Tuesday, March 1, 2011

I Can Accept My Limitations.....

I am not a pet photographer...REPEAT....I am not a pet photographer!

It's not that I don't love the furry little guys because I do. I love cute little puppies with their wet noses and the way that their entire back end shakes when they wag their tails (I think that someone once made mention that my back end did the same thing. To my knowledge, their body has never been found). I love the way that cats make you work hard for the slightest acknowledgement that they notice you. I love the way that some of them can look at you like they understand every single word that you're saying and I absolutely LOVE the acrobatic skills of baby kittens. I say that I'm not a pet photographer because I stink at taking their picture and it drives me bonkers!

A friend asked me to take some pictures of her dogs for her partner's birthday and I was happy to oblige. I mean, how hard could it be? It's not like you have to worry about their outfits or if they have a few hairs out of place. I didn't anticipate a lot of time in Photoshop making sure that the dark circles were removed from underneath their eyes or that I've covered a stray eyebrow here and there.  I've taken pictures of people with their pets many times before and was pretty pleased with the results. However, I learned the hard way that this undertaking was way out of my league!

I arrived with camera in hand and thinking that in 20 minutes or so, I'd have some masterpiece worthy of a gallery showing......cute dogs, beautiful home.....this was a win-win situation for me. As I stepped through the door, I was met with a onslaught of energy! I was pushed back against the door and it was hard to decide who I should acknowledge first....scurrying feet, tails wagging, tongues flapping...it was a madhouse! Then, I persuaded Shannon and Bonnie to step back and let me meet the dogs.

There was sweet little Josh. He has the most sincere expressions and loved to mug it up for the camera. He was determined to get in any shot that he could and was quite tolerant of the pimp jacket that his mommies insisted that he wear. I could sense the shame that he was feeling but he was a trooper.


Then, there was Sidney...the Sidster....the Sidmeister. He just seemed to be over all of the hoopla before it even really got started. His one focus in life was working those eyes for a treat. I consider him to be quite indecisive because he couldn't even decide to go with a blue or a brown eye so he chose both. I think that he did it to show off but he wouldn't own up to it, even if you asked him.


Not to be shown up by the boys, Olive decided she'd steal the show! She was an explosion of playful energy. She wanted to give love and kisses to anyone within a zillion mile radius. She ran, she jumped, she taunted...you name it. She kinda reminds you of that kid in the daycare center that's always on top of the sliding board or the bookcases but that you can't get mad at because she's so dang cute. There's Ritalin for those kids but for Olive, there's parents that appreciate her eccentricities and energy so it all works out in the end!


Even the slightest mention of treats could bring this trio to a screeching halt. They'd fool you into thinking that they were little angels until the last treat was dispensed and then they were off again! It's amazing how these guys can work you in the same way that little humans can work their parents.


The cats around this place have the right idea. They have their own space and it wasn't uncommon to see one of them slinking in and out of the bedrooms or through the fence. I wouldn't swear to it but there were a couple of times when I was sure that the cat gave the dogs the finger through the window. This one little beauty seemed to have the demeanor of a tiger...she was bold and could stalk a ribbon like nobody's business!



So, the day wasn't a total bust. I got a shot (totally out of luck!) that could be used for the birthday canvas but I learned that pet photography is NOT my specialty! I have a new-found respect for my friend, Julie, who IS a pet photographer....and a DANG good one at that! Her website is a work in progress but she is THE best pet photographer that I've ever met. Not only that, she's probably one of the nicest people that I've ever known. If you need pet pictures taken, call her and you will be blown away at what she can do! You can check her limited web presence out at www.bellyrubbz.com (how cute is that name?!?) and she can send you more samples of her work.

As for me, call me for people pictures. I can handle those but I'll leave the four-legged friends to the people who do it best!


Have a tail wagging good day!

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