pre-planning of your subject and background.
• Flash photography often produces green-eye in many pet photos. This is tough to fix, so shoot for pics that don't have your pet looking directly into the camera. Better yet, don't use a flash.
• Candid shots are often best for pets that don't pose well.
• Try shooting with your flash off, using a night setting, and see if you get better results.
• Use a squeaky toy or treat to get your dog to look in the desired direction.
  
• If you have a black pet, try close up shots.
• Experiment with your macro setting for close ups.
• Close ups and portrait shots will display best in the #SuperDogSunday Blog Hop's thumbnail photos.

The Super Dog Sunday™ photo display will open on Saturday, January 18 about 11 AM ET. Entries may be sent to EventBarkers@gmail.com through Sunday, February 2 at 6:30 PM ET. Good luck!

Super Dog Sunday™ is a charity event. All proceeds go directly--and in full--to Petfinder Foundation. As co-sponsors and hosts, DogTipper and All Things Dog Blog are participating in donations as well as donating our time and effort to produce this event. Many thanks to our Platinum Sponsor, Nature's Logic. Enjoy!

Mutt Monday Vine + Instagram Tips

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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My First Few Instagram Efforts

A few years ago I would have told you I had no interest in learning how to use a camera. My eyes glaze over when photographers talk about aperture settings. That's all still true. I'm a point and click kinda gal. 

But with all the new devices and apps available, it's so easy to capture those special moments just when they are happening. Like the middle pic up there; I snapped it using Instagram just as Tanner was dozing off while we were trucking down I-95 on a road trip to the beach. In case you were wondering; NO, I wasn't driving!

Just retelling you about the beach trip brings back memories and that's what photography is all about. I'm hooked now. I'm addicted to Vine, Instagram, my Canon and my iPhone. This past weekend I finally played with Instagram beyond the point of taking a shot. It was fun! There are so many options, yet not too many.

Today's Mutt Monday is geared to offer tips for taking photos and using Vine or Instagram. Help me get more bloggers to link up and share their great ideas. I'm no master at this. Somebody please shoot Paris and Brett Chisholm each a Tweet and ask for more posts! Here's some help:

#MuttMonday is sharing simple tips 4 photos & using @Vine + @Instagram. Link up yours & learn more here http://t.co/qu42E0FfZI
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) November 4, 2013

Next week I'm going a little goofy again with themes. I talk about it much here, but I actually have a couple of other blogs. While they're mostly ignored since this one has taken off better than they did, it's time to share the news. Open the closet and let you see my dirty laundry. I'm inviting other bloggers who have multiple blogs to join me. Let's fill in the blank:

"My Other Blog is (fill in the blank however you choose)"

At the risk of tossing out too many requests, I'm doing it again. Please hit the RT button and let your blogger friends and followers know we're looking for their confessions. Tell us about your other blogs!

ATTN #Pet bloggers: Pls join #MuttMonday 11/18-11/24 with linkups about your OTHER blogs! http://t.co/JIuIBOBaAQ
— Carrie Boyko (@AllThingsDog) November 4, 2013

Thanks much and feel free to leave your questions about Vine and Instagram in the comments section. I'll do my best to get you some answers.

Mutt Monday Takes a Winter Walk

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Last night's #SuperDogPics was such a rush. What fun we had learning new photo tips, saying hi to old friends and new, and watching the prize announcements with great wonder. I, for one, had a blast! I've drug myself out of bed to put this post up, and then I've got the fun job of getting our prizes ready to ship. Woo hoo!

Today's Mutt Monday is Tips for Winter Walks. I know we have a lot of bloggers in the North and I'm counting on you guys to link up your applicable posts. Don't stop at one; bring 'em on!

Next week? 

Photo tips for pets

I'll be sharing some of the #SuperDogPics ideas Tweeted last night by @Dogtipper and @LifeandDog sometime this week. Hope you'll join in and offer your own ideas. 

Don't forget that linkups today enter you to win this adorable dog-themed tote bag, perfect for your laptop, your pup, or just usual handbag stuff. See you soon!

#SuperDogPics Rafflecopter Giveaway

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
My Heart Belongs to You
by Toby and Max

Our upcoming Super Dog Sunday™ charity photo contest and #SuperDogPics Twitter Party have us in a full press to get things rolling. Today you have the opportunity to enter to win all the prizes seen here in our Rafflecopter drawing for #SuperDogPics. You can enter multiple times, so have a blast!

Our Rafflecopter prize features items from all of our #SuperDogPics sponsors as well as a sneak peak from a Super Dog Sunday™ sponsor, Luv and Emma Dry Pets. These unique microfiber towels have a doorknob hole sewn into them so your towel can hang neatly on the inside of the door, always ready to give Fido a cleanup when he comes inside. Watch for my review coming this month.

© AllThingsDogBlog.com
Any Touchdowns Today, Tanner?

Other prizes in this drawing will include a Toby and Max silver necklace, Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know, K-10+ Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplement that dissolves in your dog's water, a Life+Dog magazine subscription for one full year and a football toy for your Super Dog Sunday™ photo entry. Tanner has been playing with his today, and he's all tuckered out!

Just to be clear, all these prizes in this post go to ONE WINNER! Wow!  Nobody leaves an Event Barkers party without saying "that was a lot of great stuff"! There's more to come, so make sure to keep popping in to see what's next. How about a Cheer Team? Yep...that's coming!

After you've finished here, don't forget you still have the opportunity to jump in on the PreTweet prizes for both events, terrific prize packages will lots of great stuff for you and Fido.

Most importantly, if you plan to join us for the #SuperDogPics Twitter Party, your name must be on the RSVP list and you'll need to be following Event Barkers in order to win. Visit the RSVP post here to be sure you're all signed up for photo tips, prizes and fun ideas for creating your photo entry for the Super Dog Sunday™ photo contest.

Sometimes these Rafflecopters like to play peekaboo, so if you don't see it down at the bottom of this post, just click on the post title and it will come back out to play. Good luck!

Dogtipper and All Things Dog Blog are working with our #SuperDogPics sponsors to help build their online presence. The #SuperDogPics Twitter Party will serve to help more people enter the charity Super Dog Sunday™ photo contest to benefit Petfinder Foundation. 

#SuperDogPics Luvs Super Dog Sunday™

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

courtesy Cartoon Your Pets
My Xena's Illustration

Raise your paw if you joined us last year for this fun and educational event. What a blast we all had watching our artist's illustration unfold, getting professional tips on photographing our pets in football-themed pics and soaking up simpler methods for our point and click cameras. We learned a lot about online methods for decking out our own photos, as well as many Petfinder adoptables, and guess what? Event Barkers is bringing it all back again for 2013!

courtesy Life+Dog

That's right! We'll have another live illustration, this time by Nate Fakes of @CartoonYourPets, while Brett Chisholm, Publisher and chief Tweeter at  @LifeandDog answers your photography questions, and we'll be dishing out  easier methods for folks like me who are camera-challenged, as well. More details on all this will be coming soon.  And of course, there will be tons of prizes! More than $1000 in great stuff will be dished out so be sure to RSVP below to win. Gypsy Eyes Clothing will be back again with more fun hoodies for your pups, so be sure to join in to win.

courtesy Toby and Max
My Readers Fave!

Sponsors like @TobyandMax jewelry, the authors of Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know, and @ILoveMyK10, K-10+ nutritional supplements, have signed on to bring you prizes and more information on their terrific products for dog lovers. Watch for reviews at Dogtipper.com and highlights here and on our other Event Barkers team blogs.  

© AllThingsDogBlog

Our goal at #SuperDogPics? We want to help you get charged up and ready with simple-to-use and fun-to-create photos for the Super Dog Sunday™ photo contest, benefitting Petfinder Foundation. You can learn more about this event at our Super Dog Sunday™ post today.

© AllThingsDogBlog

Today's New Years Resolution: RSVP below for the party! Just by signing up below, you'll be entered to win one of three fabulous prizes for you and Fido without even joining in the party, so be sure to watch the blog Thursday for details on our PreTweet prize, and next week we'll add a Rafflecopter for more fun and prizes. This will be your chance to get acquainted with our wonderful sponsors that are bringing you this fun football-themed event, hosted by Event Barkers.

So, why should you join us? To get Photo Tips, Win and meet new Twitter friends! Watch for more details to come and stop by Dogtipper to read their take on the party. 

Now for the instructions; RSVP below by following the guide I've created, and be sure to use the hashtag #SuperDogPics when you Tweet. If you're unsure about your RSVP, please include an email address so we can reach you to clarify your registration. In order to win prizes at #SuperDogPics, you'll need to RSVP. What's more, there will be a prize just for one of the lucky Tweeps on the RSVP list, so don't be left out :)

Follow this RSVP Guide:

Below the numbered list at the bottom is a blue link that says "Click here to enter". Click this and follow these instructions, using the image above as a guide. In the field that says "Link Title or Blog Title" just enter your Twitter handle.  Notice I entered @EventBarkers. In the second field that says "Link" you'll enter the link to your Twitter account. It will look like this: "http://twitter.com/yourhandlehere". 

You can leave your email address and name in the next two fields, if you wish. This will help us reach you if your Twitter handle is listed wrong and you win a prize. We'll need to get in touch! Now click "Enter your link" and that's it. You have completed your RSVP. See you on January 20 prior to the 4 PM ET party opening.

Social Media Info for Hosts, Sponsors, Guest Experts and Prize Providers: Feel free to give them a shout out!

@TobyandMax's Website and Facebook page

@ThingsYourDog's Website and Facebook page

@ILoveMyK10's Website and Facebook page

@LifeandDog's Website and Facebook page

@CartoonYourPets Website and Facebook page

GypsyEyesClothing's Website and Facebook page

@EventBarkers Website and Facebook page

and let's not forget our beneficiary, @Petfinder_Fnd!

Event Barkers is working with @ILoveMyK10, @ThingsYourDog and @TobyandMax to help them increase their online presence. All giveaways involved in the #SuperDogPics and Super Dog Sunday™ events are open to U.S. and Canadian addresses, with the exception of Quebec. These contests and giveaways are void where prohibited and will follow the Event Barkers Rules, found at this link.