Meet Willow, one of the sweetest & most beautiful dogs I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing! I was veryyy tempted to steal this pup and take her back home with me, haha – especially since it’s not every day that I get to photograph a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever! She is a total sweetheart and loves to make new friends. Willow is actually her mom’s first dog, and they are already off to a great start! I loved seeing the bond that they have already made. And if this is just the beginning of their relationship, then I can’t wait to see what it grows and blossoms into from here!

We started our session at Balboa Park, which turned out to be a wonderful (if incredibly busy) spot. Despite all the activity & distractions, she was a perfect angel throughout the afternoon, and did just about everything we asked her to do. I was impressed with her obedience for such a young pup at just 5 months old! There’s a lot of time and work that go into obedience training and it can feel like you’re making progress at a snail’s pace. Puppies have a short attention span and it’s a big world for them to figure out (and be distracted by), so training can be extremely challenging. It takes time, energy and effort – and Willow’s mom has done SUCH a good job staying consistent! I’m here to tell you that all the hours they’ve put in together have paid off – not only for her, but it made my job a lot easier too, haha! Willow’s focus allowed us to get a great variety of portraits. The park was a spectacular setting with all of its bright colors, too; it worked well with Willow’s ruby red fur and I’m so glad we started our session there.

We eventually headed to the studio, where the sights & sounds of the park faded and we got to slow down & relax a bit. I remember feeling pretty excited throughout our photo session because of how well everything was going, and I figured the portraits were not going to disappoint. So here’s Willow’s sneak peek… you be the judge! 😉

This sweet face is Willow!

As soon as I saw these flowers, I knew Willow belonged amongst them. Thankfully, she was willing to entertain all of our crazy ideas!

She was a natural in the studio. And I think we all enjoyed the change of pace from the park!

I’m excited to see how Willow and her mom’s relationship continues to develop and deepen over the years. They are such a cute pair! Training aside, they simply have a great bond, and it’s always so lovely to see a person and dog in sync with one another.

Emily, thank you so much for visiting the studio all the way from Dana Point! I’m excited to share the rest of our images with you very soon!