So, to my first study. I begin my blogging adventure with a really amusing medium per-say. This medium or model is the one & only French Bulldog Ginger who just so happens to belong to my parents. Recently we stayed at their house for a few weeks & as I observed this interesting breed of dog I found myself annoyed at times, but overall thoroughly amused most of the time. The saying should be stubborn as a French bulldog really because let me tell you these dogs are stubborn! When you tell her to do something she just looks over her shoulder at you in annoyance. However, she is so dang cute you can't help but laugh when you should be frustrated. She's loud & has really stinky farts all the time, but she is also a precious little clown. You know God loves to make us smile & I've realized that this is why He created animals. Not only to feed us, work for us, but also to love us, to be our companions, & to always lift our spirits when life gets tough. The photography project I decided upon was really thrust upon me by Ginger. She has these little bones that she hides around the house when she is actually supposed to chew on them. Since my two dogs were with us during our stay Ginger had to get extra creative in choosing hiding places.
So, let the journey begin. First, you must meet Ginger. After you meet her & realize how stout she is & what a flat nose she has her hiding places become not only more astonishing but more humorous as well. My camera didn't always do justice to the hilarity of some the places, probably should have had a hidden video camera to figure out just how she did it, but alas, my photos will have to work. So, here she is, Ginger :).
Next on our adventure we will visit the hiding place that prompted my need to photograph these. I went to bed one night exhausted as only a stay-at-home mom can get & laid my head down at the end of a long day stuck my hand under my pillow to prop my head up & felt something hard & cold. I was startled at first, but as I felt some more I realized, "hmm...there's a dog toy under here". I lifted my pillow & there sat Ginger's beloved white bone. We usually keep the door to our guest bedroom closed so she can't find her way in to chew on something of ours, but I some point we obviously left it open & somehow she used her snubbed little nose to stuff her bone under my pillow. Silly girl!
The second stop on our little adventure together is sure to make a splash :). Do you know where we are headed yet? That's right, the shower! So, in the master bath at Ginger's home there is a modern walk-in shower, no door. My mother has a little bench set-up to place your towel on & what-not. Well, I was walking around the bathroom while the kids were splashing around in the jacuzzi tub when I noticed in the mirror something on the shower floor. I turn to look & there lay the little white bone. This time Ginger had managed to wedge it behind the leg of the bench. This is impressive, but the best is still yet to come :).
Stop three leads us to the other side of the bathroom. This is where our little adventure in the mind of a Frenchie takes a turn for the bizarre. This is also where I would have loved a hidden camera to capture just how this dog did it. Now, for those of you familiar with big tubs, the ends often are not very wide unless you have added tile work around it. Somehow stocky little Ginger managed to tip-toe across the narrow tub edge, set the bone in the corner, & then reverse out. That's right reverse! There is no way she could have turned around to come back without falling into the bathtub where she was sure to get stuck! I've provided two pictures to try to stress the narrowness of the tub, so then maybe you can explain it.
Finally, stop number 4 takes us to where we all hide what's precious--the closet! The bone hidden here is another of Ginger's favorites. My husband Nate called it her diamond since it was a shiny rubber bone & let me tell you when the other dogs come close she protects it like any woman would protect her diamonds! This is another bizarre one not because of location, but again it's her placement. The bone is tucked away between the clothes & built in drawers, but it is rested ever so gently against the wall ready to be grabbed at a moments notice if a threat presents itself.
Alas, our journey is over, maybe to be revisited someday. There are plenty of hiding spots I didn't capture & many more to be discovered. You may be wondering why on earth I decided to take pictures of a bone for my first study. However, if you look closely you may figure it out. I love, love, love to take pictures outside in God's creations using His beautiful, natural sunlight. He almost makes it too easy! My biggest struggle is taking pictures indoors & getting the lighting just right. So, in reality this study was actually quite challenging for me, but practice makes perfect right?!?! I just got a new awesome flash for Christmas & it was time I really learned to use it. I still have a ways to go till I'm really comfortable with it, but this study was perfect. Following Ginger allowed me to step out of my comfort box & take pictures where she dictated, not where I wanted to or where the most natural light shown in. I had to adapt to each room of the house whether the lighting was good or bad. I had to make my own light, bounce the light around, & really just trust myself & camera to get a good picture.
I will leave you on this adventure with one last photo of Ginger guarding her precious in front of the fire to ponder what challenges you most. Once you figure it out go, conquer, enjoy.
Until next time...
*All photos are property of MaggieLouPhotography. Please do not download, crop, or alter in any way.*
