The Homeless - Stray Dogs

[marke]

deepwhite, I love #1 and #3. And what agreat idea for a project!

It's good when you can express your emotions through the camera. I often try to use that myself when my emotions are flowing "larger" than usual, but to actually have those emotions clearly seen in your work it isn't always so easy. But IMHO, you have accomplished that here.

Oh and taxi38, you cracked me up with that fiber remark. That would bring just about anybody out of their depression! 😛

 

[deepwhite]

Thanks for the replies.

As a non-native-English-speaker, I never have cereal for breakfast. (In fact, as a musician, I almost never eat breakfast.) Is my sentence seen a lot on a cereal box?

 

[Brennotdan]

I like 1, 2, and 3. I think this could be the beginnings of a strong series. I also don't mind them being out of focus. If anything it helps the images convey an inward feeling for me, where I take them at face value for their emotional impact instead of trying to figure out why you're taking pictures of dogs. It helps push the metaphor.

The motive itself is a powerful idea, and could turn into a compelling statement with some more work.

 

[deepwhite]

@ Keith & Brennotdan - thanks for the replies.

------

At first I was just taking photos of the homeless dogs. Yet later it started to have its own life, beyond my control.

------

[Wounded]

Whenever our hearts get hurt, they twist a little.

That night I parked my car a bit further away from home. On my way back, I saw the dog there, lying in the rain, under the beautiful road light.

I reached into my bag for the camera. The dog thought I was going to hurt it; someone must have. So it growled away. This is the only image I could get for it.

It was dark. The shutter speed was long. But it was anger, and furthermore, fear, that transformed it into a five-legged beast.

Wounded.

------

[Trust]

Then when I was almost home, I saw this other dog that I've seen a lot.

I stood there and tried to take its picture. It saw me, then it stood up, walking to me, slowly.

I fed it before. So I guess it was not afraid of me now. I murmured, "sorry, I got nothing for you tonight. I hope you're not hungry."

I'm not sure if it understood me; but as it looked away, it still stood there, very, very close to me.

I felt warmth in my heart, in this cold and rainy night.

------

Epson R-D1s
Kinoptik Foyer 50mm f2.0

 

[marke]

Deepwhite, I feel extemely moved by your series, and I encourage you to continue. You are reminding me about the time I carried a homless dog for 10 miles up and out of the Grand Canyon, that one of the hikers in our group wanted to rescue.

I am about to say good-bye to my greyhound, "Zoomer", as it's dying of bone cancer. I've had dogs all my life, from age 2 up until now (age 50). But this dog was the one I have dreamt about for so long, so it is been very difficult to prepare for the day when I will have to make that last act of love for my beloved pet. It will probably be within the next few days.

Bless you and may you be rewarded with unique and grand visions of light.

 

[Rob-F]

I have never gotten over having to have my Ab-Ab put down. It was over 20 years ago. She had bone cancer. Thanks for sharing, deepwhite, and Marke.

 

[deepwhite]

@ marke

I've seen Zoomer's photos in the other thread. I hope everything's well with him. He's a dear. 🙂

------

More in this series.

#8 - A Place of One's Own

I met it again one morning.

It was just a spot under the three, by the roadside. Yet when I saw the look in its eyes, I suddenly realized.

That's the kind of look, when one finds a place of its own.

------

#9 - When You No Longer Move Your Eyes Away

Then it looked at me. Calmly. For a long time.

I can't even look at the people in the same elevator for this long.

It feels great. When you no longer move your eyes away.


R-D1s + Dallmeyer Super-Six Projection 45/1.9

 

[marke]

Then it looked at me. Calmly. For a long time.

I can't even look at the people in the same elevator for this long.

It feels great. When you no longer move your eyes away.


R-D1s + Dallmeyer Super-Six Projection 45/1.9

Simply beautiful. I think we all know this feeling, whether the experience has been with dogs or with humans. It's a decision to trust, even in the midst of vulnerability. I have always been moved beyond words when my dog is content with just looking directly into my eyes, with the look of this trust. And when I realize that my own unbroken gaze leaves him with nothing but a desire for the moment to continue on, I am lost in a sense of awe for all I do not know of life and of love.

Keep up the good work, deepwhite. You're making that R-D1s sing with sweet light.

 

[deepwhite]

Thanks, Mark. ;-)

------

#10 - "They Talk."

You turned away.
But you couldn't hide it.

'Cause

The figure talks;

The shadow talks;

The light talks;

The air talks.

------

R-D1s + Summilux 35/1.4 preA

 

[russianRF]

I've really enjoyed these photos and would love to see more. On my birthday, a couple of months ago, I ran into a homeless dog wandering the street outside my house. I fed him some leftovers from the night before. As I bent down to pick up the take-out box, he shirked away like I was going to hit him, but kept looking at the box. Later I realized he must have wanted to keep licking off the gravy. He had eaten a whole half-serving of meat, so I assume he was very, very hungry.

The whole experience made me sad, but I felt better for having given him at least the one meal. Your series reminds me of the tenderness and sorrow that moment brought me.