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Tag: ‘Pensacola’



Have you Ever Seen a Blue Chihuahua?

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013

Photographing rare breeds of dogs is so much fun for me – I love trying new things, and in a way, working with an uncommon breed of dog is a whole new experience. I get to learn their temperament, tendencies, and quirks that are totally unique to that breed. So while this session wasn’t with a new breed, per se, it was definitely a rare sub-category of that breed! You may have heard of blue Weimaraners or blue heelers; I am proud to introduce you to Crescent, a blue chihuahua!

Isn’t she adorable? She’s built like any other chihuahua, but her fur is completely unique!

blue chihuahua

 For the confused: no, she isn’t actually bright blue. If you’re looking for really blue dogs, this will be your best bet.

And let’s not forget Crescent’s sister, Crickett! (She’s definitely the outgoing one between them!)

spaniel mix

 

I love working with dogs that have completely different personalities. Crickett, in a totally puppy-like way, was running around the park, chasing sticks, sniffing & exploring everywhere. Crescent, on the other hand, was rarely found more than five feet from her mom. Each dog was her own challenge – for Crescent, getting photos with only her in the frame and not mom too; and Crickett, gaining her attention & focus for more than two seconds at a time!

Aren’t they an adorable pair?

two cute dogs in a park

 

Thanks for a lovely afternoon in the park, you two! See you soon!  :)

 

Chaotic Dog Photography with Two Yorkies, a Shih Tzu & an Australian Shepherd

Monday, April 1st, 2013

There are some photo sessions that go incredibly smoothly for me, the dog & the dog’s parents. The dog(s) is/are well-trained, we have beautiful weather, and things just fall into place, making my job easy! (well, maybe not easy, but you get the picture.)

This was NOT one of those sessions! (haha!)

Don’t worry, my session with BJ, Bailey, Bandit & Madison was still tons of fun and we got some great images. But I’m going to be honest here: would I describe it as “easy” for me? Or their parents? Nope! Haha, these pups made me WORK to get the photos I got: BJ the Yorkie is dealing with some possessiveness/jealousy issues, I got the feeling Bandit is only happiest when he’s laying down & relaxing, while Madison the Aussie is ready to play rough with (and sometimes harass) all the other dogs. Let’s just say it wasn’t a boring session, that’s for sure! :) I think everyone (the dogs, their parents & myself) all deserved a nap once we finished with all five (five!) hours of shooting. So let me introduce you to the troublemak- I mean, dogs!

This is Madison, an Australian shepherd puppy that has boundless energy and the cutest, happiest smile I’ve ever seen! Isn’t she completely adorable? The camera loves her and I do too.

happy australian shepherd

 

We started our session out on the beach, and BJ (left) & Bailey (right) both enjoyed soaking up a few rays. They needed a little coaxing to eventually run around and have fun, but I think they definitely enjoyed their first-ever beach experience!

yorkies on the beach

Bandit really came alive in the studio; he’s a shih tzu and the oldest dog of the bunch. Doesn’t he look good on the gray backdrop?
shih tzu and yorkie in studio

 

BJ was a bit of a drama-causer during our session, but DANG the boy can pose!! With images like this, I forgive him… :)

yorkie in photo studio

 

Here’s one more of BJ because it cracks me up: he got slightly possessive over the family kiddie pool. TOO cute for words!

yorkie peeks out at camera

 

Bandit was more than happy to relax on the bed near the end of our session… we definitely tuckered him out!

a shih tzu lays on a beg

 

Kelee & Cathy, thank you for a challenge I haven’t had in a long time. Truly! I had a fun morning with your pack and I’m loving the images I’m seeing so far… I can’t wait to come back and show you everything! :)

 

Dog Photography: Two Senior Dachshunds, Daphne & Agnes

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013

I have the pleasure of introducing you to the cutest, littlest grey-faced dogs I’ve met in a long time! This is Agnes and Daphne, and I’m honored that they (and their mom) came all the way from Panama City to have their session! They kept us laughing throughout their session – and whether it was Agnes’ little bow-legs or Daphne’s desire – no, NEED – to investigate the intriguing back room of my studio… I just adore these dogs.

 

This is Agnes! She was adopted not too long ago, and her mom adjusted her given name from Aggie (couldn’t have that, as an Alabama fan!) to Agnes.

dachshund_chihuahua_mix

 

 

And this is Daphne, who holds a very special place in her mom’s heart – and on her foot! How cool is her tattooed paw print?!

dachshund_tattoo

 

They make an adorable pair, don’t you think?

dachshunds_woman's_lap

 

 

And finally, an early favorite of mine after giving all the photos a once-over. What lovely emotion in this photo. Session with dogs (especially doxies!) don’t always go as planned… especially when we visit public parks with squirrels and all sorts of interesting distractions… so it’s a good thing my clients are great at rolling with the punches!

dachshunds_woman_park

Thanks for an absolutely fabulous afternoon, Stacy! Can’t wait to see you all again (very) soon!

 

A Boxer on the Beach: Jamocha

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

This happened to be a session that we had to postpone twice, unfortunately – sometimes the weather is just NOT on my side! But Pensacola was pretty foggy in the morning last week, so I promised Jamocha’s parents that waiting for a clear day would be worth the wait… and boy, was it worth it! We simply couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous morning! You might already be familiar with this sweet boxer girl if you follow the Facebook page, but if not, let me introduce you!

 Her name is Jamocha May, after the delicious Arby’s drink! How cute is that? She’s a gorgeous & energetic young boxer.

A boxer dog runs along beautiful Pensacola Beach, and a close-up of her eye.

 

Don’t let her great posing skills fool you – it was actually a bit tricky to get Jamocha to lay or sit anywhere on the beach, since she appeared to be scared of the washed-up, dried seaweed laying around! Haha – she practically danced around it for our whole session! What a goofball.

A boxer and her two young parents relax on Pensacola beach.

 

Joy & Matt, thank you so much for being so patient! I can’t wait to get together again – especially because this time the weather won’t matter! Yay! :)

Personal: We Heard the Decision!

Friday, February 8th, 2013

This was a big week – a very, very big week! For those of you that read the blog post that I wrote last year called Everyone Has a Plan Until They Get Punched In the Face, it detailed a few events in my personal life… let me summarize & bring you up to speed!

 

(I think the best way to do this is a list, otherwise I’ll get carried away and write paragraph after paragraph) (if you really don’t have time to read it all, the most important point is #5 on the second numbered list, near the bottom of the post)

 

  1. First on the timeline: my husband Ken goes through Naval flight school for helicopters and gets winged! Yay! He’s officially a pilot! (September 2011)
  2. Around this time, though, the Navy discovers that he has a genetic eye condition. He’s grounded and told to wait, his career effectively paused, until the doctors can give him a waiver for it.
  3. He is officially denied a waiver. He can no longer fly for the Navy.  … Now what? (April 2012) Blog post about a pet photographer announcing a relocation across the country.
  4. Ken starts Aviation Maintenance training, and goes to work at Eglin AFB as a maintainer. It’s a job that keeps him in the aviation field, which is good, but it’s not as technical as he was hoping, which is not good. He’s an engineer at heart. Oh yeah, I married a nerd!
  5. Around this time, Ken hears of a Naval helicopter drone program. It’s brand spanking new, which means they aren’t assigning any active duty pilots to it, just reservists – but this is something that Ken would actually be able to do. Hmmm…
  6. A board meets (November 2012) to decide whether Ken should permanently work in aviation maintenance. They say no, and they also don’t put him anywhere else, so he’s back at square one with no permanent job. This is another big surprise… but since Ken isn’t in love with maintenance, maybe it means it’s time to go in a new direction?
  7. Around Christmastime, Ken puts together a “package” (it’s like an extended resume) for another board of senior officials, which will decide whether to keep him in the Navy or let him out. The career options for staying in the Navy are a bit bleak; they don’t align with his strengths and none seem like something he’d have a passion for. So Ken’s package asks for the board to release him from active duty, so that he can enter the reserves and get involved with the helicopter drone program.
  8. About three weeks pass by while we can barely breathe with anticipation. This board’s decision will literally determine our future.
  9. Ken gets the call… they let him go reserves!  :) 
  10. Aaaand, here we are today. Ken is busily submitting resumes to aerospace/engineering companies, I’m wondering how I’m actually going to move this business, we’re weighing the options of where to live, and we’re overwhelmingly happy!

 

Blog post about a great pet photographer moving across the country.

 

There you go – the briefest possible version of the last year and a half of our lives. It’s been seventeen months of limbo, of waiting for faceless boards of strangers to make decisions that will fundamentally change our lives. And truthfully, it’s a bit odd to hear the news we actually wanted! I planned to be a Navy wife for 10 or 20 years… but it just so happens that my husband’s career won’t be in the military anymore.  This still has yet to sink in, honestly.

 

I could go into much more detail, but for now, we’re not dwelling on the past – instead we’re excitedly planning the future! But you’re probably reading this blog because you’re a past/potential client of Allison Shamrell Photography, so let me answer a few questions for you:

 

  1. We will, most likely, move away from the Pensacola area. There just aren’t that many civilian opportunities for his unique skill set here. The majority of aerospace engineering companies are in southern California (especially San Diego), and the reserves helicopter drone program is there too. So that’s the place Ken’s focusing his career search – but we’re open to any city with the right job for him that would also have room for a pet photographer! :)
  2. I will be so, so sad to move. I don’t want to think about it right now… I’ll get emotional.
  3. We’ll probably move in May, or thereabouts; 3-4 months from now.
  4. Yes I’m terrified to move!
  5. I’ll be accepting a very limited number of clients between then and now, because my time will likely be divided between photographing pooches, proofreading resumes and cover letters, house hunting, and all the millions of other things you have to do when you move across the country. So (needless to say) if you’d like a session before I pack up & leave, get in touch!

  6. I will not delete any photos I’ve taken during my time here; past clients can ALWAYS reach out to me for their images, no matter where I live.

 

I hope Bailey’s ready for this! I think she looks ready. :)

Blog post about a fine art pet photographer moving her business.

 

It’s far too early to start saying thank-yous and goodbyes, so I’ll just say this: cheers to the future! :)  Thanks for reading, and hopefully I’ll have more exciting updates soon!

 

 

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