When The Family Dog Leads to The Perfect Nature Photo

Sometimes it pays to listen to our pets. This was one of those times. On this sunny evening my dog, Oscar, insisted on a truck ride. As a result I got some beautiful nature landscape photos.

This was one of those rare occasions when I had to work away from home for the day. It was hard telling, Oscar, that he couldn’t go this trip. Being a work from home professional really does have it’s perks. I seldom go anywhere without Oscar.

Since my kids are all grown up and on their own, my dog has become my baby. And there are times when I am amazed at the ways he has learned to communicate.

On this particular day I had to tell him no and drive off watching those sad puppy eyes follow the truck down the driveway. The day went rather quickly for me but when I got home it was obvious that it had not gone so quickly for Oscar. He greeted me as if I had been gone for eons.

Soon it was time for our evening walk around the block. But when we headed for the front door to leave, but Oscar had other plans. He surprised me by going straight to the garage door. That in itself was unusual behavior but I figured he was just being cute. There was nothing wrong with going out the garage instead of the front door.

Only he had another surprise in store. Oscar went straight to the passenger side of the truck and sat waiting for me to open the door. It took a lot of coaxing to get him outside of the garage only to have him break free and run back into the garage and lay down next to the passenger side of the truck.

Well, flexible owner that I am, I decided to make a trip to the local park so that Oscar could get his turn in the truck. After all if one of us went we all should go, right?

I ran in to grab my camera. I’ve learned my lesson after many missed photo opportunities. And off to the park we went.

Little did I realize at the time that Oscar's persistence would lead to an excellent photo shoot. It was early evening and the sun cast some of the most interesting shadows on fences and trees.

Evening is one of the best times to take nature landscape photos and I was vastly rewarded for listening to my dog. Photographers often refer to the light cast by evening and early morning sun as the "sweet spot". Next time your family pet decides to take you in a different direction, make sure you take that camera along. You never know what mother nature will have in store for you.

The pictures used in this article are hosted in my private album. You can gain access to them and thousands more by signing up for my Free Newsletter called Nature Tales.