The Thinker

Zachary - The Thinker

Dog Blog Post #2194

Zachary's fur is silky smooth on his head, with never a hair out of place.

As he gracefully ages, white hairs lighten his face and draw ever more attention to his beautiful, intelligent, dark brown eyes.

This is a fairly high ISO shot, taken by floor-lamp light, as I was sitting on the sofa and Zachary was hoping I would crack open the Cookie jar on the end table.

He was not disappointed.

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1703. "The Best Part"

Our Daily Challenge - June 29, 2016 - "Heads or Tails"

So Soft

Soft Henry

The fur atop Henry's head is soft and thick - especially when stroked backwards.

Thankfully, Henry never minds.

Super Sniffer

Zachary: "sniff sniff sniff"

A dog nose is a marvelous thing.

Unless it's 3am and you're being poked with it.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

An Old Friend

Zachary and Mr. Mouse

Dog Blog Post #2193

Zachary, who turned 8 a few months ago, reminisces with one of his old puppy toys.

Photography Assignment

The shot above was the first of the night - a lighting test snapped right after I put the mouse down, while I was walking back to the camera.

After checking the LCD, I grabbed Zachary's glasses and hat, got him "dressed", and went about the rest of the shoot.

Wouldn't you know, that first shot of Zachary, unposed and undressed, looking somewhat quizzically at the mouse, turned out to be my favorite.

Daily Dog Challenge 1702. "The Persistence Of Time"

Our Daily Challenge - June 28, 2016 - "Older"

The Best of the Rest

Henry and Mr. Mouse

Zachary... getting a better look

Zachary... now he's just showing off

Henry (thinking) : "Too hot to pose, Momma."

Truth in Advertising: I have two identical mice, and I haven't a clue which mouse belongs to which dog - and neither dog (nor mouse) was talking.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Free Dog Toy!

Paw

Grab

Rip

Carry

Dog Blog Post #2192

Every box of sodas comes with a free dog toy on the outside!

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1701. "New Again"

Our Daily Challenge - June 26, 2016 - "Reuse or Recycle"

Chew

All of the above are of Zachary.

Yes, Henry got a shot at the box.

He actually had the box first.

But his laid-back approach wasn't nearly as as photogenic as Zachary's.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

High / Low Energy

Zachary = High Energy

Henry = Low Energy

Zachary = High Energy

Henry = Low Energy

Zachary = High Energy

Any questions?  :)

Dog Blog Post #2191

Zachary doesn't really slow down when it gets hot, at least not the way Henry does, but he does play for shorter periods of time.

That said, the Opportunity for a minute or two of quality time with the Lacrosse Ball is something he just couldn't pass up.

On the other paw, this is about as High Energy as Henry gets in the heat of the summer, even when given the Opportunity to chase a ball.

Those were ONE SECOND shots... and the pup isn't even blurry. Contrast that with the 1/250s I use for Zachary, which is fast as my camera will shoot using flash.

I typically shoot 1/160s, as that speed will work for any non-moving shots using any lens I would use in the house, my longest non-zoom lens being 135mm.

If I'm desperate for light (think, those "sofa", lazy days, shots) then I will drop down to 1/60s.

The general rule is to shoot (hand held) no slower than 1 over the length of the lens in millimeters. My workhorse lens is a 60mm lens, hence the 1/60s shutter speed.

Using a tripod, I've shot in the 1/30s range for easy-to-hold posed shots without a problem.

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1700. "Opportunity"

Our Daily Challenge - June 25, 2016 - "High Energy"

Henry = No Energy

Will someone please wake the pup when temps drop back below 60F?

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Bye Bye Cookie

When the iPhone takes over picture taking duties for the day...

Zachary: "Slurp!"

Zachary: "Chomp!"

Dog Blog Post #2190

The Cookie is leaving the building.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 25, 2016 - "Exit, Leave, Go"

Daily Dog Challenge 1699. "End"

Shhhh... don't tell the Nikon.

More Cookies, Please!

(blink blink)

Henry (thinking): "Pleeeeeeeeeease!"

How Can I Resist Them?

"Mmmmmm"

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Take Your Dog To Work Day

Henry: "Hmmm"

Zachary: "Let's see... log(xy) = log(x) + log(y), so..."

Henry: "Hmmm"

Dog Blog Post #2189

I'm not sure the boys were nearly as enthused about Take Your Dog To Work Day as I was.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 23, 2016 - "Something Kids Today will Never Know"

Daily Dog Challenge 1698. "At Work"

Zachary: "Almost got it..."

Editor's Note: Uh... no.

Hubby and I aren't quite so old as to have actually used one of these in Real Life.

This particular slide rule was purchased a few years ago as a a stocking stuffer for Engineering major Son.



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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Decisions Decisions

Ok guys, here are your options for today's wardrobe.

You can don the lovely pink satin robe, with a rose.

OR

A purple fedora and tie.

Zachary?

(crickets)

Oh... I see you've already made your decision.

Very good.

Henry?

Henry: "Well the pink robe is certainly something new and..."

(crickets)

Dog Blog Post #2188

A tough decision, I know. :)

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 23, 2016 - "Decision, Decision"

Daily Dog Challenge 1697. "In The Pink"

Henry: "How many Cookies for each?"

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Things Are Heating Up

Summertime Boys

Dog Blog Post #2187

This was NOT what I had planned on doing.

Well, the image of the dogs was planned... at least once I started getting out the camera gear and wandering about the house searching for an idea.

But the processing?

Not so much.

You see, I had underexposed the first image of the day. This is a known problem with the beach hats, and was completely anticipated. I snap the first picture, see what I get, tweak the exposure value to fix it, and move on.

The rest of the shoot went without incident.

It's when I got back to the computer that the "problem" began.

It turns out that the boys had a rather nice expression on that first shot. Usually they aren't quite "warmed up" yet... if you know what I mean.

But this image wasn't half bad. So I pushed the exposure slider over to see if I could make anything of it... and then I pushed it a bit more... and then a bit more... and I liked it.

So I went a little further. And I liked that even better.

And then... well, the image kinda speaks for how the rest of the editing session went.

(The Inciting Image is the next one, below.)

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 22, 2016 - "Signs of the Season"

Daily Dog Challenge 1696. "Bold"

The colors and umbrella and hats were what was supposed to be Bold, but I'm thinking now it might be the processing.

Perhaps.

Just a bit.

Zachary: "I'm ready for summer."
Henry: "Me, too!"

Toning things down a bit

Hard to believe, the image above is processed "normally".

It looks so... dull... after the prior two!

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Dog Yoga?

Henry demonstrating the Upward Dog pose

Zachary: "What's up there?"

Dog Blog Post #2186

The boys, doing their daily yoga (or possibly nighttime modeling) routines.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 21, 2016 - "Dark and Light"

Daily Dog Challenge 1695. "Daily Routine"

June 21 is International Yoga Day. Who knew?!

Henry stretching down...

... and up again.

Zachary: "I have my staff do my exercises for me."

Ah the power of a well positioned Cookie.

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Strawberry Moon

"Ahrooooooo"

Spectral Zachary...

... "striding" across my 8 foot studio (kitchen)

Dog Blog Post #2185

The spectral hound taking a midnight Walk under the Strawberry Moon.

Photography Assignment

My "studio" (Kitchen) is ~8' across, from fridge to sink.

I have no idea how long the boys are, but I'll guess 5-6' from tip of nose to tip of tail.

That doesn't leave much room to get a picture of a full-grown Golden Retriever walking!

I started the boys sitting, facing the camera, on the far left. I then called them to me as I clicked the remote to start the one second exposure.

I took Henry's first (as always) and found that when I captured him looking somewhat normal - with a level back - he was running out of room before the exposure finished, leaving him... well... headless. :(

Shortening the exposure wasn't an option, as that lost the ghostliness.

With Zachary's shots, I started the shots a bit earlier.

This gave a better capture of his head (it was in the frame!) but showed a ghostly impression of his former sitting position as well a very curved back, since he was still "getting going" when the flash fired at the very end of the exposure.

Guess Hubby is going to need to build me a bigger kitchen. :)

Note: A few sliders might have been pushed to move the image out of the yellow end of the spectrum and into more strawberry tones.

Henry... taken too soon

Henry... taken too late

Henry... leaving the building

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Lost In The Moment

Stylish Zachary

Stylish Henry

Dog Blog Post #2184

The boys, looking as Stylish as always, appear lost Within the Moment.

I wonder who the ladies are?

Photography Assignment

Daily Dog Challenge 1693. "Stylish"

Our Daily Challenge - June 19, 2016 - "Within the Moment"

Stylish Henry: "I'm just here for the Cookies."

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Just Washed My Fur

Henry: (censored)

Dog Blog Post #2183

Does anyone else remember those "I've just washed my hair and can't do a thing with it?" commercials?

Today was Day Spa Day for the boys, A Necessary Evil (at least in their minds) every 2-3 weeks for the privilege of living indoors and having full run of the house - including the sofas and The Big Bed.

While they smell wonderful and are incredibly soft and fluffy, they are also looking a bit more rumpled than usual.

This is a high ISO low-light shot, as gnat brains were too exhausted for anything else.

Photography Assignment

Our Daily Challenge - June 18, 2016 - "A Necessary Evil"

Henry - thinking he better get a lot of Cookies for this

Fuzzy Henry

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© 2016 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved