Bo, The German Shepherd of Cottage Country | Collingwood Dog Photography

Bo, The German Shepherd of Cottage Country | Collingwood Dog Photography

When I got a call from Bo’s mum, she was clear. She wanted to create a beautiful portrait of her german shepherd while he was still young and healthy, in the prime of her life. Which was absolutely wonderful! I cannot stress enough how important it is to think of getting portraits now, when your pup is enjoying life and you can capture this phase in their life forever. While I love the seniors, too many clients express regret about not having arranged a session earlier.

Discussing it further with Mum during our Design Consult, it became really clear that the family property north of Toronto in Collingwood was very special to them all. They have a restored historic farmhouse on some of the most magnificent grounds I have ever seen and when I suggested that perhaps, just maybe, the session should take place there, mum’s reaction was immediate: Oh goodness…yes please!

 

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So, one early Saturday morning, we set out before the sun was up to meet Bo and his family in Collingwood. I knew that this would be a spectacular session when we turned into the ‘driveway’. This is the approach to the house, just beyond the gates as you turn from the road. When I saw this scene – the curved road with the forest-like trees – I turned to my assistant and said: We are definitely coming back down here to photograph this boy…

And so we did. After our introductions, we took an ambling little walk down the road back to this spot. This portrait was one of the first frames that I took and it told me that Bo could definitely pose.

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I want to create images that you are thrilled with. So, the one question I ask every client is this: If you could only have just one image, one epic, hero shot, what would it look like?

Mum answered easily: Bo, sitting in front of our farmhouse.

I couldn’t be happier with what we created. This image is now displayed proudly on the wall in their Toronto house.

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If you could only have just one image, one epic, hero photograph, what would it look like?

The rest of the property was no less gorgeous. Bo has his own lake, his own dock to enjoy the sun on and plenty of room to explore.

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Lots of green grass for laying in to ponder life’s mysteries – Where is that deer I saw this morning? Who is making all of that racket in the bushes over there? What if I never find out ‘who’s a good boy’?

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By the end of the session, Bo was a tired pup. He had modelled, he had run, he had given it his all and now all he wanted to do was sleep. And a model deserves his rewards.

hamilton dog photographer with boy

Thank you Bo for inviting us into your world and allowing us to come and explore with you.

POSH PETS BOUTIQUE™ SESSIONS

Where it all begins

  • Pre-session Design Consult that ensures we create images you will be thrilled with.
  • The result is gorgeous custom artwork 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.
Celebrating an Anniversary With a Family Dog Session!

Celebrating an Anniversary With a Family Dog Session!

I love receiving inquiries that are detailed and full of fun tidbits about my clients and this session was no different!

Mom explained that they had just celebrated their 20th anniversary and wanted to mark that ocassion with a family session featuring their dogs, two beautiful Bearded Collies, and some gorgeous spots in Toronto. It took a while to arrange the session because Mom and Dad are real honest-to-goodness opera singers! That means we needed to work around rehearsal and performance schedules. But, it finally came together and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it all turned out.

So, without any further ado, please meet Claymore and Poppy! Claymore (on the left) is a former show dog, so I was told that he often prefers to stand. But, you know, with a few tasty, smelly treats and we got a few sits.

two bearded collies with fall leaves

bearded collie show dog with friend

We started off the session in their backyard because that is one of their favourite places to hang out. The late afternoon sun was just peaking in on the steps as we started our session. Such great little posers!

dogs on steps

dogs posing on brick steps

Poppy is a pretty girl and has the most stunning eyes. This is truly her ‘spot’ in the backyard – she loves to sit here for hours. I think it is so cool that you can see one of her toys in this image. She likes to bury them around so she always has one close by.

dog portrait

dog portrait in the garden

We then went for a little drive to capture some gorgeous family portraits in a park they know well. We were pretty much at the end of the Autumn colours, but with a little ingenuity, you can find that splash of colour anywhere.

This image now hangs proudly on the wall in their home.

dog family in fall colours in ontario

Poppy and Claymore also showed me they can let loose and run!

dog running in fall colours

bearded collie dog running

And finally, some quiet, beautiful portraits of them together as the sun set.

brother and sister dogs

two dogs by rivers edge

These two were such superstars. (And Mom and Dad did not too badly either.) It was such fun working with them to create some pretty awesome artwork. You can read what Mom and Dad thought of the whole experience, in their own words, here.

If you are reaching a milestone that you would like to recognize with a session, let’s start the conversation!

POSH PETS BOUTIQUE™ SESSIONS

Where it all begins

  • Pre-session Design Consult that ensures we create images you will be thrilled with.
  • The result is gorgeous custom artwork 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.
Finn & Kona – A Gorgeous Autumn Senior Session | Southern Ontario Dog Photographer

Finn & Kona – A Gorgeous Autumn Senior Session | Southern Ontario Dog Photographer

We at Posh Pets love senior pets! There is something about the senior furry faces amongst us that is so endearing. It’s the maturity and calmness that comes from having seen it all before that allows them to slow down and enjoy the moment. The loyalty, trust and love they have for their human family and the fondness they have for routine. Somehow, they have made peace with the world and are happy with their place in it.

On a gorgeous fall afternoon last year (I am a little behind on blogging client sessions!), I had the privilege of travelling to Picton, Ontario to photograph two beautiful ladies. It was the halfway point between Toronto and their home in Ottawa. I am somewhat ashamed to say that I have lived in Southern Ontario almost all of my life and driven the highway to Quebec more times than I can remember, but I have never gotten off the highway and explored Prince Edward County. It is absolutely stunning and I will definitely be going back!

Amidst all of that beauty, I met Kona and Finn who are 11 and 13 years old respectively. Age is never kind to people or dogs, and their mom had warned me of the challenges that lie ahead.  Kona has a bit of an obsession over shadows and reflections…anything that flickers can hold her attention for long periods of time and it can be difficult to break it. Finn is almost deaf and has a combination of a heart murmur and weak legs which meant we needed to take our time and go at her pace. Truthfully, their mom was worried we would have a hard time getting any sort of decent images.

As is often the case with pets, they prove us wrong – Kona and Finn were amazing. We were out on the water for some of the session, and while the afternoon sun hitting the water caught Kona’s attention a couple of times, it was nothing we couldn’t manage. And Finn was a trooper, showing off her best smile for the world to see. Come see some of the beautiful images that now grace their home…

We started on the dock and you Kona’s personality shone through – she is such a ham! I think she is actually smirking at me in this image.

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Finn took her professional portrait session very seriously, showing me how gorgeous she is.

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Nothing quite like feeling the sun on your face, eh Finn?

dog smiling in the sun

Then it was Kona’s turn for a professional portrait…with a little lean just to make it more ‘her’.

dog leaning on dock

They have a beautiful relationship with each other. At this age, you have to cherish the moment and take in the beauty of the world around you.

two dogs peering out at lake

The splendour of Fall!

husky and pointer sitting in leavestwo senior dogs in fall leaves in southern ontario

Finn showed us her best smile…

smiling husky dog

…while Kona decided to mix it up and make sure I got a full show of her best howl.

pointer dog howling in leaves

And, finally, this beautiful black and white art piece of Kona showing the world that THIS is how you run.

black and white image of running pointer dog

One final note – I have a lot of clients who want images when Southern Ontario bursts into full colour, usually during a small window of time in late September and October.  As a result, those Sessions dates are popular and are booked quickly. If you are thinking of a Fall Portrait Session for your furry faces, now is the time to contact Posh Pets and reserve your date. I look forward to meeting you all!