Mr Bumble the Guinea-Pig: How Even the Strongest of Bonds can Come from the Smallest of Pets.
My first shoot out of lockdown was a guinea-pig shoot. No, not a dummy shoot (which is the first response I often received when excitedly telling friends and family) - but a proper little piggie shoot with Mr Bumble and his owners Rachel and Paul. He’s a plump little piggie, with coarse bronde hair and the sweetest and most perfectly placed rosette upon his brow. For his garden shoot, he had non stop snacks and constant cuddles, so overall, the most pampered time.
Read on to hear about our shoot and how in-tune and devoted Mr Bumble is to his lovely owners Rachel + Paul.
I’m in Grindleford in the Peak District, it’s a warm June evening and it’s my first garden shoot out of lockdown. In his owner Paul’s arms, out comes Mr Bumble (from his digs indoors) looking all sleek, shiny and curious, ready for his shoot. As I do at the beginning of all of my sessions, I chat with Rachel + Paul about the type of shots they want (all while at a safe distance) and we decide it would be a lovely idea to pick some of Mr B’s favourite greens and berries to munch on. With every shoot, I try to create an action for client and pet to engage in. Generally there’s less awkwardness and it’s a great way to get more candid shots and capture REAL moments. It was also a great opportunity to allow Mr Bumble to feel relaxed, especially with my big clunky, bigger-than-him camera, pointing right at him. A quick squirt of hand sanitiser and we were ready to go.
Mr Bumble takes centre stage on the patio table, surrounded by wildflowers and foraged finds from his country garden. It’s like he’s in his familiar territory but it’s all been deconstructed and stylised around him. With each speedy wiggle of his jaw, Mr Bumble gorges on long grasses, mint leaves and raspberries, the treats disappearing past his two front teeth and rapidly gulped down. There’s something quite satisfying and therapeutic about watching a guinea-pig eat and seeing him happily munch away reminds me of Cyril, my own pet guinea-pig who was one of my first pets when I was about 8 years old. Mr Bumble’s appetite and happy face stirs a familiar and warm feeling. I had forgotten about all of the little signature mannerisms a guinea-pig has.
As Mr Bumble eats, the air is filled with the most delicious smells of Summer; fresh fruit, floral notes and punchy mint. He lifts his little nose to take a sniff and on doing so, takes the opportunity to go and say hello to Rachel, sniffing at her nose with delicate whisker kisses. It’s clear to see how reassured he is by her presence.
It’s now time for some post feast cuddles for Mr Bumble. With a full tum, a happy heart and an appropriately placed flower crown, he cosies up to Rachel. He has a rosette (a swirl of cowlicks) right in the middle of his forehead, creating a pushed over and very bushy brow. It’s almost like a flower has been left there so long, it’s left the perfect little dent. It's like the flower belongs there on his flattened down patch. A crown for a true guinea-prince.
Every now and again a car wooshes past on the main road, it’s a sudden noise which startles him, but Rachel tells me he’s getting a lot more used to the noises here since their recent move. Following the sound - he runs up Rachel’s arm, nuzzling deeper into her side for safety. I can tell it’s a journey he knows well and has done many a time. Not necessarily because he’s been scared but because it’s his little cosy spot that he knows and loves. When the car has gone past there’s silence. Then, just the muffled chirps of a very happy piggie.
As the shoot continues, the light across the valley turns green fields into deep gold. While admiring the view, Mr Bumble gets more treats, more cuddles and with every shot, I can see more curiosity and more of his personality. He chirps his tunes and he chomps on grass, looking to Paul for more attention. He’s the star of the show and he knows it.
Rachel tells me about Mr B’s daily routine. He lives inside, is toilet trained and has free reign of the house. Rachel is so in tune with him that she can tell throughout our shoot when he needs a bathroom break. While holding him, on the odd occasion he becomes restless and wiggly. So she pops him down and he instantly ‘goes’. Rachel tells me how Mr Bumble has never had an accident while she’s been holding him. He’s always asked for some privacy instead - he’s quite the gentleman.
When I think back to the Summery days I had in the garden as a kid with my guinea-Pig Cyril, I remember the sheer panic when, from time to time, he would escape his run to the open pastures of the lawn. They only have little legs but guinea-pigs can’t half shift when they want to. So when we decided to try some solo shots of Mr Bumble in the long grass, it showed just how much trust there is between the trio. Either that, or Mr B is a lot greedier than our Cyril ever was. As he seizes the opportunity to look cute and gobble more greens.
The air is a lot cooler now and we’ve had the best of the evening sun. So Mr Bumble has his last cuddles, his last close-ups, and we decide to wrap it up. It’s been one of my favourite shoots of all time and I couldn’t have asked for a better ‘return to work’. It will be a shoot I’ll never forget.
Through the lense of my camera, I often see the most harmonious and intuitive relationships, mostly between dog and owner. But never did I think I would witness such similar traits and a strong bond between owner and guinea-pig. That was until I met Mr Bumble.
I think most can probably relate to me when I say that guinea-pigs are usually a ‘first time’ pet. They’re not too big a commitment but are also the most loveable little creatures. And it’s because of this I felt so nostalgic while photographing Mr Bumble. The look in his eye, the noises he made and the closeness he craved - it was all so familiar and reminded me so fondly of the relationship I had with Cyril all those years ago. So, I say, guinea-pigs aren’t just a first time pet, they’re little pals with bundles of personality that can be adored at any age. All pets have an amazing way of bringing comfort and joy to our lives. That’s what Cyril did for me as a kid, what Alan (my dog) does for me now and exactly what Mr Bumble does for Rachel + Paul.
If you are interested in capturing precious moments with your pet in the garden or out on a favourite walk, get in touch or visit the packages page for more info.