Home Photography Studio Session with Helvetica | Cat Photographer

Home Photography Studio Session with Helvetica | Cat Photographer

Helvetica. If you have ever used a software program, you have heard of the font Helvetica. It has been described as ‘the little black dress of typefaces‘ for its versatility and seemingly unending uses for a wide range of projects.

In the world of Posh Pets® Photography, Helvetica is a well-loved feline. (It probably comes as no surprise that kitty’s mum is a graphic designer.) Mum wanted gorgeous photos of Helvetica in her prime as well as some beautiful portraits of her with her family. There was really only one issue: Helvie, as she is affectionately called, does not enjoy travelling. So, mum asked me to bring a studio photography session to their home. I was happy to do so and it is an extra service I offer for those special clients that have no need for little black dresses because they are not planning on going anywhere.

So, we made plans. The photo session was to capture a couple of portraits of Helvetica alone and then a few with mum and dad. We discussed where the artwork would be displayed in their home, their interior colour scheme, and with that information, decided upon a pink/grey theme for the photographs.

When I arrived, Helvetica spent some time watching me set up. Lighting tests were completed and we got down to the business of photographing this gorgeous cat.

Helvetica’s portraits

This was one of the first images we got of Helvetica looking regal. It can take some time for a feline to settle into a position that is comfortable for them and that is worthy of photographing, but Helvie gave us her best.

grey and white tabby on pink photography studio

By the time a cat is willing to lie down on their side, you know you have been bestowed with one of the greatest honours an animal can grant you – trust. By this point, Helvie was starting to think that the modeling gig was paying off as she was rewarded with copious amounts of praise, treats and pets.

(And, I will always think of this image’s title as paint me like one of your french girls.)

tabby cat laying down to be photographed

We also created a few sweet family portraits of Helvetica with her mum and dad, but we are keeping those under wraps. 🙂

Since I delivered the final images, I have been told that grandma and grandpa were thrilled, and everyone that has seen the photos has ooo’d and ahhh’d. As a result, we might even be meeting a couple of the other felines in the extended family for their own sessions! Best of all, Helvie’s family has beautiful prints that are going to be proudly displayed in their home.

 

Helvie, thank you so much for inviting us into your home and letting us photograph you and your family. It was a such an honour to meet you!

Interested in a Posh Pets Studio™ Session for your puppy or kitten? Find the details on how you can book, below.

POSH PETS STUDIO™ SESSIONS

Classic studio portraiture

    • Studio portraits with a twist...we come to YOU! These sessions mean we are bringing the backdrop, the lights and all of the equipment necessary to set up a  photo studio in your home. Of course, if you prefer, you are welcome to come to our studio.
    • The result of this series is classic artwork with a timeless aesthetic that you will be proud to display on your walls.
    • Ideal for puppies, smaller breeds, cats or pets who are not comfortable travelling or spending time in the great outdoors.
    • 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 at a cost of $50 per subject.
    • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions can be found here.
Dog Portrait Award for Toronto Posh Pets® Photography

Dog Portrait Award for Toronto Posh Pets® Photography

Toronto commercial photographer vet visit tips

I have a confession to make – I have never entered a print competition. It is one of those things that I never got around to because choosing images to enter into a competition is a job in itself, and requires you to step away from from your images and analyze them for perfection. I love each and everyone of my furry clients and therefore felt that I was far too emotionally attached to their images to make hard decisions.

But, in February I received the opportunity and some encouragement to enter Portrait Masters. Even then, the truth is, I almost did not make the deadline. It was cold and dark outside when I hit the submit button – I think with only 2 hours to go! (shhh…don’t tell anyone…)

Then, you wait

There were over 8600 images entered and each image had to be reviewed by a panel of 5 master judges. So, as you can imagine, that takes some time. And the period between hitting submit and the results being published, is the worst! It gives you all sorts of time to second-guess yourself: did I choose the right image, is it good enough, will they like it…?

All that wondering though, came to an end on Friday when the results were released.

The portrait received a score of 76, and a Bronze Merit.

I have to admit, I was a wee bit chuffed to see the score. While I know that dog mums and dads everywhere love the portraits of their furry family members (as do I), it was admittedly a great feeling to know that completely independent judges feel the same.

Thank you Lilly!

I would be remiss not to thank my little client, Lilly, who is the subject of the portrait. Although she was initially a bit shy when I first met her – it was probably all of the studio equipment I brought and set up in her house – she turned turned into a star once she knew what I wanted. I can truly say:  without Lilly, none of this would have happened! So, thank you, sweetheart.

Are you looking for an award-winning portrait of your own dog or cat? See the details below and let’s make that happen!

POSH PETS STUDIO™ SESSIONS

Classic studio portraiture

  • Studio portraits with a twist…we come to YOU! These sessions mean we are bringing the backdrop, the lights and all of the equipment necessary to set up a  photo studio in your home. Of course, if you prefer, you are welcome to come to our studio.
  • The result of this series is classic artwork with a timeless aesthetic that you will be proud to display on your walls.
  • Ideal for puppies, smaller breeds, cats or pets who are not comfortable travelling or spending time in the great outdoors.
  • 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 at a cost of $50 per subject.
  • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions can be found here.
Mochi – An ‘Engaged’ Kitten | Posh Pets Studio™

Mochi – An ‘Engaged’ Kitten | Posh Pets Studio™

persian kitten playing with turquoise ribbon
Being a Toronto pet photographer has its perks. Quite often I get to celebrate the joy that comes along with the arrival of a new furry family member, which can be such fun. But TINY Mochi’s arrival was even more special because she got to be a BIG part of a very important day for her family – the day her humans got engaged! (Tell me, what you were doing when you were only 9-weeks old?) But yes, Mochi was the culmination of a very well-executed plan that her Dad had come up with in order to woo Mum into saying, ‘yes’. (She did!)

Given those happy circumstances, during their Design Consult, both Mum and Dad said that they were hoping to incorporate the ring into some of the final portraits. While they may have thought it might be impossible because well, it would require posing a kitten, Mochi showed that she can model like a star.

Toronto pet photographer and engagement photography
engagement photography by Toronto pet photographer, Posh Pets Photography
Of course, in our never-ending quest to create timeless artwork, we mainly photographed Mochi as herself at this very brief period in her life. Mochi is a ragdoll kitten and will therefore grow to be much larger than she was the day we had her in our studio. Her colouring will change and her ‘tips’ will darken, so it was important to photograph in a way that preserves her ‘kittenhood’ forever.
Toronto's premier pet photographer with portrait of ragdoll kitten
ragdoll kitten portrait with shawl
Contemporary pet portrait photography by Posh Pets Photography
There was one image that I envisioned in my mind before the session, believing that Mochi would be the perfect model. Reminiscent of fine art newborn photography, the beauty of this image is the colour, drape and texture of the fabric with an equally richly-coloured background. The monochromatic palette makes Mochi come alive. And just look at those stunning blue eyes!
ragdoll kitten hanging in hammock
In the end, Mochi went home with a gorgeous Posh Pets® Folio and a large piece of canvas wall art. I cannot wait until she returns for her second session…all grown up!

Interested in a Posh Pets Studio™ Session for your puppy or kitten? Find the details on how you can book, below.

POSH PETS STUDIO™ SESSIONS

Classic studio portraiture

    • Studio portraits with a twist...we come to YOU! These sessions mean we are bringing the backdrop, the lights and all of the equipment necessary to set up a  photo studio in your home. Of course, if you prefer, you are welcome to come to our studio.
    • The result of this series is classic artwork with a timeless aesthetic that you will be proud to display on your walls.
    • Ideal for puppies, smaller breeds, cats or pets who are not comfortable travelling or spending time in the great outdoors.
    • 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 at a cost of $50 per subject.
    • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions can be found here.

Announcing…Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions!

Announcing…Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions!

Two thousand and sixteen. Can you believe it? A new year, a new beginning and a few new things at Posh Pets® Photography. We have some exciting opportunities to announce and hope that you will be as thrilled with them as I am!

In the past, I have had requests for studio photography. Usually there is a special reason for it, and so I designed a custom option for those clients. The response has been so great, that I have decided to formally offer it to everyone. It is called the Posh Pets Studio™ Session and it’s classic, studio photography, with a twist – the studio comes to you! That’s right, you can have professional studio photography created right in your own home.

So, who this for? Well, for anyone that loves the look of clean, timeless, uncluttered backgrounds that makes your pet the focal point. It’s great for indoor cats who feel most comfortable in their home as well as very young puppies who cannot go outside. But, it is also a beautiful look for larger breeds too. And, for seniors who may have mobility issues. In other words, if you love the look of studio photography, then the Posh Pets Studio™ Session is for you!

How does the session work? We need about 10’x10′ space – many use their living/family room and move a bit of furniture around – for the lights and backdrop as well as space for me and my assistant. The session itself ranges from 60 to 90 minutes long, but we work at the pace of your pet who may need to become accustomed to a background and studio lights. We also need time on either side for set up and take down. So, I would encourage you to schedule about 3 hours from start to finish.

How many pets can you photograph in one session? Your session fee covers two pets. Any additional pets can be added for an additional $50 per pet. We will work on getting single portraits of each pet first and then, if you desire, any group photos. Adding additional furry faces involves a little extra session time too.

This sounds awesome! How can I find out more? It’s very easy! Your first step is to contact me, below.

 

 

POSH PETS STUDIO™ SESSIONS

Classic studio portraiture

  • Studio portraits with a twist…we come to YOU! These sessions mean we are bringing the backdrop, the lights and all of the equipment necessary to set up a  photo studio in your home. Of course, if you prefer, you are welcome to come to our studio.
  • The result of this series is classic artwork with a timeless aesthetic that you will be proud to display on your walls.
  • Ideal for puppies, smaller breeds, cats or pets who are not comfortable travelling or spending time in the great outdoors.
  • 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 at a cost of $50 per subject.
  • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Studio™ Sessions can be found here.

Niko | Toronto Puppy Photographer

Niko | Toronto Puppy Photographer

Nothing like a day of playing with Posh Puppies! This little bit of fluff is absolutely adorable. His name is Niko and he is my entry into this month’s I Heart Faces photo challenge. Usually those challenges are strictly for human faces, but let’s be real – who could not want to see this little face! Let’s hope he wins the judges over 🙂

shih tzu puppy studio photography

 

Puppies! | Toronto Dog Photographer

Puppies! | Toronto Dog Photographer

As everyone knows, it was a pretty cold winter here in Toronto this year. That kind of snow and wind and cold can certainly dampen the spirits. Thankfully though, I am a pet photographer, and whenever we at Posh Pets feel down, we have a sure-fire way to cure the blues: photographing gorgeous, wiggly puppies!

This project nurtured the creative spirit for two reasons. One, it meant snuggling with puppies. You simply cannot avoid squealing when two little yorkshire terrier puppies come your way. Two, it allowed me to explore some studio photography, something that I have only started dabbling in.

I chose a simple backdrop – grey seamless. I think you will agree that it brings all of the attention on these gorgeous pups. Additionally, a key thing for me to be able to photograph more than one puppy is to find some way to ‘contain’ them and then move fast to catch the right expression. This little basket more than did the trick.

yorkshire terrier puppies in Toronto, Canada

Then some solo portraits of the two babies.

yorkie puppy on grey seamless

Even at this age, this one could pull of a magnificent head-tilt. No doubt, she has her human family wrapped around her paw.

yorkshire terrier puppy with head tilt

This is the beautiful Momma, Tess.

yorkshire terrier portrait in Toronto

Then it came time to get the whole family together! Again, that little basket helped…

pure bred yorkshire terrier puppiesyorkshire terrier mom dog with puppiesyorkie dog familyI have a few more puppy shoots to share and hope to be able to start offering these to clients soon. Stay tuned for more details!

 

Pet Valu Grand Re-Opening | Toronto Dog Photographer

This post is long overdue! It was back on June 16, 2012 that Posh Pets had the pleasure of participating in Pet Valu’s (located at King & Dufferin) Grand Re-Opening. We had so much fun photographing these lovely furry faces that day! We (and the dogs and the one cat!) were especially thankful to be inside as it really got hot outside…!

Everyone who came out received a complimentary gorgeous 5×7 print of the chosen image, courtesy of Marilyn & David of Pet Valu. We sincerely hope that you enjoy them for years to come!

I’ve managed to place the final images into a little video slide-show, although I must apologize for the colour being overly saturated. As a photographer, I am very new to the video world and it would seem that the video-processing software I used seems to deepen the colours quite a bit. I will have to figure this part out. You can, however, see all of the images over on the Posh Pets Facebook page if you like.