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Monthly Archives: March 2010

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we are out of service

just a quick post to let everyone know that scruffy dog photography will be down for the count over the next few days.

like millions around the world we have been severely crippled by anti-virus software Bitdefender’s collosal f*-up yesterday.  an automated update of what was once considered one of the top anti-virus programs left countless customers and businesses with thoroughly trashed systems as the update proceeded to annihilate critical system and application files for Windows, other programs, and including Bitdefender itself.

i’m sure someone at BD is losing a job this week … i’ll certainly be losing days of work while attempts are made to salvage my system … but currently it appears as though a complete reinstall of every program will be required.  for me, this is much more than a few days of work … not to mention the extreme stress, as i have never been a computer whiz and rely heavily on the generosity of others to get this done.

so for those of you with pending orders, please bear with us.  i believe i have contacted most of you by phone already.

as for Bitdefender … this situation affects customers who are using Bitdefender along with Vista 64-bit (not 32-bit) or Windows 7.  however, if it’s happened to us … well, you decide whether you can continue to trust Bitdefender’s software.

this is Kava

meet handsome Kava …

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this Gift Certificate shoot has been a while coming … knowing that this mal needed a snowy backdrop, Kava’s parents waited for just the right day.

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and they agreed that the area around the scruffy dog headquarters was as good a place as any as far getting some great shots of this gorgeous boy.

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it was a gorgeous afternoon, with some glorious sun.

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and there’s always room to run in this neck of the woods.

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and how gorgeous is that coat of Kava’s?

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Kava even sang for me when coaxed with enough treats.

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i should mention — since i am asked this frequently by viewers of the blog — leashes and long-lines are removed from images ordered by the clients.  i can’t possibly remove  them from every single photo; i’d be at it for days.  in this case, the line used is one that i bring to any shoot where the dog can’t be entirely trusted off-leash … 60′ of light climbing line that could easily hold a horse, yet is light enough to let the dog run.

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in Kava’s case, he’s generally good off-leash, but after scaring up a bunny and taking chase during the shoot, the line was put back on for safety’s sake.

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besides the long-line, i always bring treats … gooooood treats apparently. here i’d given Kris a few to entice Kava away from the camera.

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thanks, Jen and Kris for a lovely afternoon … i hope you enjoy Kava’s images for years to come.

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and thanks, Kava, for being so willing.

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meet merrick

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this boy has a story, and not a good one. but he’s making the best of things for now …

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merrick loves balls, and balls is what he loves.  it’s probably the only thing he loves right now. these shots were possible only because of a ball … a chewed up, discarded, crushed old tennis ball.

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diptych

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thanks for tolerating the camera, merrick, and working so hard at overcoming your incredible fear.

merrick-first-day-30-2more on this superscruffy soon … stay tuned.

little old ladies

meet Whiskers …

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… and Layla.

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two sweet senior sisters who are well loved.

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i had a lovely afternoon following these ladies around their house.

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the newly remodeled kitchen offered great light and colours, and fortunately Whiskers and Layla have no boundaries.

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and they were rather patient for their closeups …

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“patient” being a relative term, of course.

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all in all though, these girls were very comfortable with the camera.

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thanks so much, girls, for a fun afternoon. and thanks for introducing me to your lovely ladies, Maureen. looking forward to seeing you again at your studio consult.

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ryder loves snow

meet Ryder …

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… handsome, seven-month-old sheltie boy who loves the snow … and loves his mom.

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we had an early morning shoot, and in spite of the sun’s spectacular display on my drive over to Ryder’s home, it refused to make even a hint of an encore during our shoot.

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still, the diffused light of winter can make for some pretty wonderful shooting opportunities.  and Ryder hardly cared about the disappearance of the sun.  he just wanted to run.

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… and sniff …

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… and run some more.

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although he could be a bit of a poser too.

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but sometimes not.  pups do tend to have a shorter attention span.

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this little guy has a wonderful future ahead of him, with a devoted mom who has a good handle on herding breeds and knows just what this active boy needs to keep his drive answered.

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of course, i haven’t met a dog that doesn’t have at least one bad habit …

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thanks, Ryder and Maris for an entertaining morning.  looking forward to seeing you again at the studio consult.

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