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Tag: ‘poodle’



Destination Pet Photography: Two Dogs at beautiful Lake Martin, Alabama

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

I know I JUST made a blog post about how much I love working with repeat clients… but it looks like I get to be repetitive this week! (Yay! haha!)

I first met Lola and Sprockett (“Poodle Perfection”) almost two years ago, but unfortunately, Sprockett could not join us for any further sessions. He passed away a few months later, and his mom Deb was (understandably) crushed. He was a GREAT dog and is still sorely missed.

But the new addition to the family wasted no time making himself at home! Barkley is a miniature poodle (just like Sprockett was) and has a BIG attitude! He helps Lola develop trust in other people, and while her unfortunate upbringing will never let her become close with anyone except her mom, she loves having Barkley around. In return, she eats whatever food he leaves unguarded. (ha!)

Deb, their mom, has told me about her condo on Lake Martin in Alabama several times… so I was THRILLED when she decided to have a session there!! She LOVES her condo (and I can see why), and I think it makes perfect sense to have portraits in a place with such great sentimental value. I loved the concept almost as much as I loved actually being there… it was GORGEOUS! I’ll make a blog post with a few sunrise/sunset images soon, but with no further ado, session photos!

 

This is Lola and Barkley.

poodle and cocker spaniel

 

 On the dock with Deb…

poodle and cocker spaniel

 

Could we possibly have had more perfect weather? Nope! Despite a cloudy morning, the sun came out to play!

poodle and cocker spaniel

 

Deb – I can’t thank you enough for such an enjoyable opportunity. You know I loved spending time with you & your pups… now if we could just do something about that wolverine… :)

 

Premium Album Sample: Marcel the Poodle

Thursday, July 26th, 2012

I wanted to feature another premium album here on the blog, because since the last time I featured a premium album, THREE more clients’ albums have come and gone! Without me taking ANY photos of them! I’m sad I didn’t get the chance to photograph those, but honestly, if I can receive the album, do a full quality check, and deliver it to my client all in the same day, I will! I’m not going to delay delivering their album just so I can take a few photos. So that’s what’s happened a few times now, but this time, I finally had a bit of time after receiving this one to show off its features!

 

This is the silk-cover album, which comes in my favorite carrying case: a padded leather box with velvet interior lining.

Dog photography album leather carrying case.

 

I literally gasped when I first saw this silk shantung cover. The red is STUNNING.

Dog photography album showing beautiful red silk shantung cover material.

 

Dog photography album spine binding.

 

The pages are quite thick – they’d be impossible to accidentally tear.

Dog photography album thick pages.

 

There’s always the option to place a photo as a cover inset, and it’s something for which I don’t charge extra – the look of the album with or without the cover photo can be gorgeous either way. But in this case, I love the family photo my clients chose for their cover! I think it starts off the album really well.

Dog photography album showing inset cover photo example.

 

Dog photography album photos of the cover and an inside image.

 

True lay-flat binding.

Dog photography album showing spine binding.

 

Full-spread photos are my favorite. :)

Dog photography album full-bleed spread of a photo.

 

Choosing the quotes for premium albums can be almost as challenging as selecting the images! I love this quote by John Grogan.

Dog photography album interior quote about dogs.

 

I looooooove my premium albums – and if you’re one of my clients with your own album, you know exactly why they’re so wonderful! Thanks for reading! :)

Dogs in Kayaks: Gracie & Chief

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

You probably expected to see golden retrievers, labradors, or perhaps setters of some kind upon reading this post title. Those are outdoorsy breeds that probably love kayak trips, right? Well I have a surprise for you: this session features a miniature poodle and a rat terrier! Ha! This is just one of the things I love about dogs: breed “standards” oftentimes don’t matter at all! Each dog is unique, with his or her own likes and dislikes, and you just can’t pigeonhole a dog because of his or her breed. My clients have pups with totally individual personalities and I love capturing that!

Gracie is a ten-year-old miniature poodle that her mom rescued from a puppy mill. This poor, sweet girl has given birth to 149 puppies in her lifetime. Did you hear that? Should I say it again? One hundred and forty nine!!! Some love and TLC is WAY overdue for miss Gracie. Chief, on the other hand, is just ten months old, and he’s a little more wary of strangers than Gracie. But I’m so glad he found such a great family so early in his life! These dogs’ dad, Andrew, will be deploying soon, so we did our best to get him some great photos of his furkids before he leaves!

Gracie is a natural in the kayak!

A grey miniature poodle in a kayak with her owner in Pensacola, Florida.

Chief was… a bit unsure. :)

A rat terrier shyly peeks out of a kayak.

Don’t they make a cute pair?

A rat terrier and a gray miniature poodle in a park in Pensacola, Florida.

I hope you enjoyed their Sneak Peek, Kirsten! 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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