I spent this Sunday at the bulldog beauty contest

I took 1,500 pictures at the Long Beach Bulldog Beauty Contest today. It was such a cool scene, with hundreds of ugly/beautiful dogs and about a thousand people — big guys with long-shorts and tattoos, white-haired grannies with sweaters that matched their dogs, leather-clad dudes whose dogs had spiked collars, arty couples, tanned stylish ladies, 20-something girls that cooed at every puppy, little kids that looked the big-headed dogs eye-to-eye, people in wheelchairs, who rested their hands on stout companions — everybody smiling, feeling connected by their snorty lovable friends. Lots of tightly-curled tails wagging. I was on assignment for Seal Beach Daily, where I’ve posted a slideshow of photos. It was a wonderful, gentle, exhausting day.