The point has come where I need a little more formal practice to improve my photography. That is to say I photograph things rather than snap at them. But this is easier said than done. But never one to give up easily I took the opportunity during one of our basset walks to request a natural light portrait session. Or rather I yelled, hang on a minute this is a perfect spot for a few nice pictures. Just look how everyone hung on my every word!
He may not be our water babe but Little basset is a beach babe. So much space to run and prance around in. Not to mention the sniffing options which are almost limitless. It was hard keeping track of where he was with his tendencies to head for the dunes and following the smells of the steaks from people’s BBQs in the properties that lined the beach. That and more disgusting things. For Mason is our anti-basset (see below for more!).
Quite apart from being a total show off Fortnum tends to have slightly better manners when it comes to beach combing. Here he is strutting his stuff and sniffing the breeze. His errant brother is however up to no good. See in the background those tell tale signs of basset legs waving in the wind?
That is Mason the monster basset rolling around in a dead bird. I have no idea where he learned these gross tricks from!
But learned them he has.
Swimming has not been a strong point for Fortnum and Mason but big basset is getting braver as far as paddling goes. I’ll have him out on a surf board before the week is out. That’s if he recovers his nerve from this over basset sized wave.
This is what little basset thinks of me taking his photo when he’s on the run. What a charmer. I’m still trying to master the camera working in the darkness of the forest where my new lens makes it much more possible to work in the low light conditions. Next few days are forecast for some summer weather so looking forward to getting out with the camera a bit more.
There is something prehistoric about the way a basset moves. Perhaps it’s the low slung body and enormous paws like crocodiles feet. Having seen crocodiles in Australia I know I’d rather have a basset hound coming towards me across sand.
I am getting seriously worried about Little Basset’s phobia of water. It’s getting to the point of you can’t even take him to the water let alone see if he’ll drink. You should see him tip toe on the paving stones to avoid the wet grass. Interestingly though he has no problem drinking from his water bowl, dipping his ears in it and then dragging them along the floor leaving snail like deposits. That is of course before he shakes his head creating a centrifugal force that splatters water and basset slobber around the entire room. Too much detail?
Taking photographs of bassets on one of their walks brings out their most stubborn and sulky behaviour. Any notions of modelling and posing have to be forgotten, these bassets just want to walk. At their own pace, in their own time with as many sniff stops as they like. It’s not that they are being camera shy they just want to walk. On their own without a lens cramping their style.
When I answered the phone and I knew it was the vets, I feared the worst. Big Basset was creating chaos – howling and crying. Wanting to come home. Wanting his brother and wanting the pain in his eye to go away. His howl is my command. I went straight away to bring Fortnum home to regain his rightful place in our pack.
Little basset cuts a lonely pose today as Fortnum languishes at the vet having a minor op on his eye. He spent a great deal of time looking backward on our walk down by the Hutt River. Now back home he is making the most of the extra space on the window seat!
The magic of digital photography processing is a little like cooking without a recipe. Letting your creativity go wild. I wish I could say I’ve come close to getting to grips with the processing of photographic files. It’s a bewildering range of tweaks and twiddles and that’s before you get started on all the special treatments you can give to.
Don’t get me started on design layouts. That’s a whole other industry albeit one that’s a but easier to learn than basic processing. I’m trying to learn new basics every week so you can expect to see some strange goings on here at Domestic Executive HQ.
