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Best of 2014 Pet Photography in San Diego

Wednesday, January 14th, 2015

I have a treat for you today! I’ve spent a bit of time recently putting together a massive blog post… and it features my favorite images from all of 2014! That’s right, an entire year, summed up into one blog post! I picked three photos from each session I photographed, and let me tell you, limiting these “favorites” down to just three of each family was hard! But I’m excited to show you the final result… so settle in for a whole bunch of puppy cuteness coming your way! The photos are in in alphabetical order, by each pets’  names, and I’ll try to resist making comments on every single one… but I can’t make any promises, haha! I’m so excited to introduce you to EACH of my amazing clients! So here we go… it’s the Best of 2014!

 

 

 This is Annabel, the corgi! How cute is she, hiding in the grass?

cute corgi san diego

 

 … and rolling in it?!

corgi in grass in san diego

 

 I love this pup. Such a happy dog.

cute corgi photo

 

 

 This is Bailey and his family! Aren’t they beautiful?

modern family photo san diego

 

I think this photo might have ended up on their Christmas card…

black and white family photo

 

 Ahhh, the colors in the sky that night were incredible…

dog photo san diego

 

 

 This is Beatrix, the border collie puppy! She was just 10 weeks old when I met her!

san diego puppy photo

 

Those ears. Stop it right now.

cute puppy san diego

 

 She’s so beautiful! Can’t you just tell she’s going to grow up into a gorgeous dog?

border collie puppy

 

 

 This is Bella, and as you can see, she’s an award-winning dog! Check out all her obedience titles!

award winning dog

 

 Turns out, she’s smart and beautiful! :)

black and white dog

 

 And this is her best friend, Phelan the Keeshond! Doesn’t he just glow in the late afternoon sunlight?

keeshond san diego pet

 

 

 This cutie is Belle, hiding in the grass just off the beach in Del Mar! She’s a Bichon Frise!

bichon frise san diego

 

This photo graced the front of Belle’s family’s Christmas card this year, and I just about died laughing when I saw it! How cute is she?!

doggy christmas card

 

Okay, this is a close second place for a cute Christmas card photo! :)

family christmas photo

 

 

This is PeeWee, a cat that lives in Kensington with her canine siblings, Bernie & Stella. (You can see Stella in the reflection of the window here!)

cute cat window

 

 Bernie and his mom, on the beach in San Diego.

beach dog san diego

 

Bernie & Stella!

beach dogs

 

 

Here are Biscuit & Apollo, in a park just down the road from their house in northern San Diego!

happy dogs photo

 

 

black dog photo

 

 

best pet photo 2014

 

 

 This is Blitz! His stunning black fur combined with that bright pink tongue make a great combination, in my opinion… (plus, I love bloopers, haha!)

dog tongue

 

 

best family photo with dog

 

 

woman with dog

 

 

This is Bolt, the westie!

san diego westie

 

 

best westie photo

 

 He may be little, but he can RUN!

running dog san diego

 

 

This is Brigette, the miniature poodle! (And this is her favorite spot in the house – her parents’ bed!)

cute mini poodle

 

 Okay, really, this is her favorite spot: in her mother’s arms.

mini poodle san diego

 

 I hope her dad won’t get upset at me for posting this… but I just love the “conversation” they’re having!

family photo with poodle

 

 

This is (the silhouette of) Brizzie the labradoodle!

sunset dog photo

 

 Here she is, a little easier to see this time :)

labradoodle san diego

 

 

 … and this is Brizzie’s goofy sister, Dixie!

goofy golden retriever dog

 

 

This is a close-up of Butterbean, the black lab… for some reason I just love all those little bubbles & droplets on his whiskers.

dog close up photo

 

 He loves the water!

dog running in water

 

 Nobody tell Canon about this photo… I got a little too close! Oops!

shaking wet dog

 

 

This is Casper, the westie/terrier mix, in front of – where else? – the fabulous Hotel Del Coronado!

hotel del coronado dog

 

 He could have splashed through that gorgeous blue water all day long.

splashing dog water

 

 Here’s Casper & his mom – she’s the co-owner of Kensington Pet Supply!

beach dog woman

 

 

This is Chase, the bearded collie (or “beardie”) – a total goofball, as you can tell!

goofy dog photo

 

 

dog in purple water

 

 Playing catch at sunset? Yes please.

beach sunset photo dog

 

 

 Here are Chauncey & Grady, two adorable mutts from Kensington.

two mutts photo

 

 

cute mutt beach del mar

 

 

sunset dog silhouette

 

 

This is Chewie, the schnauzer mix!

dog on bed

 

 

dog in flowers

 

 

cute mutt san diego

 

 

This is Emma, the chocolate lab puppy…

best chocolate labrador photo

 

… and here’s the rest of her family! Aren’t they beautiful together?

family photo with dogs

 

 

Emma & big sister Chloe also visited the studio for a second session this year…

chocolate labradors

 

 

… so here’s another photo, just for fun! :)

happy silly dog

 

 

 This is Cleo, the terrier mix… (she has plenty to say)

terrier mix dog

 

and this is her brother Tucker, the chihuahua mix!

chihuahua mix

 

 Tucker & Cleo also joined me for another photo session outdoors, later in the year!

chihuahua mix san diego

 

 It was especially fun to see Cleo let loose and RUN!

dog action photo

 

 Plus, they brought their friend Rusty, the winking dachshund! ;)

winking dachshund dog

 

 

Here are Daisy & Duke and their mom, on the coast in Del Mar.

best beach dogs photo

 

 

walking down the beach

 

Ahhhh – Duke’s profile is so amazing! What a handsome dog!

best dog silhouette photo

 

 

Here’s Daisy & Mony, two pups from Carlsbad!

studio mutts photo

 

Mony has such a good “serious” face.

border collie san diego

 

You can see this photo hanging up in Colony Vet Hospital – their mom is the vet there!

cute mutt studio

 

 

 Who doesn’t love English bulldogs? These pups are named Delilah & Bella.

best english bulldogs photo

 

 They got a little rowdy with their Halloween costumes…

bulldogs in costumes

 

 … Merry Christmas? :)

funny bulldogs christmas

 

 

This is Clyde, the 8-year-old dachshund…

dachshund in studio

 

 … and his sister Della, the German shepherd puppy!

german shepherd puppy

 

 Della LOVES fetch!

german shepherd photo

 

 

These lookalike mutts are Dexter & Rocco, here in their backyard.

san diego mutts

 

  LOVE that face!

happy mutt san diego

 

Dexter is permanently attached to his mom’s side. So sweet.

woman dog backyard

 

 

This little cutie is Buster, a shih tzu in San Marcos…

shih tzu photo

 

 

 … and this is his buddy Phineas with his mom, Liz! She might be a familiar face if you’ve ever stopped into Dogs Abound – she’s the co-owner there, with Buster’s mom!

cute licking photo

 

 Phineas is ball-obsessed, can you tell? :)

best action dog photos

 

 

This is Ele! These sweet eyes are just too much for me to handle… how can you possibly say no to that face?

dog with owners

 

 You might have seen her floppy ears in person if you’ve ever visited Hairy & Merry in Little Italy! She’s the shop mascot!

best dog ears

 

… and apparently she thought our session was a bit boring at the end, haha!

sleeping cute cute photo

 

 

This is Faith! This adorable terrier mix lives in Point Loma.

terrier puppy

 

Everyone coordinated their wardrobe for our photo session! (Or I wonder if mom & dad chose their clothes to match Faith’s harness…)

terrier with family

 

 

cute terrier puppy

 

 

 This is Finn! Posing like a pro on the beach in Del Mar.

maltipoo beach photo

 

I love Finn’s cute family!

maltipoo family photo

 

 

maltipoo photo

 

 

 This is Fozzie…

best goldendoodle photo

 

… and here he is with his brother, Goober, and their parents!

dog family photo san diego

 

 They happen to have a nice, big backyard for Goober to wander around in.

best golden retriever photo

 

 

Oh my goodness – the head tilts on these two are too much! Here are Haley & Teddy, Australian shepherds!

australian shepherd dogs

 

 

aussie action photo

 

 

best aussie photo san diego

 

 

This too-cute-for-words puppy is Milan…

corgi puppy

 

… she loves her mom…

best corgi photo

 

 … and here’s her older brother, Harley!

corgi san diego

 

 

 This happy family includes a childhood friend of mine, and pups Harvey & Batgirl!

family with dogs

 

 

dog chasing ball

 

 

french bulldog san diego

 

 

These gorgeous goldens are named Hudson & Harley.

golden retrievers

 

 

golden retriever puppy

 

 Hudson loves his human siblings!

golden retriever paw

 

 

These two adventure-loving hounds are Hunter & Caymen!

dogs with barn

 

 

border collie mix

 

 

family on san diego beach

 

 

This sweet old face belongs to Izzy, a shar pei. She was recently diagnosed with cancer, unfortunately – but her treatments are going well & she’s fighting back! Yay!

shar pei dog

 

 And she loves her mom… very much.

shar pei san diego

 

 This is Izzy’s brother, Pico!

cuddly black lab mix

 

 

This is Jilli, a golden retriever/Australian shepherd mix!

dog in water

 

 

dog running on beach

 

 Fetch is her favorite thing. Ever.

cute dog wants to play

 

 

 Here are Kendall, Raven & their mom Deb! I must have told a funny joke… :)

dogs in studio

 

 

happy family with dogs

 

 Raven can’t get enough of the hose!

happy jumping dog

 

 

This is Kiva, a gorgeous rag doll cat in Del Mar.

cat in del mar

 

 Kitty paws! Eeek!

cat paws

 

 Kiva & her mom! Love them!

cat in studio

 

 

This scruffy pup is Lily, and she lives the good life with her parents in Carlsbad!

dog with flowers

 

 

best running dog photo

 

 

dog sitting at door

 

 

Lottie the Rottweiler shows off an alternative type of family photo pose…

rottweiler family photo

 

 She must not have gotten the “dress in white” memo. ;)

alternative family photo with dog

 

What a goofball!

goofy dog outdoors

 

 

This is Lucy the Jack Russell terrier puppy – or, as you may call her, Master of the Head Tilt.

puppy head tilt

 

 Lily’s front yard was an absolute dream to photograph in – so many fun colors & textures!

adorable jack russell terrier puppy

 

 But Lucy’s a puppy, after all, so by the end of her session she was totally tuckered out!

sleeping puppy

 

 

This is Lucy, a particularly regal golden retriever.

regal_dog

 

 This is Lucy’s sister, Gracie, in action…

running_golden_retriever

 

 … and this is their baby sister, Scarlett! I have to admit, this photo is kind of a blooper, but I love A) the ball about to narrowly miss my head as it whizzes by, B) those big puppy eyes locked on her target, and C) Scarlett’s mom’s expression as she realizes that ball she just threw is almost going to hit me! Haha!

action_dog

 

 

This is Maddie & her mom Leslie, in their second session with me…

woman with dog

 

 … I just love this silly dog! And I’m so glad to keep seeing her doing well after her cancer treatments in the past!

black mix dog san diego

 

 

sunset woman dog

 

 

This is (the bottom half of) Marley, an American Staffordshire terrier, and her mom Sarah. Marley tends to get excited and JUMP! :)

studio dog jumping

 

 Here she is, in her happy place.

san diego pit bull

 

 

black and white pit bull

 

 

This is Sally! She’s a sheltie, and has two brothers…

coronado sheltie

 

… Marty & Tag!

coronado shelties

 

 Oh, Tag, you are such a shy sweetheart. And those ears… too cute!

black and white sheltie

 

 

This is Molly! She’s a Jack Russell terrier & enjoys hiding her tennis ball in the bushes sometimes.

jack russell san diego

 

 

happy old dog

 

 And this is Molly’s sibling, Snowball the rabbit!

bunny rabbit san diego

 

 

Peanut the mixed-breed dog is such a great poser! She lives with her parents in Point Loma.

point loma dog photo

 

 

best point loma dog photo

 

 

dog outtake photo

 

 

Pete is a goofy, happy pit bull in Escondido!

best pittie picture

 

 I LOVE the way he runs! Look at all that happiness, haha!

running pittie

 

 But Pete’s favorite spot is actually indoors, relaxing on the couch.

san diego pittie

 

 

This is Pi the tabby cat, in his dad’s arms.

san diego tabby cat

 

 

cute San Diego cat

 

 

best cat black and white

 

 

 Here are Prim & Track, vizslas from San Diego! We visited Fiesta Island for their photo session, and they ran around everywhere!

vizslas playing san diego

 

 

vizsla in water

 

 They may be intense athletes, but they clean up pretty nicely too. :)

vizslas san diego

 

 

 This is Roxy! She’s a lucky dog – her parents own Camp Bow Wow in El Cajon!

elderly labrador

 

 … and this is Roxy’s goofy, happy face! :)

best funny dog triptych

 

 And this is Roxy’s sister Madison. With plenty of attitude.

dog with attitude san diego

 

 

These big eyes belong to Roxy, a pug/dachshund mix! (Don’t you want to give her a treat right now?? That expression, gah!)

san diego puggle

 

 And this is Roxy’s sister Ruthie, the greyhound!

best greyhound photo

 

 

 Ruthie is so pretty!

san diego greyhound

 

 

This vizsla puppy is named Newman. And yes, he fell asleep in my studio. #toocuteforwords

sleeping dog in studio

 

 Here’s Ruger, his more elderly counterpart – these were two of four vizslas I photographed in one session!

old dog

 

 This is Ruger’s feline sister, Marley.

cat on billiards table

 

 

 This gorgeous duo is Sammy & his mom Janet, at the beach in San Diego.

dog beach silhouette

 

 I just love this sunset silhouette photo!

best sunset dog picture

 

 I just realized that you don’t get to see Sammy or Janet’s faces in any of these three photos… sorry! I promise they’re just as good-looking from the front! But I just love this peaceful, end-of-the-day beach photo, and I couldn’t resist including it with my other two favorites.

best dog beach photo

 

 

 Puppy birthday parties? Yes please! This is Savannah, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!

birthday puppy photo

 

 

cavalier king charles spaniel puppy

 

 

spaniel puppy with mom

 

 

Haha – this shaking dog is Scooby, a chocolate lab!

dog shaking water

 

 

human and dog feet

 

 

dog handing paw silhouette

 

 

And this pup’s name is also Scooby! His session was scheduled at the last minute, because of medical issues… but he perked right up for his photos!

best yorkie san diego

 

 

best yorkie photo

 

 

last moments dog photo

 

 

AHHH! Stop it, Wellington, you are WAY too cute! I just love the way this pup runs with a big smile on his face!

san diego running puppy

 

 

girl holding dog

 

This is Wellington’s big sister, Star.

dog tongue

 

 

This golden beauty is Sadie, posing on the beach in Del Mar.

best golden retriever san diego

 

 I love golden retrievers’ fur when it gets wet. I really do. All kinds of interesting textures & patterns appear!

dog fur close up

 

 This is Sadie’s brother, Steam – a.k.a. Squeaks!

puggle san diego

 

 

This Yorkie’s name is Terri; he visited the studio with his parents for a few Christmas-themed photos!

best yorkie photo san diego

 

I don’t know what this expression is… but I loooove it! Haha! :)

yorkie san diego

 

 What an adorable family!

family with yorkie

 

 

Seriously, I feel like I should apologize to other photographers… because my clients are clearly the most gorgeous! These dogs are Trevor & Tori, with their parents in San Diego.

family beach photo san diego

 

 Tori the boxer doesn’t slow down very often… but when she does, it’s to spend time with her mom.

boxer on the beach in san diego

 

 

sweet black and white photo

 

 

This little cutie pie is Turbo! (and she’s appropriately-named, I can promise you that!)

pomeranian mix dog

 

 

san diego pomeranian

 

 She was such a great poser here in the studio!

studio dog cute

 

 

This is Wilson the corgi, searching for interesting smells and any trouble he can get into…

funny corgi

 

 … but just look at that face! Trouble, what trouble?

handsome corgi

 

 

happy corgi dog

 

 

 Winn Dixie the kitten was recently adopted, and I think she loves having a new home with her mom…

cute kitty snuggles

 

 … amidst a whole library to explore!

cat in books

 

 

beautiful cat picture

 

 

And finally, this is Yoda, the chihuahua mix who’s pretty much obsessed with her ball.

best dog chasing ball photo

 

 And here’s Yoda with her sister, Obi-Wan!

chihuahua mix dogs

 

 

family photo san diego

 

 

Oh my goodness – there you have it, my favorite photos of the year. (Okay, some of my favorites – I could have picked out so many more!) I can’t say this often enough: thank you, thank you, thank you to all my clients. You made my year downright fantastic and I feel so blessed to know each & every one of you, and your dogs & cats too. You’re awesome.

 

If this is your first visit to my blog and your dog isn’t included here in this post, I would love to include him/her in my 2015 wrap-up :) so please feel free to reach out to me with any questions about booking a photo session for your family, via email (Allison@AllisonShamrell.com) or phone (619-357-6624).

 

Thanks for visiting my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post!

 

Allison Shamrell Pet Photography has been voted the Best Pet Photographer in San Diego!

Monday, September 8th, 2014

Last week, the results of the San Diego A-List contest were revealed – and Allison Shamrell Pet Photography was awarded FIRST PLACE! I’m so incredibly excited to be named the Best Pet Photographer in San Diego!!!

 

best pet photographer in san diego

 

When I moved here last year, honestly, I was scared. I had no idea what the future held. I didn’t know if I could keep my business going in a new city, a place much bigger than where I had come from. I was optimistic, sure, and ready to work my booty off – but there were no guarantees. I was so, so thrilled when those first few inquiries came in, just as excited as I was back in 2010 when my first-ever clients came calling. It was a humility check, to go from the top of the market in Pensacola to the new kid on the block in San Diego. I saw the looks on people’s faces when I said “I’m a photographer, but I’m new to San Diego,” knowing that anyone could describe themselves that way… so why was I any different?

 

san diego best pet photographer

 

So if you’d told me back then that I’d be voted San Diego’s Best Pet Photographer just one year later, I probably would have laughed you out of the room. And even when the voting started several weeks ago, I shrugged and thought “well, we’ll see how this goes.” So Mr. Shamrell voted for me, and so did my mom, haha (thanks again Mom!). But then so did people that had seen my work on Facebook. Then my clients started voting for me… and even more than that, I heard from several clients that passed the link on to their friends & family! One client emailed me and said “I have already heard back from 3 friends that they voted for you.  Sent it out to about 13 so hopefully they will all vote.” I was floored! Absolutely stunned! Linda, ColleenSarah, I’m looking at you – I owe you HUGE thanks for spreading the word larger than just my network of people. Receiving that kind of support was an incredible feeling.

 

best pet photographer in san diego

 

It’s so often that when challenges come up, and we overcome them – well heck I’m really talking about myself, so okay, when I overcome a certain challenge – no matter how big or how small, by the time it’s resolved, there are five more issues on my plate to work through. Five more sessions to edit, five more albums to design, etc. So I get trapped in this cycle of working hard, and achieving the result I wanted, but not taking the time to celebrate or even acknowledge that it’s done because I suddenly have other things to deal with. The life of a business owner, right? So I think that if the San Diego A-List didn’t exist, I would have spent this time working with clients as usual, and never known that I needed to slow down and say, wait a minute, this was successful. My first year in business here was better than good, it was great, and it deserves to be celebrated! So this award has been a personal blessing, simply because it made me stop and realize that the awful fear & uncertainty I was feeling last year has gone away. And maybe I wouldn’t have realized that without the San Diego A-List; maybe I would have kept working and thinking “well at least I’m still here, right?” … Well, it turns out, I’m more than just “still here”. And for me, this is a great reminder to acknowledge and celebrate that!

 

bet pet photography in San Diego

 

Another part of what makes this so incredible is the fact that I have great relationships with the other pet photographers in town. I really do! Terran, Jen, Mike & Tee, just to name a few – I know them all personally and they’re truly great people. We all have different styles, and the right client for me is simply a different person than Mike & Tee’s ideal client. We offer entirely different experiences, and when I can tell that someone is looking for an experience that’s more in line with what they have to offer, I’m quick to refer that person to them, because I know it’s simply a better fit. Sure, we’re all photographers – but we’re all so different! In fact, want to know something that will probably sound crazy? I don’t believe in competition. I really don’t. Not when you have a potential client that’s willing to shop around, investigate different photographers, and take a look at their styles & personalities. At that point, that person will almost always end up gravitating toward a certain photographer… because that’s the best fit for them! I absolutely love it when my clients say they found me via Google, because then I know they’ve done their research! And at that point we always get along fabulously, and the experience is exactly in tune with their expectations, if not better. Now that’s a match made in heav- er, Google! :)

 

best studio pet photographer

 

I know I’ve rambled a bit here… it’s just because winning this award brings up several different feelings for me. It’s not as simple as “yay I won” – it means a LOT more to me than that. So to everyone who voted: thank you. Thank you so, so much. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. And I hope you know that it doesn’t mean – as the Best Pet Photographer in San Diego – that I’m about to sit back and relax. I’m going to keep pushing forward, keep working hard, and keep making sure each of my clients has a better experience than they could have imagined. Because that’s always been my standard – and there’s certainly no reason for it to change now!

 

Birthday Giveaway!

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

It’s that time of year again! Yahoo!

My birthday is September 3rd, and ever since I started my business, I’ve made it a tradition to give away a photo session every year to celebrate! The only catch: the recipient pet has to be a certain breed! 

In 2012, I gave away a session to a Bernese Mountain Dog, Juno. (Juno also brought her sisters, a labrador and a golden retriever, along for the session!) In 2013, I had just moved to San Diego and offered a session to a very rare breed of dog, the Afghan hound. Apparently it was too soon & too rare, because I didn’t receive any entries at all… which really surprised me, but hey, I learned what not to do! (aka, move to a new city and make a near-impossible request, haha!)

So this year, I have a new breed on my mind… one that I’ve wanted to photograph for quite a while now. It’s on my “wish list”, so to speak, and now I have the opportunity to ask the universe to make it a reality. (You could say it’s a birthday present to myself!) So… drumroll please… this year’s birthday giveaway “casting call” is for…

A setter! 

I would love to work with a setter – any kind! There are English, Gordon & Irish Setters, all of which are stunningly gorgeous. I just can’t get enough of their long, flowing fur & expressive faces.

dog photo session giveaway  birthday photo session  dog photo giveaway

Images courtesy of: petparent.me, sportingdogsaz.com, dog-names-and-more.com 

 

So do you have a setter? Here’s what to do:

 

~   The owner of the dog should email me at Allison@Allisonshamrell.com with a quick description of the dog, and a photo too (it can be a quick snapshot)

~   Extra credit: include why you’d like to win the session!

~   Send that email by the end of the week (Friday, Sept. 5 @ 5:00 pm)

~   That’s it! I’ll pick a winner by the end of the weekend!

 

 

Don’t have a setter, but want to make sure one lucky family can have a great experience?

~   Share this blog post with your favorite setter owner

~   Or just copy & paste www.allisonshamrellblog.com/birthday-dog-photo-session-giveaway to your Facebook page, to reach even more people!

 

 

(New to this blog, and want to see what all the fuss is about? Click here to see my photography portfolio.)

 

 

I’m so excited to work with a setter and meet a new family… I’m happy to cover the session fee, and I just know we’re going to have a great time! Good luck to all the entrants!  :)

One-Year Anniversary Celebration of the San Diego Studio!

Sunday, June 15th, 2014

Hooray! I’m so excited! Today (June 15, 2014) is the one-year anniversary celebration of signing the lease and getting the keys to 3251 Adams Avenue, the location that I picked for my studio here in San Diego!  I can hardly believe it’s been a whole year of living & doing business in America’s Finest City… and honestly, compared to this moment last year, it feels like a lot has changed. I actually have friends in town, haha (we moved here without knowing anyone!), I have an employee (yay for Haley!), and an entirely new marketing plan for this changing & growing business. Sometimes it’s easy to look back and only see the challenges that I’ve faced along the way – because it hasn’t been an easy ride – but there have been lots of little victories too! And today is for celebrating those moments and clients that have been the inspiration behind Allison Shamrell Pet Photography‘s first year in San Diego!

First things first: the prizes up for grabs! I have First Place, Second Place and Third Place goodies for a few very lucky winners! Drumroll please…

 

anniversary celebration grand prize

 

This is The Beagle Package, as outlined on the main website, and the only “catch” is that it has to take place in the Embarcadero, just south of Seaport Village! This is a location that I’ve been dying to photograph ever since moving here and seeing it for the first time – the well-kept grass, the big old trees, the striking city skyline in the background – I think it’ll be an incredibly dynamic place for a session, so I’m treating one lucky first-place winner and their dog(s) to this $175 value!

(This session covers one hour of session time & up to two dogs. More dogs and/or time can be added on for an additional fee.)

 

And the next prize…

anniversary celebration giveaway

 

This is another BIG prize, and it’s for TWO winners! It brings the cost of The Beagle Package down to just $75, for example… or you can spend it on products after your Dalmatian Package, which already comes with $100 in print credit, for a total product credit of $200! And with this, you’ll have the flexibility to go anywhere in San Diego for your session – whether you’d prefer your house, my studio, your dog’s favorite park, or anywhere in between. If you met me at the big San Diego Humane Society Walk for Animals event a few weeks ago, you know this is the same prize that a lucky drawing winner scored that day!

 

And the final prize…

anniversary third place prize

This is a lovely fine art print, 8×10″ in size, that’s mounted to styrene (a firm, acid-free backing material) that helps the print stay strong & flat. The styrene adds thickness, so you can either place this print in a frame, or prop it up on an easel for even simpler display! Either way, it’s a beautiful piece with the quote “Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole” by Roger Caras. And guess what: the design will be revealed on the Facebook page tomorrow, so be sure to “like” the page to see the finished piece! THREE people can win this prize!

 

Here’s how to enter: 

Simply leave a comment on this blog post with your name, your pet’s name(s), their breed(s), and why you want to win! 

Win a bonus entry by sharing this blog post on Facebook, too! Just leave a separate comment saying that you did so.

The final drawing will happen on Tuesday, June 17 at 5:00 pm, and winners will be contacted via email.

Good luck!

 

In addition to planning this giveaway, I’ve been reflecting a bit, too. Back when I first got the keys to the studio, I wrote a blog post which you can see here about how excited I was for the future, and everything else I was going through. Part of that post says:

I’m feeling a lot of different emotions right now – probably what every photographer that’s opened a studio goes through. I’m scared the space won’t live up to the ideas I have in my head if I can’t decorate it well enough. I’m scared for my upcoming bill at Home Depot. I’m scared that the investment will start to weigh on me. I’m scared of a break-in. But at the same time, I’m so excited to have a space in the community where I can invite people, clients & dogs over! I’m excited to be able to simply say, yes, I have a studio! I’m excited to decorate & design it, and I’m excited to have a place that can do everything I need it for: client meetings, shoots, ordering sessions, etc. Honestly, I’m a little bit excited to separate my business life from my personal life, because – not gonna lie – my time-management skills could use a bit of work (coughfacebookcough) and I think having limited access to my files at home might be just the push I need to be as productive as possible while working.

Looking back, I’m happy to say that the studio has lived up to the ideas I had in my head. The investment was a big one, and my Home Depot bills certainly added up, but all the progress slowly came to a close, and now I’m proud for my clients to visit my San Diego studio on a daily basis. Not to mention – I’ve met some incredible pets and seen some great photo sessions happen here! Check out just a few of the animals I’ve worked with this year, in & out of the studio:

belgian malinois photography point loma dogs photography  studio pet photography san diego  black french bulldog  pet photography in flowers  mcnab dog  studio dog photography  san diego labrador photo  fun pet photo      presidio park dog photography  in-home pet photography   balboa park flowers doggy  san diego studio cat photography shy rescue dog

 

So of course, there’s no other way I can finish this blog post than by profusely thanking the clients that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting this past year. There would be no anniversary celebration without you. Thank you – each of you – for everything, because while I feel honored to have given you memories & artwork of your family, I feel like you’ve given me so much more. Thank you.

The Marley Story

Monday, February 10th, 2014

I’m absolutely thrilled to introduce you to a special personal project of mine: The Marley Story. Inspired by one of my very favorite books, you’ll probably recognize a few scenes of the story – whether you’ve seen the movie, read the book, or your own dog has gotten into similar trouble! So without further ado, sit back, relax & enjoy.

 

Go ahead – click on it to enter “full screen” mode. It’s more fun that way.

 

 

I wanted to tell this story in pictures for two reasons. Firstly, I took it on as a creative personal project to stretch my storytelling skills. This project was very different from a normal photo session, and it was challenging in all sorts of ways. I could feel myself growing both photographically and as an album designer, both of which will benefit my future clients in the long run. As I’ve said before, photography is my way of telling stories, and I believe I’ve become a better storyteller through this project. And secondly, I wanted to tell this story because it’s simply so universally relatable. Every single person I know has a dog, has had a dog, or has stories about dogs they’ve known in their lives – and I think you could say the same. Marley the dog lived a life with perhaps a few more dramatic moments than some pets, but at the end of the day, there’s something wonderfully familiar & comforting about telling stories about a dog who is truly part of the family. And in my opinion, there are fewer better purposes to stories than to evoke comfort & happy memories.

 

I hope this story brightens your day and, if you have a dog, makes you want to give them a hug! :)

 

If you’re a first-time visitor to my blog, welcome! Feel free to take a look around! You can also visit my main website by clicking here, or connect with me on Facebook or Pinterest as well. I’d be honored if you choose to share this story with your friends & family, either by posting it to social media or – even better – gathering around the screen & experiencing it together.

 

“A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.”

– John Grogan

 

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