Nooooooo....

Nooooooo...if you get this accepted at any online stock photo agency, I will personally buy you a bag of doggy treats for your model. Adorable pup she may be, but think about it: What possible use could this be to a designer of brochures, ads, web sites, or any other commercial venture that needs photos/graphics of anything? It's the TOP OF A DOG'S HEAD. No eyes, no expression, no dog. And I think you need to mop the floor...Sorry, but no.

Of course, it could just be she knows me well enough by now to know I'd rather rip off an arm than hurt an aspiring writer or novice photographer. One of my contest challenges was to submit some of these photos to Shutterstock, a New York based microstock photo agency. New York agencies (photographic, literary, dramatic, and otherwise) aren’t renowned for a liberal outpouring of the milk of human kindness. I once watched a New York director gleefully rip the beating heart out of a five year old for singing “Edelweiss” off key. After just three notes. “Next!” The child was tough; she didn’t cry. But my high school music teacher almost did when she didn’t make the cut. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I admire willingness to tackle new challenges, try new things, and keep at it until she masters them. I tease her mercilessly, but I wouldn’t waste my time if I didn’t like her and think she had talent. Without a doubt, she will succeed at whatever she puts her mind to.