New Show at 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY

Opening reception this Saturday, May 6, from 3-6.

This month, I’ll be showing images of dogs and dancers–in motion!

All my life, I have been captivated by great dancers, athletes, bodies in motion, watching muscles moving, and great photographs of sports and performance. When I was in high school, I put up dark corkboard on the wall next to my bed, and covered it with my favorite images from Sports Illustrated. I have had the good fortune to photograph Parsons Dance a few times at The Joyce Theatre in NY, and this image of Eric Bourne, Steve Vaughn, and Miguel Quinones has given me lots of pleasure over the years.

In Motion! I just love the challenge of capturing the elusive and most interesting moment.

Jumping Weimaraners by B. Docktor

CARL GRAUER

Carl Grauer hanging his 2-hour portrait series at 510 Warren Street Gallery in Hudson, NY. Photo by B. Docktor

Our featured artist this month is portrait artist, Carl Grauer. He has filled his space with his 2-hour portraits, and it looks amazing! At the opening, Carl will be doing a portrait in our window space. It will be a fun afternoon–hope you can come!
Gallery Hours: Fridays and Saturdays 12-6, Sundays 12-5

510 Warren Street Gallery, Hudson, New York

NEW DOGGY VIDEO

Because I love capturing “the essential moment,” dog photography is one of my favorite kinds of work. Movement, expression, humor, love–dogs have it all. Here’s a link to a new short video piece with some of my beloved characters.

Milo the Portuguese Water Dog by B. Docktor

AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHY

Below are two photos that won awards from the New York Press Association, published by The Columbia Paper in 2016. Note the theme? I love to capture movement!

Jeffrey Leonard and his dog Mainer. Photo by B. Docktor

Grouping Family Photos

I will help you create a set of photos for your wall that will make you smile every time you see it!

Autumn is such a great season to have family portraits made of your family–and it’s something I love to do! The beauty of nature, the golden light, and Fall’s own special palette of colors all contribute to great photographs that you’ll want to display proudly in your home.

I specialize in capturing the spirit, beauty and joy of your family during our photo session. I also offer a Photo Decor Planning Service free of charge to my clients. Together, we’ll figure out where in your home would work best for a photo grouping, what clothes would work best with the colors on that wall, and plan an outing at a place that you love, that will be fun and yield images that your family will cherish.

I can help you transform a plain wall into a work of art

From simple groupings of same-size photos to more elaborate designs with multiple sizes, I’ll design and send you accurate previews of how your chosen set of photos will appear on the wall you’ve chosen. It’s a fantastic way to see just how beautiful and harmonious a particular combination of photographs can be. When I design exhibitions of my own work, I find that the art of choosing the images and sizes that work best together is like creating a whole new piece of art that is more powerful than the individual pieces.

Once we have created a group of images that you love, I will have the photos printed to the exact size–on canvas, metal, or traditionally framed–and will deliver and install the photos as well! Let’s get together soon to plan a set of images that will show your family’s love and enliven your walls. A one-hour planning session is free of charge through the end of October. To secure an appointment, call 518-329-6239 or email me at bd@bdocktor.com.

To see more of the natural, on-location portraits I love to make, click here.

I also provide this service for offices and businesses using stunning photographs of the landscape, nature, and animals. Click here to see some of these spaces. Imagine what you’d love to see on your walls–at home or at work–and let’s create it!

Preserve your memories of your family togetherness with

my Summer Portrait Special–for humans and pets alike!

• One-hour professional pet or portrait session at the location of your choice, within 20 minutes from Ancram*

• Sixteen selected photos preserved in a beautiful 5×7″ flush-mount album with rigid, lay-flat pages

• Six of these images printed on a 4×4″ cube–a great summer souvenir and gift!

• Low-resolution versions of the chosen album photos so you can share them easily on Facebook and other social media

• Access to online viewing and purchasing from the full set of of session photos–in your choice of sizes and formats–for up to two weeks after they are posted**

• You approve my album and cube designs before they are manufactured.

• The 4-inch photo cube is fabulous, but if you’re not interested in it, you can purchase my Summer Portrait Package without the cube for $499.

Summer Special: $599

Call now to book your summer session: 518-329-6239.

Offer expires August 19, 2016

* Travel fee is $.50 per minute each way, beyond 20 minutes from Ancram

 **Regular print prices apply for items other than 5×7 album and 4×4 cube. See pricelist here.

WHY HIRE A PRO PHOTOGRAPHER

when you can make pictures with your phone?

Here are some answers, in photos and captions:

Capturing the essential moment of kids in action!

It’s not easy for you to capture all of the action and humor and fun with your pets!

Posing, lighting, everybody looking happy and fabulous!

Book now! 518-329-6239

Award-winning photographer B. Docktor specializes in capturing the spirit, beauty and joy of your family and pets. Photos full of love and life–for the time of your life in pictures–call B at 518-329-6239. Working on location in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, NYC, North Jersey.

SUMMER PORTRAIT SPECIAL

Having the time of your life? Preserve your memories of your family togetherness with my portrait package–for humans and pets alike! 

• One-hour professional pet or portrait session at the location of your choice, within 20 minutes from Ancram*

• Seventeen selected photos preserved in a beautiful 5×7″ flush-mount album with rigid, lay-flat pages

• Six of these images printed on a 4×4″ cube–a great summer souvenir and gift!

• Low-resolution versions of the chosen album photos so you can share them easily on Facebook and other social media

• Access to online viewing and purchasing from the full set of of session photos–in your choice of sizes and formats–for up to two weeks after they are posted**

You approve my album and cube design before it is printed.

Summer Special: $599

Call now to book your summer session: 518-329-6239.

Offer expires August 19, 2016

* Travel fee is $.50 per minute each way, beyond 20 minutes from Ancram    

**Regular print prices apply for items other than 5×7 album and 4×4 cube. See pricelist here.

WHY HIRE A PRO PHOTOGRAPHER

when you can make pictures with your phone?

Here are some answers, in photos and captions:

Figuring out what will make for a beautiful image and being able to capture it!

The essence of so many of our pets is in their movement–so tough to capture, especially if they’re black!

Getting YOU into the photo! You’re so focused on photographing your kids so you can remember what they looked like at this stage. But how about them remembering what you looked like? And more importantly, seeing how happy you were to be with them!!

Finding the essential moment of togetherness, great action and beauty!

Again, having YOU in the photo. Even if you were lucky enough to get everyone together in this beautiful light, the phone isn’t going to cut it when the dock is surrounded by water and the only place to stand is the next dock 100 feet away.

Capturing action that’s happening at a distance away and moves super-fast

Book now! 518-329-6239

Award-winning photographer B. Docktor specializes in capturing the spirit, beauty and joy of your family and pets. Photos full of love and life–for the time of your life in pictures–call B at 518-329-6239. Working on location in the Hudson Valley, Berkshires, NYC, North Jersey.

As I do on-location portrait and pet photography  in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, it’s no wonder that autumn is everyone’s favorite time for outdoor sessions. We only have a few prime days for doing this, so please call now to book: 518-329-6239.

What an incredibly beautiful summer we’ve had! I had a blast photographing some fabulous parties and weddings and family gatherings. I would absolutely love the opportunity to photograph what’s meaningful to you. Your family, your pet, the parties you give, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries. Whatever it is that lights you up–that’s what I want to photograph for you in a way that makes you feel happy every time you see that image.

Would you love to have a wall of photos

that will make you smile every time you see it?

I’d love to make it for you! I bet you passionately love your pet.

My passion is to show your passion!

Pet portrait photography on-location is my love.

Our animals bring us so much joy! And their lives are so short. Let me create a portrait that captures your pet’s playfulness, joy, and humor. Before our session we’ll consult on what would be the best thing for us to capture about your pal. We’ll also figure out where in your home you’d like to display the images, and which type of images you like best. The session can be at your home, or at a place you love to go with your dog. After the images are made, we’ll get together to go over them and figure out what to make that will delight you.

I love to create art for your walls that will thrill you. I also love designing albums, which I believe are one of the best ways to keep your precious memories alive. The albums are beautiful and sturdy and intimate. There’s nothing like holding an album in your hands–so much better than viewing the images on a screen. Plus, you have the piece of mind of knowing that you will always be able to see those photos. How would you feel if you couldn’t see or find your digital files sometime in the future?

Why would you hire a photographer when you may be always photographing your pet anyway?

Unless you are very skilled or very lucky, you probably can’t capture the kind of in-action image that I love to make. And if your dog is black, then you know it’s especially hard. Please take a look at the pet slideshow video I’ve made to get some inspiration for what we could do together to make images that you’ll treasure forever. Click on the red play button below (in the bottom image).

Now is the time to have me photograph your pet.

ON-LOCATION PET PHOTOGRAPHY*

1-hour session

With 12×18″ canvas gallery wrap: $499
With 4 12×18″ canvases, as shown in photo above: $1299

With 8×8″ 20-page album as shown below: $725

Many other products available. Please call to learn more!

518-329-6239 or bd@bdocktor.com
         
*Yes, I do family portraits, weddings, and events too. Prices vary.

The prices above are in effect during the month of June, 2015.

(Over 30 miles travel fees apply)

FOR INSPIRATION & ENJOYMENT,

PLEASE CLICK RED BUTTON BELOW TO VIEW SLIDESHOW VIDEO

I’d be honored and grateful if you would share this with your friends who would enjoy it,

and may like to have their animals photographed.

518-329-6239 or bd@bdocktor.com

This Saturday at Kenver, 39 Main Street in South Egremont, I’ll be participating in their 2nd Annual Summer Opening, from 11-5. Lots going on–hope to see you there!

Art Exhibit: I’ll be showing photographs along with other artists, potter Sue Browdy, photographer Michael Lampro, Jill Reynolds of Cheshire Glass Works, and painters Janice Schumacher and Jean Stover.

Also, live music by Highland, SoCo Ice Cream, wine and beer.

This will be the second year that the renowned ski shop is staying open for the summer. They’ve got bikes for sale and rent, great clothes and gifts for the home, and a new room with special things for pets!

I recently had a great time photographing Lucinda’s dog Bear (the standard poodle) and Joan’s dog Charlie (the West Highland Terrier), and their portraits are featured in the Pet Corner. I love photographing dogs outdoors, doing what they do! If you have a dark colored dog, you know how hard it is to photograph them! Call me! I love the challenge.

Now is the season to book your session! Pets, family, parties, weddings, your garden, your home, your art. My passion is showing YOUR passion.

Call me at 518-329-6239 to find out about creating personal, customized art for your home or office.

Essential Moments: Photographs by B. Docktor

at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston, NY

Opening reception July 12, 2014 from 4-6pm. All are welcome.

The show will run through September 30, 2014.

Virginia Apuzzo Hall in the Center’s lovely old building at the corner of Wall and John Streets is a large room that allows me to show a broad range of work. Here’s what I’ll be showing: animals from Columbia and Dutchess County farms are seen up close in a way that we rarely get to view them–alpacas, goats, cows, and sheep with personality!

Also showing uplifting images of flowers, water, and landscapes. Every exhibit that I do gives me the chance to see how these images work in different spaces, in different configurations. I love this design process; figuring out how to piece together the puzzle to make it look like the work was created just for this space. Aside from the joy of making the images, I really get into combining them to make something more powerful than one image alone, and seeing how they change the feel of a space.

I was encouraged by Marcuse Pfeifer, the former NYC gallerist and manager of the Center’s exhibitions, to show photos that I don’t usually exhibit. One of these sets is of dogs and features the kind of spontaneous, unposed movement that I love to capture.

The other set is a group of images of gay people, which I want to show simply because I have them, they are rarely seen, and in general we hardly every get to see images of lesbians and gays. I don’t think I’ve ever seeing a group like this exhibited–some are of gay weddings and couples I’ve photographed in the last few years; some are friends, some are well known lesbian performers.

I grew up in the 50s and 60s knowing I was gay and never seeing images of gay people. I remember the first time I ever saw an out person in print. It was author Merle Miller on the cover of the New York Times Magazine in 1971, with his piece “What It Means To Be A Homosexual.” That photo and his article affected me so deeply because at that time, we never saw anything like that in the mainstream press. We were starved for information about each other. Thank goodness for change, for having an LGBTQ Center, and for the lovely folks who opened up to me and my camera.

Apuzzo Hall is named for Ginny Apuzzo, the Founding President of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center, and one of our nation’s great gay and lesbian rights activists. The Center is at 300 Wall Street and is open 9:30-5:00 Monday-Friday and 10-2 most Saturdays. The show will run through September 30, 2014.

This post is written by my dear friend Kathleen Corby who volunteers at Animal Farm Foundation, the wonderful organization that does so much great work on behalf of “pit bull” dogs. That is where I got John Boy from, and when they ask me for a favor, I am happy to give something back to this great rescue and advocacy group.

Kathleen wrote: I am looking for the perfect forever home for the best boy in the whole world. His name is MUMFORD. As a volunteer at AFF, I spend a lot of time with Mumford (don’t tell the other dogs, but he is my very favorite!). And I am not alone on this–he actually has the title of “Volunteer Favorite.” Mumford has also done some volunteering of his own, educating local school students about dogs. So if you are curious, yes, Mumford is great with kids! (but not too crazy about cats!)

Mumford makes me laugh out loud every day. He loves to go for walks, run and romp within a fenced in yard, snuggle, chew bones and learn. He’s so smart, he has a BA graduate degree from APDT’s C.L.A.S.S. program! Not bad for a shelter dog you may say. Well not bad for a deaf dog either! Yes, Mumford is deaf, but that doesn’t stop him one little bit from enjoying his life to the fullest!

In the hopes of getting him adopted, I asked B to drop by AFF to make some photographs of Mumford showing off all the signs he knows (like “SIT”, “DOWN”, “STAY”, “SHAKE”, “LEAVE IT”, and “WAIT AT DOOR” to name just a few — see, I told you he was smart!). With a face as handsome as Mumford’s we couldn’t bring in just any old photographer — a handsome model deserves the best person behind the lens! By the end of the shoot, Mumford had us laughing as usual as he played “Find It” under his platform.  

Mumford will make the best loyal lifetime friend. I promised him the perfect family and I will not quit until he finds them. Check him out on AFF’s Adoption site: Are you the one Mumford’s been waiting for?

Click here for more info on this beautiful boy. Do you know a deaf dog? Please leave a comment.