Nighttime - 52 Week Project

This week's Beautiful Beastie challenge was themed nighttime. I've been wanting to do a night shot with the dogs for a while (really wanted to do one during the fair) but with 2 black dogs it makes it tougher to shoot them in darker environments. Which leaves the brown and white Mr. Bender as the model. Typically he's super distracted and doesn't stay in one place unless tied to something, so he's not usually my first pick. Plus he doesn't like to look at me. We went out on two hot humid evenings and he did really well with a sit and stay both times!

Next up on the blog ring is the fantastic pet photographer Stacey Gammon of Stacey Gammon Pet Photography!

Sweet Seniors - 52 Week Project

This week's theme was Sweet Seniors. Sadly my senior dog Mick had passed away just prior, and my rottie (who is 7) doesn't really show that she's getting on in years. Luckily Tri County Humane Society had a 10 year old gentleman beagle who fit the sweet senior description. Though by the the way he bayed at another dog, you would have thought him to be younger! He's still searching for his forever home!

Next up on the blog circle is the Raleigh Pet Photographer, Tara Lynn! Remember to visit all of the blogs to see everyone's Sweet Seniors!

Rule of Thirds - 52 Week Project

This week's theme for the Beautiful Beasties Network was Rule of Thirds. I had thought of visiting an old barn with Mick, Icey and Bender, but instead I came across a concrete pipe graveyard in a quaint field/pasture.

Mick was the first to be photographed. He was having a "better" day than he had been having, though his footing was wobbly he stayed close to me. Typically the sights and smells of such a place would have had him running in pursuit of critters. I was just glad he was out and about.

Bender was the next model for the Rule of Thirds. He's getting a lot more solid at staying put for pictures, though he still needs work on looking at the camera!

Icey wanted to be involved too!

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Sadly, this is the last blog posting that will feature my shepherd mix Mick. Late Wednesday night he passed away. He was buried in a pretty little field near a stand of woods, so that he may be entertained by squirrels. He is greatly missed. 

To quote my friend Rob - "That's a heap of heartbreak I hate to be able to associate with.

That wound will heal but you'll always have a scar. But the thing is, that scar is how he'll always be with you in a way. Funny how a little lump of fur and poop can grow to mean so much in a lifetime."

RIP Mick - October 2007 - August 2013

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Hopefully the next set of images from Melissa McCabe or Unleashed! Pet Portraits will be on a more cheerful note!

Session with Smore, & Pugsley

 Meet the wonderful duo that is Smore and Pugsley! Smore is a pug, while Pugsley is a pug/shi tzu cross. Both were quite the characters as we ventured into the heat for an evening session with their owner Diana. Poor Smore panted like fiend, so most of his portraits featured his crazy long tongue! Pugsley on the other hand was the star of the show with his furry Yoda ears overtime I would make an eek sound!

Negative Space/Silhouette - 52 Week Project

This week's Beautiful Beasties Network theme was negative space. The lovely Miss Lucy was lucky enough to get to visit the dog park, and I in turn was lucky to be invited along for an impromptu session. Lucy loved that she could run, jump and play, which for a shelter dog is a dream come true! She had been at Tri County Humane Society since February and was passed by because of her genetic skin disorder. Well the dog park day must have done the trick because she was adopted later that day!

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The other evening, we had a baby storm pass by. There was some wicked light and clouds going on so I snagged my camera along with Mick and Axle. Nothing like trying to HDR a dog! I managed to capture Axle with very little movement so the images don't look wonky! And the light was really that pinkish red color! It had started as a rich gold (golden hour x100!) then as the sun set it turned a rich shade of pinkish red.

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The theme changed!!! Good thing I checked! The theme has been changed to Silhouette. Just means that I had to go out shooting again... Yay! This time I snagged Axle and the bike and we rode to the train tracks. No epic sky and sunset, but we did get some interesting silhouette shots.

      


Visit the round robin of photographers who have also participated in this week's challenge! The first photographer you will visit is the Australia based photographer Caitlin McColl of Ragamuffin Pet Photography.

Vintage - 52 Week Project

This week for the Beautiful Beasties 52 week project the them was vintage/retro. We could have used props or textures or colors to portray the vintage look. I decided to go with a warm black and white color for some portraits I snagged of Mick, my shepherd mix and Axle, my boxer mix. The ones of Mick are sentimental as he has been up and down with health this month. He's got good days, and not so good days. These pictures were from the not so good days when I was worried I was going to lose him. Luckily today is one of the good days and he seems to be on the mend :)

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Remember that the 52 Week Project is a round robin, so click through all the other blogs of the wonderful photographers who interpreted this theme. Next up is the wonderful Nicole St-Onge of Candid K Nines based out of Windsor, Ontario! Remember to click through all of the blogs until you get back to mine!