Rocky Holiday Photo..Take 2

We’ve only been “clicker” training for 2 days so I wasn’t even going to bother trying to get the picture of my “vision” but When I turned my back there he was…right in the middle of the picture set up I was working on.

Ok he was ready and willing. I decided to try again.

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We’re getting closer  but we’re not quite there yet.

Goodbye Twinkies RIP

Well here’s to the power of Unions. I thought they were supposed to help the people who were their members? The union question is big in my company. We’re not union but a lot of people would like to see that change. They think it will protect their jobs, benefits and perks. They think it will prevent management from demanding more and more work for the same or less pay.

That’s what the employees at Hostess thought too. Hostess has been struggling but they make good snacks. Snacks that we thought would be around forever…especially since the shelf life of a Twinkie was said to be 30 -50 years.

President Clinton  called  Twinkies  an “American Icon” as he dropped a Twinkie in the millennium capsule back in 1999.

But 5000 people just cost 18,000 people their jobs. Hostess said…”Help, We can’t pay our bills “ and petitioned the bankruptcy court for protection. As part of the bankruptcy they were told to cut wages. The union said no. Hostess said if we don’t cut wages we can’t stay open but the union still went out on strike. It was no secret what would happen if the union didn’t settle the strike. It was in all the news.

Now the company is being liquidated. No more Twinkies, no more Ding Dongs and no more jobs for 18,000 people.

It’s a sin. Dear Union…Are you pleased? Are you proud of your accomplishment? The power of a union run amok.

I can’t do anything for those 18,000 unemployed folks except express my horror and indignation but I can share a recipe or two so that  maybe the withdrawal from the yummy (but unhealthy) snacks won’t be too severe.

Sorry my scan is a little small. 🙁

A Pet Photo Shoot

I have a vision. I know what I want on my personal Christmas card this year. I can see it in my mind. It includes one or both of my cats. I can be flexible. But working with animals can be tricky even the most cooperative ones.

Step one: Get the set ready.

Step 2: Set up camera and pre focus.

Step 3: Call the Cat.  That was the easy part. Rocky came running, jumped into the set and slid taking the drape and set with him.

Step 4: Set the set back up.

Step 5: Catch a cat…don’t call it. Once again Rocky was more willing. He thinks he’s a little kitty rock star and that everyone should worship him.

Step 6. Try to communicate what you want him to do.

Step 7: Use cat toys, treats, funny noises to try to get your animal actor to perform.

Step 8. Pick up to try again another day Rocky let me know when he was done. Tail in the air he walked away like a true Prima Donna. I found him curled up asleep on my bed. I guess I wore him out.

It wasn’t a total loss. I managed to get a couple of nice pictures so I could create this combo that I call “Twins”,  but it’s not what I want for the card.

I am not giving up. I’ll be trying again next time I have an hour or so to fuss around. Maybe  a bit of turkey will hold his attention.

Just a Day in The Life

Not much to share. I missed my Monday post because I haven’t done anything newsworthy lately. Monday I had a busy day.

I started the day with a photo shoot for Christmas Cards at my friend Nancy’s house. We hung the stockings on the mantle and moved the love seat in front of it. Then we squeezed everyone, including the dog, into the love seat. It took more time to set up than take the pictures…kind of like cooking that Thanksgiving meal..hours of cooking for 30 minutes of eating! LOL. But I got to try out my new studio light set and it made all the difference in the world..no shadows..no motion blur from the puppy.

Then it was pack up and head to my next shoot. This one was a location shoot but at the last minute it canceled so I met the family for a consultation instead. Probably a good thing because it took longer to get to work than I expected and if we’d actually done that shoot I might have been late.

Finished the day off by working overtime 3pm – 8pm. So as you can see, not much to talk about and not much time to write even if I did have something to say.

I’m not going to give away the picture that the family chose for their cards but I will share one picture of  Dawn. I love her eyes in this picture.

By the way, that’s not “dirt” on her face…it’s one of those temporary tattoos of a dog. 🙂