Nov 14, 2015
Within minutes of walking through the door I was belly crawling all over the house. With big dogs I might be able to get away with kneeling, but with cats the camera just has to be touching the floor. It was while I was squirming, belly-down, for a better angle that John said something about people thinking he was a crazy cat person for hiring a pet photographer. If he’s crazy, though, then what exactly am I? I’m not sure, but to me, being on the floor with my camera and some furbabies is normal, and I love it there!
This is just a note to all the self-professed crazy animal people out there, you should know I’m crazier than you, and just maybe I could make you feel sane for a day AND photograph your pets. Ya know, feed two birds with one scone. (Totally stole that from another blog, but isn’t it great?!)
Anyway… meet Lily and Olive, two gorgeous cats who posed for me last weekend. The more I photograph cats the more I notice that they are the artists that create my art. Just the simple fact that cats love to be in, under, and on everything makes for some really interesting compositions. Although I had a hand in finding the best angle, Lily and Olive picked out their props all by themselves.
Here are a few of my favorites from my latest kitty photo session:
Lily Chillaxin’ on the patio.
Olive Striking the pose – love that tail!
Left: Lily Right: Olive – Both kitties managing to find their own take on how to pose with the chairs.
Jun 24, 2015
The sky was threatening as I drove towards Alice and Fred’s home a couple of weeks ago. Every turn I made seemed to point me towards even darker clouds, and I hoped that a sudden downpour wouldn’t cut our photo session short. Although overcast skies are always welcome on photo session days, there’s always a chance the weather will turn ugly with little notice.
I was greeted with happy faces, wagging tails, and knowledgable noses that sought the chopped hot dogs I carried on my hip. Maddie, Lexie, and Allie were just as thrilled to see me as I was to meet them. Gotta love the simplicity of a dog’s happiness!
Once I had my hands buried in soft, golden retriever fur, I totally forgot about the weather. Luckily, not a single drop of rain fell, and we had my favorite kind of outdoor light: steady and soft.
Here is a sneak peek of some of my favorite photos from the day:
Every family has at least one photobomber. Thank you Allie, for this adorable shot!
Left: Lexie Right: Maddie These two girls are sisters, twins, as Fred called them.
Here’s a better look at Allie’s adorable face. She’s the spunky youngin in the trio.
Feb 8, 2015
I barely had my toe in the door before Luna attacked me with puppy hugs and kisses. If she could talk, I’m sure she’d have been saying, “Ohmygod, ohmygod, YOU’RE HERE! I don’t really know you, but YOU’RE FINALLY HERE!”
Luna Strikes the pose, indoors and out!
This is why I love dogs. It’s the unfiltered joy they show, and their ability to fully love a complete stranger just because they’re there. It’s a contagious kind of happiness that makes it impossible not to smile.
Luna running with her newly captured squeaky as her proud Mom looks on.
After our long hello, we headed out to play in the fresh snow. Luna Romped around, chasing her new squeaky toy, and catching the snowballs I threw into the air. Then we headed indoors for a few studio style shots.
Luna, I think this is when she started tuckering out.
Her energy may have seemed endless, but she was quick to tire out. In fact, here’s some photo proof from her Mom, taken about an hour after I left.
A snapshot 1 hour after our photo session, courtesy of Mom, this is one pooped pup!
I thought you’d like that! Hey dog modeling is not easy… the sitting, the staying, the excitement, and with all those extra treats it’s like doggie Thanksgiving; the food coma is inevitable.
As a side note, Luna’s Mom has the funniest potty-training device I’ve ever seen. It’s actually a toy meant to train human babies to learn the alphabet, but it works well for Luna too, and will most likely send any visitors into a giggle fit.
You may have heard of hanging bells on your doorknob to show your dog how to make some noise when they need to go out, well this is a new take on that. The electronic toy hangs on the door, pre-loaded with the “P” block, and when Luna nose-pokes the block the toy says “Pee, Pee!”
I think I might have to head on over to Toys R Us… I’ll catch you all later!
Nov 12, 2014 |
When I first arrived at Danielle and Joe’s house for our doggie photo session, Moose greeted me just like they told me he would. With a full-body wiggle propelled by his tail, Moose trotted back and forth from the front door to the bottom of the steps just outside the entryway. When he disappeared down the steps again, I peeked around the corner and there he was, with a loafer in his mouth, proudly standing over a small pile of shoes. “Hi new hoooman,” his goofy grin said, “look what I made for you!”
Left: Moose with a big smile Right: Sadie striking the pose
Moose’s little sister, Sadie, was adopted about a year and a half ago after about 5 years of rehabilitation in a foster home. She is more on the cautious side with strangers, and she is especially wary of men. In fact, it was only a few months ago that she finally warmed up enough to her new Daddy that she was comfortable enough to give him a bit of couch cuddling. “This was a big event in our house,” Danielle said, “and a very happy one!”
That’s why we were all surprised when Sadie came over and greeted me before the bribery cookies even came out of the jar. She made me feel like a very special girl in that moment. I’m a sap for any and all rescue stories and Sadie sure has made it into the happily-ever-after category.
Moose is proud of his family
It was the perfect fall day: crisp and cool with the sun poking in and out. Moose and Sadie chased balls around the yard and eagerly awaited the inevitable shower of treats their parents held nearby. The treats were well-deserved rewards for being such good pups on photo day.
Sep 21, 2013
I don’t have children, so with my lack of that experience can I safely say that looking at this is like watching the birth of my child? Or maybe the birth of my parrot (birds are NOT cute newborns) would make more sense in this scenario.
Anyway, thought you might be interested to see how I started out in this business. I was so eager to do everything even when I knew nothing. We all start somewhere; I’m not ashamed… I’m actually kind of proud of how far I’ve come =)
Sep 13, 2013 |
Well it’s finally happened. For the first time in my life I pointed a camera at people and they actually got excited that I was doing it!
Don’t get me wrong I know that there are people out there who love my photography, but the usual response from strangers at an event is to give me a half scowl and side step out of my frame. Ok so it’s not everyone, but it’s enough to sway my opinion on people portraiture.
So, anyway, I was totally delighted when I held my camera up to this adorable family and saw this:
Ok so I made up the quote to be silly, but just look at this adorable girl strutting her stuff for Pets Alive. I love seeing happy families!
Here are a few more of my favorites from the 2nd Annual Tail Wagger Dog Walk held at the beautiful Walkway Over the Hudson.
Feb 20, 2012
I would like to introduce you to Dude! He’s an Australian Cattle Dog who just celebrated his 2nd birthday. Happy Birthday Dude!
He is a rescued dog that was born in Mississippi and somehow made his way to the SPCA in Briarcliff Manor. Dude wasn’t there long before his new family discovered him and took him home.
Now he spends most of his time trying to figure out how to get to his girlfriend. Chloe, a Boston Terrier – Beagle mix, lives next door just beyond the electric fence. She sits just out of reach, silently staring at him, teasing him. She makes him go crazy! Ah… such is love.
When Chloe isn’t outside, Dude spends his time running around the yard and trying to figure out how to get more toys in his mouth. That is, until the mailman comes with his daily treat. I haven’t witnessed it, but I’m sure he’ll drop his toys for the mailman.
I had a ton of fun with this little Dude! I hope you enjoy his photos. Here is a preview of what’s to come.
Jan 11, 2012 |
I feel horrible! Here I am photographing everyone else’s pets, and time has just flown by. It’s been such a long time since I took pictures of my own little buddy that I haven’t even introduced him here.
I’d like you to meet my bird Yoshi! He’s a 5-year-old orange winged amazon who loves to chat. What’s his favorite thing to say?
Among the dozens of expressions and sounds he can make, “I wantta treat,” is what comes out of his beak the most. I’m sure you can guess why. That’s okay though, because “I love you” comes in second for his most frequent expressions.
Aug 6, 2011
Let me introduce you to Ollie and Winnie, two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Ollie is two years old and Winnie just turned six months old on August 3rd.
I met Ollie, Winnie, and their parents at the beautiful Chase Meadows Farm in North Salem for their photo session. These dogs were so well-mannered and incredibly loyal to Mom and Dad. No amount of calling, kissing, or noise-making, on my part, could make Ollie and Winnie take their eyes off their owners and look at the camera.
I learned that these spaniels were originally bred as royal lap dogs, and were used to keep fleas off their people. King Charles Spaniels were also sent with traveling ladies to keep them warm on their winter carriage rides. This history truly explains the mannerisms of these well-behaved and loyal dogs.
Here is a preview of Ollie and Winnie’s photo session. Enjoy!
