rubicat design and photography

I am both a graphic designer and photographer. Talking about design is often quite nerdy, so I generally reach out to the world through my photography. My photography is casual, and does not center around any particular themes. Animals are my favourite subjects, but really, I shoot whatever strikes my fancy...

Comments are highly encouraged!

Boston Exotic Pet Examiner Ella Zohn interviewed me recently for an Examiner.com article:

read the Examiner.com article here

I love my job. Sometimes my job loves me back, and I can nom on an ear or two. :) This is from an early November photo shoot; Lolly the Chihuahua kept wanting to snuggle, so I had to nom her ear. Don't you love the WTF expression on her face?

Hamsters are challenging. Like gerbils, their M.O. is anywhere but here!

She's not sad, of course; Chihuahuas are just highly adept at draining every ounce of pity from humans within a two-mile radius. :)



I'm (slowly) working through the photos from Sunday's shoot; these dogs are killing me with cute!

On Halloween I brought home my own little treat: Tom and Sally, two guinea pigs rescued by Windham County Humane Society in Brattleboro, Vermont. Tom and Sally are adorable together, but I wanted to make sure that we didn't end up with MORE piggies than we bargained for! So, I raised enough money through CavyMadness to have Tom neutered, thanks to the many CavyAngels who helped out with the cost of the procedure. To express my appreciation, I took some photos of Tom in my front yard.







When I brought him back inside I placed him on the kitchen table while I cut up vegetables for him and Sally. He waddled right over to my fruit bowl and started sniffing apples, so I cut him a piece. He looks like he's enjoying the apple. :)

Baie, Renny, Miso, Lolly, and Rio. All are adopted dogs from hard lives, now living in a canine Shangri-La with their amazing pup-whisperer mom and loving family. More photos forthcoming, because I must kill you all with cute. :)

since I'm taking forever with your photos: LOLbunnies. :)

I'm photographing a pair of jeans this week, and one of the models happened to have her guinea pig, Klaus, with her. She had called ahead to ask if it were OK; I replied, "you know I'm also CavyMadness, right?" :)

Klaus had just been to the vet for "boy problems." He's all handsome and scruffy. I shall be posting more photos soon - right now, I'm quite busy!

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My friend Amanda (in the photo) is part of a Boston-area rock group called Electric Mummy. I took some (very quick) promo and candid photos of them Sunday night. Electric Mummy will be performing Friday, October 30th at the Paul Green School of Rock Halloween Party (6:00 PM - 9:00 PM)

Visit Electric Mummy's Facebook page or MySpace profilefor more information on the band and upcoming gigs.

To see additional photos of Sunday's rehearsal (all candids), visit my Flickr album.

Some bad days going around, so I bring you bunnies. Meet Snickers (brown) and Fluff (white).



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I volunteer my photography and design services for Underdog ResQ, a non-profit foster rescue for pit bulls, elderdogs, and other pups who just can't seem to get a break. They're wonderful dogs, and I spent a few months photographing some of the underdogs for a calendar. Please support Underdog ResQ and buy a 2010 calendar for your dog-loving friends!

The front of my mother's home is filled with azalea bushes. Every year they get munched on relentlessly by azalea caterpillars. They are harmless, but curl outward when they are disturbed, which makes them appear aggressive. I just love how striking their patterns are!

I visited a friend in Brattleboro, VT this weekend who volunteers for the Windham County Humane Society (www.wchs4pets.org). We visited some of the animals this weekend, and I urge anyone near Brattleboro, Vermont who is looking for a shiny new pet to visit Windham County Humane Society.

First: Just .... aw. :)



Here is Bee, a 7-year old boy who has been at the Humane Society for far too long. He can't be with other kitties nor children, but he is a sweet, loving, adventurous boy who deserves a quiet home. He gets a little stressed around all the vocal kittens and with strangers, so people think he's not nice, but he IS! I cuddled and gave him chin-scrubbies for a while. He loves sinks.



And here's Rocky and Cuddles. These handsome brothers are 6 years old and are practically joined at the hip. They need to be adopted together to a quiet home because they are shy and a bonded pair. Adopting two kitties together really isn't much more trouble than one; just a bit more poop to scoop and double the weight on your lap while you're watching Monday Night Football. Oh! And both are giant double-paw kitties - they're gorgeous!



To view the kitty listings:
http://www.wchs4pets.org/cats.html

Tonight I made dinner for friends. Since I had fabulous tomatoes from the Arlington Farmer's Market yesterday and a lot of basil in my herb pot, I decided to make a salad of tomato, mozzarella, cucumber (from a friend's garden) and fresh basil pesto (I went overboard on the garlic...).

I'm donating a portrait package for the Silent Auction. All proceeds will benefit the House Rabbit Network, which specializes in rabbit education and adoption in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. So, save the date: Tuesday, 29 September, and go to Flatbread in Bedford, MA for pizza and helping bunnies! More information about the benefit is available at HRN's site.

Yesterday I visited Sweet Meadow Farm to go over final calendar edits with Patty. We re-shot one of the photos for the calendar, and chatted for a while. The farm cats there are not your usual farm kitties; they're gorgeous, foofy Ragdoll (or mixed Ragdoll) kitties that have adorable personalities.

This is not one of the calendar photos, but I love it! Isn't he handsome?

After falling in love with the guinea pig pellets and hay offered by Sweet Meadow Farm, Nhan and I helped them set up a new website, and I've been working with them ever since. This year I have been able to help Patty with their 2010 calendar; since I've been working on a calendar for Underdog ResQ, I already had a template in place! Patty took all the photos for the calendar, and she has some cute images! I'm getting ready to send to print this weekend, and will let you all know when it's ready!

Don't you hate those days where you're just so hot and miserable? The A/C isn't working well enough and you just feel prickly all over. Makes you want to ball up and sleep somewhere until it's cool enough to feel human again.