The month of July has come and gone. Eva’s project continues. Lots of summer fun in July’s photos. The week titles link everything back to the original Flickr posts.
Week 27 saw the return of one of my favourite things about summer. Dock jumping. I can watch dogs dock jump all day long. For some reason I find the energy, excitement, and joy to be contagious. Here Eva shows off her good take-off form during her first day of dock jumping off leash.
Week 28: In Kael’s 2013 project I managed to get a picture with some pretty magical lens flare. Now lens flare is pretty cool,but a random achievement with my usual lenses. So, I went on the internet and found Nikon’s worst lens ever partly because of it’s notoriously bad lens flare. This over 40 year old lens (Nikon 28-52) has been called the worst lens Nikon ever made. Amazingly, it still attaches to my modern DSLR, although the exposure metering does not work and the focus is a little tough to master. In the end, I did manage to get this sun flare picture in the park behind my house.
Week 29: This was a challenge week in the 52 week group, focused on “negative space”. I was having some trouble capturing what I wanted for this challenge, until I looked down and saw how the light played off Eva’s eyes when she was asking to go outside at the cabin. I grabbed my camera and was pleased to capture this portrait of her.
Week 30 was a really fun photo taken with my GoPro camera. I love the unique perspectives and wide field of view the camera allows, and it’s burst rates of 30 frames per second is amazing for getting just the right moment. The plan was for Eva and I to run down the dock together then jump into the water taking an areal selfie. She ran down the dock with me, but then neglected to jump. Made for quite the cool photo as somehow the framing and water drops were serendipitously outstanding. One of my favourite shots ever. A little creative writing describing my imaginary conversation with Eva is below the picture.
“jump like hippopotamuses”
Dave: Ok Eva, ready to do your 52 weeks photo?
Eva: Yup, where are the cookies?
Dave: No cookies this week. This week we’re going to be jumping off the dock.
Eva: Good thing I like swimming and dock jumping otherwise I would be getting annoyed about the no cookie thing. But what do you mean by we. The plan is usually you wade in the water while I jump.
Dave: I know that’s the usual plan, but this will be more fun. I’ve already spoken with Karen and we changed the rules so that humans can jump off the dock too. The water’s high enough this year that it’s safe for us 2 legged folk as well. The rules changed as I wouldn’t want to be a hypocrite.
Eva: Regardless of the rule change I’m pretty sure you’re not a hippopotamus.
Dave: Not Hippopotamus, hypocrite. You know, where you have rules that you don’t actually follow so people are treated differently.
Eva: Like when you give me biscuits but never give them to Bruno? I LOVE hypocrisy!
Dave: That’s because he has a delicate tummy so we’re being strict about his diet.
Eva: Not sure I believe you there, but either way thanks for hooking me up with all of the cookies.
Dave: So, back to the photo. We’re both going to run off the dock while I take a burst of photos with the GoPro camera. Hopefully we’ll catch a cool photo of us in the air with arms and legs all akimbo.
Eva: Dude, I can’t do akimbo.
Dave: What do you mean?
Eva: Akimbo means hands on my hips with my elbows turned outwards. Even if we overlook the fact that I have paws, I can’t turn my elbows out. My shoulder mobility is less than that of a human.
Dave: Seriously, you know the definition of akimbo, but you thought I was saying hippopotamus?
Eva: Yup. I’m a dog. There’s no explaining what goes on in my mind.
—pause while she makes weird excited carmel-wookie sounds going down to the dock —-
Dave: Alright, ready to jump?
Eva: Right behind you!
— some excitement as we run down the dock and I jump in the water —
Dave: How come you didn’t jump?
Eva: Sorry, I got a bit excited and wanted to see if you really do enter the water like a hippopotamus.