Since the start of our Shy and Fearful Dog Facebook group, Katie and Rosie have been the subjects of many photo shoots. I’ve used the images to illustrate posts, provide comic relief and to connect with anyone who loves dogs.
I’ve learned some interesting lessons since starting to chronicle Katie’s and Rosie’s lives. Rosie does not care at all if the camera (or iPhone) is pointed towards her or not. She is willing to do multiple takes of a shot to satisfy my quest for the perfect image. She may get bored or distracted, but emotionally, she stays steady.
Katie, though, is an entirely different kind of super model. If she sees me holding the phone out, she often averts her eyes and becomes interested in examining the floor or walls…anywhere but focusing on me. If I don’t keep her emotional state in mind, her ears start to go back, and she will turn away from the camera. What does all that “communication” mean to me? Katie is very politely asking me to get that weird handheld thing away from her because it makes her uncomfortable. It’s my responsibility to respect her wishes if I want to maintain a trusting relationship with her.
Don’t worry, Katie will still be prominently featured in my posts, but the photos will be taken on her terms. If the images are sometimes a bit fuzzy or oddly cropped, you’ll know why; the relationship is always more important than the end result.
No dogs were stressed during the taking of this photo;-)
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