Jan 27, 2016
If you ever felt that you needed an excuse for a
Posh Pets® session, a brand new puppy in your life is the perfect one! Little Murphy’s mom knew that the amazing puppy stage does not last forever and she wanted to book a session to capture the very essence of her baby boy. I remember when his mom first answered the door with Murphy in her arms and I squealed with delight – here was a wiggly, squishy golden retriever puppy! One look at the next image and it will be obvious that he is one cute little fella. He was 8 weeks old at the time, which is the age of exploring the world and a time to learn all about your new family.
Puppies are puppies for mere weeks. Portraits that capture the essence of that stage will be forever.
When I walked into Murphy’s home and saw this couch, I whispered conspiratorially to him, “I’m sure you’re allowed on that couch. Right?” Turns out that, for a short time, I was right 😉
We then headed outside. Of course, to head outdoors and be seen in public, one has to be properly dressed. Murphy selected a very dashing navy polka dot bowtie for his portraits in front of his residence.
Once that was done, we needed to spend time romping in the back yard, exploring all of the new sights and smells. Off with the bowtie and on with the action.
Take on sticks that are way bigger than you…branches that are attached to trees!
Sneak up on imaginary friends…
And take time to contemplate life.
And then back inside to wipe our paws and sit on more furniture we don’t normally get to enjoy.
By the end, our little model was pooped. He crawled into his bed and slowly closed his eyes to romp and play some more in his dreams.
Mom and Dad chose some gorgeous Wall Art and a Folio box to celebrate this special time in Murphy’s life. You can read about the experience from their point of view here.
Looking to start your adventure with a new, furry, little one in your life? The details are below.
POSH PETS BOUTIQUE™ SESSIONS
- Pre-session Design Consult that ensures we create images you will be thrilled with.
- The result is gorgeous custom artwork showcasing the life your pet shares with your family.
- A personal Ordering Consultation to ensure you select the right images from the gallery.
- Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
- Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Boutique™ Sessions can be found here.
Jan 20, 2016
I love it when clients bring their ‘packs’ to Posh Pets® Photography and I get to photograph multiples. I love hearing the stories, watching them interact and then the challenge of getting them all in one frame. This trio of little girls were no different. Please meet Stella, the 4-year old dachshund, Maggie the 9-year old white pug, and, Penny, the oldest at 13-years old!
It’s always my goal to give each and every one a truly customized experience. One way I do that is by the pre-session consultation and it is important whether you have 1 pet or ten. In this case, Johanna knew that, given Penny’s age, their little ‘pack’ will not be together forever. Penny now suffers from arthritis, so she is not as athletic as the others and we needed to be considerate of her limitations. Stella, on the other hand, loves to run and she wanted to capture her in action. She also very much wanted a portrait of them together. They made us work for it, but we got the three of them together (see above)! As well as the two pug sisters, alone.
I also discuss with every client whether they want to be in the images. Sometimes people are a little hesitant – “I don’t like myself in pictures…” – they say. Of course, I cannot force you to be in any of the photographs, but I do encourage everyone to come dressed so that they have the option of jumping in if the opportunity presents itself. There are two reasons for this: (1) You are an essential part of the relationship you have with your pet. You love them, provide for them and protect them. The session would be so vastly different if you were not physically there because of how your pets would behave. When all is said and done, you should have something tangible that celebrates that relationship. (2) You should exist in photographs. We are now in a generation that probably has more photos of the meals they eat, than they do of themselves. That’s ridiculous. You should have one lovely, amazing, wonderful image of yourself and your pets.
But, to show you that it does not have to be your traditional image, here is one of the portraits Johanna chose to speak to the beauty of their relationship. Penny, with her curled pug tail, Stella kicking up the dust, and Maggie walking beside them. All on ‘their’ beach, in the golden glow of a Toronto sunset with the skyline peaking out behind.
When Johanna saw the proofs, she said it was so them. Her, carrying Penny who was by this point too tired to walk. The other two in tow. It’s real because this is the essence of their walks together. Today.
We spent some time creating individual portraits of her 3 girls…by this point, they had picked up on the idea that treats were readily available if they could model for the tiniest fraction of a second. It seemed to be a fair trade.
And, of course, that ‘action’ shot of Stella. Doing her doxie thing.
Finally, the day to deliver the final art work had arrived! When Johanna received her folio box, she took them out one by one and and just held them, soaking it in. “You know these are gorgeous, right? Nothing like seeing them printed,” she whispered. “Yes”, I replied, “It’s the very reason why I insist up on it. There’s nothing like seeing and holding finished portraits. Portraits of your family.”
By now, the wall art is hung and in place I’ve seen pictures and it looks great! I also hear that a reveal party of the artwork may be in the future…can’t wait to hear how it goes!
If you would like to create your own custom portrait experience, contact me below.
POSH PETS BOUTIQUE™ SESSIONS
- Pre-session Design Consult that ensures we create images you will be thrilled with.
- The result is gorgeous custom artwork showcasing the life your pet shares with your family.
- A personal Ordering Consultation to ensure you select the right images from the gallery.
- Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
- Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Boutique™ Sessions can be found here.
Jan 13, 2016
No doubt about it – Posh Pets® Photography loves our home city, Toronto. It’s a great city full of great dogs, cats, and their people. It’s busy and vibrant and boasts an easily identifiable skyline. And, it simply looks spectacular in photographs!
To celebrate our home city, we’ve been working on a project for some time now – finding a way to incorporate that awesome cityscape into images with YOUR dogs. We’ve been quietly scoping out locations and enlisting the help of many urban pups and their intrepid humans.
This has not always been easy. As you know, the Toronto skyline boasts one of the tallest buildings in the world, the CN Tower. Finding a perspective that will allow me to place a sitting dog who is about 12 inches high, in the same frame as a 1,815.4 ft building can be a challenge. Even large breeds are not really all that big when you place them beside architecture.
These images celebrate that truly quintessential urban pup. You know the one…they embrace the city lifestyle. They know their neighbourhood…Uptown, downtown, the Annex, The Beach, Cabbage Town, Liberty Village…you get the idea. Toronto is their home. Or, they lived here at one point and haven’t forgotten their roots.
If you are looking to create a Posh Pups in the City™ image(s) in your Boutique Session, then you are in the right place. You might have a location in mind, or we can research and explore an awesome spot together. We will create something that you will be happy to display on your wall for years to come! Let’s do this…
PS: If you have an urban feline that loves the outdoors, does well on a leash, we would absolutely love to meet them too. Posh Cats in the City™…why not? Me-ow!
Dec 14, 2015
Do you have one incredible portrait of your dog or cat? Often when I ask that, the answer to that question is, simply, no.
It is an important question. Most of us have a lot of fun shots documenting everyday life on a smartphone. Those funny, little moments. But, how many of us own an amazing fine art image that showcases your pet’s personality and would be worthy of being displayed on a wall in your home or cottage? Or, one that celebrates the relationship and life you’ve created with your pet at a particular moment of their life? Those images are precious, especially once that phase of your dog’s life (be it puppyhood, the prime of their life, or the senior years) have passed. And, it is what Posh Pets™ Photography specializes in.
It’s how I came to meet Gus on a drizzly afternoon. It had threatened rain all morning, but we decided to go ahead with the session, mostly because Gus was soon going to be moving south to the United States. His human told me later that he looked at a number of pet photographers, but wanted more than just a ‘head shot’…he wanted a portrait of Gus. So, please meet Gus, a beautiful wheaten terrier with a selection of his Autumn portraits.
The leaves had mostly fallen off the trees, but the colours on the ground made Gus’ coat look stunning. We went for a walk in his favourite park – the only strange part to Gus was that we kept stopping to create an image every so often. He was more than happy to do so, as long as there was adequate ‘compensation’ in the form of yummy treats!
He’s such a happy boy, but I was told that Gus’ greatest quality was his loyalty. He loves his family fiercely. It also became apparent that he can strike a pose…I mean, just look at that sexy leg. 😉
And, he can also pull off a great head tilt.
Of course, we ended the session with the requisite ‘head shot’, capturing Gus’ gorgeous eyes.
In the end, Gus’ family purchased two beautiful wall portraits and a gorgeous folio box, filled with art prints. The portraits will take their place beside the portraits of Gus’ predecessor.
Has this whet your appetite to create gorgeous images of your furry family member? If so, and you would like to arrange a session with Posh Pets™ Photography, the place to start is here.
Nov 17, 2015
So, this is Toby. He’s a downtown dog. He’s the cutest, little Jack Russell Terrier just abounding with energy. He spends most of his days with his girl, Sarah, who he adores fiercely. And, let me tell you, the feeling is mutual.
We wanted to create a custom Posh Pets session that would showcase Toby’s personality, his city, and his relationship with his favourite human.
The other requirement was that the final images that would be quite clearly summer-y, with a beautiful blue sky and great sunlight. We rescheduled the session a couple of times before we got the perfect day.
Look at that light!
Playing on the beach by the water (and in the water) is a past time of Toby’s. We had to get an image of him with his girl by the water. After this, he was in the water…
And then there was this image. Often times during the pre-session consultation, a client will reveal that there is one image they really want to have. For Sarah, it was an image of Toby and the CN Tower. There are logistics associated with such a photograph, for a dog is such a small creature and the CN Tower, well…it’s tall. But, we found an angle, a rock and an awesome sunrise to show it all off. Of course, this image got printed big!
Thanks Toby for all the fun we had that morning. You are a sweetheart. May your years together with Sarah be long and happy!
Aug 20, 2015
I love it when I get calls from people looking for the perfect gift for a dog lover and they have decided on a Posh Pets Gift Certificate. It’s a double-dose of awesomeness. Firstly, the givers are invariably incredible people who have really searched for a personal, completely customized gift for their family member or friend. And then, I have the opportunity to meet the dog or cat lover themselves and their adorable pet. What more could I ask for! It is in this way that I came to know Dougie (an obvious fan of the Maple Leafs), and one of the cutest, full-of-personality boston terriers I have ever met. His mom is pretty cool too and she loves Dougie dearly.
After some discussion, his mom picked Dougie’s favourite park on an early week-day morning for his session. It’s where he goes rambling almost every day, and given the fact that practically every single person we met during our session knew Dougie by name, I’d say he’s a bit of a celebrity.
Dougie was careful to be out in front showing us the way around. But, as the ever careful leader, he never got too far ahead. If we lagged a little too much, he would stop, turn around and patiently wait for us to catch up.
Often, we saw the back of him. Which gave him an opportunity to show off his great terrier derrière. (Hey, it rhymes!)
Dougie was more than happy to introduce me to ‘his’ lookout. And then he flashed his beautiful smile!
Dougie is a trooper too. Always up for fun, he was willing to stand in grasses that clearly came way, way, way over his head! And produce a head-tilt, no less!
The fence post – the entrance to many awesome smells and trails to explore. Come on guys – what are we waiting for?
We ended the session with some amazing portraits of this beautiful boy in a bed of red needles. This image hangs large in a place of honour in Dougie’s home.
It was such a pleasure photographing this little guy and creating an amazing folio box filled with fine-art matted prints. You can see more of the products Dougie has in his home on the Posh Pets Instagram page (@dogphotographer). I know that I smile whenever I see his charming face.
Has this post got you wanting to design a custom session for your pet? If so, the place to start is here.
Jul 14, 2015
Posh Pets clients are truly dedicated to getting beautiful images. I think
Afarin’s first words to me were, “I’d really like to have a photography session amongst the cherry blossoms in High Park.” At least those were the first words I completely processed and, with them, two things crossed my mind: One, the trees were already in full bloom which meant we had a total of about 48 hours to still catch them at their peak. And, two, the park is completely crawling with people that time of year because they too, want to see the blooms at peak. So, getting images without hordes of people in the background can be a formidable challenge.
I took a deep breath and asked her if she was serious. Yes. Yes, she was.
So, we went into super-hero mode and planned the entire session right at that moment (a 7-month old Chow puppy and a 7-year old toy Pomeranian), ensured that we could both move a few prior commitments around and agreed to meet at 6:45 a.m. the following morning. Starting a session at that time of the morning sounds a bit crazy, but it meant that there were less people (although surprisingly, there were quite a few). And, the light was gorgeous.
That morning I met Bijou and Yoshi and fell in love instantly. Don’t let the size of a toy pomeranian fool you – Bijou is quite firmly the ‘girl boss’ of this duo. Yoshi may be 10 times her size and full of drooling, puppy silliness, but Bijou was always waiting patiently for him to realize that photography sessions are serious business. She came dressed in pearls and there was no way she was going home without beautiful images. I’m very happy to say that that is exactly what Bijou got. Here’s a sampling of the some of the images we created that morning…
We got a family portrait (or two or three)…
No trip to High Park is complete without photograph by the Magnolia tree. With the little princess herself, of course.
High Park has tons of locations to explore, but this was special to Afarin. That amazing golden morning light is only available to those who wake up early.
A couple of formal portraits of the babies themselves.
And together:
We were literally stopped everywhere we went because of this good-looking brother and sister pair…
And finally, we ended up in front of one of the most iconic skylines in the world.
I loved this session and how it came together! And Afarin was thrilled (you can read her review here).
A custom-designed session is what Posh Pets is all about. Taking the time to plan means creating images that are meaningful to you and truly capture the memories of you and your pets. If you are interested in having your own session, I’d love to hear from you.
POSH PETS BOUTIQUE™ SESSIONS
- Pre-session Design Consult that ensures we create images you will be thrilled with.
- The result is gorgeous custom artwork showcasing the life your pet shares with your family.
- A personal Ordering Consultation to ensure you select the right images from the gallery.
- Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
- Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Boutique™ Sessions can be found here.
Mar 18, 2015
I have to be honest, I let out a little squeal after Moses’ mom booked his Posh Pets session. Not only did it sound like he was a superstar, but his mom was more than happy to get up early (and I mean really early) for our session so as to catch the early morning light. On a Sunday, no less. Sometimes, you just know that a session is going to be epic.
Moses, a gorgeous border collie, makes his home in Whitby along the water. We decided during his pre-session design consultation that we would photograph him in his favourite park and beach. It took some doing, but we figured out where we had to be and at what time to take advantage of the first rays of the sun above the horizon. And when we got there, as I had been promised, Moses knew how to pose like a star.
We then headed down to Moses’ beach. The early morning sun along with the spectacular colours of fall made for a stunning backdrop.
Border collies are a high-energy breed, so Moses just had to show me he knew how to run.
At the end of the beach, these maple trees were putting on a full display. (This hangs as a large art piece on his mom’s wall now.)
Now, this is where I have to tell you an intersting little story…like a lot of pets in the world, Moses has a nickname. His proper name may be Moses, but over time he has acquired the nickname Momo. The thing is, you may have heard of another, more famous, border collie named Momo. Also known as “the hiding border collie”, he is an internet sensation and the muse of photographer Andrew Knapp who runs a blog called Find Momo that is – you guessed it – filled with awesome images of his Momo. The twist is that Momo is “hiding” in the photographs and it is your job to see if you can spot him. I can say from personal experience, it can sometimes take a great deal of time to find him! Well, here I was with a border collie named Momo on a glorious morning…we couldn’t let the opportunity pass. So here is our own tribute to Moses’ more famous namesake. Can you find him? Hope we make the real Momo proud!
Back in his park, Moses posed for another set of portraits showing off his winning smile!
After getting up early for a full morning of running, posing and fun, that afternoon I was sent a picture of a sleeping Moses. Apparently he passed out soon after getting home – I guess modelling is hard work. But, the images were worth it…
You know, I would love to meet your furry face in the wee hours of the morning! If that sounds like your kind of session, contact me here. Of course, if you would rather sleep in and book an afternoon session, that is fine too 🙂
Mar 4, 2015
In case you haven’t heard, let me tell you: it has been COLD in Posh Pets land! For most of this year, I have watched heavily-bundled people and lot of bundled up dogs too, go for their daily walk. You can always tell the dogs who would rather be sitting at home, cuddled up on a couch – the slow gait, combined with the frequent stopping and looking up at their human tell me that they are only going for a walk because they think their people need it. However, they are dogs that simply love the snow and cold and cannot wait to get out and have some fun! And, my furry little client, Chubusz (pronounced Chub-oosh), is such a dog.
During our Pre-Session Consultation, Chubusz’ mom shared with me how much he loved the snow and cooler weather. In fact, Summer, with its accompanying heat, rendered Chubusz and almost exclusively indoor dog. So, it made absolute sense that we plan a Winter session.
We started our time together at his gorgeous home where Chubusz showed me all of his favourite ‘spots’. He loves the couch, but where he looks most regal is right here – on the rug in front of the fire place.
After posing like a model (and receiving lots of treats as payment), we all headed outside into the snow! This boy showed me how much he loved to run. And run. And run. Finding a stick to run with, was just the icing on the cake.
We ended up with a snow-covered muzzle and lots of smiles.
Finally, once the humans were cold, we ended up back home where Chubusz settled in for a nice, long sleep…
Chubusz was such a gentleman and an absolute joy to photograph. The weather was perfect, the snow clean and white and the images we created…beautiful! Chubusz’ family now has gorgeous art work to treasure forever.
Are you looking to capture the joy of Winter with your furry face? Contact me here.
Feb 25, 2015
I have a little Posh Pets secret to tell…I love photographing multiple-dog families. There is something about the energy that they bring to a session that is infectious. A dog will always show his or her true self when surrounded by their furry buddies and it is a lovely challenge to capture that for their humans. Family sessions can be high-energy, tiring fun for all involved (I’ve always considered it a successful session when I receive an e-mail or text from the humans indicating that all of the furry faces slept well on the ride back home…), but it creates amazing images!
So, of course, I was thrilled when I found out that I would be meeting Murphy, Parker and Wally. Murphy is a boxer and Parker a boxer puppy. And then there is the awesome Wally, a petit dachshund who, despite the challenges of having much shorter legs, valiantly strives to keep up with his sisters. During our pre-session consultation, we chose a great location full of possibilities and set an early morning date to go have some fun! I am so excited to share some of those images with you today on the Posh Pets blog…
To begin with, here is the image that mom and dad really wanted, but were not sure we could create – all 3 furry faces in a portrait together. It’s safe to say that when they saw the first proofs from their Session, they were so excited to choose this one to enlarge for their wall at home. Once printed BIG, it is truly stunning!
We got some gorgeous single portraits amongst the splendor that is Autumn in Canada. Look at that yummy back-light!
And we played on the beach and in the water, as everyone was up for it. (This is always an option during a Posh Pets Boutique Session. But it is not a requirement. If your dogs don’t enjoy water, we definitely don’t need to go in. It something we discuss during the pre-session consultation.) This results in happy, but dirty doggies!
Finding a stick to share was just a bonus!
And finally, another beautiful family portrait…
In the end, Murphy, Parker and Wally have a beautiful Folio Box full of gorgeous fine art matted prints and stunning wall art to call their own. I have it on good authority, that they are rather pleased. 🙂
Thinking of a session for your furry family? Your first step is to contact me here.
Feb 9, 2015
It’s Monday. It’s cold. It’s February. Even though Toronto was recently named one of the best cities to live in the world, it can be tough to feel the love when you are faced with a day like today. Well, here is your little pick-me-up to start your week off right…
Here at Posh Pets we photograph animals of all breeds, shapes and sizes. And, we love them all! But there is something completely adorable in a brand-new tiny kitten. Their little mews and the way they go about exploring the big, wide world – it is the stuff that warm, happy thoughts are made of. I had the pleasure of photographing this little ball of orange fluff recently and, as you can imagine, thoroughly enjoyed myself while doing so. With the softest fur and beautiful, blue eyes, Milo is a stunner. He also knows how to work the camera and how to crawl his way into your heart. While I love creating gorgeous portraits, I would be lying if I didn’t admit to totally looking forward to the snuggles I get between images.
Now, look at Milo’s sweet face and tell me that you aren’t smiling. And suddenly the day doesn’t seem so bad…all thanks to Milo!
Jan 13, 2015
As a dog photographer, it comes as no surprise to anyone that I love dogs of all shapes and sizes. In case you haven’t noticed, Toronto and the GTA are full of dogs! I see them them everywhere – at dog events, riding in cars, pet stores and on the streets and in the parks. Walking down the street, I am that person who will always stop to ask if I can pet your dog. But given the number of pets in Ontario, I realize that I only get to know a relatively few number. Which is why, I am always so thrilled when someone chooses me to create beautiful images of their furry face. Not only do Posh Pets clients get something they love – custom art work that centres celebrates their pet – but I get to spend time getting all up close and personal with another awesome dog. With my camera, an arsenal of lenses, a few treats and the ability to make ridiculous sounds, we always end up being the best of friends!
I initially met Monty and his mom at a DoodleRomp. I can’t tell you how happy I was when his Mom contacted me and I learned that I was going to have the supreme pleasure of photographing her gorgeous boy. We designed a session that featured images of Monty’s favourite places to hike as well as a few in his backyard. Monty did not disappoint – he showed his skills and enthusiasm for climbing up and down tree logs, over the crest of hills and down into river beds, over bridges and through tree trunks, all the while working the camera with his beautiful smile. His gallery was stunning and made it terribly difficult to choose the final images. But, we did it! Today, these portraits are hanging as framed prints in Monty’s home, where he can be admired by many.
Monty, thank you for inviting me on your hike! It was such a pleasure to get to know you and most importantly, see how much you are loved. Be good, my boy…and try and keep those white paws clean!
