Labradoris

This is straight out of camera.  I didn't touch it except to resize it.  Is that color amazing, or what?!

I just returned from my first "real" photoshoot, though I did not charge (rightfully so), as I only wanted practice.

Some friends of ours recently wed in Greece, and before they dashed off to their wedding, I offered to spend some time after they arrived back taking photographs at local wineries, hence the 'post-session wedding photos'.  They were really very gracious at letting me use them as test subjects, in return for free photos. 

I was somewhat unnerved by the time we arrived, and I realized the reason why was because I had planned so much that I had forgotten to plan an important thing:  what we were going to do when we got there.  I had thought about it, you know:  some poses, some ring shots I wanted to take, details of the dress I wanted to capture.  Simple things like that.  But when we actually stepped out of the car, I was taken aback about how clueless I suddenly felt.  The camera felt strange in my hand, my confidence suddenly plummeted, and I kind of wanted to just sit and drink instead of take photos. 

I mustered some courage, though, and started giving them a little direction:  stand over here, okay, good, now why don't we try it over here...even though it felt a little awkward.  We moved around in different places, me being hyper-aware of the crowd and trying to avoid the music scene during the afternoon.  We moved through the vineyards, and it surprised me by just how much fiddling I was having to do with my camera.  Normally, I can switch settings, open up the aperture a bit, pump up the ISO, whatever it takes, pretty quickly.  But I felt like no matter what I was doing, the shots weren't turning out the way I wanted them to.  Just a little too bright, a little too much, kind of bland, unimpressive.  I think I was most unnerved by the fact that they were having to stand there waiting on me, rather than just going off and playing some more, which is what my usual test subject does.  My camera had become a mystery to me, and I don't know what it was, but I could not for the life of me figure out why the photos were coming out so overexposed.  It didn't help that it was bright out, but that hasn't been a problem before.  I chalked it up to unconscious nerves, and just kept shooting and did the best I could.  I have a folder now full of delicious shots to edit this week, some of them good, some of them, well, blah.  Joel tells me, though, that I'm too harsh on myself and that he rarely gets to see many of the shots I take.  What can I say, I'm a closet perfectionist.

But the main lessons I learned today, in case there is anyone out there considering doing the same:
-I'm glad I did not try to do this cold (i.e., never done a shoot before and charge)
-I'm really glad Joel was there to help me with my camera bag, shot suggestions, carrying the wine, making conversation.
-If I want people to look fierce, I need to tell them to look fierce and show them how to be fierce.  Otherwise, the standard is a side hug.  I have a lot of side hug photos, because I just didn't open my darn mouth.  I need to feel more confident giving direction.  It's funny; normally I have no problem with this, but today, I just felt a little unsure of myself.
-Check out what the couple is most comfortable with, and work with them in planning the shoot.  In my case, the 'bride' loved the attention she was getting from fellow winery-goers, while the 'groom' didn't want to be the center of attention or cause a spectacle.  I had asked ahead of time if a winery was okay, but unfortunately, both wineries had bands playing today, and hence, many people in attendance.
-I need to get my camera out more often and shoot, shoot, shoot in a wide variety of locations, time, and weather. 
-I will need to work on not feeling rushed, and working to get something right, rather than just accepting the blah photos for what they are.  I didn't want to make them stand there any longer, so we would just move to the next area.  I need to work on that.
-I have a newfound respect for wedding photographers.

But other than that, I thought it went really well, and I'm glad I could provide them with the type of shots that were not taken at their wedding (they had a single, unknown photographer). 

It did, however, make me realize a little bit more that I'm not really very interested in doing wedding photography.  The potential images are beautiful, but I think other areas of photography are pulling on my heartstrings a bit stronger. 

The other day I was short on time - or maybe motivation, I don't remember - and I decided to walk both the dogs at one time.  What I do remember thinking, as I fastened their pinch collars, gathered their leashes, and stuffed baggies into my pockets, is this may not go well.

I mean, they are two Labs.  They have been in the house all day.  They have not run off their energy in any way, shape, or form.  In fact, as we walk out the door, I stop thinking this may not go well and it turns into a well, this was probably a really bad idea. 

Once we got over the initial confusion of who is supposed to be where, the dogs double-walked beautifully, side-by-side in a perfect heel.  They didn't climb on each other, play bite or snarl, or spin wildly in circles (these things happen).  They walked happily next to one another, Trooper bouncing along his merrily way, Cosette walking more steadily. 

I was so impressed by them that I almost walked further with them, but then I was halted by the lack of motivation (or was it time?) and just took them on our regular shorter route; however, it has given me confidence to try it again sometime soon, without the dreadful preamble, like a pesky gnat buzzing in my ear.  This time it will be, this will go well.

I thought this little Boston Terrier sticking his head out the side window of his owner's truck was humorous.  Boston Terrier, right?  I don't know my small dog breeds as well.

Hey, I thought it was cute.

Last Sunday we went to visit Joel's parents, but before we arrived, we stopped at the local town square and perused the antique stores.  One had an antique baby cradle, like this, and LG pointed it out and said, "What's that?"

I looked down and smiled, fondly remembering my own that I had as a child that I subjected to many baby dolls.  "It's an antique baby cradle, little guy.  Or, you could put baby dolls in it."

He replied, "Neat.  I guess we'll need a baby next.  We should get working on that."

The weekend before last, half of the department gathered for our annual cookout.  I say half because it includes two graduate programs (and associated faculty); the other two  graduate programs party by themselves and don’t invite us (I kid.).  
The best thing about this particular annual cookout is that a number of us have dogs – big dogs.  There were a few non-big dogs, but they didn’t participate in the rough-and-tumble activities. 

So, an outline of who was whom in the dog world, since you weren’t there to sniff their butts like all the rest of the dogs:

Bosco – adult border collie mix
Cosette – 2 yr old black Lab
Chip – 4-5 year old chocolate Lab
Darwin – 5+ year old Golden Retriever mix
Madison – 4-5 year old black Lab
Mal – adult golden retriever
Mars – adult Chow mix
Trooper – 7 month old chocolate Lab

And let me just take a moment here and praise the crap outta Trooper.  I was reticent to bring Trooper along, simply because of the number of people present (about 40) in a free-range, no-fence environment.  I watched joyfully as he not only played well with all the other dogs, but did really well around small children.  One moment in particular made my heart fill with joy:  Trooper had a tennis ball and was playing fetch with a seven or eight-year-old boy.  At one point, the ball bounced in a weird direction over to a small child.  The child was sucking on a pacifier, standing just so on its wobbly toddler legs, and bent over to pick up the ball.  I held my breath, because I was too far away from the scene to really prevent anything.  I know what Trooper would have done to an adult:  he would have run, full-speed, up to the adult, probably slammed into them, and then jumped around like crazy until the ball was thrown.  Instead, my beautiful puppy locked on to the ball, loped up to the child, and sat down.  He then gently, ever so gently, reached his nose out to touch the little boy’s hands which held the ball.  The little boy opened up his hands, and Trooper delicately plucked the ball out of the boy’s hands, slowly turned around, and walked back to the older boy.  I wanted to shout, “LOOK EVERYONE!  LOOK AT WHAT MY DOG JUST DID!!” but instead I smiled and kept nodding at the conversation I was in.  I was so PROUD of Trooper, though.  

The dogs played, and played, and played until they could play no more – well, at least until we all took them home.   Luckily by our shelter, there was a large water reservoir that the dogs were more than happy to play in.  See crappy point-and-shoot pics below:

You must know by now that when I disappear off the face of the earth for five days, I am collecting and preparing content.  And if that's what you've guessed, then right you'd be.

While you're waiting, though, Cosette wanted to say hi: 

WHO'S A PRETTY GIRL?!?

Trooper has special talents.  Mainly, jumping.

The other day, he was keeping me company while I did yardwork in the backyard.  I let him off his leash to go back inside when I was done, and he raced back to the garage.  On his way, he jumped over a bush, a landscape light, and finally, three bags of landscape waste - simultaneously.  Like, he cleared all three.  With room to spare.  It was amazing.  And of course the thing that popped to my mind was:  that dog can do agility.

Of course, that made me curious.  Curiosity made me assemble a small impromptu jump in the backyard.  Sure enough, he was more than willing and able.  We spent a good fifteen minutes out there just playing.  You know the best part?  He was panting afterwards.  Do you know how hard it is to wear his energy level down?  This could be the secret to giving this dog a job.

Stay tuned.  I'm going to put some thought into this one.

The antelope turned on the lion.
THIS is how nature shows should turn out!

(Trooper has a stick in his mouth but is holding it like a cigar, ha!)