This weeks topic is "leading lines", Week 26 of our project (week 2 for me).  One would think that it would be easy to capture great photographs of your own dogs, but for some reason mine seem to think that they have done something wrong most of the time when I try to pose them.  I don't have this issue with other dogs, just mine - who knows what's going through their minds!

Now, as I think about the concept of leading lines, many different photographs that I have taken in the past with trails, roads, converging tree lines and many others come to mind.  Just one problem, none of them have any of the dogs that I have owned or currently own in them.  So, I went searching through some of my photographs to get some ideas - and I did find some that helped to give me a few ideas.  The next step is to get a dog to go with me for this little venture - as it's hot, muggy and thunderstormy (is that a word?) in Florida now and it's not ideal outdoor weather a lot of the time.

First, I tried to get Jimbo out.  He is really good about staying put off leash - no dice.  Jimbo's weather forecast said there was to many gray clouds outside with potential for thunder and lighting - potential - not actually happening - he won't go outside.  So, I go to our young girl, Abby whom we adopted last September - truthfully, she wasn't my first choice because I didn't know if she would stay off leash when I told her to sit.  But - to my surprise she rose to that occasion and was very good (even when there was a potential squirrel to chase up the tree).  I'm proud of her - she has learn so much since we adopted her last year.

Here's one of the photographs of Abby sitting on the boardwalk. In this photograph, she still has her leash, but there isn't any one holding onto it.  Step one in our 'trust' for whether she will stay or not.

Abby is now off the leash and sitting nicely on the boardwalk.  The planks on the boardwalk provide leading lines to Abby sitting.

Next step, can I get her to sit on the bridge?  This has leading lines from the wood planks making the pathway, but also includes side railings. Now, truth is, this bridge is actually over water and asking a dog to sit pretty while there is water underneath along with lots of trees, squirrels and a few people can sometimes be challenging for any dog - let alone a young dog with a short attention span.

So there you have it, leading lines that include a pet - my well behaved Abby!

For more  leading lines head over to visit Danyel with Wag to My Heart, serving the Portland Metro area of Oregon and then head around the rest of the blog circle until you end up back here.

If you would like to book a custom pet portrait session, send us an email to Linda at [email protected] or give us a call at 813-610-2671 in the Tampa Bay area (Florida).