He’s a Natural!

By Pam Tangredi

 The holidays are now behind us!  While parents spent considerable time thinking of what pose for their Christmas cards, Santa was in large stores with elves taking pictures of children.  Some didn’t even wait till after Thanksgiving to take their kids to photographers, some took their own pictures and had cards made up.  Many included their dog, or a cat in family poses.  There are photographers out there used to posing and reposing animals with a child’s attention span.

In 2003, I took Brendan, my then one year old bearded dragon to a local photographer.  I had called first and had asked if they do pets, which they did. Since there was snow, and cold, Brendan traveled in my warm job shirt.  Imagine the photographer, a small sweet Asian woman, when she saw – The Pet!

He was her first reptile, and after her first session with him, she was amazed.  She didn’t have to wait for me to chase him, he slowly changed poses for her, only knocking his hat off twice.  He didn’t wander off, his eyes followed the camera or looked at a bit of prop.  Every picture was priceless!

In Spring, I’d gotten Angeal, a 2 and a half year old female, but since she would be acclimating for a while, when the fourth of July came around, it was Brendan again who posed for the pictures.  Christmas 2003 had been no fluke, my intrepid photographer found out!  Again, with nothing attaching that home made hat, a patriotic American of Aussie heritage helped her shop celebrate Independence Day with a framed poster right in her front window!

2004 was Brendan’s second Christmas, time for those Christmas cards again.  And now there was Angeal to be included.  There is that male–female aspect of bearded dragons to consider.  Would they pose together?   And what about Angeal, would she pose?

Oh, it’s not just Brendan, it is the nature of the Bearded Dragon!  Our photographer has found out!  Docile, patient, and curious about the camera, these special animals are easily posed and composed.  Our photographer found them sweet-faced, cooperative–very easy to work with.  So far.  But, what about the two of them?   Even I wasn’t sure about that outcome! 

 I explained that there would be a possibility that any pictures may not be fit for family viewing.  We laughed at that possible scenario and decided to try.  Carefully, I removed Brendan from his carrier and posed them together.

 And for a short while, it worked!  And what a Christmas card I had here!  The photographer was snapping away.  Of course, came the inevitable.  Santa hat fell off for the bobbing male.  The scarf pulled off the escaping female.  But now the photographer kept snapping as I collected Angeal.

We wound up with about fifty good pictures.  The photographer was now hooked.  She can’t wait for more sessions!  And now with a second female just arrived, Valentine’s Day is going to prove very interesting indeed!

Professional photographers, as well as the avid amateur, will find that the Bearded Dragon is a natural model for any occasion.  They are easy to work with, and would probably be excellent in advertising for many products.  Imagine, Beardies actually earning their crickets!

So from my family, to yours, we wish everyone a wonderful, safe, and happy holiday, and a healthy, prosperous 2005!!!

Pam, Frank, Brendan, Angeal, and now Siomhaith

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