• Rio
  • Pork Chop
  • Oscar
  • Riley
  • Skyler
  • Higgins
  • Madison
  • Sundance, Russ & Cisco
  • Riley
  • Kendall & Raven
  • Gemma
  • Casey & Brittany
Me with my muse, Bailey!

About Allison Shamrell Photography:

Thanks for visiting my blog! My name is Allison, and I work in San Diego, CA, capturing the personalities of dogs and cats of all sizes & temperaments. I do photo sessions on location and in-studio, and my photography style is natural, playful & soulful.

Here on my blog, I tell the stories of recent sessions and events. You might even find an insight or two into the behind-the-scenes side of my business! You can see my portfolio & session info on my main website, via the link above.

Call: 619-357-6624 //  Email: Allison@AllisonShamrell.com //  Visit: 11828 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 204, San Diego, CA 92128

Officially Voted the Best Pet Photographer in San Diego, 2014-2026.

Happy Halloween – I mean, Howl-o-ween!

November 1st, 2012

Did you have a good Halloween? I hope so!

I wanted to share a few photos of Bailey’s Halloween costume with you, because the Lord knows I spend way more time on her getup every year than mine! If you’re a fan of the Facebook page, you’ve probably already seen these pictures. But they deserve their own blog post!

We decided (okay, I decided) to dress Bailey up as a lion this year because she’s mostly Rhodesian ridgeback. She’s a mixed breed and we’re not sure what else she has in her, but she’s the spitting image of a Rhodesian. So we did a bit of research on this breed, and it turns out they’re a type of dog bred in Africa for the purpose of hunting lions. Lions! How cool is that?! So Bailey’s costume harkens back to her ancestors. These photos were taken amidst the African savanna’s tall grasses and wide open plains; isn’t it obvious? Haha! Enjoy!

 

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

Fierce predator.

A photo of a dog dressed as a fierce lion for Halloween 2012.

 

She sees you through the grass! Run & hide!

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion looking through tall grasses for Halloween 2012.

 

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion and peering through the grass for Halloween 2012.

 

A black & white photo of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

hee hee… I’m pretty sure I have WAY too much fun with my dog…

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

Two photos of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

I’d like to think she’s sniffing out her next prey here.

A photo of a dog dressed as a lion for Halloween 2012.

 

Was Bailey a willing model? No, not really. Lesson learned: she prefers the costumes that are more shirt-like and cover her back, instead of the ones she has to wear on her head. Sigh. Still, it was a lot of fun for me! For Bailey, one day of misery a year isn’t too bad… right?

 

 

Changing With the Times: DVDs vs. USBs

October 30th, 2012

Hey everyone!

 

October has been a whirlwind month for me – not with sessions, but with trips out of town. Today is my first day back to work, and I’m proud and thrilled to announce that I’m fully booked through Christmas! Woohoo! :)

 

But amidst playing catch-up, and looking at devastating coverage of Hurricane Sandy’s wrath, one more big thing has been on my mind today: making adjustments in my business to be ready for the future. Yes, the future! This is what I’m talking about:

 

 

That’s a screen shot from apple.com’s online store. It’s Apple’s second computer for which there’s no CD/DVD drive. The MacBook Air has USB ports, and so does this new beast, but no CDs or DVDs will work on them without an external device just for reading the discs. This is no longer a fluke; it’s a trend. And before someone yells at me, I know that Apple isn’t the end-all-be-all of technology! Haha! But let’s face it: who pioneered the touchscreen phone? They did. And now everything is touchscreen. That’s just one example; Apple is at the forefront of technology and design. You just can’t deny it. Love ’em or hate ’em, they’re ridiculously influential. And I can’t help but think other companies will follow their example and omit CD/DVD drives on their new computers as well.

 

The fact is, the DVDs I sell are probably my most popular product, but if they’re even just beginning the trip downhill and following the way of the floppy disk, that means I’m providing obsolete technology to my clients. Guess what? I’m not okay with that.

 

But before I make any big decisions, I want to get YOUR opinion. As a solution for delivering digital files, what would you think if I offered custom USB flash drives instead of DVDs? Do you consider them more or less useful? Convenient? Breakable? Misplace-able?

 

Thank you so much for leaving me a comment below, or sending me a message – I’m excited to hear what you all have to say! :)

 

-Allison

 

A Pomeranian Named Molly

October 19th, 2012

Tap tap… is this thing on? I haven’t posted in weeks! This blog practically has dust on it. Sorry regular blog followers; I’ve been on vacation (and a post about that is definitely coming soon) so I hope you’ve made it all right without your doggy-photo-fix! :)

 

I am thrilled to introduce Molly, a young pomeranian that’s already living with her third owner. The first two families Molly had didn’t take very good care of her, but the third time is truly the charm for this little cutie! Molly pretty much hit the jackpot with her mom Johanna; the two make a beautiful pair and each one is truly devoted to the other. I just love seeing relationships like this!

 

We went out into the early morning sunlight in Pensacola for our session. A few uninvited guests (aka other, off-leash dogs) made an appearance but Molly scared them off with her fierceness (oh yes she did) and we had plenty of time to get some beautiful images. Here are just a few!

 

Molly looking up at her mom = adoration.

A fawn-colored pomeranian smiles for the camera and looks up at her owner.

 

We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather! (Although I was probably laying in bird poo as I took this.)

A pomeranian lays on a dock against a pretty blue sky with her owner in the background.

 

Thanks for a wonderful morning, Johanna and Molly – I can’t wait to see you again soon! :)

 

 

Niceville Pet Photography: Memphis, Gracie & Chloe

October 2nd, 2012

You know how this summer was pretty rainy? Like, rainier than most summers? Yeah, I do too, and so does Meredith. She’s Memphis, Gracie & Chloe’s mom, and we’ve been planning this session since JUNE! The absolutely ridiculous weather forced us to keep rescheduling until now, so first of all, Meredith should be commended for having the patience of a saint. But I already knew she’d be patient – she’s a first grade teacher! I was so excited to finally meet Meredith and her dogs in person; I felt like we were friends already from all the times we’d communicated back and forth! And our session was SO much fun with her three fur-babies; let me introduce you!

 

This is Chloe, a five-year-old pug. She loooooved being the center of attention! (what a cutie, right?)

A pug sits at a woman's feet on a dock.

 

Oh, Chloe’s face. Don’t you just want to give her everything she could ever want? Sigh. On the right is Memphis, a ten-year-old pug. I love that crazy running look that pugs get! I posted another (slightly calmer) photo of him to the Facebook page on Saturday.

A pug looks up at the camera and one runs through green grass.

 

Memphis’ little paws…

A close-up zoomed in on pugs' feet on a wooden dock.

 

And here’s big sis Gracie! She’s a boxer mix (I’m guessing with some pit bull, too) and she’s also five years old.

Dogs on a dock and looking out a car window.

 

 

Two pugs sit on a concrete bench, with water in the background.

 

Gracie has a bit of trust issues, so I saw both of these faces pretty often throughout the session… ha!

A boxer - pit bull mixx smiles and barks at the camera.

 

Gracie can MOVE!

A boxer/pit bull mix runs through a green backyard.

 

That’s it for now… probably one of the biggest Sneak Peeks I’ve ever posted, since I’m going on out of town for a bit. Meredith, thank you again for being so wonderful to work with – and please say hi to the pups for me! I’ve got SO many more photos to show you (remember Chloe on the blue+green comforter?) so remember to watch the Facebook page for updates! :)

 

Big Dogs in Pretty Places

September 26th, 2012

Oh, I just loved this session! I shared a fantastic morning with Jamie, Rich & their three dogs, and when I try and think about what specifically made this session so great, I can’t just think of one thing:

~  We started the day at a relative’s farm out in Molino. Future clients: if you have access to wide open spaces and/or beautiful property out in the country, PLEASE let me know! This was a great spot to start our day!

~  We took a sweet ride in an open-air Jeep.

~  If you’re a regular blog follower, you know: this session was (in part) my birthday gift to myself! Because in two years of business, I had never photographed a Bernese mountain dog, and I think they’re such beautiful dogs. So it was my pleasure to meet Juno the Bernese – and she didn’t disappoint!

~  The two other dogs were a golden retriever and a chocolate lab. Hellooooooo happy dogs.

But enough talk! Let’s get to the photos! This is an extra-large Sneak Peek so here we go…

 

 Let’s start with Juno! She’s 3 years old, she loooooooves that ball, and as you can see, she listens when her mom talks to her. (a.dorable.)

A fun Bernese mountain dog playing with a ball and with her owner.
 

Sydney is the next-oldest at 7, and she’s a total goofball! I love her “turtle” pose in the studio.

A goofy golden retriever in the grass and the studio.
 

Last but certainly not least, at 14 years young, is Shiva. She is a sweet girl and loves playing with her parents.

An elderly chocolate labrador relaxes in the studio and a field.

 

Jamie & Rich, thank you so much for a session that was nonstop fun. Your gallery is sizing up to be extra large – I can’t wait to see you all again soon!

 

 

All Images Copyright Allison Shamrell Photography: | Blog Theme Created by LJP & SLR Lounge