Project 52 - Blank Slate

It's January -  a new year, a new beginning and I'm participating in a brand new Project 52. This project is a round robin of sorts that will take place once a week, and there are pet photographers from around the world who will be taking part throughout the year. At the end of each of our Project 52 blog posts will be a link to another participating photographer's blog so that you can click through and see how they interpreted the theme as well.

Blank Slate

The theme this week is Blank Slate and there are so many ways to interpret this prompt:
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Dash considers it a blank slate every time he sees a squirrel (and it's usually the same squirrel, too). The score is even between them and this time he just might win. Dash, you will always win for being the loudest, but that squirrel will always be able to climb the highest. If it makes you feel any better, I could get you a blue ribbon for "most voicetrous."

Opposite Dash, is Hermes who never seems to start with a blank slate. He remembers everything (and I'm pretty sure he keeps score)... Treats are behind that door... Wednesdays mean doggie playdates (I swear he knows when it's Wednesday)... and, when the vacuum cleaner comes out that means someone's coming over and we might get treats to stop jumping on them!

I explored all the ins and outs of blank slate (I might take these prompts a little too seriously), but it wasn't until I searched for quotes that I realized how perfectly this prompt fits my pet sessions.

Life is just a blank slate,
​what matters most is what you write on it.
- Christine Frankland

"I am a blank slate - Therefore I can create anything I want."
-Tobey Macquire

Having a blank slate is sometimes as daunting as it is exciting.
​-Joe Madureira

It was this last quote that made that cartoon light bulb go off over my head. Every session that I schedule starts with a blank slate. It's not something I intended to do because everything I read before starting my business said that photographers need to have a plan (or at least a list) in order for sessions to run smoothly. While this might be great for classic wedding or portrait photographers, I quickly discovered that this would not work for me and my photography objectives. With the exception of finding out what my client's goals are and learning as much as I can about their pet, my sessions are rarely ever planned (and this both scares and excites me).  With a "blank slate" each session literally creates itself... with a little help from the pet of course.

To see the words, wisdom, and works of other photographers in this project start with Elaine Tweedy of I Got The Shot Photography located in Northeastern PA.
​Have a great weekend!