Remembering former First Dog Barney Bush | Photography Blog

Former President George W. Bush holds Barney in his home on April 28, 2009 for a photo book, Top Dogs and Their Pets. (David Woo Photo)

I was very sad after hearing the news yesterday about Former First Dog Barney Bush passing away. I had the honor to photograph former President George W. Bush with Barney and former First Lady Laura Bush with Barney and Miss Beazley for a coffee table book titled, Top Dogs and Their Pets. Former Dallas Morning News photographer Richard Michael Pruitt and my wife Suzi created the coffee table book in 2009.

Former President George W. Bush holds Barney in his home on April 28, 2009 for a photo book, Top Dogs and Their Pets. (David Woo Photo)

In September 2006, my wife and I were invited to the White House to photograph Mrs. Bush with Barney, Miss Beazley and their cat, Bob. Miss Beazley was Laura?s dog and the President made it really clear that Barney was his dog. I could not photograph President Bush while he was in office so I photographed him with?Barney at his Dallas home in April 2009. Suzi and I set up our 10 x 24 foot white cloth backdrop in the map room with the help of the White House staff. Mrs. Bush wanted to hold both dogs in her portrait and we even tried including Bob the cat. All three pets were dark black and made it a challenge to light them without over exposing Mrs. Bush. She could only hold the dogs and we shot some images of the cat on the floor by her feet. Bob would not sit still very long and I had to be very quick.

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We arrived at the Bush home in Dallas about an hour before our scheduled time to photograph former President Bush. We set up the same backdrop in a large room and I had time to some test shots with Barney. When President Bush arrived he was very happy to see Barney and was ready to shoot. I learned over the years of photographing him that I should be ready and try to shoot as many poses as possible in five minutes or less.

We started out with him sitting on a stool holding Barney and then I moved the stool and asked him to stand with Barney. After about 15 shots I asked him to salute with his right hand like he did when he would board Air Force One. He did and then he started to wave at someone across the room. I knew right then that was the image of him waving we would use. Photographing pets can be difficult but Suzi would stand behind me trying to keep Barney from looking away while holding treats. That always works.

I know the Bushes will miss their black Scottish terrier very much just like anyone that loses a pet. They still have Miss Beazley and Bob to keep them company.

Former President George W. Bush salutes while holding Barney in his home on April 28, 2009 for a photo book, Top Dogs and Their Pets. (David Woo Photo)

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Former President George W. Bush holds Barney in his home on April 28, 2009 after his photo shoot with Suzi and David Woo.

Source: http://photographyblog.dallasnews.com/2013/02/remembering-former-first-dog-barney-bush.html/

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