It’s Leap Day, and here are thirty-one of my favorite leaping photos (because I couldn’t choose just 29) to celebrate! Jumping into the pool, running in the snow, chasing a ball, a Frisbee, or a four-legged friend, I hope these photos make you smile! Five Tips for Taking Better Action Dog Photos Have dogs run towards the sun (the sun will be behind you) as this puts great light in their eyes. And if you want a profile shot of your dog running, have the sun light the side of the dog you are photographing (again, the sun will be behind you), so that there is good lighting on their body. Shoo ..read more

Last March I had the trip of a lifetime — photographing polar bear cubs and experiencing four close encounters with a pack of wolves — while visiting Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge on the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. I’m going to focus on one of the wolf encounters, but the polar bear cubs were way too cute not to share a photo. They were about ten weeks old, and they and their mom had just emerged from their den and were heading to the ice to catch seals to eat. At this point the mom hadn’t eaten anything for at least four months while she denned, gave birth, and nursed her cubs. We were lucky to ..read more

Ellen Zangla, owner of Ellen Zangla Photography, was named a Silver Medalist during Professional Photographers of America’s 2022 International Professional Competition. Her work was displayed at Imaging USA, which was held in Nashville from January 22-24. A panel of 36 jurors from across the US selected the top photographs from over 5,000 total entries. 174 images were selected for the Showcase Collection and 1013 were selected for the esteemed Imaging Excellence Collection. Zangla had one image in the Showcase Collection, one in the Imaging Excellence Collection, and two in the Merit Collect ..read more

2022 Year in Review As another year ends, I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from 2022. I photographed a lot of dogs and families with their dogs, several bunnies, and not nearly enough cats. I raised more than $28,000 to benefit animal welfare groups, mostly in partnership with other Loudoun County-based pet businesses. I won a Silver Medal in the Professional Photographer of America’s International Print Competition. I photographed wildlife and landscapes in a number of different states: Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and of course, Virgin ..read more

Best Photos of 2021 Although 2021, like 2020, was a challenging year, I hope these photos bring a smile to your face. I was fortunate to photograph a lot of dogs, puppies, and families with their pets this year. I also went to Alaska where I photographed Grizzly Bears, eagles, and a lot of other wildlife — truly the trip of a lifetime! I’ve included the four award-winning images that earned me a Silver Medal in this year’s prestigious International Print Competition. And once again I partnered with Woofie’s and Leesburg Veterinary Hospital for photo shoot fundraisers. Together, these raised $1 ..read more

Five Fun Indoor Activities You Can Do With Your Dog There are times when you just can’t take your dog outside for a walk or to play. Sometimes it’s due to the weather, like the summer heat we’re now having. Whatever the reason, your dog definitely has different ideas. He knows what time it is and looks at you pathetically, pleading for something to do. Games and other activities are a great way to relieve his boredom and provide mental stimulation for him — and fun for both of you! Games also help develop a bond between the two of you and reinforce the relationship you already have. Plus, they ..read more

Ten Tips for Better Spring Photos of Your Dogs (and Other Family Members) Spring is here! Cherry trees, the harbinger of spring in the DC area, are flowering (or starting to, depending on where you live) and the daffodils have been blooming for a while. With the weather warming up and everything looking so pretty, it’s a great time to get out and take some pictures! Here are ten of my favorite tips for taking better dog, cat, or other family photos this spring! (Most of these apply all year round.) 1) The right light makes a huge difference in how spring colors look in your photos. Generall ..read more

Snow—it’s one of my favorite elements to photograph in! My dogs have a blast playing in it and it makes everything looks so pretty! But it also can be hard to shoot in. Getting the exposure right can be challenging (gray snow, anyone?) and taking action shots while it is snowing is even harder. Here are seven of my best tips for taking better photos of your dogs in the snow. (And if your cats go out in it, these all apply to them, too!) Increase your exposure. Cameras want to make everything middle gray, so when your camera reads all the white in a snow scene, it thinks it is too bright an ..read more

Today is the first day of Fall—the temperatures are getting cooler (finally!), the leaves will be starting to change colors soon, fall flowers are starting to bloom, and apples taste their best (if you’ve never tried Honeycrisp apples, you need to!!). Autumn also is a really popular time to take family photos (for the first three reasons, not the last). Here are ten tips for taking better pet and family photos. 1) The right light makes a huge difference in how fall colors look in your photos. It’s best to take pictures in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky ..read more

Puppies and kittens—they’re absolutely adorable and they grow so quickly! They’re also squirmy, completely untrained, and can be very challenging to photograph. Here are five tips to help you take better puppy and kitten pictures. 1. Get down on their level. When I photograph puppies and kittens I am usually sitting or lying on the ground. Photographing them at their level shows their true size. Shooting down on them, the way we normally look at them (and the way most people photograph them), makes them look smaller. Photographing puppies and kittens at their level also can give you a better ..read more