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A smiling older man with glasses pushed up on his head poses close beside a happy blue merle Border Collie on a porch. 13 / 39

Grandpa Earl Finally Figured Out the Selfie Camera. Skye Was Born for This.

AI imageborder collieselfieporch

Say cheese, Skye. Grandpa Earl has squeezed in close on the back porch for a selfie, reading glasses pushed up onto his silver hair, his face creased into a proud, slightly shy grin. Skye sits right next to him with her mouth open in a relaxed doggy smile, pink tongue just showing, ears soft and eyes bright. Behind them the wooden railing is lined with potted plants, a watering can and garden hose sit out in the yard, and the old fence fades into the soft evening light. Judging by the framing, Earl has gotten the hang of the front-facing camera.

Getting a good photo of a dog can be harder than it looks, but a few simple tricks help. Get down to their eye level, as Earl has done, rather than shooting from above. Natural light, such as open shade on a porch, flatters both fur and faces. Have a treat or a favorite toy ready to hold near the camera to catch their attention, and keep sessions short and fun so the dog does not get bored. Border Collies tend to focus intently on their people, which can make them surprisingly good photo partners once they understand what you want.

Skye clearly understood the assignment. Her expression is pure joy, and Earl's is pure pride. It is the kind of picture that ends up as a phone background or printed and stuck to the fridge.

Some photos are about the scenery. This one is all about the company.

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