Human Emotion/Relationship

Jeffery Slack, 49, trains his four month old Presa-Canario in downtown Bellingham Tuesday afternoon. He runs into Brent Kuecker, 31, on the way to his car. The two friends talk about Jeffery’s dog as Kuecker pets her. “You’ll like me when you’re older,” Kuecker says.

Human Emotion/Relationship

This assignment was to shoot a picture showing human emotion and/or some kind of relationship, such as people reacting to a sports game or a couple kissing. It can't be a posted picture.

This was my hardest assignment yet. I hated it.

I am too used to posed pictures.

I couldn't grow a pair, get close and take pictures of people.

I tried. Monday I went to downtown Bellingham and the waterfront for a few hours with no luck. A guy and girl were talking while sitting on a rock. They were having a close moment together, I tried to find a good shooting spot and awkwardly got stuck and almost fell. That sort of announced my presence and made me look like a stalker.

On Tuesday I was in downtown Bellingham again, armed with my camera and another mocha. I noticed Jeffery Slack, 49, walking his Presa-Canario. People came up to pet his puppy and Slack started conversation. He was training his dog outside the police substation when a police officer opened the door and warned him to not leave his dog by the station. He explained the training and the police officer laughed. I knew this was a photo opportunity. I put my mocha down and got my camera ready. By the time I looked up Slack had already crossed the street and was about to cross another. I began to panic and went for it. It took me a few minutes but I was tailing Slack. I am eternally grateful to Bellingham residents for not thinking I am a stalker after these last few days. I caught up to Slack and he was up for pictures. He told me he knew a lot of locals and they'd compliment his puppy a lot so I had a good chance of getting some unplanned poses. Slack was right. As I followed him and his puppy he ran into a friend, Brent Kuecker. They talked about dog training and I went crazy with pictures.

The sun became my enemy. As the picture shows the background is washed out and backlit. My subjects are barely seen. I will reiterate my lessons: sun is not always my friend and I need to grow a pair and think beyond posed pictures.