If These Walls Could Talk | Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival

May 12, 2023

Exhibiting at the Stackt Market from May 4, 2023 until June 1, 2023

Part of the annual Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival

Mural: Leyland Adams (leylandadams.com)
Photographer: Karen Weiler (poshpetsphoto.com)

The Mural: CNIB Dreams

Located at 1525 Yonge Street, Toronto

I had the opportunity to photograph Leyland Adams in front of his incredible mural located at the CNIB GTA Community Hub. Leyland is at the forefront of making art more accessible for all and his practice “prioritizes accessibility through the integration of tactile, sensory, and audio descriptive technology”. This is accomplished through the use of various textures found throughout the piece.

I loved hearing how at the official unveiling blind children were able to describe what they perceived in the mural, and how they could easily identify that there were trees, rocks, and water on this magnificent cityscape.

As Leyland says, the beauty is that this “type of art creates opportunities for discussions around accessibility and generates understanding by allowing people to see, hear and feel things they otherwise might be excluded from.”

Toronto muralist Leyland Adams in front of his mural CNIB Dreams

Street mural and dog photographer in Toronto

The Rescue Dog: Sunny

This project also gave me the opportunity to meet Leyland’s beautiful dog, Sunny. More than just a loyal companion, she’s family.

As a pet photographer who loves Toronto and its dogs, it was only natural that I capture the bond between them with the mural as a spectacular background. What made the moment even more special was when I learned that Sunny came into Leyland’s life through Fetch + Releash, the very rescue organization that I regularly volunteer with. It was a heartwarming bit of serendipity where the many worlds I live in came together.

dog photographed in front of Toronto mural by Posh Pets Photography

Sunny and Leyland Adams in front of his mural, CNIB Dreams

If you are in the area, please come down to Stackt Market to see these images printed on BIG 8ft x 4ft panels. Come see these and the other participating artists featuring the murals found in our great city.

Rita | A Gotcha Day Celebration at Hotel X Toronto

Jul 7, 2022

Rita is one well-travelled dog! She is originally from Northern Ireland and is currently living in Canada with her mum who is here on a work assignment. She also has her mum run her own blog Everybody Loves Rita where she talks about her travels and experiences.

Her mum has decided that during their stay in Canada, the two of them will experience and explore as many things as this great country offers. And high on the list was a weekend trip to downtown Toronto.

Given the planned activities, Hotel X made the most sense in terms of a place to stay. Not only is the hotel gorgeous, but they are also very pet-friendly with a perfect location!

Dog Photography Session at Hotel X Toronto

We met in the hotel room that had been specifically chosen for this iconic shot – a view of the CN Tower. Nothing says Toronto more than a photo of the skyline. Mum had seen this photo from another session I had photographed and wanted to recreate it with Rita which, of course, I was happy to do. The bed and bowls are provided by Hotel X as part of their VIP enhancement.

(Insider Tip: This is definitely the one image everyone wants from their session, so room location is key.)

It also turned out that it was Rita’s Gotcha Day and that is definitely something to be celebrated! She was adopted in 2018, so happy 4th Adoptaversary, sweet girl! She’s definitely living her best life now.

Rita got treats and a marvelous day spent with mum. The room was decorated. I brought some presents. And a camera.

dog celebrates gotcha day in Toronto hotel

Exploring The Toronto Waterfront

We then left the hotel for a walk around the waterfront via Trillium Park. It was a beautiful day for a leisurely stoll – not too hot or too cold – and so we took our time exploring and showing Rita around.

Dog mum and dog along Toronto waterfront trail

Of course, mum could not help but notice the beautiful Inukshuk at the entrance to the park. We made a point to stop there on the way back and get a pretty sweet image of both the Inukshuk and Hotel X in the background.

I think the look Rita and her mum are giving each other says it all – their bond is one of a kind.

We ended up back at Hotel X and took a few quick portraits in the lobby. This was a Saturday evening, so we had to move quickly! Thankfully, Rita was always ready for whatever we came up with. Her sit and stay is solid!

Want to continue to follow Rita’s adventures? Follow her blog and Instagram for all of the updates!