I can’t believe Thanksgiving has already come & gone. It’s finally starting to feel like fall in San Diego – winter, even? – and yet I still get to work with gorgeous dogs like Bernie who are willing to brave the colder temperatures and enjoy a day at the beach!  :)

Bernie’s mom emailed me about a photo session, in which she described Bernie (in all caps) as the BEST DOG EVER! So I knew I was in for a very special photo session before I even met this handsome boy, haha! And true to his mom’s description, Bernie was an absolute dream to work with: a happy, free-spirited dog with a clear & deep connection to his mom, and just a touch of “distinguished gray” starting to show on his face. We started our afternoon at Marian Bear Park, where Bernie had a wonderful time exploring the trails and clearings, and then we headed to one of my favorite spots, Tourmaline Park in La Jolla. But the weather wasn’t on our side – it is November, after all – and after a few minutes of discussion we decided to reschedule the second half of our session. Boo, growl, hiss. But it turned out to be a total blessing in disguise – a silver lining to the clouds, if you will! ;)  Because trying for better weather at sunrise meant that we had the ability to visit one of Bernie’s favorite spots, La Jolla Shores! It’s a place where dogs typically aren’t allowed – so I never thought I’d find myself there for a photo session! But we were out in the early morning, and to my surprise we ran into several other dogs, too, so I knew we weren’t the only ones with a good idea. And since Bernie already knows & loves that beach, it added a little bit of sentimental value to our session in a way I never could have planned… So it all turned out to be absolutely perfect! I’m so glad it was overcast & yucky on the day we originally scheduled our photo session, haha – and I definitely didn’t think I’d ever say that!

This is Bernie’s contented smile and slight head tilt. Try not to fall in love.

Bernie LOVES the beach! His favorite game is fetch, although he’s not a big fan of bringing the ball back to his mom… so it turns into a game of mutual fetch, as Bernie gets the ball from the ocean and his mom gets it from wherever he drops it! Haha!

The beach is gorgeous, especially in La Jolla – but it’s a more beautiful sight whenever there’s a happy dog playing in it.

Angela, thank you so much for introducing me to your handsome boy, and for my first La Jolla Shores pet photography session! (And thank you for being so patient to see this “sneak peek”!) I’m looking forward to showing you the rest of our images! :)