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Black Dogs with Very Different Personalities: Bally & Cuda

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

These two dogs, although they look similar, couldn’t be more different! Bally and Cuda are sisters (recently-made big sisters to a little two-legger!) and live in Pensacola. Cuda is the older one at 4 (and I think she thinks she’s wiser, as well) and is a black labrador mix. She’s a bit smaller than most labs, and something in her face makes me think she could be a hound mix too… but she’s a low-maintenance, simple dog that just does her own thing. Bally, on the other hand, is 2 and still has a TON of puppy in her! She has tons of energy and is always ready to be the center of attention! I kept laughing when we were working with them, because despite Bally wanting to romp all over the house, she was a bit easier to work with than Cuda: Bally responds to commands very well (I hear she’s doing great in obedience class over at Best Paw Forward!) and will do anything for a treat. And so, counter-intuitively, even though her parents joke about Cuda being the “easy” dog and so calm, especially around the new baby, Cuda definitely has an independent spirit. She wanted to do exactly what she wanted to do, and while we were able to coax her with treats some of the time, it mostly took patience on my end to let Cuda come around to working for the camera. They were a fascinating duo to work with, and while I think my technical skills get a little better with each session, this one was definitely a “push” for me! :)

 

Bally is on the left, and Cuda is on the right… see what I mean about their different personalities?

Two black dogs show their personalities in two photos.

 

We managed to get a few posed photos of the girls together! I like this one :)

Two black dogs lie down in a living room.

 

I hope you enjoyed your Sneak Peek, Sally & Jackie! I’ll be in touch soon!

 

In the Studio: a Labrador and a Mutt!

Monday, June 4th, 2012

It was so much fun to see Rio & Rags again! Rio (the yellow lab) is an old hat at modeling for me; this was his third time in front of my camera! He knows exactly what he’s doing and works it like a pro :)  And Rags did remarkably well for being in a studio and not a large, open outdoor space, since I know that’s where he’s more comfortable. (See their previous session in the great outdoors here.)  They both kept us laughing the whole time, but we got them to pose perfectly with the treat their mom brought: pepperoni! Real pepperoni, like, for pizza! Clearly, they were happy to oblige whatever silly poses we put them in.

 

Rags has such a cute underbite!

A scruffy terrier mix in the studio on a black background.

 

I posted this one to my Facebook page yesterday… which you should go check out, if you haven’t already… love the tongue!

Yellow labrador licking his lips/chops

 

Unlike many dogs, laying side-by-side was no problem for these two!

Yellow labrador and a terrier mix lay down in the studio.

 

We took a quick trip outside the studio to play with my fisheye lens…

A yellow labrador relaxes on a street sidewalk, taken with a fisheye lens.

 

Thanks for a great time Lori, as usual! :)

 

Relaxing in the Front Yard: Beckham the Labrador

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Beckham is not your typical labrador. He’s happier laying down than running around, and he’s built more like a bear than a dog! Beckham is a gorgeous, goofy 7-year-old lab who was so much fun to photograph! We stayed in his front yard for most of our session because that’s where he loves to be, and he was more than happy to lay around and let us feed him treats.

He lives a pretty great life, but unfortunately, he’s always been plagued by health problems. Recently, his parents found out that he has a tumor in his heart. I can’t imagine what they’re going through. It’s just not fair for a dog that’s so sweet and has so much love to give… but we didn’t focus on the negatives today. We had a wonderful time and Beckham kept us laughing throughout the session. Thanks for a great morning, big guy!

 

The yard is his domain… I don’t know what would happen if he didn’t keep watch over it.

 

He actually ran for us! This boy has get-up and GO! (I was only slightly scared for my life when I saw him barreling towards me)

 

… bear-like paws, wet with the morning dew…

 

We finished up by taking a bath. In the sunlight.

 

Karin & Mick, it was an honor to meet you & Beckham. I hope you had as much fun as I did today! Thanks again, and I’ll see you soon!

 

Real Premium Album Sample: Razzie & Cherry

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

I was so excited when the FedEx man knocked on my door yesterday! He was carrying the first-ever (first-ever!) premium album for one of my clients! I’ve only been carrying these incredible products since April, after I attended a photography convention and couldn’t bear to walk away without sharing such beautiful works of art with my clients. They really are amazing – the craftsmanship, the attention to detail that my printers give – it’s flat-out incredible. And when they’re filled with artfully-arranged images of members of your family, jaw-dropping doesn’t even begin to describe them! (I should know – one of my samples features Bailey!)

 

So here’s the premium album that Razzie & Cherry’s mom ordered. I took a bunch of photos of it today, and hopefully this post gives you a good idea of the beautiful details it includes! She decided on the silk cover album option. It arrives in a plush, padded leather carrying case…

A photo of the leather carrying case of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

She opted for a silk brocade cover material in black, which has a beautiful mix of texture and silky smoothness.

A photo of the side and box of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

She also chose to put her dogs’ names on the cover (instead of a photo). For simplicity’s sake, it’s a great choice! A favorite photo could be placed there just as easily.

A photo of the cover of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

A photo of the cover fabric of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

The pages are wonderfully thick; you’d never rip or tear them.

A photo of the side of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

One of my favorite features about premium albums? We can work quotes into the design! There are SO many wonderful (and touching) quotes about dogs out there, and I already have a small library-size compilation of them to choose from!

A photo of a quote on the title page of a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

A photo of a quote inside a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

We have a little more creative freedom to mix color and black & white photos in premium albums, than compared to a wall gallery. It can be tricky, but done right, the correct photos really POP.

A photo of a spread inside a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

As you can see, the photo stretches across the entire spread. The line you see down the middle is the glare from my office window, not a seam or gutter.

A photo of a spread inside a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

A close-up of the way the photo encompasses the entire spread. There’s no gutter!

A photo of a partial spread inside a premium dog photography album featuring two black miniature poodles.

 

Tomorrow I get to hand off this album to its rightful owner… but it was so fun to see it myself and take a few pictures :)  Thanks so much for letting me play with (and design) your pooches, Christel!

 

The Devotion of a Poodle: Marcel

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Marcel was not always Don & Linda’s dog. He actually used to belong to one of their kids! But every time Don came over, Marcel was at his side. Marcel was sad when Don left, and overjoyed when he returned – to the point that it just made sense for Don & Linda to bring him home with them. And now Don has a permanent shadow! Marcel protects him, loves him, and truly wants nothing more than to be with him all the time.

You hear about soulmates, and maybe you’re one of the lucky people to have found one. Some people believe in them, and others don’t. Watching Marcel & Don interact made me think about that term, though, and how maybe it doesn’t always have to apply to romantic partners. And that it could even surpass species. I haven’t known them very long, but I’m pretty sure Marcel has found his human counterpart – and best friend – in Don. It’s a devotion and a closeness that I don’t see too often. And even if I wasn’t a photographer, I’d describe it as beautiful.

Here are a few photos (an extra-big Sneak Peek!) from our session, during which we visited my studio, the park and the beach – because the sweet little guy loves the beach! I’m pretty sure we tuckered him out :)  Enjoy!

 

“Hi, I’m Marcel, and I’m a serious contender for cutest poodle ever. I’d like to thank my ears.”

9-year-old poodle in the studio and the park, with an ear up.

 

A poodle runs and poses in a pretty park.

 

Poodle sits on the beach with his human dad.

 

Thanks for a wonderful and heart-warming session, Don & Linda! I truly enjoyed it so much.

 

 

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