5 questions with : Anke Müller

name: Anke Müller
photographer
country: Germany
www.sporthundfoto.de




If you have 1 million dollars, what would you do with it?
On my account - and than think about it


If you were a color what color would you be?
blue


A place where you would like to move to start all over again?
There is no need to start all over again


Your favorite part of the day?
The ( sunny) morning in summer


What kind of equipment do you use?
Nikon 3D and Nikon D700 – and various objectives. I changed from Canon to
Nikon ( less weight ) only because of the weight. I had an intervertebral disc occurrence incl. operation.

PRIMÁTORA MESTA SPIŠSKÁ NOVÁ VES Cup

On the 5th and 6th of November the ARCHING Sports Club in collaboration with the OZ Kalokagatia organize the pohár primátora mesta Spišská Nová Ves, Smižany a cart event in Nova Vas,Smižany Slovakia.


Place of competition: Letisko Spišská Nová Ves ,  Slovakia
Race Director: Michal Kuvik
Type of racing: carts- sprint
categories : adult and childrens (500m)


lenght: 5 km, paths, elevation 50 m, low
deadline 31 october


more informations here and on skarching.wbl.sk


video
Baltic cup 2011 First personal start in Bikejoring women class
by SledDogsBaltic

Nordic Freestyle and Heelwork to music Championship 2011

On the 26th and 27th of November the Norsk Freestyleforening organize the Nordisk Mesterskap 2011 / Nordic Freestyle and Heelwork to music Championship 2011 in Lillestrøm ,Norway at the Dogs4All event.


judges:
Head judge: Lesley Neville (UK)
Heidi Frederiksen (DK)
Nina Haaland (N)
Carola P. Brusevold (N)




more informations here


video
Whisper and Emmy performing at the Nordic HTM Championship 2010 in Helsinki
by heelwork2music

Mein Tier 2011

On the 19th and 20th November the DVG HSV Oldenburg - Wildenloh e.V. organize an agility competition at the EWE Arena Oldenburg , Germany
deadline 12 november


more informations here


video
Mein Tier 2008 - Agility 2
by robtrico

report: Czech IPO Championship 2011

Here you have the results and videos of the Czech IPO Championship 2011.The event was held from the 21st to the 23rd of october at the stadion SK Smiřice by the ZKO Jaroměř Club.


complete results here


TOP 10
1 Kaločová Lucie and Dagger de Alphaville Bohemia  95 /97 /99/  291
2 Mlčák Jaroslav andUdet de Alphaville Bohemia 98 /95 /93/  286
3 Pufrová Milena and Jaro Ja-He   97 /94 /92 /283
4 Pavlišáková Michaela and Uther de Alphaville Boh.   93 /93/  93 /279
5 Hejný František andJagga Ja-He 99/  86/  93/  278
6 Macounová Gabriela and Isména Halit Paša   88 /91 /98 /277
7 Hořejší Jana Ing. and Paris v.d.Mohnwiese   98 /85 /93/  276
8 Mach Ladislav and Octavius Malidaj 96/  90/  89 /275
9 Saska Zdeněk and Clif z Chittusiho údolí   90 /89 /94/  273
10  Valentin Miroslav and Vito v.d. Lobo Hoeve  /92/  90 /89 /271


vidoes
MČR IPO 2011 Isména Halit Paša - obedience
by gaba6688



more videos on Kroja2008 youtube channel


photo gallery and more here po2011.webnode.cz/vysledky/

report: Citybelgit, Helsinki

here you have the results and videos of the agility competition at the Citybelgit Club (CITYB)in Helsinki ,Finland . The event was held on the 23rd of october 2011.


results here


videos
Nipa by queridosdiablos



Luca by queridosdiablos

5-6 nov Obedience in Italy

On the 5th and 6th of November the G.S.C.S. at the Campo GARU in Tetti Neirotti of Rivoli (Torino) ,Italy , will held an obedience event valid for the National championship 2011.
deadline 28th october


more informations here


video
17 april 2010, Garu
by gingerale96

12 nov Recra Wisent Canicross

On the 12th of November in Dronten ,Netherlands will be held a canicross race called Recra Wisent Canicross .The event is organized by the AV Flevo Delta Club.


more informations here


video
CC training 1 mei 2011 Bussum met Elmo
by PoPoMick

12 nov Obedience at the Nortdog Club

On the 12th of november the Nortdog in the Exhibition of Braga organize the 16th round of the Portuguese Obedience championship in Braga , Portugal.
deadline 5 november


more informations here


video
Zico obediencia
by quintadosalomao

5 questions with : Rolando Mattolini

name:Rolando Mattolini
sport: obedience , IPO
Country: Italy
www.camugliano.net
www.centrocinofilo.net




There is something you would never do again?
No


What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? 
military airplane pilot


What would you do if you receive 1000000€ ?
I would keep a part , the rest I will give to charity


When was the last time you went abroad (where/why)?
A few months ago I was in Germany to train dogs


Favorite drink?
Beer - Now I don't drink beer but I think is a very good drink






video
rolando e i doberman
by Camugliano

report: 23 oct - Beste Belg in Agility (Heteren)

Here you have the results and videos of the Beste Belg in Agility agility event organized by the NVBH (Ned. Ver. voor Belgische Herdershonden) in Heteren , Netherlands.The competition was held on the 23rd of october 2011


results here


videos
JP Karin Zoe
by toosvandevorst



Spel Toos Milan
by toosvandevorst



JP Marianne Buzz
by toosvandevorst



VP1 Marianne Buzz
by toosvandevorst

report: Agility San Michele 22-23 oct

Here you have the resutls and videos of the agility competitions held in San Michele Tiorre (PR),Italy at the Centro Cinofilo San Michele on the 22nd and 23rd of october 2011


results here


videos
Giorgia e Isotta
by TheVidvid1972



Erica e Jack
by TheVidvid1972



Franca e Bruce
by TheVidvid1972

interview with a PRO: Christa Savolainen

This month I have selected an unusual character for this section, she's not very present at major competitions, but when she is makes the difference. A demonstration should be that she become the Agility World Champion in the 2010 at the FMBB in Cottbus. A very kind girl and full of determination.
Now, I leave you to the interview


First of all some warm up questions :D


Which is your favourite cartoon character?
The Simpson's family


Describe yourself in a single sentence?
Outgoing and social person :)


What's the coolest dog name you ever heard?
Actually can't decide, I have heard so many cool names... But one of the strangest is definitely Satiainen (engl. crab louse) :D


Ok ,I think is enough ,let's be more serious and begin with the interview 


Introduce yourself  for the readers
Hello, I'm Christa Savolainen, a 21-year-old veterinary student from Espoo, southern Finland. I have two groenendael feamales, Dara, age of 9 and Dara's „puppy“ Wicky age of 5. I work during the summer as a security officer at the Helsinki international airport, but hopefully next summer I could work with animals which would be closer to my future profession.

How is began your career in agility?
I started agility with my older dog Dara. The year was 2005, so I was 15 years old.
We got the chance to participate in our local kennel club's beginner's course, and from there it all began.


Do you remember your first agility lesson?
I remember that we trained jumps and tunnels. Dara was really good and that's why our start with agility was quite easy. I guess Dara was a natural talent and quite easy to handle for the young and unexperienced girl like I was.


Do you practice other sports besides Agility?
With Dara we have competed in tracking and obedience. Wicky has as well competed in obedience but agility is our main sport at this time.



How do you maintain concentration during a competition ?
I try to focus on the next course and not to stress too much. Of course little excitement before own run is always good but it should not be paralyzing.. If I have time I will watch some courses of others and then take a walk with the dog before our turn.


What do you like most about the FMBB?
I really enjoy the athmosphere of the FMBB; it is relaxed and people are cheering each other. It is nice to meet other competitors from different countries and share ideas with them. It is also nice to follow different sports during the day, such as IPO and Mondioring.

What is your most treasured memory of the FMBB?
Of course our championship in 2010 in Cottbus with Wicky. It was our first time when we were competing abroad and I could never had imagined or hoped that kind of success :)


Explain us how goes a typical day in your life
During summers, when I'm not at school, I go to work. Usually the days are long and I get home quite late. If I happen to have a day off I like to take a long walk with my dogs and train. If there's a race on weekend the day is usually very long as well, because we have so much dogs competing. On summer I am spending pretty much all my weekends at the agilitycompetitions.


How much time you devote to training during the week ?
Too little. I try to train twice a week, once only techniques and on the second time I will train the whole course. But last year was so busy with the school, that I had chance to train only once a week.



What is your dog's favorite toy?
Defenitly a fresbee :)


Do you like to travel? Which was your last trip?
I love to travel! Last trip was to Nice and of course we had our FMBB -trip on June to Belgium.


The top 3 most beautiful moments in your career
The most beautiful moment is definitly FMBB WC with Wicky. When I was younger and competeteing with Dara we won the Open Junior Finnish Championship and some smaller prizes. It sounds like a cliché but I think every moment is a beautiful one, if the co-operation between the dog and the handler succeeds in the way it was wanted.

Where do you see yourself in the 2014
Hopefully I have done well with my studies and I am doing agility as passionately as I am now :)


If you were granted three wishes from an angel or genie what would you want?
I hope that I would continue the development as a handler, a bit more time to train and health of course. Own agilitycourt on the back yard could also be nice...


Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! Do you have anything else you would like to add?
Happy begin of autumn for all! :)




videos
FMBB WC 2010 - Christa Savolainen & Black Master's Wicked Beauty
by reggenesi

final report: Open European Championship Heelwork to Music & Freestyle 2011

Here you have the results and some videos of the 2nd and final day of the Open European
Championship Heelwork to Music & Freestyle 2011 that is held on the 22nd and 23rd October 2011 in Sorø, Denmark.


individual FREESTYLE TOP 10 Final results
1 Thierry Thomas from (FRA)
2 Jules O’Dwyer from (BEL)
3 Catherine Myznikova (RUS)
4 Lesley Neville (GBR)
5 Galina Chogovadze (RUS)
6 Sini Eriksson (FIN)
7 Kath Hardman (GBR)
8 Elke Boxoen (BEL)
9 Polina Il’ina (RUS)
10 Sofie E.Hjorth (DEN)


TEAM FREESYLE PODIUM
1.TEAM RUSSIA
2.TEAM BELGIUM
3.TEAM DENMARK


complete results here


the 1st day results and videos(Heelwork to music) are here


videos by bluewyle






more videos on bluewyle youtube channel

1st day report: European Championship Heelwork to Music & Freestyle 2011

Here you have the results and some videos of the 1st day of the Open European
Championship Heelwork to Music & Freestyle 2011 that is held on the 22nd and 23rd October 2011 in Sorø, Denmark.
Follow the competition in real time news on oec2011.wordpress.com

The TOP 10 Heelwork to Music
1. Karen Sykes (GBR)55.03 points
2. Thierry Thomas (FRA) 54.97 points
3. Anja Christiansen(DEN) 52.87 points
4. Valentin Kuzmin( RUS) 50.03 points
5. Lesley Neville (GBR) 49.83 points
6. Tanja Pekkalainen(FIN) 49.53 points
7. Helle Larssen (DEN) 49.10 points
8. Salla Haavisto (FIN) 48.93 points
9. Sofie E. Hjorth (DEN) 48.57 points
10. Kath Hardman(GBR) 47.83 points

HTM Teams podium
1.TEAM GREAT BRITAIN with 75.91 points
2.TEAM DENMARK with 75.40 points
3.TEAM FINLAND with 71.97 points

complete results HTM here


videos by bluewyle






more videos on the bluewyle youtube channel

5 nov RALLY OBEDIENCE - Vicenza ,Italy

On the 5th of november the Dog Angel ASD and Centro Cinofilo CUSINATO organize a rally obedience competitions in Pove del Grappa (VI),Italy.
classes: Rj-RD-R1-R2
deadline 2 november


more informations here


video
Asia - Gara Nazionale Rally Obedience 19 giugno 2011 - Unidog
by CinofiliaUnidog

12 nov agility in Tartu ,Estonia

On the 12th of november the agility club of Tartu organize an agility event in Tartu, Estonia
deadline 6th november


more informations here


video
Tiia & Lili Tartu agility 26.03.11
by rints80

report: 15 oct 's-Gravenpolder ,Netherlands

Here you have the results and a photo gallery of the obedience event that was held in 's-Gravenpolder ,Netherlands on the 15th of october 2011


results here


photo gallery here

13 nov Rally-O at the Söderåsens BK

On the 13th of november the Söderåsens BK organize a rally obedience event in in Söderåsens , Sweden


more informations here


video
Fortsättningsklass i Rallylydnad Söderåsen
by sallyaylaofficefifi

Eiskristall CUP 2011/2012

On the 19th of november the First Agility Akademia team (ÖRV Steinerkirchen ) organize the 1st round of the Eiskristall Cup 2011/2012. THe event will be held in Steinerkirchen ,Austria


all the EisKristall CUP 2011/2012 dates
19-20 November 2011
17-18 December 2011
14-15 january 2012
25-26 february 2012


more informations here


video
2. A-Lauf 3. Eiskristall-Cup 17.1.2010
by sammyyork

Tattendorfer Winterhallencup 2011/2012

On the 5th and 6th of october the ÖGV Tattendor organize the 1st round of the Tattendorfer Winterhallencup 2011/2012.The event will be held in the Tennishalle Skarics of Bahnstrasse ,Austria.
deadline for the 1st round 29 october


more informations here


all the Tattendorfer Winterhallencup 2011/2012 rounds dates:
1st round 05.-06.11.2011
2nd round 10.-11.12.2011
3rd round 11.-12.02.2012
4th round 10.-11.03.2012


video
Elaine 4.Tattendorf Cup Jumping
by austrianstarlight

interview with a photographer: Chris Jolink

Chris Jolink. He's from Netherlands . He lives with a passion...more than a passion :D. A passion that , together with the studies , led him to be one of the greatest exponents in this area. Chris is one who loves precision. Present at many events, different events , but he's specialized in discdog as a photographer and as a competitiore.
Good reading


First of all some warm up questions...


Do you smoke ?
No. Smoking kills and it stinks.


What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
That would actually be my photography gear... I’ve invested nearly all my spare money in photo equipment the last couple of years. It takes a lot of determination, but I hope it will pay off in the long run. I don’t regret it :)


Last time you watch TV (What)?
I was hoping I could give a more interesting answer to this one, but it was the news tonight...




Ok ,get it over here and start with the interview


Could you tell our readers a little about yourself
My name is Chris Jolink, I live in the city Arnhem in the Netherlands. In daily life, I study Civil Engineering at the University of Twente. When I am not studying, I enjoy my ‘dogs life’. From daily walks to events in the weekend. Other than that, I spend a lot of time making photos, looking at photos and reading about photography. For me, dogs and photography turned out to be the golden combination. I love both and it works great together. Of course, my dogs are my favorite models :)


I’ve been active in dogsports for almost 10 years now, mostly in DiscDogging. I started with photography over 5 years ago, and photography became more and more important to me. Currently I shoot more sports than I participate in them, but I still love dogsports, and especially DiscDogging like on the first day I saw it.


 


Tell me a little bit about your start in dog sports photography
I have always had a fascination for camera’s and pictures. Since I was little, I was snapping pictures with my (grand)fathers camera. Even more than that, I liked to shoot video. I guess I inherited this fascination from my grandfather, although I was never too serious about it as a little kid, of course.


The dogsports scene attracts many photographers and videographers. Watching these people work, and watching the results on the internet afterwards, triggered me to start snapping pictures again. But as I got a little older, I got more serious about it. And as I tried shooting sports, a simple point & shoot camera just wasn’t enough. I bought a simple digital SLR camera, and started shooting. Shooting a lot and nearly exclusively dogs. I learned what it took to make at least decent photos, and from there the snowball started to roll! As I reached the limits of my equipment, I bought better and faster lenses and a better and faster camera. I learned more and I got better, and so did my photos. I don’t shoot any video anymore at the time though. But hopefully I will in the future.





Which equipment do you use nowadays?
I use a Canon DSLR system. Two cameras (currently EOS-1D mark III and EOS 7D), a bunch of lenses ranging from 16 to 300mm and some flashes that I would like to use more often than I do now...


Do you plan to buy a new equipment?

Always! I have a long wish-list that I am working on. Next up is an 85mm lens for better portraits. Expanding my studio is another thing on the list. I’m also playing with the thought of a faster long telephoto lens. Especially the last option will require some more money saving though...

Which one item of equipment would you say is the most important to you?
That is hard to say as every piece of equipment serves its own goal. The camera is the backbone of the system, which makes it quite important. Other than that, my 70-200mm lens is the lens I use the most and the one I have always with me. It’s very versatile and it can be used for nearly everything. It’s a great lens for (dog)sports in particular. I love it!


My favorite item is my EF 200mm f/1.8 L USM lens. Don’t question the myth, cause it’s all true! It’s a stunning piece of glass! It enables you to blow away every background, isolating subjects like no other lens of this focal length can. It is uberduper sharp, fast and accurate. It really sets your photos apart and I can keep shooting in lightning conditions where others have already packed their bags. It is nothing short of PERFECT for dogsports photography. Except for its weight, maybe...





What is the ONE lasting impression you want to leave in your photos? 
Sports photography is all about capturing the right moment. Timing is crucial and I want to pull the viewers attention right to that decisive moment. Often that is at the apex of the action, like when a dog catches a disc, but often it is the moment right before that. I want the viewers to ask them selves questions like ‘will he catch it?’, when they watch a photo of a dog trying to put his teeth in a disc that is just centimeters away.


Dogs are athletes, and I want to show that in my photos. I try to capture the moment where the dog uses all his strength and athleticism to perform at its best. They deserve it to look good.


Other than pure performance, there is a lot of emotion on the field. When a handler holds his dog and kisses it on the head, that’s a nice bonus to capture.

Who do you listen to? Who do you accept advice from?
Anyone, basically. It doesn’t mean I agree with everyone, but I try to keep an open mind.


How do you know that a photo is really good? 
It is a feeling in the first place. Quite hard to tell, really... A photo has to expres something what the photographer is trying to show you. There are no rules for that, so there is no real answer to this question. That is what makes photography creative.


For example, in sports/action photography, I want the viewer to focus on where the action of that moment is taking place. A dog that is about to catch a disc. A dog jumping over a hurdle. A dog overtaking another dog... You name it. Steering the viewers focus can be done by a tight composition for example. Leaving all irrelevant information outside of the image. Another way is to limit the parts that are in focus. I try to get the right spots in focus, preferably the eyes (or the entire head) of the dog, and blur out the rest, like the background. I’m very selective of placing objects in focus. I don’t want spectators in the background to distract, so I try to keep them as blurry as possible.


If you can steer your viewers attention, it is easier to expres what you want to show. Add to that the optimal posture of an athlete, and it makes the foundation of a good action photo. The rest is personal preference.


Of course, sometimes it works great to keep a shot completely blurry. I tried to make a mysterious wolf-like photo of JC, our Aussie, in an impressionistic manner. Nothing in the photo is sharp, nor is the composition really tight. It doesn’t steer the viewer’s focus, it gives a feeling of being lost while encountering this wild animal. I count it as a good photo, because that is exactly what I wanted to expres with this photo.


There are no rules for what makes a photo good or bad. Just interpretations.





if I say photoshop , what's the first thing that comes to your mind
The blue square icon :)


What do you think about the fact that almost everyone edit the photos with photoshop?In your work you call it an advantage or a disadvantage?
I like photoshop for advanced editing, but I use it very, very rarely. Photoshop has so many tools that your creativity is nearly the only limit. On the other hand, this makes the program complex and sometimes cumbersome to use. Especially when dealing with a great amount of photos, there are better, quicker and cheaper solutions for basic editing, in my opinion. I use Aperture 3 as the ‘home base’ of my editing workflow.


I edit all my photos. I haven’t published a single photo that was not edited. Most of the time these are just small changes like cropping, optimizing exposure or adding a little contrast. Enhancing would be the better term. It makes a huge difference to the final image, and I would encourage everyone to edit/enhance their photos with software.

What are your strengths?
One of my strengths is that I love dogs and that I spend a lot of time with them. I’m also active in dogsports myself and therefor I know how the game works and I know what to expect. In that way, I can always stay ahead one step of the action and prepare better for what is coming. Especially in DiscDogging this is a great advantage.


I also know how to make a dog look good. I know in what phases of a run or leap they look the best. Recently I discussed (action)photos from another photographer of running dogs. On all photos, the dog was leaning on his front paws, in the ‘landing phase’ of a run. It looked funny, like the dog would stumble. Other photographers didn’t really notice this they way I and another photographer who specialized in dogs did. It was an interesting discusion.


3 things that you can't live without?
There are many things I need in my life. More than 3 at least ;)


Who are your inspirations (past/present)?
Two people I admire, are Pavel Humpolec and Maja Rokavec. Pavel for his eye for detail (why didn’t I see that?!) and Maja for her endless creativity (why didn’t I think of that?!)


Are you a self taught photographer or did you have a mentor that showed you the ropes?
I’m an autodidact. I learned to control my equipment by simply using it, trial and error, and learn from mistakes. Shooting lots and lots of images , find the settings that work best, get confident with the equipment and the situation and keeping my eyes open. Once I got confident with all of this, I started to shoot less and to focus more on what I really wanted to capture. It sounds cheesy, but I developed myself in a way that my camera and lens were no longer a device, but an extension of my eye. Now that I am confident in using the gear, I can focus more on the images I see through them.


The internet is a fantastic source of information. I read a lot about photography on the internet and the great thing is that it can provide information on every level. You can find good guides for beginners, but also advanced stuff for experienced photographers. The internet always fits your level.

Why do you love photography?
For one part, it captures memories. I wouldn’t have as many memories as I do now if I hadn’t captured them. Photos really do tell stories.


I love dogsports photography because I get to see things, often small details, that no one would see if I hadn’t captured it. A photo that freezes the moment can show a lot more than we can see live with the naked eye.


Another aspect of sports/action photography that I like, is the thrill of ‘getting’ the moment. Things happen so fast that it requires a lot of concentration to shoot the right moment. When things go fast and ‘the one’ moment is there that could decide the outcome of the entire event, it gives great satisfaction knowing you got that shot.


More recently I started to use more flashes in my photography. It enables me to create more dynamic and colorful images. I’m getting more and more fascinated by lighting techniques, colors and dynamics. It is fun to discover new areas of photography.


Tell us one of the most beautiful things that happened during a photo session .
The most beautiful thing... I don’t know; many beautiful things happen during photoshoots.


I remember one of the funniest things though. I had a photoshoot with a client who cut and brushed her dog’s hair for two weeks to make her look as good as possible for the shoot. Bad weather was forcasted for the shooting day (we wanted to shoot outdoors) and the client was noticeably worried about it. Fortunately, the weather was good and we decided to go on.


Needless to say that the first thing that happend at the shooting location was that the dog fell into a pond... We all had a good laugh about it though... :)



visit www.canipicture.nl

   

all the photos are a courtesy of www.canipicture.nl

video
USDDN EC2009 Verden/Germany Chris Jolink & Makani 2.Kür
by BorderWG