Mar 27, 2012
It feels good to be home! The Posh Pets family just returned from visiting Jordan (yes, the country in amongst Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran in case you were wondering…) and while travelling is a lot of fun, there is nothing quite like sleeping in your own bed. One of the highlights was the opportunity to walk through the famed Petra, now a “Wonder of the World”. It was truly incredible!
However, as a pet photographer, I am always drawn to photographing the animals I meet in my travels. Some are working animals owned by their employer, some are pets, and some are strays, but the place animals hold within a people does give you insight into a country and its culture. I believe it was Gandhi who said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”, and in my personal experience that is true.
I am happy to say that Jordan does not have nearly as many strays as other countries I have had the pleasure to visit. Those that were, were generally cats who did not look thin and emaciated like so many other animals who live on the street. So, kudos to Jordan!
There is a funny thing about the cats that live in Petra and, for the most part, the rest of Jordan – they are all orange tabbies! In Petra, you can see that they could potentially all be related, but everywhere in the country? We did meet the occasional brown tabby (3, I think), but the rest were all orange. Even stranger is that I have heard that orange tabbies are predominantly male, so who is the busy mom of this brood? I don’t think we will ever know…
The good thing is that in Petra, I believe they are all taken care of by the tourists. They are friendly, used to strangers and have come to learn that these visiting humans cannot resist a cute face and give them food. One orange guy we met walking around a castle ruin in the middle of the wilderness is fed by the staff who work there. So, it seems that the Jordanian kitties have found their place in the tourism industry.
We did meet these two adorable puppies in Petra. I nearly took this little guy home – he literally sat in my arms like this for 10 minutes and looked into my eyes as I talked to him. It was soooo hard to put him down and walk away.
I was somewhat comforted by the fact that he had this little friend to spend his days with. And the fact that the Bedouin who work there seemed to know them and petted them nicely when they approached.
Well, that is it for this instalment! Stay tuned as I will post some images of working animals in Part 2.
Mar 23, 2012
Sorry to have missed last week with Project 52, but this week Posh Pets will make it up with an image from a more exotic locale. This week’s theme was to take an image and then process it in such a way that it would look more vintage and/or retro. My take on that is that the image should look like it came from any other era than our own and that it should involve an animal.
We were actually travelling overseas earlier this week when I took this image of two resting camels. To me, it looks like an image from another time and definitely from another place! I would love to hear your guesses as to where!
Next in the blog circle is San Diego pet photographer Peggy Mundell of DogBreedz. Please check out her blog and keep going around until you end up back here with these two handsome dudes!
Mar 21, 2012
I am very excited to write Part Two of the crazy cartoon spotlight as this time we are featuring the felines! If you want to see the Part One about the doggies on the Posh Pets blog, please check out this link.
A bit of background…my friend and fellow creative, Daniela Easter, teaches students how to cartoon. It really does sound like a lot of fun! In February, Daniela had asked me for some of my kitty images so that her students would be able to have a base to work off of. I wish I had a group of student drawings to showcase, but unfortunately, it was graduation day and there was no time to scan the artwork before the students took them home. Sigh. But, I thought you might find it cool to see what the teacher is able to produce. So, here is Daniela’s work.
Here is the original image:
And Daniela’s cartoon:
Another original image:
And the cartoon version:
Again, if you have a young artist who would want to participate, Daniela conducts various classes in Brampton. These include 6 week curriculums and intensives for the March and Summer school breaks. Find all of the details about the art school – Progressive Art for Progressive Kids – here.
Mar 19, 2012
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of photographing a true little lady. The lovely Freya is a maltese/poodle mix who has aged so gracefully. Being a little older now, Freya is most comfortable in her home – and what a gorgeous home she lives in! So, believe me, it was a joy to conduct her custom photo session inside, away from the winter elements.
Her mom, Shari, really wanted to update an image she had from when Freya was a wee little puppy; one that would capture the essence of their relationship. A relationship that has developed into something very special through the years. We were on the bed, on the gorgeous chairs and we even snuck a few outside. So, with no further ado, Posh Pets would like you to please meet the wonderful little Freya!
Freya…I hope you know that you are adored, cherished and very much loved by your mom. Thank you for the privilege of capturing your sweet personality during an afternoon visit. May you have many more wonderful years ahead of you!
Mar 14, 2012
Here are this week’s group of furry faces, patiently awaiting a forever home. If you see someone you would like to get to know better, please contact the Toronto Animal Services (North Region) to arrange an introduction. As always, they will be featured on the Posh Pets Facebook page throughout the week.
Here are the fabulous felines!
Mar 9, 2012
This week’s theme was to illustrate “grace” through an image. Now, my Lady Jane is anything but graceful, but she does have one habit she has picked up in the last year that nudges her in the right direction. When she is at rest, she crosses her paws. I do not know why she suddenly started doing this, but it does make her very cute. And,it is far more graceful a pose than the “one-back-leg in-the-air-so-I-can-lick-my-bum” position she is fond of demonstrating.
With that, this week’s image is one of those lovely little crossed paws.
The other image I wanted to share on this theme is of little Winston. As Posh Pets blog readers know, I volunteer my time to take images of the animals that are available for adoption each week at the Toronto animal shelter. Through that experience, I meet all kinds of animals – some are goofy, some are sad and some, like little Winston pictured here, have such poise of spirit (I would say “grace” in their manners) that you immediately want to take them home. Just take a look at the seriousness on his little face along with his charming pose! I am hoping that images like these will impress on people that shelter animals are not “damaged” pets. They are loveable little furry souls who could warm your heart and home. May everyone consider adopting the next time they are looking for a four-legged family member…
Well that is it for another week of Project 52 for Posh Pets! But, YOU are not done yet…please now check out the talented Dana Cubbage from Charleston, South Carolina. I can’t wait to see who “graced” her blog this week! And be sure to click through to see all the wonderful imagery from the rest of the Project 52 members.
Mar 8, 2012
Introducing this week’s group of furry faces! There was great diversity in shapes, sizes and colours…but all are wonderful future pets! Please check these images out and if you are interested in adopting, contact the Toronto Animal Services – North Region for more details. They will also be featured on the Posh Pets Facebook Page throughout the week, where you can find out some additional information on each of them.
We’ll see you next week!
Mar 2, 2012
This week’s challenge was to keep the words to a minimum and tell a story through an image(s). Photojournalists have mastered the art of letting an image speak for itself, and there exist iconic images that changed the course of world events. Now, I don’t think for one moment that that is the level of storytelling presented here, but I think you will enjoy this funny little series nonetheless.
The Wolf Within Sleeps (The Cost of Domestication)
I am Dog. Master of my own domain. At one with the Great Outdoors.
Though once my fun is done, I like nothing better than to be warm and dry inside.
But, do not fear! I am not conquered! I have learned the power of “puppy dog eyes”. How it makes humans bend to my will.
Open…the…door…
…please?
The next in the blog roll is Tiffany Haulton of Haulton Photography. Please check out what story she has to tell this week! And then click all around the blog roll until you wind up back here. You won’t be disappointed!
Feb 29, 2012
Here are the adoptables for this week! If there is a furry face here that you would like to get to know better, please contact Toronto Animal Services – North Region directly. The Posh Pets Photography Facebook Page will be also featuring their images over the next couple of days. We will be sure to post a little information about each one along with their image.
First are the kitties!
And now the dogs!
Please pass these images on to those who may be looking to adopt and we’ll see you next week!
Feb 25, 2012
Today, I am really excited to feature something that is a little different for the Posh Pets blog – crazy cartoons! Let me explain…
Daniela Easter is an award winning artist and personal friend of mine. Apart from her private commissions, she founded and, for the past 8 years has run, Progressive Art for Progressive Kids in Brampton. This is an art school that helps young people develop their skills and exposes them to the various mediums and forms of art. For the past few weeks, her students, ages 8-12, have been learning how to cartoon!
Daniela approached me to see if I could lend a hand by providing some images of animals, which of course, I was only too happy to do. The students were encouraged to analyze the image and determine the dog’s personality. They could then determine how to draw him in such a way that their cartoon would come to life. And, here are the awesome results:
The original image:
And the cartoon renditions! This one is by Kaitlin:
And this one is by Hemel:
Another original image:
And some awesome cartoon versions of this guy too. (I think he became the antagonist of the story…look at those teeth!)
From Sesa:
And from Nicole:
The students loved the original photos (apparently there were lots of “awwws”) and had a ball turning them into their own creations. I hear that in the next week or so, they will be tackling the kitty photos I sent and I will certainly feature those in a future blog post as well.
Impressed? Well, if you have a young artist who would want to participate, Daniela conducts various classes in Brampton. These include 6 week curriculums and intensives for the March and Summer school breaks. Find all of the details here.
Feb 24, 2012
First off, if you follow the Project 52 series each week, I am happy to report that Patches and April were adopted a few days ago! Not together, which would have been just about perfect, but I am so happy that these older pets found lovely families to spend the rest of their lives with. If you missed their story, you can read it here.
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This week’s theme was chosen by Posh Pets to see what we could do with mirrors or any other reflective surface. I cannot wait to see what the group came up with!
Here is Ripley. The one thing that people always comment on are his gorgeous eyes. After all these years, they are still as large and bright as they ever were and these images really show them off. He’s looking adoringly at himself in my compact mirror.
And then, there is Lady Jane – her tail, that is. I really like this image because it just has the hint of a cat. What you do not see is the furry, loveable 15 lb. body attached to it!
Next up in the blog circle is Kelly Kennedy Coyle of Sweet Silver Photo. Please check her work out as well as the rest of the artists in our group – we love it when we get feedback!
Feb 20, 2012
They named her Rags, short for Ragamuffin. The name fit. Found running down a main road by a kindly police officer, this snippet of a dog shivering from the cold was brought to the closest shelter. A senior dog, deaf, blind and not yet spayed, she had been hungry too long. And had too many puppies. As a result, her skin was many sizes too large for the small body she carried on her slight frame. Her coat was a clear witness to the neglect she had experienced.
The now permanently closed shelter had an arrangement with the local college – they “placed” animals with the Veterinary Technician Program with the hopes of them becoming socialized. It was a good arrangement. After all, the students need practice at handling animals, and a socialized animal has a much better chance of adoption than one that is not. In this way, a small, delicate Shih-Poo named Rags arrived at the college in a sad state. She was almost immediately shaved and spayed and met the students.
One of those students was my sister.
From the moment she met Rags, my sister held her and with words she could not hear, but affection she could feel, let her know that someone in the world cared. At the end of the semester when the time came for Rags to return to the shelter, my sister knew that that simply could not happen. Given her age and her medical condition, her chances of adoption were almost non-existent. She would only have shelter life to look forward to.
And so Rags was brought home. We are a close family, which means that this girl has become a part of all of our lives. It has been amazing to see the indomitable spirit of such a little dog. While she spent her first few days only sleeping and eating, by the third day, she wagged her tail for the first time. A few days later, she found her voice.
Today marks an anniversary. Rags has been with us for one whole year. She now shares her life with two other Shih Tzus, and although deaf and blind, she has quickly learned the routine. They have accepted her into the family and surprisingly, she is able to interact with them despite her limited senses. More importantly, she has not let her past taint her ability to accept the love she is receiving now and will receive on into the future.
Fortunately, we will never know all the details of her sad life before she came to us. That is a story that only Rags could relate and she is not telling. But one thing is clear: the Rags who arrived at the shelter just over a year ago, no longer exists. Fitting for a dog that has come so far, and whose life has changed so much, her name has changed. World…please meet Muffin. Muffy. The sweetest dog in the world. The little dog with an amazing heart. The little dog who has found her forever home.
Muffy, enjoying her life today.
Happy Anniversary Muffin!
EDIT: We said good-bye to Muffin at 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2013. My sister had asked her for 2 years when she adopted her and that is what Muffy gave us. She was wonderful, amazing and incredible and is sorely missed. While her body eventually failed her, her heart loved until the end. Go gently into that good night, Muffy.
