Podcasts about my rescue rocks

Get links to everything we talked about at http://myrescuerocks.net/45 Welcome to the season finale of My Rescue Rocks! It’s kind of become the tradition for each season to end with a conversation, and today’s conversation is all about a powerful concept that’s totally changed my life over the past few years. In 2010 I was working hard to establish myself as a professional photographer, I was building my portfolio, working any and all photo-related jobs from portraits to products. For most of that year it was all work and no play for me… I’m not sure what first inspired me, but a holiday was coming up, Nick was going away, and I found a bag full of Yoshi’s beautiful feathers that I’d collected over the years… he’s an orange-winged amazon, so his feathers are really colorful and unique. Somehow, free time and inspiration collided and I found myself playing with my camera. I got two really beautiful photos out of my playtime, but more than that, I felt really charged and refreshed and I wondered why I didn’t play with my camera more often. So I decided that I would. This is essentially the story of how I became an artist, but I don’t want you to zero in on the artist outcome, what’s more important than that, and what I want you to know is, that this is also the story of how I recognized that I was creative. My point being, not everyone wants to be an artist, I know that, but everyone is creative in some way, and everyone can really benefit from having creative play in their lives. So, after playing around for awhile, I showed one of my flower photos to a photographer I assisted, and he told me that it reminded him of Georgia O’Keefe. I was floored, he was comparing my photo to a real artist, a real and quite famous artist. It might sound silly, but before I had that validation, I always told myself that I wasn’t creative. In fact, if I knew that photography could be so creative, I probably would’ve been afraid to pursue it. But to make a long story short, that was the spark that inspired me to keep making art and to figure out what it would take to become an artist. And that, my friends, is how I discovered today’s guest. I assume I Googled “how to become an artist,” or “how to sell art,” and I came across an online course that would teach me all about it. The course had two teachers, one taught all the tactical approaches to running an online art business, and the other taught us how to overcome the mindset issues that plague us in the pursuit of creativity. Both teachers gave us so much value, but being able to recognize and put a stop to all the negative voices in my head is the skill I value most these days, and I’m not sure I would have developed it at all if it weren’t for Melissa Dinwiddie. That course doesn’t exist anymore, but I’ve followed Melissa ever since. Her blog, and now, her podcast too, have inspired and empowered me over the past few years, and I’m honored to be able to bring her into your ears today. And, because this is a podcast about adopted pets, I asked Melissa to share the story of how she met her soul-kitty, because I knew you’d enjoy it. But this episode is more about you, and we quickly move into the fascinating ways that creative play can make your world a better place. Ok, here we go, I hope you enjoy our conversation. Get links to everything we talked about at http://myrescuerocks.net/45 Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/36. The Q: What has your rescue pet trained you to do? We're always talking about how important training is to any successful pet relationship... because, as I'm sure many of you know, training issues are one of the top reasons pets (at leasts dogs and cats) are surrendered to shelters. As I'm sure you also know, training isn't just getting your pets to do what you want, it's a way to communicate with them so they can understand you... and many times the training roles end up getting reversed and our pets start training us! I’m grateful to have this episode of My Rescue Rocks co-hosted by adventurer, fellow rescue advocate, and fellow podcaster Britany Felix! We got so many great responses from all of you and it made for quite a hefty episode, so let’s get right to it, shall we? Here we go! To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/36. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/31. I can’t believe it’s August already, and that means two things, 1) season 3 is here! And 2) this podcast is officially 1 year old!  With a new year of stories ahead, My Rescue Rocks just got a new look to go with it! Have you noticed our new cover art for the show? A big thank you to Zach from podcastdesigner.com for that amazing birthday present! We’re kicking off season 3 in style! I know I’ve mentioned it before, but one of my favorite podcasts is NPR’s Snap Judgment, and it’s in a tiny, 5-minute story I heard over there, that I discovered today’s guest. That story was actually one of the inspirations that led me to create My Rescue Rocks; when I heard how one dog’s story actually changed laws that affected dogs across the US, I realized just how powerful stories could be. Have you ever heard of Daniel: The Miracle Beagle? If not, you still may have heard his infamous story of survival, and you might already know how he escaped an Alabama shelter to become an ambassador for change with celebrity status. If none of that sounds familiar, though, don’t worry, because Daniel’s dad, Joe Dwyer, is going to tell us all about it, and although the infamous “Miracle Beagle” is his most well-known rescue dog, he certainly wasn’t his first. I’m excited to be able to dig in deeper and put a spotlight on more of Joe’s story and bring to light some of the other dogs that have inspired him to help make an impact on homeless dogs all over the country.  Joe’s love for dogs was always apparent, even in his earliest childhood memories…  To access links to resources and see some photos submitted by our storyteller, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/31. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it!  You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Rebekah Nemethy, who is the host of the My Rescue Rocks podcast and a freelance photographer, talks about the life-changing 6 week long trip she took to Guatemala that include panic attacks, dead cows, perfect weather, volcanoes, awkward conversations in a foreign language, and incredibly cheap accommodations.To view pictures of her trip and find a link to my guest appearance on the My Rescue Rocks podcast, check out the shows on the Living Unconventionally website.To make sure you don't miss out on future episode, be sure to subscribe to this podcast or join my email list by texting the word freedom to 444999. 

My husband joins me again and gives his take on our honeymoon in Paris, his thoughts on our mission to selling everything we own and quitting our jobs to travel the US in an RV, his advice for people looking to make a similar leap, and what he is most looking forward about our upcoming journey.   To find links to both your FREE 30-day Trial and download from Audible.com* and my interview on the My Rescue Rocks podcast, just visit the show notes on the Living Unconventionally website. *I will receive a commission if you sign-up for the trial with Audible.com but, rest assured, I don't promote anything I don't absolutely believe in. 

The Q: What’s the craziest thing you do to spoil your rescue pet? Another question for, you, my crazy rescue friends. And when I say "crazy" I don't mean you or I would think it's crazy, but maybe your non-pet-obsessed friends think it's a little over the top. This episode is another fun show full of mini stories from My Rescue Rocks listeners like you!  To access links to resources, photos, and more, submitted by other listeners like you, please visit http://myrescuerocks.net/22. Please help us spread our rescue stories by sharing this show with a friend, PAWlease, I’d really appreciate it! You can also help out by subscribing, and leaving a rating and review on either iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks so much for your support!

Rebekah Nemethy is a fellow animal rescue podcaster. She hosts My Rescue Rocks, now in its second season. Rebekah shares her story as an artist and podcaster, her spectacular photography, some photography tips, and a number of inspiring animal rescue stories.   Rebekah Nemethy's Photography Tips Whether you want to believe it or not, each pet's photo is marketing. Sad marketing often leads to pity, and not adoptions. Here are some tips to keep your rescue dogs looking happy and help them get adopted. Never show a pet in a metal enclosure and try to avoid chain link fences if possible too. These elements give the psychological impression of a prison which is associated with bad behavior. We don't want to strengthen the bad dog stereotype. Always take the dog to a happy place, in the grass, on a piece of comfy furniture, even up against a plain old wall will be a huge improvement over any kind of crate or cage. A last resort I use is the over-the-shoulder pose, if there is no decent photo location at your facility, have someone hold the dog over their shoulder with their back to you, you can easily use a bright blue sky or a plain wall, indoors or outdoors, as a simple background. Get their happy face on! You want your pups panting with their ears perked. Why? Because a dog with his tongue out most resembles a smile to our simple human brains, and the perky ears give the viewer the impression that he is interested, curious, or playful. Who doesn't love a good head tilt? You won't always be able to get all three of these ideal gestures (tongue out, perky ears, head tilt) in every shot, but you sure can try. Play with the dog before you take his photo, if he's running around chasing a ball he's sure to be smiling afterwards. Have an arsenal of silly sounds at your disposal. I always carry a squeaker, a clicker, and I've got my Donald duck voice down pat. I also have a giant bag of treats and I've been known to take the bag out and shake it over my camera. Dogs with floppy ears really look 100% happier with their ears up, so personally that's what I go for in every shot. Dogs with cropped ears look nicer with a smile. I totally advocate dressing up dogs too. Cheap scarves, flowers, bow ties, etc., can be found at your local craft store. Not only do dogs in costume stand out, but in my mind they also give the dog some credit for having a decent temperament. I wouldn't let someone take photos of me in antlers! Use text overlays for names, quotes, and captions to grab attention. Put the dog's name on the photo, give him a thought bubble and write something cute about what he's thinking inside. If you use Photoshop you can find inexpensive overlays that are pre-made, but there are tons of free apps out there that will allow you to add your own text or stickers to a photo. If you're not tech savvy then you can make physical signs and posters for dogs to wear or stand next to. Get creative, do silly things, and stand out! Lighting is a topic I could write a book about, but I'm going to keep things simple for the beginners out there. Never use on camera flash, just turn it off. Unless you have experience with off camera lighting or you can control the direction of your flash, I recommend you use natural light whenever possible. Inside, you should turn off all the lights and use natural light through windows. Outside, on a sunny day, make sure you situate your rescue pups either fully in the sun or fully in the shade, not, for example, under a tree where there's splotchy light. Overcast days, however, are the easiest lighting conditions to get great photos outdoors. Just make sure the sun is at your back, even on overcast days. Be aware that these tips are coming from me directly and not from HeARTs Speak. As a member, I highly recommend anyone interested in shelter photography go get the HeARTs Speak Field Guide to learn more about the technical aspects of shelter photography, studio lighting, post processing, working with cats and dogs, and how to best promote pets on social media. There is no other guide out there like it.  http://heartsspeak.org/store/products/shelter-photography-field-guide/ HeARTs Speak application window for Perfect Exposure Project grants Also, right now through March 31st, HeARTs Speak is accepting applications from shelters interested in participating in the 2016 Perfect Exposure Project. This is for open admission shelters only and a limited number of grants will be given out, but if your shelter is chosen HeARTs Speak will provide a free 2-day workshop AND donate a camera and lighting equipment to keep the great photos rolling out. Apply here: http://heartsspeak.org/2016/02/applications-now-open-for-our-2016-perfect-exposure-project/ Resources Reflective Photos is Rebekah Nemethy's beautiful photography website, for both pet photography and fine art photography. http://reflectivephotos.net/   My Rescue Rocks is Rebekah Nemethy's animal rescue podcast. You can find it on iTunes or play it directly from her website. http://myrescuerocks.net/   Lisa Prince Fishler was the first pet photographer who gave Rebekah a positive vibe and introduced her to Hearts Speak (often spelled HeARTs Speak), a global organization of artists dedicated to animal welfare. Lisa's photography website, Printz Photography http://www.printzphotography.com/index2.php#/info4/1/   Lisa's bio page on Hearts Speak http://heartsspeak.org/about/   HeARTs Speak is the organization founded by Lisa Prince Fishler. http://heartsspeak.org/ HeARTs Speak Field Guide. Rebekah Nemethy mentions this as a wonderful resource to help organizations improve their animal photography. http://heartsspeak.org/store/products/shelter-photography-field-guide/   Pets Alive is the animal rescue organization that provided the source for several of Rebekah Nemethy's interviews in the first season of My Rescue Rocks. They rescue a number of dogs, cats, horses, and other animals at their facilities. http://www.petsalive.com/   My Rescue Rocks selected episodes Joseph Knipp and Robert the pit bull in a wheelchair http://myrescuerocks.net/2015/07/31/how-rockin-robert-got-rescued-more-with-joseph-knipp/   Lisa Prince Fishler http://myrescuerocks.net/2015/07/31/letting-our-hearts-speak-stories-about-great-photography-thats-saved-lives/   Nina Huang with her greyhound Apollo http://myrescuerocks.net/2015/09/01/the-healing-power-of-love-with-nina-huang/   Nancy and Harold Rhee - we kicked off Rebekah's second season and had a blast! http://myrescuerocks.net/2016/02/02/foster-frenzy-how-one-family-got-addicted-to-saving-lives/   Other resources Consumer Reports - where Rebekah Nemethy works as a product photographer http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm   Feline HIV http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/brochure_fiv.cfm   Snap Judgment - the podcast that influenced Rebekah's podcast style  http://snapjudgment.org/podcast   All of Pawprint's music is composed by Luke Gartner-Brereton. Luke is a musician based in Australia, and he composes a wide variety of songs and musical loops http://vanillagroovestudios.com http://soundcloud.com/luke-gartnerbrereton   If you want to learn more about Nancy and Harold, go to our About Us page at thisispawprint.com/about or listen to our introductory podcast episode, "Fifty Puppies and a Podcast." http://thisispawprint.com/000 Thanks again to Rebekah Nemethy!   Pawprint (or Paw Print) is a weekly podcast dedicated to animal rescue, adoption, and the heroes who make it happen. Adopt or foster a dog, cat, rabbit, or other wonderful pet through your local shelter, humane society, SPCA, pound, and animal control.

Before we get into the first official episode of My Rescue Rocks, I thought you might want to get to know me a little, so this is my story and an introduction to the podcast you’re about to hear.