Unwilling Partner

OH boy!!!
Today's assignment: Together, self portrait.
Meaning you and another living being in the picture.
The only requirement was you, yourself in the photo!!

I had vision of my dog running across the yard to calmly sit in my lap while the camera did it's work. HA!!
Here is what really happened!

First we tried outside.

Which was fine for exactly 20 seconds until the neighbor dogs heard us and set to barking on the other side of the fence.
Strike one!
I then tried several other locations outside, none of which I liked, strikes 2 and 3.
But I didn't give up, no I did not!!
We came inside and I decided to just try to get pictures of myself in a mirror, while the Shelbster took a break.
A photo shoot can be hard on a puppy!


I found that it is hard to make yourself not look like a crazy person who is taking a picture of yourself trying not to look like you are taking a picture of yourself. You know what I mean??

And....
It is hard to know where the camera is looking and what it is focusing on.

Or if you will accidentally push the button while talking to the dog as if she actually cares what is going on.

Sigh!
I literally loaded 80 pictures and most of them were like this!!


I finally decided that I didn't hate this one!


Then it was back at it with my trusty companion.
Can I tell ya, she was just as unwilling!!

Come on Shelby...please just take a picture with me...

...PLEASE!


At this point in my day I was out of time and had to be out the door for an appointment.

But, I was determined not to give up yet!
And, after reading the tutorial again, got a fantastic idea!
So I set up the tripod again and let my 10 year old act as my remote shutter release!
That means he got to push the button!
Genius, right?!?

So, I requested the presence of my dog once again.
She just wanted to look at the squirrels out the window.


Come on Shelbster...just look at the camera already!

Don't ya just hate it when their lips get stuck up on their gums and they have snaggle teeth and they look like they are insane and ferocious!
Yeah, I hate that too!
But everyone at my house is very familiar with this face and insisted that I include it in this chronicle.
Alrighty then, now here she is just about to spring off of my lap.

I just tried to ignore her as I coached my son to keep pushing the button as I tried to not look insane and ferocious.


Deep heavy sigh!
Oh well, you get what you get!!

I learned a ton today despite all of the craziness.

The two shots on the stairs were taken with the lens that came with my camera...a 30-75 something or other.
All the other shots I took with my new lens!! Oh, I really really like it!
It is a bit temperamental...but hey aren't we all.