Typist: Bethany
When my brother and I were in school full time, my family did most of our traveling in the summer. The annual forlorn feeling of saying farewell to most of my toys as we packed everything into another storage space quickly gave way to the excitement of a new summer of adventures on the road. While our travels back and forth across North America always included visits to various family and friends, it was when we arrived on the shores of Chautauqua Lake, New York, that young nomadic me felt at home. Once the family van was safely parked near the big white, bat filled barn at Bompa and Nee Nee's house, I didn't waste a second thinking about the stuff in storage thousands of miles away. The dogs and I splashed in the creek, ran in the grass, and lounged on the stone porch. At this young age I learned that every nomad needs a place that feels like home, pets too.

Dogwood Photography Photo Challenge Week 10, Portrait: Environmental
"Show a subject in their natural habitat. Their place of work or hobby is a great start. Tell their story with the environment."

While I do not consider cages and crates to be the pet's natural habitats, they truly enjoy time in their own private spaces, at home or on the road. Photographing the pets in their place of work or hobby, which I hope the dogs, cat and cockatoo would agree is being out on adventures or at sports, is what I do all the time. Don't get me wrong! I love it. But photos of the pets at home, at rest, was more of a photography challenge. Plus, I captured these photos just before Jason and I left on the first pet-free trip we have taken in almost two years. It comforts me to see how relaxed these furry and feathery nomads are just hanging out at home.

Where do you feel most at home?

This post is a part of the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge. Please see more of our photo challenge posts here.

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Typist: Bethany
When I was young, traveling North America in the family van, if we were lucky my dad would honk the horn as we went through a tunnel. Luck was if there was not one else around; my dad was considerate enough not to freak other tunnel goers out just for the giggling pleasure of his kids. I don't remember exactly what our dogs did when the light suddenly changed in the van and my brother and I began to plead to hear a horn echo in the darkness horn. Like my traveling dogs, cat, and cockatoo, those dogs probably slept right through the shadows of tunnel fun. The excitement of passing through a tunnel instilled in me by my dad has the same effect on my current travel pets as my childhood dogs... they keep on snoozing. I do often wonder, though, what road trip tunnel going Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley, Amelia, and Leo would do if they heard that "ah-oooo-gah" echoing until passing into the light at the other end. I wonder because I don't honk. Even if I am all alone for miles. Sorry, dad. It just isn't the same without you, a school bus yellow camper van, and a custom ahooga horn. But I do still so love a good tunnel...

Dogwood Photography Photo Challenge Week 9, Artistic: Shadows
"The opposite of light is dark, the absence of light is shadow. Interpret this into a masterpiece."

What it is about tunnels that is so magical? I know I have wonderful ahooga horn memories but those are unique. Other people and animals, even those who have never heard a crazy family van horn, enjoy tunnels as well. Why? This fascination with light to dark to light is what inspired "The Tunnel of Love" as well as "The Tunnel of Terror." Whatever it is about the echoing of sound, the sudden absence, and the impending presence of light that is just so frightening, fun, and beautiful at the same time, I love it. And even if I don't carry on the family honk tradition when I pass through a tunnel on a road trip, I never want to stop feeling thrilled every time I get to focus on that light at the end of the tunnel and literally get tunnel vision.

This post is a part of the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge. Please see more of our photo challenge posts here.

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Typist: Bethany
Ah, red. It's one of my favorite colors and a photo challenge theme like artistic photos with a color theme is exactly why I wanted to join another year long photographic journey. All week, I have been pondering "how can I shoot that?" every time something red catches my eye. As usual, it is the pets that not only inspire but guide my imagination. When Leo showed an interest in the red ribbon I was removing from the Christmas wreath, I decided to set up a creative photo shoot with a white cockatoo in red.

Dogwood Photography Photo Challenge Week 3, Artistic: Red
"Shoot whatever inspires you. Red should be the focus of the image. Don't be afraid to be creative."

Leo playing peek-a-boo with the ribbon, manipulating it with his beak, and enjoying the crimson sparkles was very entertaining. It was also excellent for my parrot to have a positive experience with red which has occasionally proven to be a color he doesn't like. Perhaps his instincts remind him that somewhere in the wilds of New Guinea, there is a Triton cockatoo predator flashing a subtle red warning. Soon after our staged shoot, we had an accidental red encounter with Jason wearing his headlamp in the driveway. I am sharing these photos as well because, first, I totally love them, and I also think this second red cockatoo shoot speaks volumes about a photographic journey. I pondered what red photo I would take all week, I set up a complex photo shoot, yet the perfect red artistic photo was just a step outside with what inspires me sitting on my hand.

This post is a part of the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge. Please see more of our photo challenge posts here.

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Happy Holidays!
-Leo & Bethany, plus Jason, Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley, & Amelia too

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