When I proposed my thesis project to my graduate committee, I’d suggested that I’d need to photograph between 200 and 250 animals over the course of year and a half project (the MFA program at the Academy of Art University is 63 credits which typically takes three 
years). They were concerned at the time commitment that photographing so many subjects would require and my program director actually did the math so that he could ask me directly if I’d thought my proposal through. I apparently gave an adequate response because they let me continue in the program. At yesterday’s session at the Benton-Franklin Humane Society, I photographed seven puppies and four dogs bringing my grand total of animals photographed to 460 for the calendar year (well, year plus three days). And I don’t graduate until December. I flat out don’t think my committee would have believed me if I’d told them I’d be photographing upwards of 700 animals over the course of the directed study portion of my education. It’s probably best that I had no idea what I was really getting into when I was making that proposal. Oh, and did I mention that I’ve contacted the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter about regularly photographing their animals too? If that works out, 1000 animals really isn’t out of the question.
Anyway, getting back to yesterday’s session, I couldn’t help wonder (again) how people come up with their pet’s names. Benton-Franklin Humane Society is a no-kill shelter that receives almost all of their charges as owner-surrendered. The BFHS staff does sometimes name their kittens and puppies but by and large the names the dogs and cats come in with were given by the animal’s previous owners. Some are easy to figure out. If you are a fan of Plain White T’s, then you might be able to guess where the inspiration for Delilah’s name came from. I’m sure eight month old Marley can can credit the success of John Grogan’s Marley and Me with his name especially since he was born about a month before it was released as a major motion picture. Fiona and Missy seem a bit harder to pin down. I doubt Fiona’s previous owner considered Lyle Lovett’s work as an inspiration since Fiona clearly has two beautiful eyes. And of course the puppies. Well, they don’t currently need names because they will be adopted very quickly and that honor will be reserved for their new families.
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