Outtakes

I've been working on our spring/summer newsletter, and the very last photo I needed was the one of Alayne and me for the "ranch letter" on page 2.  We always have an animal in the photo with us, and we generally pick one that will, well, cooperate!  So we thought Madison would be a great candidate for this photo shoot -- she's an older, quiet girl, very calm and well-behaved.  I figured she'd sit nice and still while our awesome volunteer, Laura W. from Helena, took the photos this past Saturday.

Except ... she didn't.  I don't know if it was because there were all these new and fascinating smells in the hay barn where we were taking the photos, or whether she just had ants in her pants -- but Madison was one squirmy little thing.  She was in constant motion the entire time, and we could barely hold on to her.  So I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the outtakes from the photo session!  In the photo at top, Madison decided she'd rather give me a kiss than look at the camera.

Here it looks like I might be examining her lymph nodes, but I was actually trying to get her to turn her head back towards Laura: 

In this one I've completely lost control and Laura caught me in the process of saying, "Wait, she's going airborne on us..."

We also tried having her sit on the ground, but that didn't really work either:

But finally, somewhere among the 75 photos Laura graciously took, there had to be at least one that would work, right?  And there was ... here's the one we will use in the newsletter:

It wasn't "the" photo I wanted, with her looking at the camera, but I'm old enough and wise enough to realize when it's time to declare victory in animal photography.  Madison was even more relieved than we were that the photo shoot was finally over!

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Please vote for the ranch in the Shelter Challenge -- and you can vote every day!  We're currently in third place, putting us on track to win $3,000 for the animals.  Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state postal code, MT, for Montana, and it will bring up our listing.

Vote in the Shelter Challenge here.

Last year we won $3,000 in the first round and then won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the second round, so your votes really do add up and make for a wonderful gift for the animals here.

Thank you!

Comments

[Colleen & Sweet Kitty Erin]

Thanks for the laugh with the outtakes. Madison & you all look great in every picture. Madison is such a sweet dog & she just enjoyed being alone with you all & getting all the attention.

A couple of years ago my niece wanted to get a professional picture of her kids w/ their great-grandmother. Her littlest one would not stop crying so they gave her pretzels which was her favorite treat. So, all the pictures have her brother & her great-grandmother both very poised along with little Gabi shoving the pretzel at the camera or happily munching. Hilarious & very memorable pictures as are all of these outtakes. Those kinds of pics are to be treasured because they all tell a story!!!

[Ann]

Love the pictures. I have the same problem trying to take pictures of my 3 dogs together at one time. I think I've gotten one good picture out of who knows how many I took! Madison is such a cutie!

[Ev]

Obviously one on one time is extremely exciting for Miss Madison.
She obviously liked being Queen Dog for the Day. What a sweet heart.

[Kelly]

Years ago, my friends' kids were toddlers. They were trying to get "the" picture for a Christmas card, and it wasn't working. To bribe them, they gave the kids candy. Well, you can guess which photo ended up on the card-two kids happily munching candy! I love that photo because it's so real. So thanks for the treat of showing us the "real" photos behind the newsletter. :)

[Laura & Levi]

Steve, I'm glad you posted the "out takes" I was laughing as I was reading the blog. I was getting as frustated as you were during the "photoshoot". Alayne your smile was great!! HA.. :)

[Aliza]

LOL. That's pretty typical. You're sure they're going to be so photogenic but they ignore that camera like the plague. Madison is more of a candid camera girl. She likes the pictures taken when she doesn't have to pose for them. :) Can't wait to receive my newsletter!

[Tonya]

Love these! Reminds me of trying to control my dog at the vet's. They call him "wiggleworm" in our hearing; I'm sure they have another word for it in his case file... Looks like you have her pretty well subdued in that final photo!

[boundforglory]

Sometimes you just have to throw in the doggie towel after 75 tries; it's a great shot of you three!
Thanks for the photo shoot Laura. : )

[ginger, Tobias & Tlingit]

What fun seeing all that you & Alayne go through just to get a photo for the Newsletter! Now we have more of an idea what a labor of love those photos really are! I must say, Alayne, you look great, no matter what Madison was doing. I wish I were as photogenic as you. Maybe Madison just wanted everyone to see all the great things that she can do. Thanks for all that you go through to get us just the right shot!
Warm hugs to all,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit

[Sandra]

You all look so cute, in each of the photos:)) Madison was obviously too excited about the photo-shoot.

[Jessica, NL]

Hahaha, all this and NO other animal near to help you two and Madison out? Oh dear...

Cute pictures, all of them!

[Shirley * James/Portland, OR]

Every picture is a WINNER in my book. Madison is truly a love bug!!!

[Nina]

Madison is so cute in all of the photos! Maybe Hollywood will come calling....!!

[Glenn]

I'm so glad to hear some news about Madison, she's such a sweet girl.

[Gena]

What's that blue thing on the hay in the first few photos... on the right side?

A ball of blue BALING TWINE?!!!!!

LOL - couldn't resist, sorry...

Madison is a cutie patootie! I bet she couldn't settle down because of the twine laying around... :-)

[Janet in Cambridge]

It may be apocryphal, but wasn't it W.C. Fields who said, "Never work with children or animals."!