So…the Merry Christmas photo of Bear, Bob and I…I was pretty happy with it! We were all looking at the camera. Bear and I were smiling. Bob did not look like he was swearing. The only photoshopping done was a bit of noise reduction courtesy of a great PS plug-in (Imagenomic) AND, I PS’d my missing left canine tooth – my tooth was removed and a titanium implant is in place but replacement of the tooth took a back seat to Bear’s leg surgery…still, I DO have my vanity so I added a tooth :) !!

As I told several I emailed an early release of the photo…there were about 100 other photos, i.e the outtakes. As noted above, I DO have my vanity so the best/worst of them have been deleted, but there are still a few to tell the story with.

My Canon Rebel xSi, my first DSLR, had a very nice timing function built in. It allowed up to 10 photos to be taken after either a 2 or 10 second delay. I had a LOT of fun with that and caught the “story” of trying to get photos of Karl and I as well as Karl, Bob and I.

My current camera, a Canon 60D has only a 10 second delay or 2 second delay…phooey! Several months ago, I bought a wireless remote that allows me to trip the shutter from up to 100 feet away. AND it allows for the motor to be set to continuous.

I have had the gadget for months but didn’t really start playing with it until the week before Christmas as time started getting short to get a CHRISTMAS FAMILY PORTRAIT !!!

If you have pets and if you have ever tried taking a photo with your pet and especially if you’ve tried taking a photo with your pet and no one else manning the camera…it is entertaining to say the least.

On the morning of December 23rd, Bear was on his bed and I set the camera on the tripod, hooked up the wireless thing and tried to get a photo of the two of us. I thought I’d photoshop a nice head shot of Bob in somehow…although they are now fine together, getting a cat to cooperate for a photo…well, I have NOT mastered that at all, at all!

The photo session of Bear and I did not go well either. Part of the trick is getting the pet(s) to look at the camera when their main person, the supposed “head of the pack”, is sitting right next to or between.

So…FAIL.

As Bear and I took our late morning walk, I got to thinking that I would get a nice head shot of each of us and Photoshop them onto ornaments or something…not extremely original but it would be fun and relatively easy to do.

I entered the house after our walk, with visions of Photoshop fun dancing in my head…when what to my wondering eyes should appear ???

BUT, Bob on Bear’s bed…by the pillow.

Unfortunately, my camera was in the camera bag. Unfortunately, because Bob had a look on his face that said: “Holy shit – they’re back early!!” (please pardon Bob’s language)

Then, he shifted and I could see him thinking that the best thing was to brazen it out.

“So…I lived here first, DOG!”

I didn’t get the best shot here…I could see where it was going. Bob does a great “To the moon, Alice!”** and I didn’t want Bear dancing backwards off the bed so I said something to distract them and missed the shot where Bob lifts his paw in preparation for a punch…

Ok…kind of cute and an option, but Bob looks annoyed and Bear looks uncomfortable.

Better, but they are a bit far apart and Bear looks a bit worried.

I try to enter.

I like the angle on me…Bear is blocking some of my heft, but neither he nor Bob is looking at the camera.

I continue clicking the remote and subliminally trying to get them to look in the direction of the camera.

Bear moves…

I continue clicking and doing my head thing to hopefully get a good angle on me…that’s the important thing…a good photo of ME!

I clicked and clicked and emoted and pointed and hoped.

When we all got tired of that, I downloaded all of the photos (100+) and started looking through them.

There was one…I say ONE! photo where we were all looking AT the camera. AND…Bear and I were smiling. AND…Bob did not look like he was swearing.

SUCCESS. Merry Christmas and all that: the incredibly lucky shot.

**”To the moon, Alice” is from “The Honeymooners” tv show starring Jackie Gleason circa a long time ago!