And They Call it Puppy Love | Three Ways to Capture Puppyhood

And They Call it Puppy Love | Three Ways to Capture Puppyhood

Puppies are amazing. Those beautiful eyes. The big paws. The sweet new puppy breath. The way they wiggle. And now, you have just welcomed one into your home! Take a moment to savour this big event for this is the very beginning of your adventure together.

brown, black and yellow lab on porch

We can wish with everything we have that our puppy could remain a puppy forever, but it’s simply not possible. In fact, it is amazing how quickly puppies physically change during the first few weeks and months of their lives. However, there is a way to ‘bottle’ all of that new puppy goodness, so to speak, and that is by photographing him or her. But, think of puppy photography as comparable to newborn photography – if you want images that will forever preserve those first few weeks of ‘newness’, be sure to photograph them early and often, because that stage will be gone before you know it. So, how do you make sure you don’t miss anything important? Here are 3 ways…

1. Photograph your new puppy in their new home

When your puppy first arrives home, photograph their first moments in your home, now their home. These images do not have to be technically perfect (this image has a pile of towels in the background), but they will be so precious when you look back at them and think that this was the day when <insert name> joined our family.

puppy laying on floor at home

Photography is all about light. Believe me, you will feel better about your images if you can coax your new little bundle of fur into good light. Try images by windows that will give you gorgeous diffused light. Even when your puppy is naughty (notice that this little guy has obviously gotten into something), ensure they are safe, and then take a photograph. Getting in close will allow you to document their wrinkles, their furrowed eyesbrows and those big paws.

puppy home portrait

No doubt, as your puppy ventures outside for their first steps on the property, you will be right there with them. You can watch them from a bit of a distance and, with a zoom lens, capture their natural inclination to explore their environment.

yellow lab puppy walking on path

black lab puppy running

Know that new puppies will tire easily and will often take naps wherever and whenever they feel like it, giving you wonderful opportunities to photograph peaceful moments.
yellow lab puppy sleeping in grass

2. Be sure to continue photographing them as they grow

As puppies get older, they will begin to explore their environment and test their boundaries. This will give you lots of opportunities to capture those puppy antics. Here, this little girl purposely climbed into her mum’s garden and lay on the flowers to pose for me. There wasn’t any danger (except to the bent flowers), so I didn’t stop her. The result is a natural portrait that brings a smile to your face.

chocolate lab puppy posing with flowers

Don’t forget to take some headshots by getting up close and personal with your puppy. Photographing them from just under their eye-line as I have here makes them appear larger.

smiling puppy headshot

I have found that, as a puppy moves around, they often just stop to look at the world around them. If you can command their attention, you will be able to create a very beautiful portrait. As always, try and be conscious of how the light is falling on your subject (your little guy or girl) and you will be much happier with what you produce.posing puppy in garden bed

formal puppy portrait in Toronto

And, honestly, sometimes puppies will just ignore you and really test their boundaries. These two were on the edge of the property, and had they ventured any further, we would have physically picked them up to bring them back. I’m not sure what caught their attention, but this portrait gives the idea of having the whole world ahead of you. Which is, when you think about it, very true of puppyhood.

puppies gazing into the distance

3. Arrange for a studio portrait session

Sometimes you are looking for classic, studio portraits of your puppy and this is where it is wise to book with a professional. Puppies often do very well in the studio. It’s a safe, closed off environment where they can explore, but all the while under your watchful eye. They also often enjoy all of the cuddles and attention they get during the session from their new friend, the photographer. With the non-distracting background, you will have timeless portraits that show your puppy’s personality and sweetness.

black lab puppy with red polka dot tie

yellow lab with plaid bowtie

chocolate brown puppy with blue bowtie

chocolate lab puppy with pink bow

black lab puppy on blue

So, there you have it – 3 ways to forever remember your puppy in photographs and art. Be sure to look through your images and choose some to print and display. Images, while they are fun for sharing, are not really appreciated with everyone huddled around a computer of some other device. Your puppy is a member of your family now so ensure you display some of those up on your walls.

If you are looking to capture your puppy’s first moments and their first year, a great option is the Year in the Life Luxury Series. Find more details below.

YEAR IN THE LIFE LUXURY SERIES

A series of Boutique™ Sessions to capture the first year or the seasons.

  • series of three (3) Posh Pets Boutique™ Sessions throughout the year. Perfect for capturing puppy or kitty’s first year. Or, to document the life your pet leads with the different beautiful seasons we enjoy in Southern Ontario as your backdrop.
  • The result of this series will be a gorgeous life story that you will treasure forever.
  • A Posh Pets Studio™ Session can be substituted for one of your session for a small fee.
  • 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.
  • More information on A Year in the Life Sessions can be found here.
The Best Way to Enjoy Your Dog’s Puppy Stage!

The Best Way to Enjoy Your Dog’s Puppy Stage!

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 😉

puppy portrait on couch

puppy on ornate couch

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.

puppy on front porch with bowtie

puppy with bowtie

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.

golden retriever puppy running

golden retriever puppy pouncing

Take on sticks that are way bigger than you…branches that are attached to trees!

puppy with big stick in richmond hill

Sneak up on imaginary friends…

stealth puppy

And take time to contemplate life.

puppy contemplating l ife

And then back inside to wipe our paws and sit on more furniture we don’t normally get to enjoy.

toronto-puppy-photography

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.

dog resting in his bed

sleeping puppy in his bed

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

Where it all begins

  • 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.

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!

 

One puppy, two puppies, three puppies, four | Toronto Pet Photographer for Canadian Dachshund Rescue

One puppy, two puppies, three puppies, four | Toronto Pet Photographer for Canadian Dachshund Rescue

Being a pet photographer is something I absolutely love, especially when I can donate my talents to those who need it the most. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting four, little doxie girls who have not had the best start in life. They are part of the QC15 – fifteen dogs who were rescued by Canadian Dachshund Rescue from a Quebec puppy mill. These four little ones were part of that group and they came to the Posh Pets Photography studio for their glamour shots.

As you can expect, they have a few health problems and each of them are receiving extended treatment. Of particular concern is their mange, which has resulted in them being almost completely hairless (and will probably remain so for the rest of their lives). But, a lack of hair does not stop them from being curious, friendly, sweet and downright cute.

So, without further ado, please meet Josephine, Aimee, Isabelle and Pearl

dachshund puppy  in boxdachshund puppy peeking over boxtoronto dog photographer dachshund puppycontemporary dog photographer dachshund puppy

If you would like updates and their progress and to help support their treatment, please consider a donation to the Canadian Dachshund Rescue. You can do so by following the link here.

 

 

Paddington | Toronto Corgi Puppy Photography

Paddington | Toronto Corgi Puppy Photography

Is there anything quite like the unbelievable cuteness of a puppy session? All of that roly-poly goodness combined with snuggles and little legs can’t take them very far? I don’t think so.

So, it was with absolute delight that I spent an early summer afternoon in Toronto photographing petite Paddington during her cute puppy stage. The head tilt alone left me hopelessly in love. And when we got her running…well, it took everything I had not to simply plop her in the car and take her home with me. (In a way, I guess I did – one of Paddington’s images currently graces the masthead of this blog.)

It has been a few months since we took these images, so of course, Paddington has grown into a beautiful corgi girl. I get to see her quite regularly as she belongs to the owners of the pet supply store I frequent for my own furry faces, and she is almost always there to greet me with a kiss. But, her family is so very glad we were able to capture these images while she was still young. Come along and I think you will agree that it was worth it.

corgi puppy sleeping on dog bedcorgi puppy standing on deck chaircorgi puppy smiling in tall grass with sunlightcorgi puppy on path with head tiltcorgi puppy lying in grass with head tiltsmiling corgi puppycorgi puppy running in green grasscorgi puppy trying to get in backdoor of housecorgi puppy peeking over grass

If you are considering having a Posh Pets Photography puppy session for a new furry face in your life, don’t delay! The puppy stage is brief, but photographs can capture it forever.

 

Adoptables – TAS North Region | Toronto Pet Photography

Adoptables – TAS North Region | Toronto Pet Photography

Meet this week’s lovely animals available for adoption at the Toronto Animal Services – North Region! As always, please feel free to contact TAS for more information about any particular dog or cat. You can also find out a few more details about each of them on the Posh Pets Photography Facebook page.

Here are Ridley, Quinn, Sampson and little Sara.

This week, we have 5 beautiful felines – Cream Puff, Rupert, Clarice, Ashby and Chester.





Thanks for visiting us this week – we look forward to seeing you again!

 

Project 52 – Best of the Week | Toronto Dog Photographer

Project 52 – Best of the Week | Toronto Dog Photographer

This week’s theme is exactly what it said – the best image from the week. Sometimes you know you’ve taken it, the second you click the shutter. This was one of those times.

Meet Denny. Denny is 3 months old and currently resides at the Toronto Animal Services where I volunteer once a week. He is a sweetheart of a Rottweiler puppy who is trying very hard to learn his manners. In other words, he LOVES to jump up and give you wet puppy kisses. Afterall, when you are only 3 months old, every day seems like a long time to wait for your forever home. And so you spend your days savouring every new experience as something exciting! Especially new people.

In order to get his image, we brought him into a grassy enclosure to let him off-leash. We really were not sure how this new found freedom would allow us to take a beautiful image and even acknowledged it to each other. As can be imagined, Denny spent the first 5 minutes running around, jumping up on us, giving kisses…we were starting to wonder if we would get an image that was more than a black blur. What to do? Well, I got out my trust squeaker and handed it to my assistant. She let out the *squeak*.  And, with that sound, Denny sat down, cocked his head and gave this beautiful pose. You have just got to know – he is going to be a heartbreaker!

Next up on our blog circle is the talented Claire (Bear) Garrett of Australia’s Petography! Make sure you click all the way around the circle until you come back where Denny will be waiting for you…

Project 52 – Perspective – It’s a big world out there! | Toronto Pet Photographer

Project 52 – Perspective – It’s a big world out there! | Toronto Pet Photographer

This week’s theme was “Perspective”.  Seeing as we are currently travelling in Europe, finding animals to photograph was a little more of a challenge this week.  But travelling does change your perspective on the world, does it not?

I was able to capture this image of a very small, adorable pup who we found by the side of a country road.  He doesn’t look that tiny in this photo, but if you are looking for a reference point, look at the height of the grasses where he is sitting.  Those are normal blades of grass.  Mama was close by keeping watch to make sure we did not hurt her baby.  That in itself was quite a touching example of a mother’s love.  When we got out of the car, Mama approached our car, obviously very frightened by strangers.  As we went to pat her, she lowered her body and turned away – perhaps strangers have not treated her well in the past – but her fear did not stop her from doing all that she could to ensure that her little one was safe.  So, we talked softly to her, gave her some water and moved slowly to take photos of her puppy.  By this time, the little one had scampered away and was watching us from a safe distance.  How he must have wondered who these strange beings were with what must have looked like a gun pointed at him (my 70-200 lens with a hood on is imposing).  It made us think, what would your perspective of the world be if you were only 8 inches tall?

To see the next image by Ann Kearns, please click here.  Remember, this is a blog circle, so click through each of the links on each of the photographer’s sites until you end up back here.