It was so much fun to see Rio & Rags again! Rio (the yellow lab) is an old hat at modeling for me; this was his third time in front of my camera! He knows exactly what he’s doing and works it like a pro :) And Rags did remarkably well for being in a studio and not a large, open outdoor space, since I know that’s where he’s more comfortable. (See their previous session in the great outdoors here.) They both kept us laughing the whole time, but we got them to pose perfectly with the treat their mom brought: pepperoni! Real pepperoni, like, for pizza! Clearly, they were happy to oblige whatever silly poses we put them in.
Rags has such a cute underbite!
I posted this one to my Facebook page yesterday… which you should go check out, if you haven’t already… love the tongue!
Unlike many dogs, laying side-by-side was no problem for these two!
We took a quick trip outside the studio to play with my fisheye lens…
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…
She opted for a silk brocade cover material in black, which has a beautiful mix of texture and silky smoothness.
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.
The pages are wonderfully thick; you’d never rip or tear them.
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!
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.
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 close-up of the way the photo encompasses the entire spread. There’s no gutter!
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!
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.”
Thanks for a wonderful and heart-warming session, Don & Linda! I truly enjoyed it so much.
It’s that time again! We’ve waited months and months, and I’m soooooo excited to go back to 3 Dogs & A Chick for another round of Mini-Sessions!
A few Mini-Session images: Riley the golden retriever and Lilly the puggle, relaxing on the dock and in the park.
Bella the Coton de Tulear, dancing in the studio!
Jonesy the doberman, gettin’ crazy in the studio and relaxing outside.
In the photos above and the video below, you can see a few examples of the great images that happen on Mini-Session days! Keep reading for all the details and what you can do to sign up!
WHAT: pet photography sessions for an entry-level investment of time and money; $75
WHAT YOU’LL GET:
~ 30 minutes of session time, which will be spent capturing the personality of your pets in a fun, no-stress, non-posed way
~ an online gallery of at least 10 frame-worthy, artful images to browse (probably more!)
~ an 11×14 print of your choice
~ the opportunity to purchase prints, digital images, and canvas gallery wraps
~ and a simply wonderful time!
WHEN: June 9th, during your time slot
WHERE: 3 Dogs & A Chick in Ft. Walton Beach – here’s a map. It’s the perfect location: we’ll have a studio, a park, a cute courtyard, and a dock leading to the water! You can have a great variety of final images!
WHO: me, you, and 1-2 dogs
WHY: so you can have high-quality pet portraiture that you will adore. I guarantee it! After the session, we’ll have as many phone conversations, emails, video chats, and letters-by-pigeon as you need to determine what’s best for your house and lifestyle. I want to create something you’ll absolutely love – and nothing less!
HOW TO RESERVE YOUR TIME SLOT: Call 3 Dogs & A Chick at 850-243-7297. The first available session is 9:00 am, and the last will be at 6:00 pm. The time we’ll spend taking photos is 30 minutes, but we’ll need an extra 15 minutes of non-camera time so I can meet you and your dog(s), and answer any questions you might have. I’ll also show you exactly what a canvas gallery wrap is, if you’ve never seen one before. So, plan to spend 45 minutes with me that day.
Check out a few photos from Mini-Sessions in the past! (These were all taken at the same locations we’ll have access to on the 9th.)
As always, the event promises to be a TON of fun! Don’t wait to reserve your time slot; we’ve always sold out quickly after announcing the event! Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you there!
Photography sessions can be meaningful for many different reasons. Sometimes I photograph older dogs, who don’t have much time left, but their parents request sessions to have those last photos they can treasure for years after they’re gone. Sometimes I photograph dogs together with their human children siblings, and I love seeing the bond between best friends; what’s cuter than a boy and his dog? Sometimes dogs help us through hard times in our lives – deaths of friends and family members, divorce, natural disasters – and I feel so privileged that my clients have shared their stories with me, and I get to play a small part in helping them commemorate how special and important their dogs are in their lives.
My most recent session, however, is special in a different way. The dogs I photographed are young (Sanders is one and Florence is just eight weeks old), but their mom won’t get to see them grow old. And maybe I shouldn’t even call Elisa their mom; she’s training them for a life of service for someone else in need. She is a volunteer with CCI (Canine Companions for Independence), a non-profit organization that prepares dogs to live with and work for people with disabilities. Check out this video (and try not to cry!) to see the story of a wounded soldier named Jeffrey Adams, who is now independent and happy with the companionship of his CCI dog. The work that these trainers like Elisa do is nothing short of staggering; their hearts are so big to live with and train puppies, and eventually give them up to someone who needs them… I can’t hardly imagine doing what they do. Sanders is over one year old, so she’ll be heading into her final evaluation/graduation soon. Florence, on the other hand, still has a lot to learn! But they both have a long road ahead of them.
I’m not through with all the photos of Sanders & Florence yet, but here’s a Sneak Peek of just a few. Remember to like my Facebook page to see more of these two – because these dogs are so gorgeous (Elisa requested the black-on-black look, and I’m loving it!) that I’m sure I won’t be able to resist posting more photos of them soon!
I thought Florence seemed like a pretty calm puppy… then again, I only saw her for an hour! But she’s definitely a sweetheart.
Sanders (left) definitely knows how to pose!
The photo on the right features the dogs in their capes. Sanders knows that when she’s wearing this, she’s working. Florence – well, she’ll know that one day! For now, let’s hope she grows into her too-big cape soon! :) I love their expressions in that photo, though: to me, Sanders looks ready to be off on the next stage of her life, and Florence looks ready to learn and be of service one day.
Oh, and just for fun: this photo made quite a splash on Facebook! My caption: “Under the cover of darkness, puppy Florence plots an attack on older sis Sanders…” hee hee! Can you think of another (better) caption?? Post it here in the comments or on Facebook!
The work these dogs do is just incredible, and I’m honored to have met them and Elisa. I’ll be posting more photos soon; thanks for visiting and stay tuned!
