Remembering Finn...

It was a week ago tonight that I lost my sweet little buddy who "talked" to me everyday.  He brought me indescribable joy ❤️ and was such a comfort during the difficult times.  He was my "monkey boy."  We rescued each other and I am very grateful for our time together.

Finn tales l If only...

He's been doing this since he was a baby.  He's a feral rescue and I've worked diligently with him and the only remaining "feral" aspect is fear (which will not change.) He's smart, spoiled and lives within the boundaries I've worked so hard to teach him.  If only I could only teach him how to turn his faucet (it's all his) on and off...  I would be THRILLED! 😻

Reflections | September 2015

Sunday, September 27th there was a lunar eclipse and blood moon and there will not be another for 18 years in 2033.  I'm lucky I was able to get out and photograph it.  It's been a busy month wrapping up senior sessions and getting ready for fall family sessions.  This was the first sight of the moon.

Below is the back end of the lunar eclipse.

I've had requests to do a "Finn update" I didn't realize it had been so long.  So here's a series from this month's antics.  I caught him playing with his "mousy" he really enjoys this toy, I think it's the way it bounces and moves on the floor when he bats it around a room.  We've lost so many mousy's, I've lost count.

"But mom, the heating pad is still so warm..."  This is the look of I know I'm sorta kinda busted, but if I just freeze, maybe she won't see me, even though I'm looking her right in the eye.  

Love him :)

December 2013 - Photo of the Month

This is Finn, my little feral rescue.  He is extremely shy, so this is a rare capture and really shows why I love him so much.  No one gets to see him, but I do, everyday and this is how I see him, with those big, sweet, curious eyes.

Bellevue Lifestyle Photographer | Love him to pieces!

Bellevue Photographer | Just for fun

I have to say, these two are so cute, but they drive me bonkers!  Almost every morning they have their playtime, which is about three feet from my desk and it gets pretty rambunctious by the window.

Squirrely's not afraid of Finn, and in fact he tries to be quite intimidating, but Finn doesn't back down!  He just has a very calculated way in which he plays, by looking away as though he's not interested and then it's "game on!"

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Bellevue Photographer | February 2012 Photo of the Month

This is a dual post, it's the photo of the month as well as a Finn update.  I get requests all the time for "Finn updates" and while I could post once a day about him, because he's so adorable and always doing something worthy of making me laugh, the truth is, I'm a family, child, high-school senior and boudoir photographer and so I'm not going to be posting Finn updates too often (although he could have his own blog with all of his antics and high-jinx.)

Please enjoy this image of him playing with his morning playmate before taking a nap.  "Squirrly" as I affectionately call him (menace that he is) will wait for Finn almost every day.  He will stare right at me until I notify Finn that he's here and waiting to play, unless Finn noticed himself.

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Bellevue Photographer | Happy Holidays!

Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season!

With gratitude and appreciation for your business.

xo,

Julia

Bellevue Family Photographer | Wild versus Pampered

This wild bobcat walked right up to my window this morning, soaking wet from the rain:

While this domesticated (rather pampered boy) was napping about ten feet away:

Hungry visitor this morning...

By Request | Finn Update

Finn is doing well!  He's grown so much, he's not a kitten anymore, he's a "big boy" weighing in at a healthy 13 pounds!  I've been wondering what it would be like if I rescued another kitten???  I don't think Finn would like it one bit and I don't need another cat, I was just thinking with Spring right around the corner and sessions booking, it might be nice for him to have some company. 

He has a real routine he's settled into these days.  I can bank on his "nap-time" just as I can bank on "the late at night crazy hour."  Thankfully, he has adapted well to my schedule and isn't roaming around the house at night, meowing and keeping me awake.

Last weekend, I replaced six of his favorite toys, they're all the same and he loves batting and chasing them all around the house.  I walked into the room and said, "Look!  Here's all your favorites and they're brand new!"  He was so excited, he didn't know which one to go after, but true to form, when I woke up the next morning, five of the six toys were either in his food dish, or right next to it.

He's pretty settled into a routine and I don't think he'd be very happy to share the run of the house, his toys, or my attention at this point.  I was thinking that a new addition might help Finn be more social with visitors, however, this could really backfire on me and they both could end up being "hiders" and I don't want that! 

I don't need two anti-social scaredy cats (excuse the pun.)

For now, he's quite content playing with visitors that come to our window every morning :)

As always...  Thanks for asking about him!

Happy Holiday's

Finn update: One-year ago today, I rescued this little one...

(Or maybe he rescued me?) 

Every UPS or Fed Ex envelope from the photo labs has little chew marks on the corners.

He loves to have his favorite toys around, or in his food dish... all eight of them!

When he wants to play, he will often wrap his front arms around my leg when I'm walking (we're still working on this one...)

He's become good friends with the squirrel that sits next to the window in my office every morning.

He makes me laugh out loud at least once a day with his antics and for that alone, I love him to pieces!

He is a real joy and both he, and I could not have been luckier one-year ago today...

Who can resist this face?

I was cleaning and moving from room to room when I came into the bedroom and saw Finn sitting on the bed looking at me in the most adorable way and I just had to grab my camera.

                                           (I love the Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS macro lens :)

What a smooshy boy!

By Request: Another Finn update!

If you've been following the "Finn updates" then you know that unless you follow my blog you will never--EVER see Finn.  I rescued him from the Feral Rescue Cat Project last November and he is terrified of people.  I am asked regularly by those that know me, or follow the blog how he's doing? 

He's doing GREAT! 

He has a definite schedule...  He wakes up when I wake up, which usually brings me straight into my office to work and naturally this is the time he's into everything.  His favorite thing to do is watch the birds, squirrels, rabbits and chipmunks from my office window (occasionally jumping in the air quite high believing he might actually catch one of the birds) and when that becomes mundane, he's trying to crawl into camera bags, play with camera bag shoulder straps or nestle himself into my print sample basket.

I always stop and take some time to play with him and give him my full attention once a day and then at 11:30 a.m. each morning he naps for four hours and that's when (if I'm not out shooting a session) I go into my office and work for FOUR uninterrupted blissful hours.

BUT...  I'm not complaining, he's a joy to have and makes me laugh out loud at least once a day :)

Thank you all for always asking about him!

By Request: The Ever Elusive Finn Update

Thank you to all of those who ask about Finn and want to see recent photos of him.  For those who are reading this for the first time...

I rescued Finn Thanksgiving weekend of 2009 from a feral rescue project.  He's a hider!  I've never had a cat that didn't come out and greet guests in my home, which is why I get asked about him often (which is appreciated :)

Finn now weighs 11-1/2 pounds.  He's enjoying the summer so far.  He spends his days watching the chipmunks, deer and always the birds.  He's always in search of a errant bug, or "buggy" as I call them to get his attention.  He's been great at finding areas in the home to cool off, such as the tile floor, or resting on the brick mantel in the living room.  On the 95+ degree days, I did have to get creative and figure out a way for him to stay cool, because it was just too hot in the house at 82 degrees!  (If you're on facebook, you can check out this link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?pid=31424413&id=1043093425) 

He's been enjoying the few minutes at night when I air out the house and open a window for him to sit next to and cool off.  He's an awesome little kitty, soon to turn one.  I just wish he was not so afraid of everyone, but me, but he's the one I chose and I love him to pieces!! 

Here are two portraits I took a few nights ago using a strobe and soft box.  It was so hard for me to get these images!!!  I hoped to get some full body shots, but that was nearly impossible, he was far too intrigued with the light stand.  These images are not too bad given how hard it was for him to remain still for even a second!

Oh!  I almost forgot to mention his new thing...  He's a "talker!"  It turns out he's a very vocal kitty.

Finn -May 2010

I've had requests to see the "elusive" Finn.  For those that follow my blog you know that Finn is my little feral rescue.  No one every gets to see him in person, because he hides under the bed. 

Here he is having fun playing with the squirrels and chipmunks through my office window. 

Finally! By request, Finn retrieves!

I've had requests for video of Finn retrieving his toys. I'd told people that this little feral rescue that I adore "retrieves!"

It seems that over the past two-weeks whenever I have the video going, he wants to boondoggle with his toy instead of retrieving it. Finally, this morning I was able to get a small clip together.

It's not prefect, but you get the idea...

By request: Finn update

I've had several requests from people asking about Finn and how he's doing? I'm thinking he should have his own blog! (kidding folks, it's enough just keeping up my own blog.) The reason people ask is because he's shy and always goes under the bed when someone comes to visit, so they never get to see him.

So by request, here's a "Finn update"

He's almost getting too big to fit under the bookshelf, yet he has fun kicking his favorite toy (given to him by Miss O.) underneath the bookshelf, spending several minutes flopping around trying to retrieve it.

Speaking of retrieving… If I didn't know better I would say I got a Golden Retriever in a cats body! He loves to retrieve and I hope to post a video of him doing this soon. Naturally, since trying to video him retrieving, he's become a little camera shy.

One of Finn's favorite pastimes is watching the wildlife that walk through the yard. He's pretty taken with a doe that passes through regularly and often spends hours at the window watching the birds, squirrels and rabbits while waiting for the doe. If you look closely at the photo where Finn is sitting by the window waiting to see the deer and then look directly at the top of the photograph, you can see his doe friend approaching the yard.

The other photographs are Finn hanging out in my office. I've given him his own stool to sit on by the window, but naturally when I'm working he has to be in the muck of things, walking across my desk, or hanging out on top of my computer tower, or lying on all the cords, which is something I'm working on getting him to stop doing--sometimes I think he does it during the "crazy hour" to get my attention. He knows better than to lay on all the cords...

He's a lot of fun and great company, so until next month, thanks to everyone who asked about him and requested an update with photos.

(click on the images to enlarge)

By request: Finn update

I've had several people ask about Finn lately...

He's growing, getting bigger, but still very much a kitten. He listens well, is obsessed with water and his three favorite toys, he has a fixation with taking his toys and placing them in his food dish and hiding his one and only gift (from Miss O.) under the file cabinets in my office--multiple times a day!

He has run of the entire house now and is doing very well. Thank you to those who have asked about him!