Portrait challenge: Bertha and Holly

Recently I challenged myself to become more comfortable approaching people in the park and requesting blip opportunities. So far I haven't gotten very far with this challenge because I haven't spent much time blipping anything in the park. It looks as if I may have to enlarge my territory and start blipping people in other locations. Today, however, I did accomplish my photo challenge in the park.

Bertha, the subject of today's challenge, is not a stranger, but I am really happy to get a good picture of her with 16 year old Holly because a couple of years ago I took a picture of Holly with Bertha's husband Jim that is one of my favorite photos. To be truthful though, Bertha wasn't the first person I asked for a photo opp this afternoon. I initially encountered a couple walking Dudley, a very old bassett hound, and asked the man if I could take a picture of his bassett. In the blink of an eye, he had Dudley turned around to face the camera and made sure he was looking right at me. That accomplished, I ask the man if I could take a picture of him since I already had one of his dog. Honestly, it was as though he couldn't take off in the opposite direction fast enough. That was definitely a non-starter! Some you win and some you lose, I guess, but I still got my blip for the day.

PS About Holly's eyes...she does have some, but they are very dark and hard to see under all that hair. Bertha tried to brush the hair out of Holly's eyes before I took the picture, but it just didn't cooperate. She told me she had tried to trim it, but Holly protested so much, she gave up. Obviously Holly is the queen of that household, and very much loved.