So many times when I was growing up, my mom mentioned that she saw something wonderful when my dad was stationed in Germnay: a music box with spectacularly large disks that you could swap out.
They were too expensive for an young army man's salary, so she just dreamed of one.
I had never seen one. But when my husband proposed, the ring came from a jeweler in St. Paul that my dad went to to buy special things for my mom. When we picked up the wedding ring, I noticed a small music box with discs that could be swapped out. I bought it for a present for parents as a thanks for all of the wedding preparations. My dad passed about 7 years ago and my mom 2 years ago. So the music box is back with us. But is still something very special.
When the music challenge was announced, I thought of the RCA Advertisement: His Master's Voice and my music box. I wasn't sure if the music box would be the right size.
My cats are very difficult to work with. They really aren't as cooperative as dogs. I tried with Mo for awhile. But then I just had used Mo in rule of thirds, so I thought I probably shouldn't use him again. Which probably was a good idea. Because he never really figured out that we were putting cat food (dry, of course!) on the edge of the horn. Cinders was a bit more helpful.
I really wanted to enter this one, but my humor hadn't been going over well this year. I'd tried some silly things hoping for comments, but the didn't go over well. And I liked this outtake too much to have it passed by without much notice because it might not fit as well. So I saved it for an outtake, hoping that someone would notice it here and appreciate it. :)
I probably should have just gone for it, because it still makes me laugh. :D
(btw, this is the type of shot you usually get when trying to work with cats:
usually you get one good shot and 2 ok shots for every 65 tries. :)
Thanks for the comments!
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Wendy you are a born storyteller. Whatever the challenge is after rollover I go find your entry, to read the story. Your compositions always tell a story. You tell a good story in words, too.
This one is when I realized what a good storyteller you are.
I think a sort of a haze comes over people's minds while voting. The act of sitting in judgement overwhelms the mental privacy needed for the art of seeing. If there is a story, or a joke, people might miss it, or not see it as part of the voting process. Voting is fun, in a recreational kind of way, but to see what a photograph has to offer...requires a mind that is ready to be amused.
Love to read your photographer's notes. I have uncooperative cats too, so I understand the challenge in photographing cats. This image is wonderful. Great clarity and lighting. Such a good representation of the original RCA image. Your outtakes are terrific too. I laughed so hard with the cat's face in the horn.... I think you chose the right image for this challenge though, humor probably wouldn't have worked...
Congrats on the Blue, and thanks for taking the time to share your creative process!
Congrats on the blue, Wendy. I thought it looked like your work but didn't realize you had another cat. It's a lovely shot and of course I recognized the source of inspiration.
RCA Victor Outtake
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