About

Tag: ‘San Diego’



Willow, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Puppy from Dana Point

Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

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!

nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog

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

nova scotia duck tolling retriever puppy

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

nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog in studio

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!

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in pet photography | 1 Comment »

Fae, Nyx, Quinzel & Slade – and the joy of repeat clients!

Friday, September 17th, 2021

I always love working with my clients, but I have to say – there’s something so special about photographing repeat clients! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Scott & Patrisha’s pack before, so I was THRILLED when they contacted me recently to update their portraits! The first session we ever did included Buster, a wonderful dog who’s unfortunately no longer here. I thought of him during this recent photo session… but somehow this session was SO different than the ones we’ve done before! I got to photograph a mix of the “old” and “new” pack: Fae, Quinzel, and Nyx are the dogs I have photographed at least once in the past. It was so much fun to see how much they’d grown since their original photo sessions back in 2015 and 2016. Quinn and Nyx were just tiny puppies when I first met each of them, and it was so fun to see how much they’ve changed! The newest member of the pack is Slade, who brings an entirely new dynamic to the family. One of my favorite things about being in this business for so long is definitely being able to see families grow over the years. This family has certainly changed since we first met 6 years ago, and I couldn’t be more proud to have documented a few small slices of their lives!

Let me start with introducing Fae. She’s a total sweetheart and mama’s girl! Always happy and up for an adventure, I think she might take the title of “most adorable in the pack”. She also is the eldest now, but you wouldn’t know it: she isn’t bossy, just a sweet, happy-go-lucky girl! (And yes, her fur is just as cotton-candy-soft as it looks.)

repeat clients dog

Quinzel, who is named after Harley Quinn, takes “being part of the pack” to a new level. She is head over heels in love with her parents and siblings! She never wants to be without them; anytime she senses the pack might be leaving the house without her, she lets her opinion be known that that’s not acceptable. Ideally she’s literally touching someone at all times, haha! Quinn is a beautiful girl (with two different-colored eyes) and her brindle fur is gorgeous too.

repeat dog clients

This is Nyx: the guard dog! She has proudly stepped into the role of protector of the family. She takes her job seriously and – might I add – is very good at it! She warned us when other dogs were walking across another part of the park… so what would we have done without her?! She loves her family fiercely and is happy to be out exploring new places, but she never forgets her primary job which is to defend her pack. Fun fact: Nyx is pretty skeptical of you, until you walk her on the leash. Once you do that, her demeanor changes and she realizes that you must be okay after all!

repeat client dog

Last but not least, I get to introduce you to Slade! He is the puppy of the group with those goofy puppy ears to boot. He’s a handsome boy with beautiful, warm brindle coloring – and he has huge paws! Slade is just a total class clown, although you can really tell he looks up to his elder siblings. One of his favorite things to do is play fetch and run around like crazy! While he loves being a goofball, he is always down to snuggle too, especially with his dad. I’m so glad he found his way into this family… he really hit the jackpot!

new puppy

We had a great time during our photo session. I’m glad we had the chance to visit Fiesta Island, because we got to let the dogs run free and off-leash! It was wonderful to see them let loose and have a great time. And even more than that, it was nice to connect with them all again, and have the opportunity to celebrate what their family looks like today!

4 dogs on the beach

I’m looking forward to meeting their biggest dog, Lucca, later this month! (Just kidding… he’s a horse! I’m going out to the stables to photograph him and I can’t wait!) Patrisha and Scott, you two are wonderful, devoted parents to all your pups, and I am so honored to have been able to work with you again. See you soon at the studio very soon!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in pet photography | 1 Comment »

A Surprise Photo Session for Milbert!

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

This photo session was a surprise gift for Milbert’s mom! How fun is that?!

(I had to specify “Milbert’s mom” before you think I’m crazy – I mean, I’m pretty sure ALL my photo sessions are a surprise for the dogs being photographed! Ha!)

Milbert is a rescue dog from Tijuana, and he may have recently turned one year old, but I can promise you he’s still 100% puppy. He’s got to be one of the most sociable pups I’ve met in quite a while, too: he’s convinced that everything and everyone is his friend! So when he & his parents walked into my studio for their pre-session consultation, he was all smiles and ready to play. His mom, on the other hand, needed to pause a moment to process what was happening: because Milbert’s dad had planned our photo session as a gift for her, and she had NO idea she’d be meeting a photographer (me) that day! What a fun surprise – and thankfully, I’m happy to report that after she got over the initial shock, she was very excited about it! :)

When I met Milbert’s parents, we found out we have a mutual friend in common: Canine Education! They are a wonderful dog training company here in San Diego, and they do amazing work. So Milbert is a work in progress (aren’t we all?), and his parents are working hard to teach him all of the best manners that a Tijuana street dog didn’t quite grow up with. A high energy labrador can be a challenge to train at times, that’s for sure – but his parents are doing an outstanding job!

His parents wanted views of the beautiful San Diego skyline, so we headed over to Coronado and even got access to a special private dock on the water. Afterwards we headed to Presidio Park, which is a much bigger space than the small grass patch & dock we had just come from. So… we let Milbert have a little freedom off-leash to run around (safely, of course)… and he LET LOOSE with the zoomies! Leaping and bounding all over the place, having the time of his life! I’m telling you, he had the biggest smile on his face! And what impressed me the most was that after that burst of energy, he became the perfect model dog. He would sit and stay for minutes at a time – when back on Coronado he was bursting with wiggles, too excited to pose for more than half a second at a time. It was a great reminder that a little exercise does us good – dogs included! It was also a nice example of my theory that it’s always easier to photograph a dog when they’re tired. Honestly, my philosophy is simply to let the dog do what they want to do. If your dog wants to go crazy and run around during their photo session, let’s do it! It helps me get those fun, action shots AND it makes them tired enough to ensure those “posed”, stationary portraits are a whole lot easier to capture later on. Nothing is worth forcing. Nothing. When you try and go against the dog’s wishes, the photo session doesn’t flow naturally and everything takes longer, not to mention everyone gets frustrated. So why do things that way? When you go with the flow, you’ll have more fun and everything goes more smoothly! This photo session was a great example of that. Milbert is a free spirit, that’s for sure – and I’m so glad we let his personality shine!

Milbert is a lucky dog, he found a happy home with his parents in San Diego. He belongs here!

labrador with san diego

I wasn’t kidding about the zoomies!

labrador dog running

His mom brought a clutch selection of bandanas. Milbert’s “outfits” were on point!

labrador archway photo

I can’t get enough of this face. What a sweet boy.

labrador dog

Vincent & Monica, I loved working with you both for this fun surprise photo session – and I’m excited to see you again soon in the studio!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in pet photography | No Comments »

Levi & Aura, San Diego Border Collies

Wednesday, June 30th, 2021

I’m so excited to share this fun photo session of Levi and Aura with you all!

Levi the border collie was adopted a couple of years ago, back when he was a little puppy. After he & his mom got to know each other, she later learned that he is actually deaf in one of his ears. As some of you may know (I didn’t!) the way that dogs’ ears work is basically by each ear “covering” 180 degrees of where sounds are coming from, so as you can guess, dogs really rely on being able to use each of their ears. Since he wasn’t able to hear that well, as a puppy it often seemed to Levi that people were “sneaking up on him” – poor thing! – which understandably led to some trust issues. And as a puppy he often wasn’t too sure of himself, most likely as a result of his hearing issue, but his mom took the time to really work with him, build trust, and help him flourish! With lots of love and training, he has made TREMENDOUS strides in his journey. He’s a much more confident dog now, I’m told – and he & his mom have a beautiful relationship built on a solid foundation of trust. He absolutely adores her, and it was beautiful to see their bond.

Fast forward two years – and we have an exciting new addition to the family! Levi and his mom recently adopted a border collie puppy named Aura! She is simply precious, and has really brought out the “puppy” in Levi as well. Aura is a silly, squirmy girl and is the confident yin to Levi’s cautious yang. She is SO playful, cute, energetic, spunky…the list goes on! The two pups have an amazing sibling bond as well; Levi has helped teach her things like sit and stay on command. So what’s funny about their relationship is that while Aura has learned tricks and good behavior from her big brother, he has learned how to loosen up and play because of her. Their mom has also spent a lot of time training with Aura, and I was truly impressed with her obedience. (It helps to be on “puppy maternity leave” and be able to truly focus on the two of them!)

Our location of choice was the Spanish Art Village in Balboa Park. The entire time we had people come up and say, “Oh look at those cute dogs!”, etc. – so I’m pretty sure their mom gets stopped alllllllll the time. We then headed to San Dieguito County Park and let the dogs stretch their legs and play fetch. Levi always wants to “work” and have a job to do, but when we got there he couldn’t help himself: he actually ran straight into the pond! He was definitely not supposed to do that, but we couldn’t help but laugh when he let loose! It was so much fun to see them play around, and see two very different personalities. This truly was an awesome photo session with a tight knit little family. They have such a beautiful life ahead of them, and I’m excited to see what’s to come!

This is Levi – isn’t he gorgeous?!

border collie dog walking

And this is little border collie puppy Aura. Such a sweetheart.

border collie puppy sitting

I haven’t had such a hard time picking out images for a sneak peek in a long time! You can’t tell me to just pick 3. I can’t do it!

border collie puppy peeking

Off to the park, to bask in the sunlight and relax…

border collie dog

… and a blooper, just for fun!

border collie with ball

Hannah, thank you so much for introducing me to your wonderful dogs! I’m excited to share the rest of our photos with you very soon!

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in pet photography | No Comments »

San Diego Dogs Harley & Mason

Thursday, December 3rd, 2020

Today on the blog I’ve got some portraits I’ve been so excited to share with you – featuring two adorable doggy brothers from San Diego, Harley & Mason! These boys are tough-looking dogs, but I’m going to spoil the surprise right now: they’re actually complete sweethearts. (Sorry, boys!) When I first spoke with their mom about planning their session, she came to me with a very specific vision for where she wanted to go, and the look she wanted for the session overall. I was pretty impressed, since that doesn’t happen very often – many of my clients have no idea what locations they’d like to visit! (Good thing I have a Location Guide for them to browse, ha!) But Harley & Mason’s mom knew exactly what she wanted and we were able to have fun planning all the details and expanding on her ideas. And I think we were able to create everything she envisioned!

That being said, the photo session turned out to be a fun & unique one – because no matter how much we planned ahead of time, the dogs wound up doing what they wanted to do, haha! This is totally okay, and one of the many reasons I love working with dogs: they are independent, honest, and sometimes (okay always) they have their own agenda. That’s just who they are and ya gotta love them for it! They still did a phenomenal job posing for the camera – especially Mason, that ham! :)

Our first location in Coronado – overlooking the San Diego skyline, an absolutely stunning spot – was a little tricky since the particular place I love requires a bit of obedience to get the best possible portraits. (It’s a smaller, more confined space than most of my session locations.) Luckily, their mom thought ahead – and rather than attempting to wrangle 150+ lbs of dogs all on her own, she brought along their walker to help! I’m so glad Robyn from Robyn’s Pet Care was able to join us because you can never have too much help. :) We were able to stretch their obedience skills and get some beautiful, very-San-Diego portraits of the boys!


dogs with san diego skyline


The next location we visited was truly special because it was in La Jolla, at the beach where Harley & Mason’s parents got married. I loved incorporating a location that was special to them & their family! And while we were there, I got to see more of how devoted Harley & Mason are to their parents. They way they were running around with their dad on the sand, with the biggest grins on their faces, always looking back at mom to check in – it was the sweetest thing! It’s not a location where I’ve done many photo sessions, but I’ll definitely be back because it turned out to be a picture perfect setting! Harley and Mason actually haven’t been to the beach too many times, but they seized the opportunity got to loosen up and stretch their legs! We finished up just as they were hitting their limit, so to speak, because all the sights and smells can get a little overwhelming, and I’d never want to push a dog beyond their comfort zone. Thankfully we were able to capture some beautiful moments without overstaying our welcome!


This is Harley – having a BLAST at the beach in La Jolla!

dog running on beach


And this is Mason, the younger brother, who was just as thrilled to be out in the ocean air.

dog at the beach


Mollie & Kevin, thank you so much for introducing me to your handsome boys! I’m excited to share the rest of our portraits with you very soon!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in pet photography | No Comments »

« Previous Page | | Next Page »
 

  • Subscribe

    Get a shiny new email in your inbox every time a new post is published!


    Your information is completely private.

  • Links

    • All Images Copyright | Blog Theme Created by LJP & SLR Lounge