Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Hole in the Wall

Hole in the Wall
Henry: (sniff sniff sniff)



Hole in the Wall
Henry: (snuffle snuffle snuffle)


Are we inside... or out?

Dog Blog Post #2422


(aka Fun With Construction Paper)

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 30, 2017 - "Crack or Hole"

Daily Dog Challenge 2035. "Larger Than Life"

Snuffle snuffle
Zachary: (sniff sniff sniff)


The shadow on Zachary's face is caused by the purple fedora, which is not visible in the image.

I put it on his head, pulled down low, to keep the camera flash out of his eyes as I was quite close.

Although the flash is at lowest power, just enough to trigger the off-camera flash, there is no reason for him to have to see it.

Monday


An Old Friend
Henry with an Old Friend


Henry with Mousie, a...

Our Daily Challenge - May 29, 2017 - "Memento"

... from his puppyhood.

Daily Dog Challenge 2034. "Past"

Sleepy Henry
Sleepy Henry

No flash here - these were wide aperture, high ISO, slower exposure shots.

Sunday


Dreaming
Zachary - dreaming


Son's collage project took over my "studio" for the day (again) leaving the Models with nothing to do.

Still no flash. A simple iPhone shot turned B&W (plus other slider-stuff) to try and obscure the digital grain.

Saturday


Sleep Tight
Sleepy Henry


A few sliders were pushed for this iPhone image of a sleeping Henry.

Yup, once again, no flash - but at least I used the good camera.

Daily Dog Challenge 2033. "Artistic"


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Twins

Mr. Henry
Mr. Henry



Mr. Zachary
Mr. Zachary



Uh, no.

I didn't try to make their feathers (or them!) look identical.

I did make sure their feather's "flowed" over the side of the pillow, but that's the extent of it.

The rest just happened to turn out that way.

Dog Blog Post #2421


The boys, showing The Power Of Love.

Of Cookies, that is.

They'll do practically anything for a tasty treat. I'm just the Delivery System.

Truth in Advertising: Ok, fine. I don't REALLY believe that. My boys are Golden's, after all. They love everybody.

But despite the happy greetings they give everyone who looks their way, they do reserve extra special greetings for their extra special people.

Like when Son comes home for the weekend.

Such joy!

They wag and wiggle and make happy noises that words just can't describe.


Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 23, 2017 - "The Power Of Love"


Daily Dog Challenge 2031. "Flowing"

... Locks, of course.

FWIW: By random chance, today's shoot turned up quite similar pictures of the boys, both of which I uploaded.

The top shot is Henry, with his heavier "bed-head" coat. Since he's shed his heavy undercoat, and he was groomed over the weekend, he's looking about as sleek as he's going to get.

Below that is Zachary, with his sleeker (thinner) coat. It looks like this pretty much year round. His "distinguished" muzzle coloring is clearly visible.


Wednesday


V-E-T
Henry: "Zachary???"


Henry was most unhappy when the V-E-T closed the door, which...

Daily Dog Challenge 2030. "Covered"

... Henry's view of Zachary.

Zachary was just in the other room for routine shots, but Henry was sure something nefarious was going on.

Thankfully, the separation was less than five minutes, although to witness the ensuing greeting you would think they'd been separated for months.

Ah yes, gotta love a golden.


V-E-T
Henry: "Zachary!!!"



Tuesday


Sleepy Time
Henry: (contented sigh)


Henry, well...

Our Daily Challenge - May 23, 2017 - "On The Way To..."

... a nice long nap.

Daily Dog Challenge 2028. "Negative Space"

Sleepy Time
(crickets)


Monday


Not Long For This World
(insert Jaws music here)


Knives and Dogs are a bad combination, but this one seemed relatively safe.

The loaf was fresh from the oven and smelled wonderful.

The boys agreed, and after doing their Modeling Thing they evenly split what you see here.

(Hubby and I had already eaten the other half.)

Our Daily Challenge - May 21, 2017 - "Knife"

Daily Dog Challenge 2028. "Dramatic"


Not Long For This World
Zachary: "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!"



Not Long For This World
(more Jaws music)



Not Long For This World
Zachary: "Pleeeeeeease"



Loafing Around
End of the line



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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Dear Diary...

Road Construction
Zachary: "Looks like we've found a pot hole."
Henry: "How horrible."



Dog Blog Post #2420



Dear Diary...

... spent all day lounging around, enjoying the air conditioning, while Mom started sewing a bright orange safety vest.

We warned her that finishing it with seam binding was going to take forever, but she didn't listen to us and used it anyway.

Five hours of sewing later, she finished up with just 2" of seam binding to spare (seriously!).

The shoot happened then and there - taking all of 30 seconds (seriously!).

She's now threatening to make us wear it for every shoot this week.

Like it was somehow OUR fault!

Photography Assignment


Daily Dog Challenge 2027. "Dear Diary..."

Our Daily Challenge - May 21, 2017 - "Mass Transportation"

What?

Those buses aren't going to get where they need to go without a valiant pot-hole filling crew.

Costume Designer's Note: Believe it or not, this uses the same pattern for the front as last week's Blue Brocade outfit, except I rounded the top corners (under the neck) to make it easier to apply the seam binding, and there is no collar.

There is also less overlap of the front flaps, as I think a safety vest should have a looser fit.

Oh, and I tried adding "wings" to the bottom front that extend up the sides to meet the back (barely visible here). One side is stitched and the other has a velcro strip to make it easier to get on/off.

I was quite pleased with how that turned out, so I'm sure you'll see it again.

As something different from the blue brocade, I used the back pattern from the princess-seamed paw-print coat, shortening it a few inches in length (being a vest) and taking 2 inches out of the center back (cut on the fold) to make it ride higher around the neck, as there is no collar.

While the looseness at the shoulders works for a safety-vest, it won't work for much else.

I think that's the last remaining major issue to be solved for a coat-like style.

To be fair, the fact I made it wider across the chest (intentionally) is most likely part of the problem. For the Blue Brocade, the two flaps overlap completely.

Photographer's Note: I don't normally shoot standing up, but it was the only way I was going to get a good view of the hole!

And yes, the hole is a physical object (not a photoshop hole) - a repurposing of the ACME (construction paper) hole from earlier this year.

In fact, looking over this years album, it looks like only other time I shot standing up was for that ACME hole shoot.

Road Construction
Zachary: "Especially since you're the one who has to fill it."


Uh guys... why is there a hole in my kitchen floor?


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Saturday, May 20, 2017

His Royal Highness

His Royal Highness
HRH Henry



His Royal Highness
The Weary Monarch



Dog Blog Post #2420


Day Spa Day.

'Nuff said.


Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 20, 2017 - "Leaves"

Daily Dog Challenge 2026. "Green"

The blurry fabric in the background is a 1/2 yard remnant (decorator jacquard?) I picked up today.

It's been sitting in the remnant bin for at least a month, but at ~$10/yd (50% off bolt price of $19.99/yd) it was more than I was willing to spend.

But I liked it.

So every time I popped in the store I would check the price (using the handy dandy self-service scanner) to see if the fabric was on sale.

Today was my lucky day, as the fabric is currently 50% off, making my scrap ~$2.50 out the door.

The pattern is probably too large to make into an outfit/collar, but it should do nicely draped over a pillow or table, or carefully arranged as a royal cloak.

Like today.


Serious Lack of Enthusiasm


Paw Rest
Excuse me while I scratch an itch



I'm simply a paw rest for Zachary, as he turns to groom his flank.

Daily Dog Challenge 2025. "Problem Solver"


Lack of Enthusiasm
Zachary: "Zzzzzz"



Lack of Enthusiasm
Henry: "Zzzzzz"


It was one of those days.


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Candlelight

Candelight
Zachary, pondering the meaning of life



Dog Blog Post #2419


The skull is one of my favorite props.

It always manages to look good from any angle and no matter what the lighting is like.

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 18, 2017 - "Candle or Candlelight"

As fur and flames don't mix, you can assume this genuine wax candle is battery powered.

Daily Dog Challenge 2024. "Play With Light"

I played.

I failed.

These pictures have more to do with Lightroom than Lighting.

Candelight
Henry, pondering...



Candelight
... when Cookies will be served.



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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Creature Comforts

Creature Comforts
Henry, wondering why I draped a bit of fleece over him



Creature Comforts
(think think think)



Dog Blog Post #2418



Henry loves the creature comforts of life.

Good friends, a good meal, and a comfy spot for a long nap make for a very contented dog.

If all the world was like Henry, what a happy (if unproductive) place it would it be.

(If all the world was like Zachary, I'd invest heavily in Lacrosse Balls.)

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 17, 2017 - "Nest or Nesting"

Daily Dog Challenge 2023. "Patterns"


Creature Comforts
"Zzzzzz"


Henry is an uncomplicated dog.

(Zachary was standing just off camera, wondering if I was going to throw the ball again.)


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Tasty

Tasty
Henry, locked on target



Dog Blog Post #2417


Yes, it really is a Dog Cookie (by Tail Bangers).

The local pet store stocks them in a plexiglass cabinet, much like you'd see cookies or bagels at the local grocery store.

They come in a variety of photogenic shapes and frostings, and stay good for months. Because of this, I try to pick up a couple every time I'm there, just for challenges like these.

Best of all, the boys love them.

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 16, 2017 - "On The Table"

Daily Dog Challenge 2022. "Tasty"

Truth in Advertising: Yes, today's shots are both of the same Cookie, as I felt it was the most photogenic of the pair. However both boys got their own Cookie at the end of the shoot.

The table is actually a small end table, since the Kitchen table was cluttered with my latest sewing project - sadly stalled, due to me not having any orange thread.

To compensate for the low height, the boys are lying on the floor with their paws stretched out between the table legs.

I can't believe I haven't tried this arrangement before for "table" shots, as the setup is pretty much indistinguishable from the kitchen table shot yet the setup is much, much easier.


Tasty
Zachary and a Doomed Cookie



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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Monday, May 15, 2017

Grumpy and Sleepy

Grumpy and Sleepy
Grumpy and Sleepy



Grumpy and Sleepy
Not-So-Grumpy and Still-Sleepy


Amazing what you can do with a few large scraps of fleece and an hour.

Dog Blog Post #2416


I wonder where the rest of the dwarfs went?

Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 11, 2017 - "Grumpy, Cranky, or Surly"

Daily Dog Challenge 2021. "It's Off To ________ I Go"

And Now For Something Completely Different


Pacific Ocean



Monterey Bay Aquarium



Monterey Bay Aquarium



Monterey Bay Aquarium



Monterey Bay Aquarium



Pacific Ocean



I love Monterey.


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved

Thursday, May 11, 2017

The Guilty Party

What are you doing?

What Have We Here?
Zachary: (blink)



What Have We Here?
Zachary: "Henry did it."



What Have We Here?
Henry: (blink)


Like you really think I'm going to believe that, Zachary.


What Have We Here?
The Guilty Party


Zachary's Lawyer: "My client was lured!"

Dog Blog Post #2415


Good grief, the boys know they are supposed to wait for me before opening packages.


Photography Assignment


Our Daily Challenge - May 11, 2017 - "Recycled"

Made from Recycled paper, and headed for the Recycling bin.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Daily Dog Challenge 2018. "Forbidden"


Wednesday


Zachary
Zachary - Dog of Mystery


Zachary
Fine. Let's see YOU use a headlamp as a light source.



The boys...

Our Daily Challenge - May 10, 2017 - "Illuminated"

...

Daily Dog Challenge 2017. "From Below"

... using a little LED headlamp tucked between their paws.

Henry
Henry - Dog of Mystery


Tuesday


The Golden Growlers
"Arrrrrooooooo!"



Henry is the melodic one of the pair with a soft bass voice, while Zachary's rich baritone adds staccato accents.


The Golden Growlers
Zachary: "Playing at a Barbershop near you."
Henry: "Bring Cookies!"



Daily Dog Challenge 2016. "Talent"

Our Daily Challenge - May 9, 2017 - "Music"


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© 2017 BZ Dogs - All Rights Reserved