Let’s be honest: I work with a lot of beautiful dogs. I get to meet big, handsome, regal dogs, as well as cute little puppies – I suppose I’m spoiled that way! And while I’ve never met a dog that I would consider “ugly”, I’ll admit that some dogs are just a little bit more good-looking than others… and Riley is definitely one of those extra-gorgeous pups!

Riley is a border collie & husky mix, an interesting combination of breeds that came together in a stunning way. His coat is a fascinating mix of black & white, and while the border collie is obvious on his handsome, narrow face, Riley’s fluffy tail is 100% husky! All in all, he’s a beautiful boy, and his parents have gotten so many compliments from strangers that it’s now a regular occurrence for them to hear people say “what a cute dog” anywhere around town! And fittingly, Riley’s personality is just as beautiful: he’s a happy, content pup who absolutely loves to be around his parents. He always wants to be on the move, from one place to another, but he never ends up exploring very far away from his mom & dad. I loved working with him (despite the fact that he totally snubbed my treats!), and the opinionated way in which he told us exactly what he wanted to do kept me laughing for our entire session!

We started our photo session on the white studio backdrop! I love how his features pop out in this setting!

After a while, we switched to the gray backdrop, but Riley soon decided he was ready to head to our next location…

… the park! I love the contrast of his black & white fur against the rich, warm colors of Presidio Park!

And I’ll share another photo with you, just because it made quite a splash on the Facebook page! I posted a quick iPhone photo of the back of my camera, right after our photo session ended, since I knew this would be an epic photo when I took it! Here’s the edited version (where you can actually see Riley’s face, haha!)

Mackenzie & Jonas, thank you for introducing me to your sweet boy! I’m so excited to show you the rest of our photos soon! :)

Are you ready to meet one of the most unique-looking dogs to ever grace this blog? It doesn’t get much better than a French Mastiff & Catahoula mix dog, and those two (very different) breeds come together beautifully in Sid, the 9-month-old puppy from San Marcos!

Sid’s mom saw my work hanging in Dogs Abound, the premier boarding/daycare/training facility in San Marcos, and as soon as she described Sid to me I knew I was in for a treat! This handsome boy is still puppy, but he’s already well-trained and eager to please. (Well, when he’s in the mood, at least… he tends to act like a teenager some of the time)! And although we quickly learned that the camera is NOT Sid’s favorite thing, haha, I think this session was a great example of taking our time & working at the dog’s comfort level to create beautiful images, even with a few initial signs of fear/uncertainty. Dogs definitely don’t have to be trained models to have a successful photo session! It just takes a little bit of patience. :)

Here’s the handsome guy, in the studio!

We tried out the dramatic black backdrop, too! Doesn’t he look stunning?

And we finished up in soft sunlight at the park.

Thanks, Christine & Chris, for introducing me to your handsome boy! I’m so excited to show you the rest of our photos soon! :)