dexter

So I’m now an internationally published photographer … and I didn’t even know it. The Daily Mail used one of my photos in an article on the growing popularity of hedgehogs as pets in the U.K. Imagine my face when one of my coworkers forwarded me a link and I recognized the top photo. I don’t think surprised adequately covers it.

The hedgehog in question is Knarla Pog’s baby brother from a later litter that her parents Scratches and Sweetie had. The photo dates back to January 13, 2001, and it pops up everywhere. I’ve seen it probably two dozen times or more in “cute animal” emails that various people have sent on to me. “Oh look, Heather, a hedgehog!” Yeah, I know. I took the photo. It’s my hand holding the little guy and you can even see my wedding ring on my finger. Chopper uses each instance as an occasion to remind me of the merits of watermarking or meta-tagging my photos, which I have yet to do.

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I emailed the newspaper and asked them, very nicely, if it would be possible to credit me for the photo. I hope to hear something back from them. I don’t mind at all that they used it — as a matter of fact, I’m very flattered — but it would be nice to have some acknowledgment.

What does bug me is that it’s not the best photo I took of him from that day. This one is.

Poor Dexter.  Two more days.

Poor Dexter.  It’s his turn as photo subject again.  Nikon D70, ISO 400, f4.5, 1/125, 70mm, with flash.

Six photos for seven days. I did in fact take photos on February 20 — those would be the eclipse photos, which warranted their own album. The EXIF information for these can be seen in the Detail view of each photo from the gallery, if you’re interested.

Starting at the top left: The man made from miniature clay pots, affectionately known as “Pot Man Junior” (my mother has the full sized one); our new team mascot at work; the nearly full moon from the parking lot at work; Dexter eating Worm Man’s Worm Farm roasted waxworms out of the jar (mmm); the black vulture Mom gave me for Christmas; and a hedgehog and dragon figurine from my sister-in-law Jan and niece Athene.

I didn’t post last night but I did in fact take a photo.  Not a good one, but I was playing with how the 50mm lens would do inside without a flash.  Nikon D70, ISO 400, f1.8, 1/45, 50mm.  This is a plant stake that Chopper dubbed “the bluebird of happiness.”

Tonight, Dexter (in Chopper’s hands) makes another appearance as my backup photography subject.  Nikon D70, ISO 400, f1.8, 1/250, 50mm., with flash.