New Lens, New Dogs

I've just got a new lens - a nice wide-angle one (I finally gave in) - so as I don't have any great landscapes to capture around the neighbourhood I thought I'd try it out on dogs!

I met this lovely little long-haired dachshund sitting in the long grass in a local park earlier and she was a willing subject. I don't normally like wonky horizons, but think this one works as she is approaching me.

Later on we met a gorgeous German short-haired pointer puppy - not very easy capturing puppies at the best of times, but using a wide-angle lens is a real challenge. Here he is with his proud owner.

 
Looking forward to trying it out at dog club later!

A Few Recent Shots of Henry

I recently trimmed the hair on Henry's head and neck, and he looks much more cocker-spaniel-like now, with his little domed head showing a bit better (and I've even trimmed his eye-lashes). Before, he was definitely a bit of a scruff-bag. There's still some work to do (his coat is a never-ending battle!), but I think he's looking quite fine at the moment! As a result, the camera is on him quite frequently. Here's a few recent shots; he just looks so sad in most of them.

He's recently started making a strange noise to me in the afternoons, after dinner, before he goes out to play with his dog-friends in the park ("dog club"). He goes rao-rao-rao and eventually almost howls - it's his way of saying "I want to go out and play, right now!". I uploaded a couple of videos of this on youtube (here's the first, second and third - he's looking particularly scruffy in the first couple!), but here's some photos of him in action - pursing his little moosh! He gets quite croaky and very sad-sounding, so he always gets a good cuddle afterwards (and his play in the park with his friends and his favourite green ball).

I just got a new wide-angle lens and of course the first subject I had to try it out on was Henry, my little muse. Not the most flattering angle! No doubt there will be more...

Pedro the Cockerpoo Puppy

Another new puppy is in the neighbourhood - Pedro the cockerpoo. I took my camera out today as it was a lovely afternoon, and tried to capture a couple of the little pupster. Two of the hardest things about dog photography I find are capturing black dogs (especially long-haired ones, whose hair obscures their eyes) and trying to get puppies to sit still for more than a split second, before they lunge upwards at the lens. I had my telephoto 70-200mm lens with me today, which wasn't ideal as Pedro kept hurtling towards me every time he saw the lens pointed in his direction!

I managed to get a couple where his eyes were in focus and he's not actually moving, but most of the others were just a mound of slightly-blurred black fluff! Welcome to the neighbourhood Pedro!

I'll try a few more, but this is probably the best I can hope for with a squirmy (and ridiculously cute) puppy!

New Kid on the Block

There's a new puppy in town! This is Roxy, a three-month old springer spaniel. Just love her little pink and brown nose. She seems to be smiling for the camera!

Dogs of the Day - 1st June 2014

After taking some photos of masses of Harley-Davidson motorcycles at the Warr's dealership off the King's Road earlier in the day, I decided it was time for something completely different, so snapped some of the local dogs.

This is Archie the cocker spaniel posing very nicely for me - such a gorgeous face.

These two having a good fight are the teddy-bear like little Elvis, a 6-month-old cavapoo, and Gracie, a year-old Havanese.

This is Gilbert, waiting - rather sadly - for his daddy to return. Eventually he just gave up.

 

This is Gracie on her own - managed to get her staying still for about a second!

And last but not least, is the lovely Lazzie, who didn't seem to notice the lens shoved underneath his nose as he waited to play ball.

Dogs of the day - May 12th 2014

I haven't taken the camera to the common for a while, but today the sun was shining (although dark clouds hovered ominously in the distance) and I was working from home, so I decided it was time I caught up on the photos of Henry's friends.

There's a couple of new puppies around, but they weren't out today, so I had to be happy with the older puppies - those around 8 months. This is the lovely Jessie, a golden cocker spaniel with a gorgeous blonde quiff.

And then there were some of the regulars - Pepper the beagle, Archie the schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle cross), Lazzie the coton de tulear, Alfie the pug and a couple of others. The dogs only posed for me if someone brought a handful of treats from their pocket.

Otherwise there was a fair amount of boisterous puppy activity going on - running around together, biting, playing - particularly between Pepper and Archie.

Being two now (it was his birthday last week) Henry doesn't join the playing all that much, usually content to play ball with me, or have a good old roll. Fortunately he doesn't roll in stinky things!

Dog of the Day - 16th March 2014

What a glorious weekend it's been in London! Spring is most definitely here; in fact, today would've passed as a fine summer's day.

We went on a long walk down to Wandsworth Common, but were back for the usual group meet-up nearer to home. Henry made a new friend - Chilli the Chihuahua, who finally posed for me a couple of times in the late afternoon sun.

Here's to many more days of lovely weather in Parsons Green!

Lots of Dogs Today! - 26th February 2014

What a glorious day again! It feels as if spring is here, but who knows when winter will be back.... Lots of the neighbourhood dogs were out and about and for once I was armed with the SLR rather than just the rather useless iPhone. I barely recognised all the owners without hats!

Here's some of Henry's friends: Ernie the golden cocker, Alfie the ball-stealing terrier mix, Mac the westie, Quinn the regal springer, Lazlo the Coton de Tulear and a new little chap called Archie, who's a schnauzer (miniature schnauzer crossed with a poodle!). Lots of white and orange dogs around today!

 

 

And here's a shot of Henry keeping my company this morning while I was working from home, looking a bit serious:

Dog of the Day - 16th February 2014

Haven't posted on here for a while, as sadly I'm no longer out and about with the dog every day (what with having a day job). The weather's been pretty awful in London for the last couple of months too - plenty of rain resulting in very unpleasant muddy parks!

Today was the first glorious day in what seemed like months! Sunny, with a few picturesque clouds, pretty mild and little wind. The crocuses are even out already. So we took the dog for a nice walk along the Thames, from Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge and back again. In Bishop's Park we met two boundy, barky standard poodles. I'm so used to seeing cavapoos or cockerpoos or labradoodles that I forget that pure poodles actually exist! I didn't find out the name of this chap, as the owner was on the phone and not remotely interested in engaging with anyone else, but I didn't manage to get a snap of him!

A Few of the Local Dogs

I've been a bit busy of late, with a new day-job keeping me away. The photography and the dog-walking are now reserved for weekends only, for the time-being. When I do get out with Henry, he's still obsessed with the ball. His catching skills are coming along very well!

I took the camera out today, armed with the 50mm f/1.2 lens, hoping the rain would hold off. There were a couple of light showers, but generally it stayed dry, so I was able to snap a few shots of Henry playing with his ball and some of the neighbourhood dogs - some regulars, others new.

This is the adorable little Alfie, the pug. He's been on a diet recently and looks great. He likes to play with Henry, but most of his time is spent being ravaged by Myrtle.

Myrtle is an affenpinscher, and extremely hard to photograph as she's a cute little blob of black fluff. She is smitten with Alfie.

This is male chihuahua, whose name I can't remember. He may be small, but it doesn't stop him trying to hump much, much bigger dogs!

These two are Roxy the Airedale and Sonny the French Bulldog. I've only met Roxy a couple of times - she makes Henry look tiny. Henry and Sonny have played together since they were pups. Sonny is also very keen on Henry's favourite green ball.

 

I hadn't met this dog before - her name is Dora and she's a wheaten terrier - also made Henry look tiny!

I'm hoping the weather will have enough dry spells tomorrow so I can take the camera out and about again.