Anyone with a black pet of any species knows how hard it is to get a decent photo of their baby. Andy and Dougy are no different, and the challenge of capturing the subtleties of their coats as well as a recognizable image is daunting.

Yesterday afternoon, when I took the photos in post 356, I wasn’t totally satisfied with Andy’s photo. Sure, it captures his quiet side, but I wasn’t satisfied with the color of his coat: Too dark!

So, I went back to work. Here’s a first effort, which apparently was in a darker spot because the flash triggered:

Umm. OK enough, if not an improvement over the one of Andy in yesterday’s Post 356.

I’d like to blame the point-and-shoot camera for any technical issues or lack of art, but knowing one’s tool, a simple pinhole camera can make fantastic, beautiful photos. The more technology one has behind a photo, the less one has to think about what one’s doing. Even so, that $3000 Nikon just takes snapshots if one doesn’t know the tool and trusts all the decisions to the camera.

My little Nikon Coolpix S100 is adequate technology for my amateur use, yet it, too, can create interesting and beautiful photos! Then again, many times the “best” shot with a point-and-shoot camera is more accidental than planned, and the effect achieved – if only one could duplicate it – transcends the simple technology used to make it. It approaches art!

Andy as ethereal being.

It’s not a literal rendering of Andy’s beautiful coat, but it is a pleasing image to me, easily my favorite photo yet of Andy.