Two Dogs and a Cat | Starling, Duke and Kitt

Two Dogs and a Cat | Starling, Duke and Kitt

2 dogs and 1 cat in silhouette at sunrise in Toronto
We had picked the day and time and it was EARLY! Time was of the essence as Mum had let me know that Starling, her black labrador, was not feeling well and she really wanted to capture her first pup in the early morning light.

When we arrived at the location, my heart sank a little. The sky was ‘socked in’ and it was just a blanket of grey, featureless clouds.

There is no way we’re getting a visible sunrise, I thought.

Add to that, the location was over the water because I wanted an unobstructed view of the sky which meant it was windy. And cold.

But it was too late to postpone now – the two dogs and one cat (!) were already on the long drive from home to meet me.

And so I waited, hoping that the sky might clear.

By the time they arrived, the sky was still awful. We had only a few precious minutes to try and get the pets to settle and simply hope for the best when it came to the sky.

By the time we got our first dog in place, the ‘official’ sunrise time had passed. Nothing but grey, mournful sky.

However, above the horizon, I noticed a sliver of clear sky and I thought: What happens when the sun gets there?

Well, we found out.

For less than 2.5 minutes tops, the sky lit up with the most incredible orange-red hues!

We quickly got to work as we needed all three furry siblings in place to create our portraits. As quickly as the colour appeared, it disappeared when the sun went firmly behind the wall of clouds and we were once again enveloped in the grey, windy landscape.

But it was enough. Enough for this. Meet Duke, Starling and Kitt silhouetted against the incredible morning sky.

Professional photographer tip: A portrait like this involving multiple subjects takes some forethought and planning to execute well. This is an outcrop over the water and we simply cannot risk anyone slipping or falling. Thus, the humans are very close by and all of the pets are on leash at the time.  The editing and retouching process ensures that the final portraits are perfect.

Photographing Your (Pet) Family

Whenever you have a family involving dogs and cats, the question always arises as to whether we can get a portrait of everyone together. To which I say: we are going to do everything possible to set ourselves up for success.

Much of our approach will depend on the relationships with each other and the temperaments of the furry siblings. In this case, believe it or not, Kitt (the gorgeous cat you see) was the most ‘stable’. (Stable is the word I use to describe the subject most likely to get into and hold a position.) Kitt also loves his canine brother and sister which is a great plus.

The result is that this final portrait was taking in one frame – no compositing!

2 dogs and a cat photographed outside in the Greater Toronto Area. (GTA)
Of course, individual portraits are important too. Here’s Kitt with his gorgeous colouring which matches the early winter tones of the forest.
brown cat photographed in tone on tone forest
Duke is the youngest and the most wiggly. But a head tilt and he got his portrait to match his feline brother.
boxer dog with headtilt photographed in brush
But this session was really for Starling, Mum’s baby. Starling had just recently been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing some treatments. Not knowing how much time they had left together, it was vital we had gorgeous photos of her.
black lab photographed in early winter forest

Celebrating the relationship

Given Starling’s diagnosis, we spent extra time and effort of photographing Starling and her Mum together. First in the early sky.
woman and her dog at sunrise during professional photography session in Toronto
girl and her dog at sunrise.
And together again later in the session. These unscripted moments are among the most precious. You can feel the love.
black lab and mum enjoying a quiet moment Toronto
senior dog giving mum kisses during photo sesion
dog mum hugging senior dog during photo session
Of course, we had to get a family portrait of everyone together!

Porfessional photographer tip: No one has to be in photographs during a session with me. But I always encourage someone to come dressed as if they might. It just gives you options during our time together.

family portrait of a couple, 2 dogs and 1 cat
Lastly, we ended up on the beach where again, we took a solo portrait of Starling.
black lab dog portrait on beach in Toronto
As well as Starling with her brother, Duke.
2 dogs on the beach

(Note: After I wrote this post and scheduled its publication, I found out from Mum that Starling had said her final goodbye.)

Starling, you have left a huge hole in your family’s lives. Your sweet spirit will be remembered by all who you touched. Run free, my brave girl.

And to Duke and Kitt, thank you for working with me during our session to celebrate Starling. It was like you knew that this was important for you were the most cooperative trio I have ever met. Thank you for giving me the honour. ♥

Looking to create meaningful portraits of your dog or cat during a Heritage Session? This is a special session to ‘celebrate the life, love and legacy of your pet.’™

POSH PETS® HERITAGE SESSIONS

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet. ™

  • High-priority sessions are reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice and work within their restrictions.
  • An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time together, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
  • 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.
  • More information can be found here.