A walk with my dogs and camera

Yesterday I went on a lovely forest walk with Pinot and Maggio. Two hours of exploring, playing, enjoying, just being: and for me: photographing the dogs. I had this massive inspiration to just experiment and test different things: play with light, shadow, shooting right into the light, getting flare, trying to control it (as best as I could) - seeing what would happen if I didn't even try to control it and playing with backgrounds. 

Here I will leave you with some of the resulting images. Bless these dogs: they are truly amazing - unbelievably cooperative and happy to test and try what we're going to do next. I think they really like seeing the camera come out; they're well-paid models! 

Pinot certainly seems to soak it up and actually gets a bit frustrated with me when I tell her it's Maggio's turn and she needs to wait. She will then go on to place herself in a beautiful sit or down near Maggio and pose toward the camera - as if she's still part of the "show" - I just tell her how gorgeous she is and she seems to be happy with that arrangement. She doesn't know I cropped her out of the frame. (unless of course she reads this blog post or goes to check out the photos. LOL). 

Enjoy the photos - Maggio is sporting his True Retriever Colours: mud and muck, twigs and dirt pretty well covering his body. The measure of Enjoyment for a dog :-)

Maggio posing and doing his typical "goofy face". Pinot is impatiently waiting for her turn right below and in front of Maggio...cropped out of the frame.

And then - Pinot's turn to "smile" for the camera. Doesn't she just look like she is soaking it all up??