Apr 22, 2015
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.
Then some solo portraits of the two babies.
Even at this age, this one could pull of a magnificent head-tilt. No doubt, she has her human family wrapped around her paw.
This is the beautiful Momma, Tess.
Then it came time to get the whole family together! Again, that little basket helped…
I 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!
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!
Nov 26, 2014
Phew! It has been a rather busy Fall in Posh Pets land – so many cute, wiggly, furry dog faces to meet and photograph. And we had some of the most beautiful scenery to create portraits in with what was a gorgeous Autumn in Toronto. I cannot wait to share all of these sessions with you! (Hopefully, the imagery will keep us positive as we face another winter in Southern Ontario.)
In the midst of all of this, I also had a couple of days to catch my breath and spend some time with the amazing Barbara Breitsameter of Poppyblue Photography. If you are not familiar with Barb’s work, you should definitely go right now and check it out! Barb is a Certified Professional Photographer, a Platinum Photographer of the Year for both 2013 and 2014, and a platform speaker for Imaging USA (National Convention). However, even with all of those accolades, she is an amazing, warm, down-to-earth, humble person who is more than happy to share her knowledge with those willing to learn. I felt so privileged to have the opportunity to mentor with her. Barb, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart!
So, you are probably wondering what did we do? Well, I have good news! I have finally finished editing some of the images we created together and am ready to share them here on the Posh Pets blog.
First of all, here is one of Barb’s own dogs, Fern. Fern is a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy…gorgeous from head to toe. She had been at the vet for a small procedure just the day before I met her, so I expected a quiet, dopey puppy. Nothing could be further from the truth! Fern wagged her tail and strained to greet me. By the second day, she was my awesome model.
The great thing about a mentoring session is the opportunity to go beyond your comfort level and try new things. In this case, I wanted to master studio photography. Knowing that Barb has won awards for her studio work, I was keen to get inside her brain and learn everything I could. Barb lined up some amazing models for me to photograph and guided me in the lighting. It was a great chance to experiment with so many pieces of equipment. Of course, I spent a good amount of time simply snuggling with the models 🙂
Two of the most perfect, roly-poly, frenchies (french bulldogs) I have ever laid eyes on! I literally squealed with delight when they walked up to the studio!
And then we had four of the most gorgeous basset hounds to photograph! They arrived in their very own, professionally wrapped vehicle…these guys are celebrities on the show circuit!
We also did some outside photography which is definitely my forte. Again, these two snuggle-bums!
And then Summer…she became our model after a rather serendipitous stop at the local veterinarian. Her Dad was so gracious to give us the opportunity to work with a lovely golden retriever puppy!
Last, but not least, I really have to thank Barb a ton for this last image. It seems appropriate that one of the last photographs a pet photographer from Canada could take was a dog holding a maple leaf. Not only did Barb help me by setting this up, she showed me how she would edit it. The result is simply stunning!
Thanks for following along on this little pet photographer’s adventure. I am always so happy to be able to learn new things and then incorporate them into my business and client sessions. If you are thinking of a Winter or Spring session for your furry face, now would be the time to set this up. In fact, given how busy this Fall was, if you really have your heart set on capturing the colours of next year’s Autumn, contact me and we can get you on the books NOW. Your first step is to contact me here. I so look forward to meeting you and your furry family members!
Oct 28, 2014
Pet photography is alive and well in Toronto these past few weeks! With all of the trees showing their best fall colours, we at Posh Pets have been busy as little beavers meeting lots of furry faces for their sessions. Even with the flurry of activity, we cannot forget about all of the lovely animals waiting for forever homes at Toronto Animal Services. It is such a pleasure each week to hand out treats and nice cuddles and belly rubs to the new dogs and cats I meet.
A lot of the animals in the following images are not quite ready for adoption. There are still some health-checks to be done and sometimes they have to be scheduled for their spay or neuter. But, if you are looking for a new family member, keep a close eye on the TAS website where their photo will be posted as soon as they become available. Rest assured, they are all lovely and would love to meet you just as soon as they can!
One other thing…if you adopted your pet from TAS – North, we would love to hear about it. Head over to the Posh Pets’ Facebook page and send us an update and/or a photo or two. Happy endings are just awesome!
Oct 17, 2014
Fall is always the busiest season at Posh Pets. I love the change of the colours, the crisp autumn air and the lovely furry faces I get to meet (and their humans, of course). But, I still make time for all of the little adoptables at Toronto Animal Services. After all, Fall is also a great time to find a forever home!
So, here is this week’s group of eager boys and girls all waiting to meet you. Contact the North Shelter to get more details and arrange a meeting. And even if you are not currently looking for a new family member, make sure to show these guys some love by sharing their lovely little faces…I am sure that there is a ‘somebody’ out there for each and every one of them!
Sep 10, 2014
Every week, I meet a new group of furry faces looking for homes. I often wonder: how did these little loves end up in a shelter? Abandoned, unwanted, with no place to go. And yet, they have such a forgiving spirit and are usually more than happy to meet me, thankful for the few moments of pets, cuddles and belly rubs. (If you want some free ‘therapy’ when you’re having a blue day, volunteer at a shelter and you could spend an hour doling about belly rubs.)
If you want to visit the following group in particular, please contact TAS – North directly. They’ll be able to give you all of the details!
This week is no exception. These first two are a bonded pair, Molly and Riley. It is always a little more challenging to photograph a pair of dogs, but I think these two did just fine!
For those of you who aren’t sure if there are any puppies in the shelter system, here’s proof that the cute and little are available. This is Bane and, by the time you read this, he is probably already adopted 🙂
And then we have our lovely feline furry faces. This trio are all in the cat pod which means they get along with other kitties and are lovely, cuddly ones. Puchi, Buck and Gerard are all waiting to meet you and purr their way into your heart.
Sep 5, 2014
“Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.” – Sydney Jeanne Seward
I loved this dog.
It has taken me a while to write this post. A week to be exact. Seven days. Almost 168 hours since we’ve said good-bye. And I still can’t believe that MacLeod is gone. Because he didn’t live with us – he belonged to my family – it is still easy for me to imagine him snoring loudly in his sleep at my sister’s or parent’s place. At 15 years of age, he did do a lot of sleeping. And snoring.
But, it wasn’t always that way. MacLeod and his sister, Anthea, came to our family when they were both wiggly, little shih tzu puppies, both from the same litter. Like any puppy out there, they were both unbelievably cute. And although I loved Anthea and her love of exploration, it was MacLeod that was my favourite.
MacLeod, aka Mackie, Big Mac, Maxster, Mister Magoo, was a character. He was your everyman’s dog. He had no airs about him, took you at your word and had a ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ way about him. He loved people, playing, balls and getting dirty. All the while being gorgeous.
Somehow, over the years, I had become “Auntie Karen” to MacLeod. When he would hear those two words, he would get beside himself with excitement, whining and crying in anticipation. So much so, my family would not tell him I was coming to visit until I was less than 10 minutes away. When I would finally arrive, he would be there, ready to greet me at the door. And then, he would look up at me, turn his mouth up at the corners and give me an honest-to-goodness ‘grin’. After the initial fuss, he would turn his attention to my belongings and go through my bags in hopes of finding a treat, a new ball or something else wonderful that he was sure I had brought for him. And, when I finally settled in a chair to rest, there he would be – climbing on my lap and resting on my leg.
Time, of course, marches on. To see him get older, and less playful was hard. But when he got sick, I was heartbroken. My friend wasn’t the same. Getting up to greet me was difficult – laying back down was harder. There was no more joy in the thought of playing with a ball. And no more grin.
And so last week, my sister made the decision that the time had come to let MacLeod go. And we gathered, as we have for all our family’s pets, to say our good-byes. I had promised him I would be there when the time came, and I made good on that promise by holding his paw gently as he found peace.
While it is still hard to believe he is gone, I am so happy he came into our lives and that he allowed us to share him for a little while. Thank you Mackie. Please know we will miss you always.
I loved this dog. I still do.
Aug 26, 2014
What did you do this weekend? Us? So glad you asked! Our weekend at Posh Pets was pretty awesome! We had the chance to attend SwissRidge Kennels 2nd Annual Doodle Romp in Schomberg, Ontario and it was a blast! Each year, the SwissRidge Kennels family gets together and raises money for a worthy cause – this year it was to help two young boys raise funds for a service dog. You can read all about Ciaran and Shay here.
The skies threatened rain, but these events happen rain or shine! So, although the day started out overcast, neither the dogs or humans seemed to mind. There was lots of meet and greets at what is essentially, a large family reunion. Here’s the first part of our summary…!
To start off, let me introduce Blizzard (on the left) and Zolo (on the right). Zolo is a former client of mine and these two dogs are the furry kids of the hard-working event organizer, Karley Gitten of Gitten Creative. I loved seeing them again!
More guests arriving for the start of Doodle Romp. The grounds here are spectacular and the event was designed for fun for both human and dog. There was a treasure hunt, contests, food and awesome vendors.
I’m afraid I have forgotten the name of this little one – but you sure were cute! (Update: This is Finn! Finn’s mum reached out to me and let me know the name of her gorgeous boy!)
This is Motley and he reminded me of how much our world has changed. You see, I have never met Motley in person, but I already knew quite a bit about him. Such are the results of the social media world we live in. It was great to finally shake paws.
It’s hard to resist the allure of a puppy and Jax certainly delivered. All 12 weeks of him!
George was such a character and came all the way from New Jersey to attend the event. He’s young and still learning, but he it’s obvious he knows how to work the camera!
Cash was a gentleman and looks like a miniature golden retriever. He really is a labradoodle (and a good-looking one too!), and I absolutely adore his look!
This is Blizzard, Zolo’s brother. I photographed Zolo before Blizzard arrived, so this was our first meeting. Blizzard certainly had LOTS of fun and, although no longer freshly groomed, was a stunning boy!
Another one of Jax. Just because… 🙂
Here’s another beauty whose name escapes me! Such a clean, white coat! (Edit: I am told that this lovely furry face is Bailey. How DO you keep your coat sooo clean?)
And this is Ollie. This boy is training to be a service dog. Given his lovely personality, I have no doubt he will be a hero!
So, there you have it! Some of the furry faces I met on Saturday. Share the images and if anyone can identify the dogs I missed the names of, please let me know! And…stay tuned for Part II!
Aug 16, 2014
The Posh Pets‘ week always starts right by a visit to Toronto Animal Services to photograph the adoptable furry faces available for adoption. But, let’s start your weekend right and have a look at some the lovelies we met!
Monday was probably the nicest day we had this past week (in terms of weather). The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the dogs were enjoying their time outside playing and learning from a whole new group of campers who are currently learning to care for dogs at TAS. I love meeting the kids who are eager to show me how they can get a dog to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ on command…although we do sometimes have some laughs when things don’t go exactly as planned. But, not to fear – there is always a camp counsellor or TAS staff member nearby to lend a hand!
So, there you have it! Enjoy this week’s of adorable, adoptable faces! (And feel free to share them around too!)
Aug 4, 2014
I love my weekly visits to Toronto Animal Services! The kid’s camp is still in full swing so it is nice to see all the adorable furry faces get their fill of walks, play, love and cuddles from eager campers. They also seem to get a good amount of treats and rewards as they learn new tricks and commands. And I have some very willing assistants to help me with handling the dogs as we get gorgeous adoption images of their charges.
All of these furry faces are available for adoption. You can find out their current status by contacting TAS – North directly. I will, of course, feature their little faces on the Posh Pets Facebook page and you can help by sharing their images around…it is amazing how many proud pet parents found their fur-baby via an image that was shared on social media! If that is you, feel free to contact Posh Pets Photography and let us know – it is sooo nice to hear the details of the happy endings!
Thanks to all the fans of this blog for following along! We’ll see you all next week!
