Pretty as a Princess

This week I was commissioned to do a portrait of a pet sheep – that’ll be a first! I love to meet my clients and subjects face to face and to take the photographs – it’s not always possible of course. But this time it was and I now know all about my next subject. This sheep was very small and sick when she was born, and would certainly not have made it through the night had she not been rescued and taken indoors to be nursed and hand fed. She was born on the day of the Grand National and named after the winner – Neptune, but (being a girl) is known as Princess Neptune. For 3 months she was bathed and blow dried every day, allowed to sit on the sofa and showered with lots of love. She has since moved back outdoors to the Croft where she was born, but refuses to acknowledge the other sheep, and keen to get back indoors whenever she can. When I arrived she was waiting in the yard having had fer face washed and her fleece brushed. She is kissed a lot, so often has red lipstick on her face ! Beneath her thick fleece, marked with two purple hearts, lurks a lot of sheep – the result of being fed biscuits (she prefers Digestives!). Princess Neptune also likes to ride in the car, and knows exactly where to find the travel sweets. I took 168 photographs under the careful watch of a very jealous sheep dog. Whilst looking at the photos on my camera, the sheepdog quietly lifted his leg on my shiney red boots as if to show his disgust at the disproportionate amount of attention given to a sheep! I think I fell under the spell of Princess Neptune so I may ask her to model for some Christmas cards when the commission is finished!