Dec 21, 2016
Six years ago I was a failed journalist, bartending and waitressing to pay off my student loan debt. I had a laptop, a camera, and a new dream. I thought hard, and daydreamed a lot, about my business name.
Back then, I wanted a label, I wanted to seem bigger than I was. Using the pronoun “we,” whether it was for my blog, a podcast, or a Facebook ad, always felt so wrong. Like I’m inventing an imaginary staff to make me feel more important.
Back then, I was still afraid to call myself a photographer; now, I have the audacity to call myself an artist.
I am not a corporate office with too many synchronized office chairs, time sheets, and meetings about meetings. I am a real person, and I let my feelings influence everything I do.
I present rebekahnemethy.com! Reflectivephotos.net is not totally gone, the url still works and redirects to the new one, and you will continue to see the old logo here and there. But the best part is, now I have a place to share everything I do, because everything I do will always be me. (Shout out to Deb Ozarko for logo design and tagline genius!!)
So what have I been doing?! I’ve always wanted to paint for charity, and it just so happens that HeARTs Speak’s annual fundraiser is going on right now. HeARTs Speak is the organization that feeds my soul, and they are the inspiration behind so much of what I do for animals.
So, for every donation of ANY AMOUNT, I’m giving away original art in the form of tiny paintings. Pictured are 10 that you can choose from, and if more than 10 of you donate, I’ll make more paintings. The 1st to give are the 1st to choose, so act now! https://www.crowdrise.com/works-of-heart/fundraiser/rebekahnemethy
Here are some quick facts about HeARTs Speak
- 400,000 shelter pets were given the chance to shine last year with professional portraits from HeARTs Speak members!
- HeARTs Speak’s Perfect Exposure Project donated photography equipment and training to 9 high-intake shelters across the U.S. in 2016. (I’m proud to say I helped with 3 of them!)
- There are over 600 HeARTs Speak members internationally who volunteer their time and expertise to shelter pets.
- HeARTs Speak members help out at 1/3 of the shelters in the U.S. and volunteer about 15,000 hours monthly.
Please help me help them! You can help us make an even bigger impact in 2017 by donating to my fundraising page. No amount is too small and every single person who chips in will receive an original painting gift from me, shipped to your door for free. It’s the least I can do to express my gratitude for your help.
Thank you <3
P.S. Happy 1st day of winter!!! We’re over the hump and the days are getting longer again. Woo hoo!
May 25, 2015
The Idea
Have you ever had an idea that you couldn’t empty from your mind? What was once just a passing thought soon turned into an all-out obsession? Then maybe you continue to push it away; it’s impossible, it’s out of your comfort zone, someone else should do it. Until that thought plagues you for so long you realize it’s not going anywhere, and the only way to get rid of it is to make it happen, as Nike would say, “Just Do It.”
That idea for me is My Rescue Rocks.
A Story About Fear
It was fear that kept it locked up for nearly a year. I flash back to my LGBT class in college, when Ester called me to the front of the room to read my essay. Maybe I wrote an excellent essay, but being the only heterosexual girl in the class, I never expected to be put in the spotlight for my perspective. As it shook in my hands, my paper made more noise than my meek, stuttering voice did. Ester stopped me, told me everything was ok, and to relax, but pointing out my anxiety just intensified it; I read faster and shook even more. It’s easy for me to write, but ask me to read what I’ve just written aloud to crowd of strangers and prey instinct takes over.
When I did my first test recording, just me and the mic, my finger froze above the record button. Even though I knew no one would ever hear it, I still had to coax myself to speak. The reality of “I’m actually doing this” overwhelmed me all at once and, as if an elephant were standing on my chest, I couldn’t breathe.
Little by little, I’m getting over it. These moments of fear may seem unbearable in the moment, but once I’m past it, it’s over, and I’m still alive. The only way past fear is straight through it and, now, I’m determined to come out on the other side.
Excuses to Fight the Fear
From a broad perspective, fear is just another excuse to run. So I just need a more important excuse to keep walking forward, and I have plenty of them:
- Innocent animals are killed everyday and many animal lovers are totally oblivious to the facts.
- Telling stories is the most powerful way to make a connection with people and spread ideas.
- Hearing a story, first-hand from the source, is even more powerful than reading it second-hand.
- Very few people have extra time to read these days, and more people are turning to audio for entertainment.
- I know too many people with amazing rescue stories that NEED to be told.
- Sharing these stories can inspire more people to support rescue, seek change, and save more lives.
Something Much Scarier
I look at my Gracie Lou lounging on the bed, I pat her pink belly, stroke her soft fur, and think about all the other dogs that weren’t as lucky as her. My imagination puts her back in the shelter, walking down a cold, cement-floored corridor towards a room full of strangers intending to steal her life. I want to cry, but I bring myself back into reality and envelop my dog in a hug, grateful to have her. She picks her head up and licks my nose, and I know she’s grateful to have me too.
The thought of Gracie’s right to live and love being snatched away from her is much scarier than talking into a mic. That’s all the excuse I need.
My Rescue Rocks, the podcast featuring stories about love, tragedy, and survival, will launch this summer! Get on the listener’s list to be notified when the first stories are available to download.
If you have your own rescue story to share please don’t hesitate to submit it here: rescue story submissions.
Join the Listener’s List OR Share Your Rescue Story
Aug 16, 2013 |
I didn’t really plan to do my caption contest for so long, but here I am a year (and one month!) later with 13 silly and cute animal photos made even sillier and cuter by your awesome captions!
I figured you would get a kick out of seeing these again and I wanted to share some of the stories behind my pet photography. Kitties, and doggies, and birdies oh my!
This is my cat George. He loves all things shiny, but he is particularly attracted to bottle caps. Whenever he hears the hiss of a freshly opened bottle he comes running, and you better throw that bottle cap so he can chase it. Then he will grab it, carry it right into the bathroom, into the tub, and proceed to bat that thing around until his paws get tired. I call it kitty air hockey. Anyway, I caught him in the tub one day and got this photo.
This is Amiga, a Blue and Gold Macaw at Wilton Parrot Rescue. This was the first day I started volunteering my photography to animal rescues. The founder of Wilton Parrot, Liz, was telling me how Amiga had this really silly habit of scratching her head. “I wish she would do it,” Liz said as she walked away. Not 5 minutes later Amiga was doing it! She was quite an animated character and I’m happy to report that she has just recently been adopted! Go Amiga!!!
I was taking some before and after photos Shay’s beautiful work at Flawless Paws Grooming salon. Gizmo had just been beautified and Shay asked me if I wouldn’t mind trying to capture her Great Dane next to the little Pekingese. Well it didn’t end up being a best friends type of portrait, but Gizmo sure did show this boy who’s boss haha!
This is Caesar, one of the first few dogs I photographed at Pets Alive in Middletown. He was the only one I could get to even look at this ball. Who would have thought he would be giving it the nah-nah nah-nah tongue? He really made me laugh. Caesar has long since found his forever home =).
Tracey, a wonderful volunteer at Pets Alive in Middletown, brought her foster puppies to the facility for the first time ever to show them off to potential adopters. This is Randy, one of six pibble puppies. I tried to wake him up, believe me! Finally I gave up, and Anna, one of Pets Alive’s youngest volunteers, decided the toy would make a cute prop and popped it in between his paws. I’ll have to hire her as a my stylist when she’s all grown up!
Rajah is one of the most tolerant cats I’ve ever met. I got several santa hat shots of this boy, but this was the best choice for a square crop. I tried to dress up my cats, George and Callie, with this hat and an elf hat and they were just not having it! Yes he is definitely glaring at me in this photo… I’m pretty sure I woke him up :-O
Treats are my main source of attention grabbing for dogs, but sometimes a treat turns into a prop and a tool for getting silly shots of cross-eyed German Shepherd puppies. Kodiak had had enough sitting and staying in his little ADD, 4-month old body and he was ready to get the reward he so rightfully deserved. NOM!
These are my 3 all time favorite birds from Wilton Parrot Rescue. They were around the first time I visited the rescue, and they were adopted soon after. Then, a few months later, they were returned. I couldn’t believe it, I don’t even remember the reason, but I remember feeling so lucky that I would get to hang with them again! From left to right this is Baby, Applejack, and Petrie, the friendliest trio of parrots I ever had the opportunity to meet. In fact, they were so friendly that I had to constantly stop to pick them up and catch them because they kept flying to me when I would back away. Of course they found a home before I got a chance to return.
Kuna, now known as June in her wonderful forever home, was being an awesome Valentine’s Day model the day I photographed this. She was posing with hearts, X’s and O’s, and little pink pillows with lovey dovey phrases embroidered on them. She had had enough probably 20 shots before I caught her yawning on camera. I can’t help it, I just want to capture every moment I can with my foster babies. This caption was a perfect match for this photo.
Shadow was my 1st foster kitten. He was with us for about 6 weeks, and he was one of the hardest fosters to let go of. It’s just so different when you know your foster is going into a great home; in Shadow’s case he didn’t get adopted while I had him, so once he was big enough to be neutered, back to the shelter he went. I don’t know for sure how long it took for him to get adopted, but I do know that kittens go fast. This little munchkin was literally my shadow. He would climb up my jeans just to be closer to me, crawl into my lap, and take a nap. He was my baby :*)
I have no idea what this boy’s name is, but I do remember that every time he was in the ring at Stockade Agility he was barking his head off at his dad. He sure did run like the wind though! This was a true outtake that I didn’t see until much later, when I was processing images. This was the caption that made me laugh the most this year, so thanks Debbie!
Little Munchie was hanging with his mom at Benmarl Winery during Woof N Wine this past April. He was such a well behaved little guy. Thanks for posing for me Munchie!
Riley was on a walk with one of the volunteers at Pets Alive West the first day I was there. There were so many volunteers walking dogs that day that I hopped from dog to dog the whole time I was there. This big fluffy teddy bear is still up for adoption, if you want to find out more or fill out an adoption application you can do it on his Petfinder Profile. (UPDATE – Riley was adopted!!!)
Jul 27, 2013
Dogs need mental stimulation just as much as people do and Kongs are awesome for engaging and challenging your dog! I’m always trying new recipes to keep my foster dogs interested in finding out what’s inside. Here’s one recipe that’s sure to be a winner for any dog, especially on a hot summer day.
What you will need:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Make a yummy frozen Kong treat!
- Chop up or slice the banana into small pieces. If it’s a really ripe banana you can mash it if you’d like.
- Mix the yogurt and banana together in a small bowl
- Microwave the peanut butter for 15-30 seconds until it’s thin enough to pour
- Stir the peanut butter into your mixing bowl with the banana and yogurt
- Use a dab of peanut butter straight from the jar (not microwaved) to seal the small hole at the narrow end of the Kong
- Spoon the mixture into your Kong
- Wrap up the Kong in plastic wrap (two sandwich baggies to cover each end works well too)
- Pop you Kong in the freezer and let it freeze over night (keep the large hole facing up to avoid leaks and spills)
- Serve to your dog and let the Kong slurping begin!
Do you have any good recipes for Kong stuffing? Please feel free to share your recipes and links to recipes in the comments below.
Jul 14, 2011
Whether you have an iPhone or a phone that operates on the Android system, there are hundreds of free apps that may appeal to you as a pet owner. Some of the most popular apps help to organize pet records, assist with pet training, provide backup in emergency situations, and some are there just for fun.
Apps on Droid and iPhone
Pets Next Door (4 Stars on iPhone – 4 ½ Stars on Droid)
Almost everybody has a Facebook profile these days, and now social networking for your pets is on the rise. There are a few apps available for pet social networking, but the most used one is Pets Next Door. You can set up a profile for your pet, add photos, and check your pet’s wall for posts. It also includes a map feature that zooms in to find pets locally, even on your own street.
First Aid + Pets (no ratings yet on iPhone – 3 ½ Stars on Droid)
This app is a must have for handling emergencies. It includes separate sections with instructions specific to people, dogs, and cats. Some of the topics include first aid for injuries, burns, poisoning, and electric shock. There are also guides on compiling a first aid kit as well as techniques for catching and handling injured pets.
Clicker Apps
Both iPhone and Android phones have free clicker apps available to help you train your pets. These apps simulate the sound of this popular training tool. Clicker Lite (2 ½ stars) is available on the iPhone, and Clicker (3 ½ stars) is the app in the Droid market. The free iPhone app has a nice visual display and a written section that provides a basic introduction to clicker training. The Droid app has a much simpler looking display, and there is no information included. However, the clicker for Droid responds to your touch, you can click fast or slow, like a real clicker. The iphone app makes the same sound no matter how you touch it.
App Only on iPhone
Petfinder (4 ½ Stars)
This app was named the #1 pet app of Macworld in 2010. Browse a database of dogs, cats, and other pets in need of a home. Narrow your search by zip code, breed, age, gender, and size. There are tons of pictures to browse, which means there are tons of homeless animals… what are you waiting for?
App Only on Droid
Pet Master Free (4 Stars)
This is the ultimate organization app for pet owners. Keep track of multiple pets’ vaccinations, medications, flea control, as well as all their appointments to the vet, groomer, and trainer. Other features include a daily log, a photo album, as well as sections to enter allergy, insurance, and special needs information. You can build custom sections to file away any other information you can think of. There is also a paid version that gets rid of the ads.
