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Archive: September, 2014



Sunset Cliffs Pet Photography Session with Peanut!

Thursday, September 25th, 2014

This Sunset Cliffs pet photography session was a very relaxed, slow-paced session… because that’s Peanut’s regular speed! You see, Peanut is almost 15 years old, and she doesn’t move terribly fast anymore. That’s okay, of course – she’s earned the right to go slow! :)  Peanut is a total sweetheart, and a classic “Heinz 57” mix of breeds. (Which is to say that there’s no telling what kind of dog she is!) She lives with her parents in the Ocean Beach/Point Loma area of San Diego, just a few blocks away from Sunset Cliffs. Se we started our session in Peanut’s backyard, amidst familiar surroundings & lush, comfortable grass, so Peanut would be completely comfortable. And then we headed out to the cliffs, her favorite walking spot! She showed me “the arch”, and we even got to see a few teenagers take a flying leap! (As a non-native to San Diego, I was pretty impressed, until Peanut’s mom told me that everyone makes that jump when they’re young, haha!) We enjoyed a picture-perfect sunset together, and I think Peanut really enjoyed being the center of attention. (When I didn’t give her a treat fast enough, she would eventually start barking at me! Old dogs have attitude too!)

 

I love it when senior dogs smile.

sunset cliffs pet photography

 

She struck a regal pose for me on Sunset Cliffs…

sunset cliffs pet photography

 

… and eventually we found a cute old fence and a gorgeous sunset sky to pose in front of. Peanut moves slowly these days, but that’s okay – that happy smile & those floppy ears are worth the wait! :)

sunset cliffs dog photo

 

 

Thanks for a lovely afternoon, Denise & Robert! :)

 

Del Mar Maltipoo Photo Session with Finn

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

If you’re looking at the title of this blog post and wondering if I’ve photographed a new species of animal, rest assured: Finn is a fun-loving canine! He just happens to have a rather modern breed name. Maltipoos are maltese-poodle mixes, and they’re just one of a huge list of new poodle-mix combinations that are popping up everywhere! Yorkiepoos, pekepoos, cavapoos… not to mention goldendoodles and labradoodles! Poodles are a great breed for families who can’t have a dog that sheds, and they’ve been bred recently with all types of other dogs to combine their best qualities for people of all different lifestyles. Check out this website for more information and a list of hybrid dog breeds you’ve probably never heard of!

 

This maltipoo photo session in particular had a very special purpose: Finn’s parents are getting married, so one of their photos will help them announce their wedding date to their friends & families! How great is that?! I love that they wanted to include Finn (their “first child”) in that process!

 

First we played in Powerhouse Park, where Finn chased his tennis ball and was fed plenty of treats. He also showed-off a bit, with this nice long sit-stay! :)

maltipoo photography

 

Then we headed down to the beach, where I learned that seaweed is one of Finn’s favorite things. He loves to play with it, tug on it, drag it around the beach like a trophy… haha, it was too cute to see him prancing around with a big chunk of seaweed in his mouth!

What do you think… is this a cute “save the date” photo?

maltipoo photo session

 

And finally, after running in all directions and chasing a few birds, Finn settled down for a reflective moment in the last light of the day.

maltipoo photo

 

Wynter & Craig, I’m so excited for your save the date – and the rest of our photos too, haha! I’ll be in touch! :)

 

Kensington Pet Photography Session with Lucy the Jack Russell Terrier

Sunday, September 21st, 2014

I couldn’t stop laughing during this Kensington pet photography session! I spent an hour with Lucy and her family at their gorgeous home in the Kensington neighborhood of San Diego, and Lucy was the perfect little model! She’s only six months old, and “scared of her own shadow”, as her parents say… and true to her timid nature, she flinched the first few times I fired my camera’s shutter. But with a bit of coaxing, and plenty of treats, she quickly decided that posing for the camera wasn’t so bad after all! And from then on, she gave me all the puppy cuteness my camera could handle!

 

 This is Lucy! Can you handle that face?!

kensington pet photography session

 

 I know her mom loves the puppy-head-tilt look, and Lucy does it soooo well!

kensington pet photography session

 

 

 So, Lucy is scared of many things, including new places. And walks. So her parents came up with a brilliant solution: they use a skateboard to explore the neighborhood! It’s like a security blanket for Lucy; she loves it and is willing to travel much further on the skateboard than she would on a regular walk! So if you’re ever in Kensington and happen to see a Jack Russell rolling by, you can bet that it’s Miss Lucy!

kensington pet photography

 

 

 When I told my friends that I’d be photographing a Jack Russell terrier puppy, they unanimously said “good luck!” And Lucy had plenty of that trademark Jack Russell energy to spare. But by the end of our photo session, we had successfully tuckered her out! Haha – looks like I won this round! :)  Sleep well, Lucy!

kensington pet photos

 

Thanks again for a fabulous evening, Alina & Mike! We have so many cute photos – I can’t wait for you to see the rest of them!  :)

 

Studio Dog Photos of Nina & Toby in San Diego, CA

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

I’ve always loved the way dogs look up at their owners. I adore the happy, loving look in a dog’s eyes as they keep an eye on their mom or dad, checking to make sure that everything is okay, and letting them know that they’re ready to play at a moment’s notice. That joyful glow somehow reveals their boundless trust and devotion. Sometimes all I have to do is look down at my Bailey, and she starts wagging her tail…

This sneak peek of Nina & Toby’s photo session includes two photos featuring “the look”. Nina & Toby are great dogs – happy, confident pooches with exuberant energy – and I got to see all sides of their personalities during their time in the studio. They didn’t “sit” or “stay” every time we asked them to (although they had much more obedience under their belts than the average dog, that’s for sure!), but I noticed that they were constantly looking to their parents for guidance & love. And honestly, if they didn’t listen to a command, it was only to come wiggling over to their parents for pets & attention! So I think two of my favorite images from their session are moments in which they had that look in their eyes; the look of wanting to please and wanting to love, the look of dogged devotion. And I just can’t get enough of it!

 

This is Toby, the younger & more free-spirited of the two. He’s a lab mix, with an intriguing coat that seems to be halfway between brown & black… and of course that big lab grin!

studio dog photo 1

 

And this is Nina, a gorgeous German shepherd girl – and let me tell you, my camera loves her! Aren’t shepherds beautiful?!

studio dog photo 2

 

We spent a bit of time on the white and the gray backdrops… and honestly, I’m not sure which “look” I like better! Every studio dog photography session client has their choice of white, gray & black backdrops, and we’ll often switch halfway through the session for an interesting variety of final images. Nina & Toby look good everywhere, apparently! :)

studio dog photos

 

Elyse & Obed, I had a wonderful time with all four of you! Can’t wait to see you again soon! :)

 

Ocean Beach Pet Photography Session with Yoda & Obi-Wan!

Monday, September 15th, 2014

I shared a gorgeous & fun-filled Ocean Beach pet photography session with two adorable chihuahua mixes recently! As you might guess from their names, their parents are Star Wars fans – but I was surprised to learn that their personalities have almost nothing in common with their namesakes! Yoda, for example, is full of energy and ball-crazy; she could play fetch for hours! And while she’s technically the “older and wiser” of the sisters, she didn’t remind me at all of the serene, serious character from the Star Wars stories. And Obi-Wan (wasn’t that the Jedi who trained Luke Skywalker?) is a goofy, dancing-and-spinning, little-sister personality that, well, probably wouldn’t be fit for teaching one of the most powerful Jedis in the universe. She was adopted from Second Chance Rescue (Yoda is from Helen Woodward Animal Center), and she wasn’t exactly a planned addition to the family – but once Yoda’s parents saw Obi’s cute little face, they couldn’t say no! And what’s even more exciting about this session: this family is expecting a baby soon! I’m sure Yoda & Obi will be fantastic big sisters… so for now, their mom & dad wanted to commemorate the beauty of their family before it changes with the new addition. What a wonderful reason to have a pet photography session, don’t you think?

 

This is Yoda! She’s proof that the term “ball-obsessed” isn’t just for labradors.

ocean beach pet photo

 

Okay, fine, I suppose those EARS are pretty true to her namesake!

ocean beach pet photography

 

And here’s Obi-Wan, or Obi for short. This is her treat face – “Treat? Can I have it? Gimme the treat? PLEASE?”

ocean beach pet photography

 

Aaaaand there’s her happy face. She’s a little athlete, just like her sister!

pet photography ocean beach

 

 

Lesli & Stephen, thank you for showing me around your neighborhood! I had a wonderful time with you both – and I can’t wait to share more photos with you soon! :)

 

 

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