# Bruce & Bodie - Labrador Models!!! cont.....



## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Guess I will confine any and all pictures of my two labs into this thread.

These two Labs are the first 'paper' dogs I have ever owned and trained. The two other Labs that have since passed, were 'house dogs' from rescue operations. Which is fine. Loved them. However, since I spent more money than I ever had before on a dog(s), I decided from day one that I would learn to train them the best I can within my means for what they were bred to do.

Learned a lot (still learning). All dogs are different. Some are slower to pick things up. Some are magnificent learners. One of my dogs, Bruce, does VERY well. I don't have any other dog to compare him to, but he learns FAST, is focused, driven, and can not retrieve enough. Ever. On a field or in the water, his is full of energy. He will obey my voice, a whistle, and will handle. I found out after I bought him that his great, great grandsire is NFC-AFC Storm' Riptide Star. That must be where he gets his Labiness from (yes, new word!) At home, he is an old soul. As gentle a dog as I have ever met. He has yet to lick anyone. Bruce is the chocolate Lab. 

Bodie, the white Lab, is a people dog. He will go through the training and do his best, but he would rather be tumbling in the grass with kids, rolling in Coyote scat, or crawling through bushes - yes, I mean going into a hedge and making a trail!! As Happy a dog as I have ever met. He even looks like he is always smiling. You know that character on Full Metal Jacket? That kind of slow guy in the first half of the movie that was always smiling and just wanted to be friends and please? That is Bodie (minus the killing part that eventually happened,,hahaha). But, when you switch out the dummies and balls for a real duck - his is different. He is all business. 

Both of my dogs are two years old. They both came from the same breeder in King William County in Virginia - Twin Pond's Kennels. They love the ocean. We have plenty of marsh. I have access to 77 acres of fields (yeah, VERY lucky), there is a brackish river five minutes from my house - lots of different places to train. We switch it up nearly daily.

"Bruce" Twin Pond's Autumn Russet
"Bodie" Twin Pond's Winter Storm

I am no expert at training gun dogs, whatsoever, but I do know these two guys pretty well. I also take a lot of pictures and edit them.
I'll post them here.

Erik


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

[i


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Tangier Island, VA










North Landing River









Sandbridge Beach









Virginia Beach OceanFront


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## cujrh10 (Jan 7, 2016)

Very good looking dogs. Be sure to update your thread frequently


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

I will, have many, many, many pictures.......
Thanks!!
Erik


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie..Hold!!









Fun in the Surf









Bruce









Bruce - N. Landing River


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## moscowitz (Nov 17, 2004)

You need to calm down.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

I gots 1 speed, bruh..


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce. Bumpers. Corn


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## bruce (May 18, 2004)

Like the name ...even if he is a brown dog ....


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

hahahaha!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Sunset on the North Landing River


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## Oz1 (Dec 9, 2011)

Great pics! Thanks!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce. Bodie. Jack (friend's dawg)










Silhouette. N. Landing River


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

One of my all time FAVORITE pictures - but I have to retake it due to the shadows and other stuff I don't like about it.

*Bruce & John
*


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce. Focused.


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## 1tulip (Oct 22, 2009)

I like Bruce's looks. Both are handsome, but the chocolate looks a little more "fieldy".


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

No birds????


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## Dogtrainer4God (Oct 10, 2006)

Lurker said:


> Silhouette. N. Landing River


THIS!!!! Beautiful shot


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks for the compliments.
No birds.... 
I have never duckhunted....want to
Train for it. Use frozen ducks from friends.....
Actually met with a guy name Vandergiessen one day re. training. Lives near by..

have a CC for fishing for Cobia (mostly) but need a jon boat or skiff
thinkng about building a Sharpie
Live in SE VA - Back Bay, you know.....


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Frisbees and Beaches and Labs


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Snowy Woods


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Mr. Serious & Mr. Goofy!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Ghost Crab Hole?


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Patient.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce. Golden Hour.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

B&W


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

There are some birds for ya...hahaha


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Going & Coming


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce (Photo taken by a friend of mine)


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Posing


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Double Hold!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

kind of like this one!! (taken with iPhone - an old one - haha)


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

False Cape, VA


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
False Cape, Va

All time favorite picture of him


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## Bridget Bodine (Mar 4, 2008)

too bad you don't love your dogs... maybe you should start a website for them


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

hahaha - i just like taking pictures, and they are always with me, so....


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## 150class (Jul 1, 2003)

some of the best Ive seen! Im still working thru the book *DSLR for Dummies* !


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks, 150class.

I have a relatively inexpensive camera, but some good lenses. I am no pro, but sell some (not of dogs though!! hahaha). And, please, don't take anything I write below as Gospel or like I am lecturing. I learn everyday.

In my opinion, (and you won't change it, so don't try -- hahaha), it's not really about the camera. It's a couple of other things. ALWAYS have your camera on the seat next to you. You see stuff all the time. You can't stage the best stuff.

Good light - bright sunshine is not as good a thing as most people think. Makes for harsh shadows and 'blown out' whites. ;Slightly overcast is better. I like stormy clouds (see pic below). Two hours after sunup and two hours before dusk - *Golden hour* (soft, yellowish light) An hour before sunup and after dusk - *Blue Hour*. Blue Hour makes for kinda cool pics (lotsa blue though!!)

Start looking for shots. Zoom in either by zoom or by getting closer. 

*Kneel down* - much mo' betta pics. *Lay down* - even better. Your pictures will get better by getting eye level with what your are shooting.(Look at B&W pic above - I knelt down right in front of him.)(That picture above in B&W on the beach above, I am kneeling).

If you are going to buy stuff - put your money in the lens. 

It's digital - take lots of pics (costs nothing to shoot a bunch). 

This gets hard for some - shoot your pictures in *RAW* format - get away from jpg(jpeg). Won't go all into it, but first, you can't post a RAW image to this board or send it to a friend in a message (need special software) - you have to convert the ones you want to share to jpg. HOWEVER, Raw images are not compressed like jpg's, so you can make lots of adjustments that you can't with a jpg and the quality is as good as it can possibly get. For example, you can adjust the exposure. I use Adobe Lightroom. It's not Photoshopping, think of it more as developing (like negatives). 

But I will tell you, you can't take the picture if you don't have your camera with you. There are people out there right now travelling around the US in cars making a living selling pictures they take for thousands of dollars with an iPhone. You gotta be there with a camera to get the picture.

Anyhow, take it for what it's worth.

Later - gotta go back up in the attic!!! haha


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
False Cape, Va


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
North Landing River


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
Sandbridge
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce & Bodie
Sandbridge
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
Not that great of a shot......but cool, I think..will get a better one soon.


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## 1AngryHound (Dec 24, 2015)

"This gets hard for some - shoot your pictures in *RAW* format - get away from jpg(jpeg). Won't go all into it, but first, you can't post a RAW image to this board or send it to a friend in a message (need special software) - you have to convert the ones you want to share to jpg. HOWEVER, Raw images are not compressed like jpg's, so you can make lots of adjustments that you can't with a jpg and the quality is as good as it can possibly get. For example, you can adjust the exposure. I use Adobe Lightroom. It's not Photoshopping, think of it more as developing (like negatives)."

I would find it interesting to see a before and after photo regarding Adobe Lightroom if possible.

You have a good eye.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

thanks, buddy

i will do that. hang on a bit.....might take me a while - getting ready to head into the woods and try to coax in a Bobcat while I take pictures of otters..hahahaha - may be tomorrow - check back...

Erik


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

ok, decided to pick one real quick before I forget
before and after with Lightroom
you see the first pic is dull and very 'blue'ish"
some adjustments in LR to bring out the color. and wala - much mo' frameable worthy....like magic
LR simply allows you to adjust contrast, saturation, exposure, sharpness, etc. , pretty much like developing a pic..you can do some of the adjustments to a jpeg, but not as many, and you certainly can't blow the picture up say poster-size without it pixelating....
There are other programs out there, I just like LR.
The company that made your camera probably has software that will allow you to develop RAW images for free, LR is just a little more powerful.

Erik


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

Iv'e personally never found the need to shoot in RAW, I never cared for the extra work load it created at the end of the day or the extra space needed on CF cards to shoot or on hard drives to store them. If I was only shooting a few images at as time then there may be some advantage but when doing dog events or shooting wildlife at the end of the day it just creates way to much work load, I find it best to try to get it right out of the camera, and fine tune if needed with photoshop. One advantage would be if you were shooting indoor sports with funky lighting, with RAW you have a better range of correcting white balance than you do in JPEG. And i don't know of any editors that require or want RAW files.




> certainly can't blow the picture up say poster-size without it pixelating....


Sure you can I have sold and printed some very large images


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks for your opinion(s).

I don't know ANY professional photographers ( I am what I call semi-pro) who do NOT shoot in RAW. To be sure, I just called my friend Pat (Buzz) Hayes - Google him. He is a professional outdoor/wildlife photographer who has been in the last four months of Outdoor Life and many other magazines such as Guns Digest (many covers for that magazine are his). He shoots in RAW. He does not know any professionals that don't shoot in RAW. He submits all images to magazines in RAW, PSD, or TIFF. You know why? Because they are not compressed like jpeg's. Why would he not give the editors as much data as possible? Most people on this board are not professional photographers.But, if they want more detail in their images - - - shoot Raw.

Ansell Adams shot film, but his negatives were not 35mm, they were 4x5 or 8x10. Those are HUGE negatives - that is why his pictures are so good. He was basically shooting RAW for his day. He wanted to capture as much data as possible. Today we want to do the same thing - we use RAW for digital images.

Why would you NOT shoot in RAW? Why not capture as much data as possible? You do realize that jpeg's are compressed? Compression means you give something up - data. Sure, get your camera settings as good as possible, but then make it even better by processing the RAW image. Processing time? My workflow is to a point where it is very quick. And, you can batch process. I do not agree with you on time. Need more space to save the RAW images? Yes, you do. Thankfully external hard drives and memory cards have come way down in price.

As far as enlargement - if you shot in RAW you would be able to enlarge them even more.


Anyhow, your images are Great!! Love them!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Retrieving


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Retrieving


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

Iv'e never been asked for Raw images ever. I know of two very successfull outdoor photographers in my neck of the woods that Have never shot in Raw, and they make there living doing it, here's a link to one of them. There's a good article on his page that he wrote on JPEG VS RAW.

http://www.michaelfurtman.com/index.html


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Lurker said:


> *Kneel down* - much mo' betta pics. *Lay down* - even better. Your pictures will get better by getting eye level with what your are shooting.
> 
> *Kneeling or laying down only improves images sometimes. One needs to assess the situation and determine what will provide pleasing composition. I hate looking up folks nostrils.*
> 
> ...






Lurker said:


> you certainly can't blow the picture up say poster-size without it pixelating....


*Nonsense, I have had many large prints made from cameras with less than half the pixel count of my current primary body (Canon 7D MKII) (a number of which have sold for up to about $1500.00) and and always convert to jpeg first.*


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Alright. here is the deal. 

-You CAN enlarge a jpeg image. esp. with the quality of cameras today. 

-If you have two images -one Raw and one jpeg, set them at 1:1, you can zoom in. enlarge. blow up (what ever the term you prefer) - the Raw image can be enlarged 'larger' (hahaha) more than the jpeg. It is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to argue otherwise.

-Jpegs are compressed, typically 10:1. that means - basically - that 10 pixels are averaged into 1. It is a *tradeoff* between storage size and image quality. Period. Can't argue with that.

-Kneeling or laying down. Personal preference. I like to get eye-level with the subject. Don't shoot people, don't care about their nostrils. How many bird pictures have you seen from the ground? Gets boring. Better if eyelevel - like below. Same goes for kids.



*Todd* - you seem to misunderstand me. I never said you or my friend Pat was '*asked*' for pictures in RAW format. If I did, paste it here and show it to me. What I said was, Pat Hayes and everyone he knows submits their images to the editors in an uncompressed format to give the editor as much data as possible...?


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

Lurker said:


> Alright. here is the deal.
> 
> -You CAN enlarge a jpeg image. esp. with the quality of cameras today.
> 
> ...


Your right I have never been asked, but I always ask what format they prefer the images be submitted in and have always been told JPEG.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

I gotcha. cool. i wish i had the $ for a full frame camera. !! But, i have to make do...one day!!!!


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Todd Caswell said:


> Your right I have never been asked, but I always ask what format they prefer the images be submitted in and have always been told JPEG.


Howdy Todd!
I have always been told either Jpeg or TIFF, but they don't really like TIFF as the files are HUGE, and I agree that if you get it right in the camera, no real need to mess much with LR or PS, unfortunately, my skills seem somewhat lacking on that score, so I just shoot RAW and do what I have to. Would love to spend a day or ten with you and Tony. Too bad we are so far apart.


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Lurker said:


> I gotcha. cool. i wish i had the $ for a full frame camera. !! But, i have to make do...one day!!!!


Personally, I prefer the APS-C sensors with their 1.6X telephoto factor. Turns my 300 F:2.8 into a 480 F:2.8 and my 600 F:4 into a 960 F:4. Great for my primary subjects (wildlife). Now, if I mostly did landscapes, I think I would be coveting a full frame, but I suck at landscapes anyway, so I'll stick with birds, bugs, and such, and enjoy the increased magnification the APS-C sensors provide.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

The sign read "Stay off the Dunes" - Bruce and Bodie laughed...


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Grass


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Cold snap stunned the Specs. 
Swimming lazily in the surf. 
Dogs went and got'em..
Chic's Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
White Lab
Snowy Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce

Brown & White


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
Snow Plowin'


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Fishing for Trout


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Labs
Snow
Woods


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
Afternoon Light


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Afternoon light


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Joy
Bruce & Bodie
Sandbridge


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Water Work


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Work at Twin Pond's


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Puppy Practice


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Reeds


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## Todd Caswell (Jun 24, 2008)

Lurker said:


> Reeds



I like Reed it's a cool name, going to have to remember that one, could be male or female..


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Lab Love


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Antlers!!


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## Lesa Cozens Dauphin (Sep 13, 2005)

Great pics. Thanks for sharing!

lesa c


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Four Dogs and a Stick

Took this a while back at Twin Pond's.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
Training


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Lab Love on the Water...or just boredom!!!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
Water Work


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce and Buddy
Twin Pond's


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Introductions
Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce's grand dam - Mindi
Twin Pond's


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Stairmaster
Twin Pond's


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Enough, already!!
Chic's Beach
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Love Fish!!

(one of my absolute favorite pictures of Bruce)


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
Chic's Beach
Virginia Beach


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## blackasmollases (Mar 26, 2012)

Nice pics! Maybe you should start your own forum?


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

hahaha - thanks - but that sounds like work!!

Erik


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Halloween


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Favorite Roost
(Tool Box since covered with non-slip material)


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## Billie (Sep 19, 2004)

Lurker said:


> Bruce
> False Cape, Va
> 
> All time favorite picture of him



This is awesome .


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Billie, Thanks

Pumpkin Patch
Pungo, Va


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce & me
Appalachian Trail
Nelson County, Va


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
First trip to Rudee Inlet boat ramp


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Beachin'
Chick's Beach, Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
New found Trail
Jan. 2016


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Soakin' Up Some Sun
Sandbridge, Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Afternoon Sun


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

In the Woods..


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Still in the Woods..


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
Twin Pond's Winter Storm


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Personalities!!

Bruce & Bodie


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Went duck hunting this morning in NC
This is Bourbon - friend's dawg


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Swampin'

Bodie
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Swampin' (2)


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Swamp Stick
Bruce & Bodie
Virginia Beach


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

It would be interesting if you posted a bit of tech info (body, lens, camera settings, etc.).


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

HPL said:


> It would be interesting if you posted a bit of tech info (body, lens, camera settings, etc.).


hmm
i can do that...thanks for the idea, HPL

Erik


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bourbon
(Friend's Dog)


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bourbon 
North Carolina


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce - Comin' At Ya

70mm, ISO 200, 1/640. 7.1


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie - Comin' At Ya


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
Virginia Beach

Nikon D5000; ISO 200, 120mm, 1/1000, 7.1


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## HPL (Jan 27, 2011)

Still don't see any tech info.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

HPL said:


> Still don't see any tech info.


i edited the last one!!


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Backlit Bruce


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Guys and Their Dogs

Bruce
SandBridge Beach
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Dogs and Their Guy


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Beach Kisses
Bodie
Sandbridge
Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

National Hula Hoop Day practice..

Virginia Beach


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce. Sunrise. Virginia Beach Oceanfront


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bodie
"Hunt it Up!!"


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
Sandbridge


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce
SandBridge


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Bruce


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## Migillicutty (Jan 11, 2014)

Good pics. Love the flying frisbee pic.


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## Lurker (Dec 17, 2013)

Floppy Jowls


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## 1AngryHound (Dec 24, 2015)

When you started this thread I wondered when you would hit 20,000 views. Without more photos, not possible...

I enjoy the thread and your captions sometimes make me chuckle.


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