Christmas to the pets in our household means Mr Big snoozing throughout the day under our bed in the far corner after having pigged out on his Christmas dinner, PF being mesmerised by the Christmas lighting we picked up from Ikea at the last minute, and Wiggley having all the cherries to himself.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Season's Greetings
I was told a long time ago (and am still being reminded constantly) never work with children or animals.
Well, this year’s Christmas shoot has proven that the guinea pig is the pro! Wiggley is also the oldest amongst the remaining furballs we consider as kids in our household. (Ginger would have put the cats in their places). At least the cats didn’t mind wearing a Christmas collar for the shoot.
2 more sleeps to Christmas!
Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your constant support. Have a safe holiday.
In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes shots that I saved for this post that included my faithful staff assisting me with the shoot:
Well, this year’s Christmas shoot has proven that the guinea pig is the pro! Wiggley is also the oldest amongst the remaining furballs we consider as kids in our household. (Ginger would have put the cats in their places). At least the cats didn’t mind wearing a Christmas collar for the shoot.
2 more sleeps to Christmas!
Here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!
Thank you all for your constant support. Have a safe holiday.
In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes shots that I saved for this post that included my faithful staff assisting me with the shoot:
Monday, December 20, 2010
We made it!
We made it — after having packed and moved close to 50 boxes, big and small. I won’t even try to make an image of the stuff I have to move; it’s just too depressing!
Anyway, the boys didn’t pack their own stuff. The cats did wonder about the fuss and hid when the removalists appeared. I must say they coped very well with it over the last 3 weeks.
It’s our second day at home in Potts Point and I must say the cats adapted pretty well. We don’t have access to a private garden like we used to but PF and Mr Big still get to visit the old place during the day.
Wiggley is doing just fine. Sometimes I wonder if he misses Ginger. He seems to understand the change we are going through at the moment.
I can’t wait to explore my new neighbourhood! Later!
Anyway, the boys didn’t pack their own stuff. The cats did wonder about the fuss and hid when the removalists appeared. I must say they coped very well with it over the last 3 weeks.
It’s our second day at home in Potts Point and I must say the cats adapted pretty well. We don’t have access to a private garden like we used to but PF and Mr Big still get to visit the old place during the day.
Wiggley is doing just fine. Sometimes I wonder if he misses Ginger. He seems to understand the change we are going through at the moment.
I can’t wait to explore my new neighbourhood! Later!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tribute to my boy
It has been a week since Ginger had left us.
In the mid of moving to our new home, Ginger passed away peacefully in his sleep on 10th December 2010, around 9.30pm. I remember checking up on the boys half hour before that. I guess he just wanted to leave quietly.
His sudden departure is still a shock to us all at home, including his companion, Wiggley. It took me a week to come to terms with not having Ginger for this Christmas, for my wedding next February, and for the years to come. Thanks to Petrest for their sensitivity and help.
This post is a tribute to my boy. He was full of life and sass. In his 5 years and 7.5 months, Ginger probably outdid any ambitious corporate achiever. He’s the guinea pig who shared a blog with Wiggley. He traveled between two homes in the last year and even travelled to Alpine in the Southern Highlands for one Christmas.
Ginger was the wise one. He helped us stay focused, I think - kept us earthbound and reminded us of what was important. He’s taught me about patience, love and kindness. He gave me so much joy in photographing him that he inspired me to photograph other pets. He had a sense of fun too. Ginger loved Baroque and Hard rock music. He had perfect pitch because he would not hesitate to let me know when I was out of tune practising the cello. Also he could squeak till the cows came home!
Amongst his companions were cats Matilda, Mr Big and PF, chooks Naomi, Laura and Dora, a Yorkshire Terrier named Princess (we dog-sat for some time), not to mentioned the Magpies and Currawongs in our neighbourhood. When we fostered two other rescued guinea pigs, Ginger was their leader and taught them to socialise with other guinea pigs and humans. He boarded at the then Australian Cavy Sanctuary branch in Wollongong and with Uncle Vinnie while we travelled overseas.
He survived two surgeries to remove his tumours. He loved his strawberries, cherries, parsley, and was very interested in his vegie garden which was a ceramic pot of herbs. Ginger was most curious about the products I purchased, especially his bedding made of recycling paper.
He let me dress him up in silly Christmas hats. He loved to play hide-and-seek and ‘follow the leader’ (it’s a guinea pig’s game, where two or more guinea pigs form a train and they follow the leader anywhere s/he goes).
Every year, he participated in Earth Day, watched Eurovision and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on tele. He even didn’t mind following two of the Australian elections and I suspect he voted for Kevin Rudd and was an admirer of President Obama. He paid tribute to Michael Jackson. Ginger met his fair share of human friends - who adored and loved him to bits.
He has watched many movies and TV shows with me: all 6 HP movies made during his time; all of Wallace and Grommet's series (his all time favourite); Peter and the Wolf; E.T.; G-Force; Caved In (that he lost interest in half way through); 60 seconds and many more.
I am missing his constant supervision of my knitting project, his big beadie eyes, punk rocker hair style, and his big and generous personality. I hope he had a good life with us.
He’s one little guy whose spirit will always be with us, close to my heart.
Here’s a compilation of some of Ginger’s life with us - images that I have made since 2004.
In the mid of moving to our new home, Ginger passed away peacefully in his sleep on 10th December 2010, around 9.30pm. I remember checking up on the boys half hour before that. I guess he just wanted to leave quietly.
His sudden departure is still a shock to us all at home, including his companion, Wiggley. It took me a week to come to terms with not having Ginger for this Christmas, for my wedding next February, and for the years to come. Thanks to Petrest for their sensitivity and help.
This post is a tribute to my boy. He was full of life and sass. In his 5 years and 7.5 months, Ginger probably outdid any ambitious corporate achiever. He’s the guinea pig who shared a blog with Wiggley. He traveled between two homes in the last year and even travelled to Alpine in the Southern Highlands for one Christmas.
Ginger was the wise one. He helped us stay focused, I think - kept us earthbound and reminded us of what was important. He’s taught me about patience, love and kindness. He gave me so much joy in photographing him that he inspired me to photograph other pets. He had a sense of fun too. Ginger loved Baroque and Hard rock music. He had perfect pitch because he would not hesitate to let me know when I was out of tune practising the cello. Also he could squeak till the cows came home!
Amongst his companions were cats Matilda, Mr Big and PF, chooks Naomi, Laura and Dora, a Yorkshire Terrier named Princess (we dog-sat for some time), not to mentioned the Magpies and Currawongs in our neighbourhood. When we fostered two other rescued guinea pigs, Ginger was their leader and taught them to socialise with other guinea pigs and humans. He boarded at the then Australian Cavy Sanctuary branch in Wollongong and with Uncle Vinnie while we travelled overseas.
He survived two surgeries to remove his tumours. He loved his strawberries, cherries, parsley, and was very interested in his vegie garden which was a ceramic pot of herbs. Ginger was most curious about the products I purchased, especially his bedding made of recycling paper.
He let me dress him up in silly Christmas hats. He loved to play hide-and-seek and ‘follow the leader’ (it’s a guinea pig’s game, where two or more guinea pigs form a train and they follow the leader anywhere s/he goes).
Every year, he participated in Earth Day, watched Eurovision and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on tele. He even didn’t mind following two of the Australian elections and I suspect he voted for Kevin Rudd and was an admirer of President Obama. He paid tribute to Michael Jackson. Ginger met his fair share of human friends - who adored and loved him to bits.
He has watched many movies and TV shows with me: all 6 HP movies made during his time; all of Wallace and Grommet's series (his all time favourite); Peter and the Wolf; E.T.; G-Force; Caved In (that he lost interest in half way through); 60 seconds and many more.
I am missing his constant supervision of my knitting project, his big beadie eyes, punk rocker hair style, and his big and generous personality. I hope he had a good life with us.
He’s one little guy whose spirit will always be with us, close to my heart.
Here’s a compilation of some of Ginger’s life with us - images that I have made since 2004.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Jelly bean
The shape of Wiggley's body in this shot reminds me of a jelly bean.
When I'm lurking behind him, he often turns around and checks if I'm watching his back. Not that he has anything to fear.
When I'm lurking behind him, he often turns around and checks if I'm watching his back. Not that he has anything to fear.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The dirty spot
It's officially Summer in Sydney. Yet we have been having almost non-stop rain for the last two days. I'm not complaining. I like the rain. I like cold weather.
Back to my series on Wiggley — a continuation from my last post.
Apart from his crest (and his sizeable derriere), there are a few other things I like about this particular guinea pig.
I like his nose. I like to run my finger along the front of his nose and down in between his whiskers to his upper lip. It feels spongey and velvety. Wiggley always goes into this 'translike' state whenever I do that.
I also like the marking on his left nostril that I affectionately call the dirty spot.
{ISO 500 | f/2.8 | 1/200 }
Back to my series on Wiggley — a continuation from my last post.
Apart from his crest (and his sizeable derriere), there are a few other things I like about this particular guinea pig.
I like his nose. I like to run my finger along the front of his nose and down in between his whiskers to his upper lip. It feels spongey and velvety. Wiggley always goes into this 'translike' state whenever I do that.
I also like the marking on his left nostril that I affectionately call the dirty spot.
{ISO 500 | f/2.8 | 1/200 }
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The crest
Following up on my last post.
Going by the American Cavy Breeders Association or the Australian National Cavy Council Inc, Wiggley though sporting a crest on his head, is not considered to be crested. He has too many colours (not his fault)! Wiggley would be called a tri-colour or broken colour cavy because his coat has three colours.
It's complicated. I'm no guinea pig breeder so I'm not concerned about the standards.
I love this little guy the same. To me, he's one special guinea pig with a crest on his head — like he's wearing a crown. Did I mention also that I see a bald spot coming up... poor old little thing.
So, for those who haven't thought about it — what close-up part of your furball do you like to see?
Going by the American Cavy Breeders Association or the Australian National Cavy Council Inc, Wiggley though sporting a crest on his head, is not considered to be crested. He has too many colours (not his fault)! Wiggley would be called a tri-colour or broken colour cavy because his coat has three colours.
It's complicated. I'm no guinea pig breeder so I'm not concerned about the standards.
I love this little guy the same. To me, he's one special guinea pig with a crest on his head — like he's wearing a crown. Did I mention also that I see a bald spot coming up... poor old little thing.
So, for those who haven't thought about it — what close-up part of your furball do you like to see?
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Crazy over guinea pig derriere
I like making images of close-ups that don't lose the context of the subject. By that I mean my intention is to showcase the subject in an aesthetic way so that it is still recognisable in an non-abstract way. Nor do I require a macro lens for this to be effective. This is why I normally photograph in a documentary style — to show details without losing too much of the context.
I like this vantage point. Perhaps I'm bias. Wiggley is my pet (although he thinks he owns me) so I love every millimetre of him, including his sizeable derriere!
Summer is here and he's shedding his Winter coat.
More of him to come.
So tell me — what close-ups of your furball do you like looking at?
I like this vantage point. Perhaps I'm bias. Wiggley is my pet (although he thinks he owns me) so I love every millimetre of him, including his sizeable derriere!
Summer is here and he's shedding his Winter coat.
More of him to come.
So tell me — what close-ups of your furball do you like looking at?
Thursday, November 25, 2010
My other boy
I'm pretty sure Mr Big sleeps a lot more than other cats. You guessed it, his daily routine, well, is quite simple. Wakes up only at the sound of us making breakfast. Goes back to sleep. Wakes up only at the sound of dinner. Goes back to sleep. And the routine repeats itself. Ok, maybe in between all that he ventures out into the garden but only for a little while. I can't imagine other cats leaving him messages. He has no social life. He's the complete opposite of PF.
His black paws used to be soft and smooth, now they show signs of stress and wear.
I'm not complaining. I get to photograph him sleeping as much as I want.
(which is also why Mr Big hardly appears on my blog — how many pictures of a certain sleeping cat can you have?)
And he sleeps — ever so soundly and peacefully.
{ ISO 320 | f/2.8 | 1/20 }
His black paws used to be soft and smooth, now they show signs of stress and wear.
I'm not complaining. I get to photograph him sleeping as much as I want.
(which is also why Mr Big hardly appears on my blog — how many pictures of a certain sleeping cat can you have?)
And he sleeps — ever so soundly and peacefully.
{ ISO 320 | f/2.8 | 1/20 }
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Atypical cat
Yet another overcast-cool Spring-Summer day today. I just love the crisp light but a certain cat PF, doesn't seem impressed. His expression is classic.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Apple and the boys
The boys have been especially good lately, I'm speaking of the guinea pigs (not the cats). I rewarded them each with an apple.
(I'm speaking about the fruit, not Apple computing. And I don't normally give them each a whole apple — usually I de-core: the seeds are not good for them).
Oh yes, they each can eat an apple no problem.
I’m liking the after rain late Spring afternoon light.
(I'm speaking about the fruit, not Apple computing. And I don't normally give them each a whole apple — usually I de-core: the seeds are not good for them).
Oh yes, they each can eat an apple no problem.
I’m liking the after rain late Spring afternoon light.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Festival fever
Spring in Sydney is usually a busy time with festivals, fairs, fetes, etc.
Last weekend, we checked out the Newtown Festival &mdash an annual event held by the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre for more than 30 years.
I love heading out to community events like these and documenting the experience from a spectator's point of view; something fun to do in my 'spare' time. The style is very different from hire sessions.
It sure was a hot Spring morning when we got there, not to mention the crowd — people and dogs about.
There are definitely lots of things to see, to buy and to do — performances to watch, pony rides.
Soap for dog — anyone?
It's important to locate the public toilets.
I had to try a potato on a stick, chilli flavour and man, it was super hot even for my standard!
Watching these kids (and adults) having fun brought back my childhood memories.
Last weekend, we checked out the Newtown Festival &mdash an annual event held by the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre for more than 30 years.
I love heading out to community events like these and documenting the experience from a spectator's point of view; something fun to do in my 'spare' time. The style is very different from hire sessions.
It sure was a hot Spring morning when we got there, not to mention the crowd — people and dogs about.
There are definitely lots of things to see, to buy and to do — performances to watch, pony rides.
Soap for dog — anyone?
It's important to locate the public toilets.
I had to try a potato on a stick, chilli flavour and man, it was super hot even for my standard!
Watching these kids (and adults) having fun brought back my childhood memories.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Go Bandit, Go!
I knew Bandit's good looks would get him places!
His Cheesy portrait was featured on Redbubble's group "In Dogs We Trust".
Bandit was rescued by AWDRI and is now available for adoption.
You can help find Bandit a new home before Christmas — grab a couple of greeting cards, post cards — get 15% discount using this promotion code "twoguineapigs_is_on_sale_9431" (offer ends this Sunday, 14 November).
Proceeds from sales of artwork of working dogs I photographed for rehoming through the AWDRI featured on my redbubble page will go to the AWDRI in helping these dogs find a new home.
His Cheesy portrait was featured on Redbubble's group "In Dogs We Trust".
Bandit was rescued by AWDRI and is now available for adoption.
You can help find Bandit a new home before Christmas — grab a couple of greeting cards, post cards — get 15% discount using this promotion code "twoguineapigs_is_on_sale_9431" (offer ends this Sunday, 14 November).
Proceeds from sales of artwork of working dogs I photographed for rehoming through the AWDRI featured on my redbubble page will go to the AWDRI in helping these dogs find a new home.
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