Dog Tails

This is one of those shots that I wish I could say I had brewing in my head for awhile but that would be a lie. It was really just a spontaneous moment with a somewhat-well-behaved dog.

As soon as I saw the diving board I knew instantly that I wanted to use it I just wasn't sure how.

The diving board is in Bo's back yard, so in his mind it is to be used solely as a launching pad. The first time I asked him on to get on the board he did (for approximately 2 seconds) and then took a flying leap into the water.

We waited for him to swim back around to the beach, shake his body, grab the stick, and prepare to do it all over again.

With no plan in place he did what any labrador retriever would do: He self-launched again.

The next time he came around onto the dock his Mom and I had to body check him at the gate and make him wait.

She grabbed the stick in her hand and we slowly coaxed him out onto the board saying "Bo wait. Bo stay. Bo wait. Stay, Stay, Stay. Good boy."

At that point I knew I wanted both of them looking out to the water but since she had the stick in her hand, the majority of the shots are of him staring up at her. I told her to just hold very still and keep looking out at the water.

Patience always wins with dogs and I knew eventually he would look out at the water hoping to see a flying stick.

In the split second that he looked out I pressed the shutter and made this image.

For me, what makes this shot incredible is that he is not used to sitting on the diving board.

And of course we all know what happened next.

More Dog Tails >