biscuit's space | The blog of photographer Katherine Carver

Jan 7

Honoring Biscuit: Remembering His Fluffy Fur Coat

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~Helen Keller

Today marks six months since our precious Biscuit passed away. Anyone who met Biscuit or saw photographs of Biscuit knew that Biscuit had a beautiful and fluffy fur coat, as shown below. Biscuit went through a magical transformation both physically and emotionally from the time when we first met Biscuit. Biscuit literally blossomed. Biscuit was a trooper and he let me give him a bath with no issue. Most of the time, Biscuit was pretty cooperative with me brushing out his fur coat to keep him looking his best in exchange for some prescription kibble! Biscuit did not particularly like going to the groomer, but he tolerated it in order to get his nails and paws trimmed.

Most of all, Biscuit’s beautiful fur coat is evidence that humans can have a huge positive impact in dogs’ lives. We hope that Biscuit’s rescue story helps influence others to consider dog rescue. There are so many dogs in need of furever homes. When it comes to Biscuit, I am not sure who rescued who. Biscuit was a gift. Doug and I still think of Biscuit daily and we are very grateful for our time together. We know that Biscuit sent us a gift — our little Victory!

Jan 6

Benefits: Registering art works with the U.S. Copyright Office

Why is it so important to register my photographs with the U.S. Copyright Office?

Outlined below are some best practices for photographers to consider, especially fine art photographers. Please note that this information is not legal advice, but rather serves as a broad overview concerning copyright issues pertaining to photographic works of art. (For specific cases and questions, it is always best to seek legal advice from an attorney in your jurisdiction who practices regularly in this practice area). Obtaining a copyright registration affords you powerful tools to use against copyright infringers. Ultimately, registering your images with the U.S. Copyright Office affords an artist certain benefits, outlined immediately below.

U.S. Copyright Law

United States copyright law does not require that the creator of a work register the work with the U.S. Copyright Office. U.S. copyright law provides that when a work is created, the work is protected automatically by U.S. copyright law without the need to register the work or display a copyright notice. Copyright protection generally attaches to a work the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible medium of expression. The law considers something to be “fixed in a tangible medium” when it is embodied in a copy or phonorecord so that it can be perceived and reproduced, whether or not the author uses the “©” symbol or the copyright notice. (This covers a wide range of media. For example, words scribbled on a piece of scrap paper; when software loaded into a computer´s random access memory; or when a photograph is taken, are considered to be fixed in a tangible medium.)

Benefits of Copyright Registration

Often either photographers register their photographs incorrectly, or they completely fail to register them at all. While registration is not required to obtain a copyright, there are several benefits to doing so and one should always register works that they wish to protect. It is very important to read all of the U.S. Copyright forms correctly to ensure that you are completing the appropriate forms to ensure protection of your works of art.

United States copyright law provides the following valuable benefits to websites that register their copyrights:

By registering your copyright, you create a public record of your work and your copyright claim.

If somebody infringes on your website copyright, you may sue for copyright infringement. Copyright registration is a prerequisite for filing an infringement claim in federal court with respect to works that originate in the United States. If you want to sue an infringer and you have not registered your website, it will take four months or more after receiving your registration application before the U.S. Copyright Office issues a Certificate of Registration.

If you register your copyright before or within five (5) years of publication, the registration is evidence in court as to the validity of your copyright and of the facts stated in your U.S. Copyright Office registration certificate.

If you register your copyright within three (3) months after publishing it or before an infringement occurs, you may seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement lawsuit. For works of art that are not registered timely, the infringer is only liable for your actual damages and the infringer’s profits.

Additional Benefits of Copyright Registration

Besides making a public record of your protected art works, copyright registration has the very important benefit of allowing you to obtain statutory damages for infringement. If the copyright is registered, however, the owner is entitled to statutory damages of $750.00 to $30,000.00 as determined by the court, even if actual damages cannot be proven. If the copyright owner proves that infringement was willful, the court may award statutory damages of up to $150,000.00 per violation.

You cannot obtain attorneys’ fees for a copyright infringement action unless you registered your copyright before the copyright infringement first occurred, unless your registration is within three (3) months of first publication.

Another benefit of a registered copyright is that the copyright owner’s cease and desist letter will have substantially more “teeth” because the copyright owner has the ability to seek statutory damages and attorneys’ fees. These two factors make it much more likely that the author of the art work(s) can convince an infringer to cease displaying infringing material without resorting to litigation.

Reflect Prior to Publishing Your Work

As a result, it is best to truly reflect on your work before publishing it in any form, including online publication. For example, there are legal ramifications and ownership issues to consider when you post/publish your work on Facebook which, is entirely another “animal” in itself. This is the major reason I decided not to have a Facebook page, Pintrest page, and Tumblr page for this blog, Biscuit’s Space and my website, Katherine Carver Photography.

I hope that you find this information helpful and provides an important aspect to consider prior to publishing your photographs or other works of art.

Jan 3

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2014 Word of the Year: Trust

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” ~Zora Neale Hurston

Many people write new year resolutions. I still write down some attainable goals for the year, but I have found it more helpful to have a word, an intention, to focus on throughout the year.

This year, I recently contemplated that my word for 2014 would be open. However, after reflection and giving more thought, I have decided that trust is my one little word for 2014. In some ways I have excellent trust — in divine timing; in the laws of the universe; in spiritual practice; and in following my bliss – but when it comes to trusting others and myself on a much more practical level, I can struggle. So, I am going to keep trust as my word and see how it manifests this year. I am also going to trust the process, part of the biscuit’s space manifesto.

Last year I selected the word create, which served me well in taking more risks in my photography; sharing my photography; and also beginning a long-term photography project, which, at times, feels like a daunting undertaking. However, I keep plugging along because I believe the work is important. Thankfully, Doug is really supportive. I am dedicating this work to our beloved Biscuit, the inspiration for this work. I plan to complete this work in 2015; however, there are a lot of moving parts to this project and I am thankful for the support of the organizations that I am working with on this project.

2013 was a year of immense change for us in many ways. We still miss our beloved Biscuit, and we will always miss him. Biscuit was a gift and he came into our lives at the right time. We know that he is with us in spirit and we see him daily as his images adorn our home. We also know that Biscuit brought our beautiful Victory into our lives, whom we love very much. Doug says that “Victory makes beauty effortless.” Victory is also a blessing and we have fun with her and she is now my muse. We look forward to all of our adventures together!

We also sold a house, built a house, and moved two times in a span of nine months. We are now pretty settled into our home. We still have a little more decorating that we want to complete, but we have made good progress so far! I feel ready to close the chapter on 2013 and welcome 2014 into our lives!

Are you considering selecting a word for yourself (or letting one find you)? There is no right or wrong. The main thing to remember is that this is your word.

And what do you do with this one little word? You live with it. You invite it into your life. You let it speak to you. You might even follow where it leads. There are so many possibilities.

Jan 2

Things I Love: Winter 2014

Can you believe that it is officially winter! The time is flying by! Shown below are a few things that I am loving!

1. Baby Powder – I love using Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder on Victory. In between monthly baths, we use baby powder to keep Victory looking and smelling fresh. I try and brush Victory’s fur out each day and then I add a bit of baby powder to her fur coat, which soaks up any oils and keeps her smelling fresh. The baby powder is great for behind the ears, where long-haired dogs tend to get greasy!

2. Diaper Genie – Since moving to our new neighborhood, there are not any pet waste receptacles. (We hope that this will change!) As such, we had to find a way to dispose of little Victory’s poops! As such, we bought a Diaper Genie and put it in the garage. So far it is working and keeping any foul odors at bay! If you need a way to dispose of your pet’s waste, this is a good option. However, we shall see how this holds up in the warm summer months! Thankfully, Doug takes care of the full Diaper Genie bags!

3. Make Your Creative Dreams Real – I am currently reading this book per the recommendation of a friend. It is a really good book for creatives! This book is very helpful for procrastinators and perfectionists — and give practical advice on following your dreams and calling. This is a must read!

4. Crock Pot – Since it has gotten colder, Doug has been using our Crock Pot to make us some yummy dinners! The Crock Pot has come in really handy and there are endless recipes to try and experiment with!

5. Snoozies – I have been wearing my Snoozie slippers since it has become more cold! I even bought a few pairs for Doug! They are very comfortable and I can wash them easily in the washer! If you are in need of slippers these are great — there is even traction at the bottom of the slippers so you won’t slip on your hardwood floors!

6. Peppermint Shake from Chick-Fil-A – We do not normally eat too often at Chick-Fil-A, but we love the ice cream from Chick-Fil-A! Doug usually gets a large vanilla ice cream cup, which he shared with Biscuit and he now shares with little Victory! I especially love this time of year because I can get the peppermint shake, my all time favorite shake!

7. Noosa Yogurt – I recently discovered Noosa Yogurt at Wegmans. It is a rich Greek yogurt that comes in a variety of flavors. I love yogurt, so I am always venturing out and trying new types — brands and flavors of yogurt!

8. Hot Chocolate – Since it has gotten colder, I am enjoying hot chocolate! A cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows warms me up after we get home from a long walk outside with Victory!

Jan 1

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Victory: Happy New Year – 2014!

Happy New Year! Victory arrived back home to celebrate New Year’s! Victory rang in the new year with some prime rib, shown below! Victory seems to love meat and she loves to eat on the sofa! (Soon, we hope to have Victory eating on her new custom mat from Orvis!)

2013 was filled with tremendous change for us. However, Doug and I look forward to 2014. We have some exciting trips planned this year with our little Victory! She is making progress each day and she did really well with her Holiday travels! We are blessed with little Victory and we know that Biscuit is forever in our hearts.

Thank you for reading the blog and for your support — it means so much! We hope that you have a wonderful New Year’s! Stay tuned for more photography; and this blog will continue to chronicle our adventures with little Victory!

Happy New Year!

Dec 31

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The Art of Living

Today I wanted to share a post written by Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net entitled, My Pursuit of the Art of Living. This is one of my favorite blog posts that I read this past year and it resonates with me on so many levels. I too believe that life itself is an art form.

MY PURSUIT OF THE ART OF LIVING

For many years I simply lived, and got by.

But in the last few years, after learning a bit about habits and mindfulness and simplicity and love, I have changed my approach to living.

Now I see living as an art form, to be studied and played with and practiced and mastered. Of course, few ever master the art of living, and I don’t know if I ever will. Probably not.

But I can pursue this art. I can appreciate it when others do it well. I can learn about it, through experiments and observation and introspection.

My pursuit of the art of living is only just beginning, but I thought I’d share a bit about this pursuit with you, my good friends.

BEGINNING THE PURSUIT

The journey begins with a single step, a wise man said, and for me that first step is simple:

Admit I don’t know.

Learning begins by emptying your cup, so that you can fill it with what you find. Emptying your cup means getting rid of pre-set opinions.

I don’t know what the art of living is, but I am curious.

And so the path is one of open hands, of curiosity and finding out.

And it’s one of bare feet, of being open and naked, willing to be exposed to life and chaos.

It’s about clear seeing, mindfulness turned to seeing reality as it is, without trying to make things rosy or conform to the story you tell yourself.

Clear seeing, naked, open hands, curious without knowing. That’s the path that I’ve found, so far.

THE ART EMERGES

With clear seeing, I start to see why I (and others) suffer, why we stress and get mad at each other and want more and more.

And now I can start to apply the art of living to my days.

Here’s what I practice with, imperfectly:

Compassion. Instead of being angry or frustrated, I find the pain in others, and open my heart to them. This includes compassion for myself.
Gratitude. Life is filled with wonder, and the people around me as well. I try to open myself to that wonder, and be grateful it’s there, instead of complaining.
Joyfear. Joy is an awesome thing to have, but joyfear is present in the powerful moments in life where joy and fear mix, where we’re taking chances and doing something outside of our comfort zone that both excites us and makes us face the possibility of failure. I now embrace these moments rather than avoiding them.
Not avoiding discomfort or uncertainty. When we avoid discomfort, we are limited by our comfort zone, and new learning and new ventures become impossible. When we avoid uncertainty, we only stick to what we know. But we can purposely become good at discomfort and uncertainty, by practicing in small bite-sized chunks, over and over.
Staying with the moment, even when it’s hard. This is the hardest of all. “Living in the moment” sounds wonderful, but actually staying with the present moment isn’t ever easy. Try it: with your eyes open, sit still and stay with the sights and sounds around you for one minute, without your mind wandering away from them. If you don’t notice your mind wandering, either you’re an experienced mindfulness practitioner, or you didn’t notice when your mind wandered.
Relationships are everything. Getting what we want, having things our way, having control, being right … these things matter nothing compared to relationships. Imagine being in your death bed at the age of 80 … will your sense of being right and in control comfort you when you have no good relationships, no one who has loved you? Put relationships first.
Not holding on to expectations & judgments. Expectations and judgments prevent me from enjoying what I have, from enjoying the simple presence of someone else in my life. I practice with noticing these expectations and judgments, and practice with holding them loosely, letting them go.
Letting go. This is the art of living in two words: letting go. It’s letting go of judgments, expectations, wanting to be right, wanting to control, fear of discomfort, fear of uncertainty, fear of failure, fear of boredom, comparing myself to others, wanting distraction, being irritated, complaining. It’s noticing when I’m holding these, and letting go. Loosening my heart’s grip on any of these, and letting go. And then letting go again. And again.

And so the art of living is a practice, one that doesn’t end, that doesn’t have a mastery level. It’s a constant letting go, a constant picking up again, and then letting go again. And falling, and getting up without beating myself up.

The art of living is the art of getting back up.

Dec 30

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Featured: L’Oeil de la Photographie (The Eye of Photography)

I am very grateful to be featured in L’Oeil de la Photographie (The Eye of Photography) showcasing my black and white series. L’Oeil de la Photographie is based in Paris, France, which is produced by the former editors of Le Journal de la Photographie, a daily publication of short articles on photographers and photography across the world. The title of the feature is “Biscuit,” a wonderful tribute to our beloved Biscuit, the inspiration for my work with dogs. You can read the entire feature here.

A big thank you to Jean-Jacques Naudet, Editor, L’Oeil de la Photographie.

Dec 27

Victory: Illuminated

Victory has been having a great Pawliday! On our drive to see family, the idea came to me that it would be fun to wrap Victory in white lights and photograph her. Victory is so tolerant and she indulges me with my ideas — she is my muse! Since we are out-of-town, Doug was kind enough to purchase a strand of 100 white lights to wrap around our beloved Victory! It was quite a comical process, but Victory cooperated as always! Victory sat atop her Grandma’s sofa in the living room while I photographed away! Victory hopped off the sofa when she was done, but she gave me a good ten minutes to photograph her! Shown below is an illuminated Victory! Perhaps this is the first of many experiments to come!

Happy Friday!

Dec 26

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Victory: First Christmas

Victory had a wonderful Christmas! A few photographs are shown below of Victory on her first Christmas! The first image is one of my favorites of Victory sitting by the Christmas tree! I think that we will get a photo ornament made for our Christmas tree next year!

On Christmas we took Victory to go see a light display and she loved the car ride and the lights! A photo from the Christmas light display is shown below!

Victory also has received some very nice gifts shown below! It was a nice surprise to receive some gifts from a blog reader! Thank you!

On another note, anyone who has been to our home knows that Doug has a menagerie of “friends” (stuffed cheetahs and pandas). We have more “friends” than we know what to do with. Our entire guest room has hundreds of “friends” all of whom have names! However, while we were visiting family this past week, in a moment of weakness, we rescued a friend named “Buddy,” pictured below! Buddy is a 4.5 foot tall panda, our largest friend yet! Victory even posed with Buddy, shown below!

Happy Pawlidays!