I don’t know about you, but I love big dogs. There’s just something about their oversized paws, sweet eyes and low-hanging tongues that I can’t get enough of… so imagine my delight to meet Gracie! This San Diego Saint Bernard is actually a bit small for her breed – her mom calls her a “teacup St. Bernard”, haha – but she seems plenty big to me! She’s an easygoing dog with gorgeous eyes, and when she visited for her Pre-Session Consultation she was intent on emptying my studio toy basket in search of a nice, chewable bone! This silly girl (who was a surprise gift for her mom, and greeted her at the airport upon return from a business trip wrapped in a big bow, courtesy of her dad) is active in the community, too – she works as a therapy dog at local nursing homes! She’s a big hit (no pun intended… well, okay, I guess it was) with the senior citizens who light up when she comes to say hello – and her mom tells me that Gracie loves the work of being a therapy dog! She took to it completely naturally, even in puppyhood, and I’m so honored to have met this lovely girl. I know she’s destined for big things! (Okay, okay, I’ll stop with the “big” jokes.)

Are you serious, Gracie?! How cute can you get??

 … posing for photos is hard work…

 I’m pretty sure Gracie wanted to get up close and personal with my treat bag! It was pretty funny to see her eat the treats we’d give her – they’re the Zuke’s Mini Naturals bite-sized ones, and they’d get lost in her jowls as she attempted to eat them from my hands! I like using small treats in sessions, so the dogs don’t fill up on them – but in this case they were a bit too small! I think I owe Gracie a few Saint Bernard-sized treats, haha!

Jodi, thanks for a wonderful afternoon with your gorgeous girl! I can’t wait to show you the rest of our photos soon! :)

Prepare to say “awwwww”!

I’m pretty sure my jaw fell open to the ground when Sir Truffle the Scottish terrier walked into my studio for the first time. He’s definitely one of the most adorable dogs I’ve ever seen, and he has a happy personality that goes perfectly with his good looks! Truffle lives in Little Italy, and his mom tells me that they constantly get stopped on the street by strangers for photos… looks like I’m not the only one who enjoys having him in front of my lens, haha! And while he’s a minor celebrity in his neighborhood, one day his parents stopped into Hairy & Merry and saw my artwork on the walls – and then they knew they wanted a studio photo session! So Truffle visited the studio with his parents for a bit of posing, treat-eating & ball-playing… and we had a great time! :)

On a slightly more serious note, I just want to mention that this session was an incredible reminder of why I do what I do. Readers of the UT San Diego’s local section may remember reading about Truffle’s dad in an awe-inspiring article about his journey through amnesia… being able to give this family images of themselves & their furry family member have rarely taken on such deep meaning for me. I’m so honored to know Truffle & his parents, and document the love they all have for one another. On days when Photoshop freezes, or my labs print the wrong images, or traffic makes me late to a client meeting, the meaning behind sessions like this make it all worthwhile.

Here he is, getting comfortable in the studio… both legs splayed out back, classic terrier style!

 I just love that grin – could you possibly resist that face?!

 And we brought out the gray backdrop for a different look… I love Truffle either way, but this might be my favorite!

Syrisa & Kurt, thank you so much for introducing me to your handsome boy. I had a great time with all three of you & can’t wait to see you again soon!