South Wood County Humane Society

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SWCHS Paw Prints Calendar

Gavel.
The Paw Prints Calendar was started as a fundraiser for the shelter and as a way to educate our community about animal knowledge, shelter services or other related pet information. The calendar features mostly local pets, twelve of which are featured as "Pet of the Month". We are amazed at how many submission are actually SWCHS alumni showing us how much they love their new homes.

The calendar is growing in popularity every year in terms of the number sold and photos entered. We put together this page to help provide information on the calendars as well as give you helpful tips to having the best photos.

Official Rules

Submitted pictures must be horizontal
Photo entries must be in color
Entries should be no bigger than a 4x6 photo
Photos must contain only animals
No polaroids, computer generated or coyrighted-professional photos
Please do not stamp or write on the back of your photos

All photos will appear in our calendar, however we reserve the right to exclude any picture not following the offical rules from the running as being selected as a featured "Pet of the Month."

We have noticed that when scanning the photo entries sometimes the scanned images appears darker or color is off a bit. If you have a digital copy of your photo, please email it to us at pawprintscalendar@swchs.com to ensure the quality of your photo entry remains. To help make the selection process easier we would like you to mail in a hard copy of your digital photo with your entry form. The hard copy is used in the selection process and the digital one is used by the printer for the layout.

Photo Tips and Tricks

To help your pet's picture get selected as a featured pet we have a few tips for you. In general if you have a sharp, well-focused, clear photo that remains clear when blowing up to an 8.5 x 11 inch size, your odds of being selected are better than one that isn't clear and focused at the larger size. Photos without "glowing" eyes also tend to be selected over those that have "glowing" eyes.

Location and Background

When photographing your pet you want to choose a location where you pet will be able to relax and look natural. If possible, try to photograph your pet against colors that contrast with his/her coat. Avoid backgrounds that are overly busy or have lots of clutter as it will remove the emphasis from your pet. We have been noticing that outdoor pictures often fair better than indoor ones since they allow for a more colorful backgound. This does not mean indoor pictures will not work, as we have had some that turned out great.

Eyes

All pets entered are displayed in our calendar, pictures that have clear eyes have a better chance of being a featured pet. When shooting a close-up be sure to focuse on your pet's eyes. Unless you can angle your flash, try to avoid shooting in a low light situation where a flash is required. Using a flash increases the odds that your pet's eyes will show up "glowing."

Black Pets

Pets with black coats seem to be the hardest to photograpy, but it can be done! Their black coats soak up the light and are tricky because your pet is most likley darker than its surrounding. Make sure you take your pet's picture in a room with good natural lighting.

Patience

Photographing your pet is not always easy. It may be best to pick a time of day when your pet is most cooperative. Pets can sense how you are feeling so try not to get frustrated and stay relaxed. Have fun and your pet will too! You may want to enlist another person to help direct your pet's attention to the camera by using toys or treats.

Get other great tips on line at these websites: