I have always been a keen amateur photographer and over the last year or so I have tended to concentrate on dogs, especially action shots.  But the results have been less than inspiring!  I needed professional help and who better than Paul Walker who is one of the best dog photographers in the world.  Yesterday I spent an amazing day with him.  I learned so much - and also learned that I won't be giving up the day job just yet!  To start with, we did a few basics with my three - largely to let them stretch their legs after a long car journey.  I already knew that photographing black dogs brings problems of its own but trying to direct one's own dogs and photograph them is nigh on impossible!  We then did some shots of his two dogs - Paul directing and me behind the lens.  Then we drove out to a friend of Paul's and met her Chesapeake Bay Reriever, Travis, and her St Bernard German Shepherd cross, Diesel.  We walked out to a couple of ponds to get some action water shots and Travis was an unbelievably patient model, leaping into the water again and again and again.  Below are a couple of my humble attempts at Travis in action - I have deleted all those where I managed to miss him completely!  It was a brilliant, inspiring day and I am so grateful to Paul for his time and patience.  If photographing dogs appeals to you he has written a book on photography (you can find it on Amazon) and will soon be launching a DVD called Introduction to Shooting Dogs.