PHOTOGRAPHS,PHOTOGRAPHERS, SNAPSHOT TAKERS

I have a really nice hand-me-down Canon eos REBEL. There is a zoom lens that attaches and/or I can photograph a close up of a ladybug.
For years, I considered myself a fair to middling amateur photographer.

I don't know how old I was when I got my Brownie camera. The first photo I ever took was of my mother standing to the side of our green, two-tone Chevvy, wearing a coat and a plaid hat made for her by Nina Neal. Every Lady must have a Milliner,you know.
It is the one and only photo in that little yellow book of Kodak Prints.

It was the first and almost the last human being I photographed. From then on the books filled with dogs, horses, and other dogs and other horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you notice a pattern? Search tho you may for our family album, you are destined to fail. Page after page after page, album after album, full of dogs, dog shows, and horses, kitties, horse shows, and the rare humanoid family member. A daughter here, a son there (holding a dog) my Brother (holding a dog) my husband (festooned with dogs....

 

But at the Nationals I saw that what I do is whimisical snapshooting,not photography.

What Joe Roundy does is PHOTOGRAPHY. He understands that camera, and he knows about lighting and speeds and white balance. 

 

I know it all exists. So do Wolverines, but I have never seen one.

Mathematics exists, but on some other planet. I do not understand my camera. It works independently of me. Now and then out of 500 snaps, I get a good photograph, but there is aworld of difference bewteen what I do and what Joe Roundy does. I wish he had gotten some shots of Doc at the Nationals: mine were lousy.

 

                  One of my better efforts. It was all accidental.

Another accidentally good photo

 

One of my all-time favorites, but a snapshot, not a photograph.

Mitchell was an amazing study.

 

 

...and so I said to her, well if THAT'S the way you're going to be,

I'll just have Club without you next time!!

MORE AT THE NATIONALS

We are home, of course.
Back in the groove, Doc spending all day outside with Llewis. Today is Tuesday and so we will be going to the Gallery. I need to put my jewelry back in place.

This first morning we were at the Nationals they had Agility. My problem with these photos is that, other than Lynn Sharkey, I don't know who people were.

The A Frame

 

The weave poles

 

Almost all the dogs were enthusiastic to a fault, but now and again there would be a "thinker":

 

You know, this looks pretty high to me. Are you sure?

 

WOW! I can really see a long ways from here! I bet that's my Van over there with my bed and chewies in it....

I have never liked the weave poles. Tell me again why I need to do this....

 

Then the sky clouded up and I got cold and because it took me forever to get from point A to point B, I began the long limp back to the hotel.

 

Later on that morning, Doc went off with Lisa Leffingwell to get ready to show.

 

 

That's my boy.

 

DOC AT THE NATIONALS

We are at the Nationals in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. I just had Doc out for a walk and was informed that others are finding ticks on their dogs that have been Frontlined,as has Doc. Hmmmm....

Weather has been a mix of good and ugly.
Photographs are few and far between, the light in the Ballroom is hideous even under the best circumstances.

Doc has been fabulous. Thursday he won 2nd place in 9-12 puppydog Sweeps, and Friday he won 2ndplace in 9-12 puppydogs, both times handled by Lisa Leffingwell, his breeder.

Doc being letter perfect for Lisa in 9-12 Sweeps

He was so good. I was blown away.

Doc in Sweeps. The camera seemed to be shakey...

Couldn't have been my nerves.

 

I did get some decent shots of Lynn Sharkey's dog in Agility-- about the only good shots I have for the entire weekend:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What has BabyDoc learned from this experience?

 

1. Some bitches smell better than others and it is a smell he knows he should understand because it makes his teeth chatter,

but he cannot quite make out what it is. The Big Males seem quite agitated about this smell.

He is hoping someone will explain it to him.

 

2. Despite his age (9mos) he is really a BIG BOY and can be relied upon to protect me when someone walks past in the hallways. No more of the excited puppy yaps, these are BIGBOY barks.

 

3. There is some reason that BIGBOYS lift their legs. He is not sure why they do this or what the benefit is, but apparently in order to be a BIGBOY he has to do it, too, so he does. He is a little rocky but knows that soon he will be lifting with the best of them.

 

4. Draggin MomPerson and her cane down the stairs is frowned upon.

 

5.Laying flat in the elevator does not make it stop and for some reason makes other people in the elevator laugh. No more laying flat trying to make it stop.BIGBOYS stand up and take it.

 

6.Even though he is now Officially a BIGBOY, there are many males who are definitely BIGGERBOYS, and it is unwise to stare or otherwise seem to be challenging them especially when one comes nose to nose upon opening a door.

 

A NONY MOUSE

Because of an unprecedented amount of spam I am no longer going to read anonymous comments  but will delete them. Please, if you have something to say I want to hear it, but sign with a name. It doesn't have to be your own. If Queen Victoria sends me a comment I will read it, but if ANONYMOUS does, it goes directly into the trash. Sorry.

GETTING READY

Tomorrow Doc and I leave for the Belgian Nationals. Boy, it's been a long time!
I have made special arrangements with his Groomer to meet us at 6:30 in the morning to get him groomed, and he's a mess! Meanwhile, while Doc is getting primped, I will come home, pick up Nigel and deliver him for boarding.
And then.
I load the Van.

              Remember this? This is my entry in the Nationals.
                   What do you think? Has he got a chance?

I have to load the Van tomorrow. I cannot leave all my stuff  in it overnight. Because I am also selling jewelry, I have all that to take. Not only the jewelry itself but tools in case something needs to be fixed or shortened.

         Ribbons for the Belgian pendants by Peggy Hamlin.

                                  Several necklaces

                 Some bracelets (This is one of my favorites.)

And then of course is the dog and all his Stuff: brushes, nail clippers, show leads and collars, bait (in a cooler): the new dryer (Oh what an unpleasant surprise for the boy) the potions and magic that go into making him look even more handsome than usual.

From this

 

 

 

To something resembling a show dog.

And of course, the worst blow for Doc is that we are leaving behind his buddy, his pal, his protector, his "sheep" that he herds.....

 

 

Sweet (usually) Tolerant (often) happy Llewis. Who stays at home with Conley and John. The three boys.

 

And we will be off, in search of the elusive points. Our hearts in our throats and our sweaty palms, we will watch someone else show Doc,much better than I ever could and maybe, just maybe, Doc will learn that it's ok to poop while on a leash.....

 

Off we go.

SPRING?

Is it?
Is it here?
My lilies are up. The violets and dandelions are out. The trees have leaves and best of all, I have the windows open.

"Where're those damn dogs?"

 

The Sandhills came through several weeks ago.

 

Art studios are starting to open.

 

Flowers

 

 

 

 

We are sitting in the sun. It is spring.

 

FRUSTRATION

I had decided to simply make this a series of photos that I happen to like, but I cannot seem to find the group that I uploaded (twice) to the dashboard.
There were 58 photos I picked out some of which I know I have used before, probably more than once in some instances, but I find this extremely annoying.
I am hoping to get some good photos at the Nationals. They will be black dogs, not Bassets but you get what you pay for.

A number of years ago Susie Spry and I took a week-long spring trip to Kentucky and Tennessee. We stopped at the Kentucky Horse Park and met this draft horse foal having a very good time. We stood by the fence and he came over but Mama Horse was having none of that and with her ears pinned she trotted over to discuss our getting too close with her baby.
We watched from a respectful distance after that, even though there was a fence between us.

On that same trip we went out to Keeneland track very early one morning and watched them breeze the horses. Then we walked back and ate breakfast at the track kitchen, with jockeys and trainers and owners all around. It was a wonderful trip. One of the best I have ever taken.

I do not recall if this was the same trip or another that we took where we went along the Mississippi River (which is to the right) and wandered up this little dirt road.  Turned out to be more of a driveway to this house. This is about as close as we got and later at home I did a painting of it, which of the 4 or 5 paintings I did that year I really like. On the hike up the road we found a beaver tree, something I had not seen before.

Cooper meeting Zelda's puppies. It always amazed me how gentle and considerate of the puppies the adult males were. Of course, had they transgressed Zelda would have killed them, and I am not sure that it would not have been literally. She was very protective and had Cooper and Mitchell so well-trained that they would not walk past the "puppy room" to go outside without a human with them.

Happy Conley. I love happy dogs. No animal on earth is happier than a happy dog.

I know I have used this before but I like it. John actually took this photo on one of his forays downtown in Chicago. I do not now remember what the occasion was now, maybe Occupy Chicago but I think it was longer ago than that. Anyway. Had I ever tried to get my horse under that thing I would still be splatted on the cement....

The sad (and expensive) results of my short-lived experimentations with PMC clay (Precious Metal Clay). The seahorse broke. I needed a class, really-- probably many many of them. It was/is far too expensive for me as a hobby or even a side-line. The beads are bad enough.

My first grooming job. That dog (Prince) had the patience of a saint with me. Once when I was about 10 and walking him (he belonged to a neighbor) a drunk approached and Prince made it very clear who was in charge of THAT encounter....

Everyone said he'd sink, but he swam. Mitchell at Cedar Lake, in the Basset version of Dock Diving.

These are just chosen at random. Enjoy.