Having two dogs, it seems only fair to post this today, to follow up on yesterday's post.

What I was attempting to convey in yesterday's verse was the surprising delicacy of achieving this pose with the dogs. It was a gentle negotiation; I was requesting that they do something unfamiliar, and if not uncomfortable, at least outside of their comfort zone. Allowing such closeness required both submission and trust on their part. In the end, I think I got the better picture with Arwen in terms of composition, symmetry and eye contact, but Soleil was the more willing and pliable of the two dogs, and I love this image because it carries a palpable force of emotion and trust.