valentines day

One of our favorite ways to get festive during the holiday season is with winter-themed chinchilla photo shoots! This guide will go through my process with photographing LY Chinchillas on my own with no strobes or flash (basically, nothing fancy)! Be sure to have a fast camera (I use the Fujifilm X-T10 Camera because of the super-fast continuous shooting mode) and light sources ready to go! Koko Warm Posing Xmas The very first thing to check prior to starting the shoot is the chin-proof factor. Admittedly, the actual time on set is very short – and the rest of the time is spent coaxing your little one back on set or sending them back to their cage to nap off a hard 10 seconds of work! In those off-set moments, you’ll need to make sure that everything is completely chin-proofed to prevent any accidents, fur loss, or injury. Muff Sideways Holidays The next thing you’ll want to check are your ambient light sources – that means your natural light, ceiling lights, desk lights, lamps, floor lamps, whatever other illuminating tools you may have in the shooting area. This will help capture your chinchilla by allowing you to have a faster shutter speed due to more available light. Normally, I prefer a clean white light, but for the holidays, there’s nothing wrong with a warmer glow that comes standard in most home lighting.
Grab a portable spotlight if your natural lighting is low – ideally, this will be somehow diffused. You can do this by using a strong flashlight or adjustable desk lamp covered and tied down with a very sheer scarf. This will make sure that your light is not too harsh and capture your chinchillas in all their softness. Set design holidays 2016 The third step is to create your set: start out with a fun, safe idea and execute! Fleece is always great, but other textures can be visually pleasing too. For my holiday shoot this year, I went with simple silver and white tree decorations, along with a chunky knit sweater. It’s important to note that these decorations are obviously not safe for consumption, so I would not suggest this for anyone who is starting out with shoots; managing the talent on set is a huge part of the multitasking these types of productions require! Lulu Munching Warm Holidays The final step is to shoot away! I like to set up the scene, get the lights on, take a few test shots, and then plop them in one by one to see how they react. Normally, my chins are very confused at the new environment, so they’ll take 10 seconds to look around before dashing off. Those 10 seconds are crucial! With a fast continuous shooting mode, you can grab up to 8 images per second – more than enough to finalize at least one adorable final shot. Mitty Holidays Knowing your chinchillas, staying very patient, and setting realistic expectations is key: after shooting for years with them, I know that Fifi will be tough to contain (she has a strong dislike for unfamiliar environments) – so during this year’s shoot, she slipped out of the roster by her own sheer determination. Remember, it’s your own selfish cute-loving self who happens to be encouraging them to pose for adorable photos, so never get frustrated if things aren’t working out. If someone is being a diva, simply save the shoot for another day. Or, if you know a shoot is coming up, hold off on safe chews and treats for the week prior and let them munch on set. If difficulties arise, the rule is: better safe than sorry, always! It’s not worth straining your relationship with your beloved chin over some images. Muff Holiday Warm Eating Don’t be apprehensive to reinvent the concept if needed. Sometimes, simple is better. A fleece backdrop and a chew stick can yield incredibly cute shots, too! Staying basic is an awesome way to start learning how your chins will behave in front of the lights and camera. It’s always truly just a buildup of trust, anyhow. We all wish you a very warm and happy holidays with tons of bonding and photography, sweet friends! Koko Cute Head Warm Holidays

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MUFFTONEOUS [my giant goofball] AKA Muff, Muffton, Muffles, Sir Mufftoneous, Fatty

Black Velvet, Born 07/15/2013, approximately 750 grams

Muff Simba

Role in Playtime Kingdom? Full time jester, and part time squisher/carpet puller/hyper-speed zoomer! Muff is full of energy, energy, energy! He is a total sprinter – incredibly fast for short distances, then off to chill out in a tiny crevice somewhere with his watchful eyes peeking out like a paranoid owl. At times, he has been referred to as “overlord,” because sometimes, it really feels as if he’s the universal puppet master (Muff is so simple that he’s.. infinitely complex?).

Favorite Hiding Place? Under the filing cabinet, where he attacks the entrance at great speed! Don’t worry, it’s now been sectioned off, but it doesn’t stop him from trying to burrow in.

Physical Capability? Agility is super-chinchilla level! Moderate jump height. Willing to walk for rare treats. Will, shockingly, happily finish the entire wood stick, not just the bark. Greatest strength probably being a lack of fear and a sense of youthful invincibility. He is incredibly talented, however, at wall climbing! He even has his own climbing wall in his cage, which has been super customized for his quirky personality.

Vocal? You betcha! Muff will sing, chirp, bark, and from time to time, even scream (especially if he’s hopeful to gain a bit of the girls’ attention). He has been physically vet-cleared as healthy, but there’s some dark music behind that cute little face and gleaming, beady eyes.

Human Cuddle Status? Definitely not. No chance. It’s impossible to contain a squishing athlete! He’ll squirm right out of your arms and bolt away at super speeds! A more recent development, however, is that he LOVES scratches! I’m such a happy chin-momma to see this little guy just melt under the chin and chest rubs!

Favorite Way to Be Picked Up? Sir Mufftoneous will only allow a pick-up with a regal hand elevator. Hand is offered, and Muff will hop right on until the destination is reached.

Intelligence? Eh, it ebbs and flows. Muff can be very loving and kind, but a lot of the time he’s totally ridiculous. I question the gleaming universe behind those eyes – is it empty? Is it just a reflection? What is the meaning of it all?

Muffton Squish

Is He Compatible with Other Chinchillas? Muff is in full love with Lulu. He can’t even bear a moment without her (even though he lives a whole room away from her, and only gets supervised playtimes once a month with his lady). Of course, because his heart is taken, no other chinchilla comes close to interesting. Naturally, this means him and Mitty are pretty much sworn enemies. How cute is Muff around Lulu? Take a look below!

Ready for a Photo Shoot? Muff will jet off even before you get the chance to set him down on set! Good luck, human! The best bet is for Muff to tire himself out during playtime and grab a few shots when he’s resting – and if you insist on a set, you better have some treats on hand.

Love to Dust? Favorite. Thing. Ever! Muffton will stop at nothing! Dusting is his all-time favorite thing in the world. Dust? MORE DUST PLEASE! He bats my hands away every day when dusting is over, eager for just another roll in the heavenly blue cloud.

Muff Dusty Scale2