I had an absolutely perfect photo session recently with Starr & Max, golden retrievers who live in Carlsbad. And don’t get me wrong: even though I describe it as “perfect”, things got a little silly at times, a couple of aspects definitely didn’t go according to plan, and Max made it clear that he never realllllly wanted to sit still and pose for my camera, haha! But the “plan” and the preconceived notions of what the dogs “should” do during a photo session really don’t have anything at all to do with how well the session goes. Instead, what made this session truly perfect was the family I got to meet, and the relationships I got to witness. Starr & Max are both senior dogs that have been with their family for over a decade; their brothers are young men now, and one of them told me he remembers adopting the dogs when he was in second grade. I got to see them play fetch with sticks and tennis balls in the sunlight, sit and relax in the shade together, and even go for a little walk as a family, all 4 people and the golden retrievers too. It was beautiful and perfect and everyone had a good time – and as a result, I think we ended up with some pretty nice photos! ;)

This is Max – who his family always thought was the younger dog by about 2 years, but after a big of digging, his mom just found out that he’s only a few months younger than his sister! Isn’t he handsome?

And this is Starr, proving she can still chase after a ball if she wants. I just love her flappy ears!

Oh Max. You’re such a happy boy.

Don’t you just adore the way Starr looks up at her dad?! Total sweetness.

Theresa & Doug (and Justin & Zack), thank you so much for including me in such a lovely afternoon together! I’m excited to share the rest of our photos with you soon! :)

Tags: Carlsbad, dogs, golden retriever, park, pet photography, pets, photography, San Diego, San Diego Dog Photographer, San Diego pet photography, senior