I recently had a playful and action-packed session with Bernie and Otis! Of course, when I say “action-packed”, I mean Otis doing most of the action and Bernie happily watching his (big) little bro! :) And I learned that even though they don’t go at the same speed anymore, one thing they do have in common is their love for treats. Especially since they don’t get treats on a regular basis – special occasions only! (Which means I might have been their new favorite person during the session, haha!)

Bernie is a 13-year-old schnoodle and a sweet little mama’s boy! He has such a calm nature and is just a very good boy. I really love photographing senior dogs – it’s an honor to capture all their distinguished gray fur, and so much fun to imagine how differently they used to look and act. According to his parents, Bernie was very much the energetic dog in his younger years, but has since passed the torch on to Otis. (I suppose that’s allowed when you’re 13!)

Otis, the handsome 3-year-old labradoodle, came to the session ready to play! He is a dog on a mission when it comes to fetching tennis balls! His parents have a gorgeous estate in Rancho Santa Fe full of lush greenery near their barn, which made the perfect backdrop for photos AND the perfect spot for Otis to lose a ball! At various times we thought we would never find the ball in the tall grass, but nope! There was no stopping that boy when it came to his toys. Here he is on the horse trail on their property – I was tempted to share one of his many action photos, but I couldn’t resist that head tilt! :)

After we were done playing near the stables, we set off for the beach in Del Mar. Let me tell you something: it was COLD out there! I’ve got to hand it to this family for sticking it out with me, despite none of us being quite prepared for the chilly weather, because getting out there for the beautiful sunset was totally worth it! Between the beach being wide open & uncrowded, the stunning sunset & colors that lit up the sky, and the lovely people & dogs to photograph, I’d call this a win in my book.

Thank you Trish & Ralph for braving the cool February evening with me for a fun session with your four-legged kiddos! I’m excited to get together with you both again soon!

Tags: backyard, beach, dog, dogs, photography, rancho santa fe pet photography, San Diego, San Diego Dog Photographer, San Diego pet photography