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.
My name is Bailey, and my mom finally let me make my own blog post! I’m fourteen years old today! I was born on June 10th, 2009. Here is a picture of me as a puppy:
I know, right? I was crazy! But since then I’ve had a lot of fun; I’m so glad Mom and Dad adopted me. We’ve been on lots of adventures together: to the dog beach, dog parks, tubing down the Coldwater River (I swim!), and a couple of weeks ago we took a trip to Destin! It was fun but way too long in the car. They’ve taught me a bunch of tricks, too – always for treats. Mom took me outside today for a few birthday pictures and promised treats… sometimes I got impatient.
This year I also dressed up as a shark for Halloween – look how scary I am!
And one day Mom put me in Dad’s flight suit! It was really cool! Dad wasn’t very happy when he found out, though. Something about my fur getting everywhere. Whatever.
(The picture isn’t very good because Mom took it on her phone. Silly Mom.)
Would you like to see more of my modeling work?? Sometimes I feel mysterious…
But whenever I’m outside I like to hunt. You should see how fast I run. Someday maybe a greyhound will let me race him. Bunnies are my absolute favorite to chase! Any birds up there??
Anyways, I’m going to go take a nap on the bed now. Sometimes I have to tell Mom, just stop with the pictures!! She gets out of control if you’re not careful. I just have to put my paws up and say, enough!
Maybe I’ll get to write another blog post soon, this was fun. Goodbye world! Happy birthday to me!
Lola and Sprockett are two completely opposite dogs. Let’s start with the basics: Lola is a girl (the cocker spaniel), and Sprockett is a boy. Lola is a cute mix of black & white, and Sprockett is totally stark white. But while Sprockett is a happy, outgoing dog, Lola has a troubled past (she might be from a puppy mill) and doesn’t ever wants to be without her mother, Deb. She’s a fearful dog, and never seems to be quite at ease when anyone besides Deb is around. It’s a sad thing to witness, and a testament to the horrible truth of puppy mills and dog abuse. It’s a good thing Lola has found such a loving home with Deb!
I still managed to get a few smiles out of both Lola and Sprockett during our session at the Milton dog beach! How could a day at the park not cheer anyone up? Here’s the Sneak Peek of these cuties.
Here’s Lola!
The always-outgoing Sprockett…
Plus, they came straight from the groomers to our session – and what would a grooming be without a little pizzazz?
Thanks again for a great afternoon, Deb! Talk to you soon!
~ Dog Photography in Milton, Florida by Allison Shamrell ~
This handsome brother and sister (yes, they’re actually brother and sister!) are Jade & Luke, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Aren’t they beautiful? They were great posers during our session – although I can’t help thinking they must have long doggy to-do lists, because they seemed to always want to move on to the next spot. Jade carried her mom’s purse across the park, Luke made sure all our tennis balls were accounted for… it’s no wonder these retrievers are working dogs! I’m glad they were able to take a break on Saturday morning to take a few photos with me.
I have to make a confession. These dogs’ names combine to make “Jake”, so that’s what I called poor Luke all day. Plus, I’m still reeling in the wake of doing lots and lots of mini-sessions at 3 Dogs & A Chick, so this Sneak Peek is technically a day late. As an apology, I’ve included an extra photo at the end of this post. You should have seen these dogs and their tennis balls! :)
Thanks, Sarah & Matt! See you soon!
~ Dog Photography in Pensacola, Florida by Allison Shamrell ~
I know some people are very loyal to specific breeds. I have clients that absolutely love all golden retrievers, some that really can’t get enough of schnauzers, and one that wouldn’t consider owning anything but a westie. But I think they’ve all met their match with one of the most fearsome, intimidating breeds of all: the pug.
Talking to Madonna’s owners opened up a new level of devotion that I’ve never seen before. Don’t get me wrong; their house isn’t full of wall-to-wall pug decorations; they don’t head the Florida chapter of Pug Lovers; they don’t spend thousands of dollars for the finest grooming and boarding money can buy. No, they’re a completely normal couple. But their love for their pug, Madonna, makes them absolutely light up with joy whenever they talk about her or when she scoots into the room. This little roly-poly dog makes her owners so, so happy! And it was a beautiful thing to witness. Here is the Sneak Peek for this special session.
Madonna has a couple of Jack Russell Terrier brothers, too – this is Hobbes and Bully. Fisher the yellow lab joined in, too – you’ll see photos of him when I can reveal the entire session!
~ Dog Photography in Perdido Key, Florida by Allison Shamrell ~
This wise old man, sweet old girl, and crazy young lady all live together with their mom, the fabulous Nicole of 3 Dogs & A Chick. It was a lot of fun to meet them and hang out in their (awesome) yard, photographing the way they simply always are. I’ll remember this session for how relaxed it was – more than just because we didn’t try for any running and jumping photos! There is a calm about these dogs, this household, that is enviable. You could feel the sense of harmony as these pups happily wandered around, sniffing the leaves and monitoring the squirrel activity among the trees. It was almost therapeutic, so thank you, Nicole, for opening your family to me and my lens.
Plus, a big piece of good news from the Porch Patrol!
Allison Shamrell Photography will officially be INVADING 3 Dogs & A Chick for mini-sessions at the end of this month!
That’s right, you can sign up now for a time slot on Saturday, May 28th to get photos like these of your own mutts! Here’s what you can look forward to:
~ 30 minutes of session time with Allison, which will be spent capturing the personality of your dog(s) in a fun, no-stress, non-posed way!
~ That’s enough time to result in at least fifteen images you’ll want to frame. I guarantee it. (Probably more, but I like to under-promise and over-deliver.)
~ Completely amazing backgrounds to work with: the spacious park and dock area behind 3 Dogs & A Chick, the cute courtyard of the shop’s previous location, and a studio backdrop inside. Basically, more variety than you’ll be able to handle.
~ A private, password-protected online gallery of your images, so you can look them over dozens of times before deciding on your favorites.
~ A hands-on look at the entire product line- there’s so much more than prints! You’ll see everything I have to offer.
~ 20% off all of these products for timely orders!
~ A custom video slideshow like the one you just watched in this blog post.
~ As many phone conversations, emails, video chats, and letters-by-pigeon as you need to determine what’s best for your house and lifestyle. I want to give you something you absolutely love – and nothing less!
Since this is half the time of The Beagle Package, it’s also half the price. $65 will get you everything listed here, plus an 11×14 print and digital image of your favorite photo! Those two goodies alone are a $55 value… do the math!
To make an appointment: call 3 Dogs & A Chick at 850.243.7297, or stop by in person. Courtesy of their website, here is a map to their (new) location.
Grab your time slot today, before they’re gone! (Can’t make it on Saturday? Call the shop anyway, and let them know you’d like to be placed on the waiting list if Sunday opens up. With enough interest, I’ll be there Sunday as well.)
Do you live in Pensacola, and driving to Ft. Walton Beach sounds like too long to spend in a car with your dog? Perhaps one of my standard sessions will suit your needs. See your options here.
And of course you can contact me with any questions you have. My email address is allison@allisonshamrell.com and I can’t wait to hear from you!
~ Dog Photography in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida by Allison Shamrell ~
