Nov 8, 2013
For this week’s theme we were encouraged to capture “the kitchen” as it was our pet’s “favourite place” because they know “delicious food will be served there”. Images of them eagerly waiting their meals were encouraged. So, here is a behind the scenes look at how dinner is served in the Posh Pets‘ household.
As most of our blog readers would know by now, we have two cats. Lady Jane is 16.5 years old and rules the roost. Baxter is a laid-back 3 year old who views Lady Jane as his entire world. Through this relationship, they have taught each other things. One of the pieces of knowledge that Lady Jane has imparted is that we do not drink in the kitchen. This is a tradition that began with Ripley who, in his later years, loved water. So, we ended up putting an extra bowl in the home office which brought him such joy! In fact, he would rarely drink out of the very full, very fresh water provided in a lovely bowl in the kitchen. After he passed, Lady Jane quickly took up Ripley’s legacy and pretty much only drinks from the water bowl in the office as well. She has since taught Baxter this behaviour, and we now have a water bowl in the kitchen that rarely gets used in favour of the one down the hall.
Unfortunately, Lady Jane was very recently diagnosed with renal failure. We are trying to make changes to her diet and she is reluctantly taking her medications. As a result, she has recently also decided that we rarely eat our breakfast, lunch and dinner in the kitchen. We now will consider them in the office. Given her condition and the fact that we need to ensure she gets enough calories (she has lost quite a bit of weight), we have acquiesced. So, here is Lady Jane patiently waiting for her supper to be delivered to her (not in the kitchen…see her water bowl there).
Because of Lady Jane’s condition and the fact that she is a very picky eater, she is getting fed multiple times a day. Baxter, on the other hand is still being fed only at breakfast and supper. He is being a very patient, somewhat obedient boy, and he never pushes her away while she is eating. He is, however, a little confused as to when he will actually get fed. So, now when I prepare any type of kitty food in the kitchen, he tries to figure out if it is his turn as well. Which means he needs a better look at what is happening on the kitchen counter. He knows he is not allowed on the kitchen counter, so he simply hops up on the piano just outside the kitchen wall and peers around to watch me rather intently. If he sees me preparing two bowls and things generally look good, he will hop down and eat his meal (which was always just outside the kitchen anyway).
So, there you have it! Our kitties waiting for their dinners…none of which actually happens inside the kitchen! So, we sort of completed this weeks assignment. 😉
This is the Beautiful Beasties blog circle, so there are lots more behind the scene’s antics to be had. Please start with this link to Petlense Photography’s Lina Tay and see what goes on in her house!
Oct 31, 2013
Are you an animal lover that enjoys a happy ending? Then I have a story for you!
For anyone who follows the Posh Pets‘ blog, it becomes pretty clear that I have a special spot in my heart for rescue and shelter animals. Each of those little furry faces are precious! And so, I volunteer with various organizations, taking pictures of their adoptables in the hopes that someone special will see their beautiful faces and give them a home. Truth is though, although each week many of the animals become someone’s pet, I often do not know what became of them. I choose to believe that they live out their lives in a home surrounded by love, warm, dry beds and full bellies…
So, it really warms my heart when someone reaches out to me and let’s me know how “my” adoptables are doing. That happened this week.
First of all, let me introduce you to this gorgeous guy…
I looked up my records and so I know that I first photographed him on the very last day of 2012, so December 31. As you can see, we had snow on the ground at Toronto Animal Services and I remember that we scooted outside briefly to photograph a lot of different doggies that day. But, just look at that face! He was beautiful and searching for the right home. Well, I am happy to share that he found it.
Sarah, who wrote to me this week, shared this…
Hi! My name is Sarah.
I was browsing your site and was very excited to discover that you actually photographed my dog Washburn (used to be Brock) back in January of this year when he was doing his, I think, first of two stays at TAS.
My heart skipped a beat at seeing his adoptable photo.
It was always in the back of my mind to contact someone that had contact with him about how much he’s changed both mine and my boyfriend’s life. When I saw his picture on your site I kinda clicked the contact button without thinking. We originally saw his picture on the TAS site when we were on our way to an adoption event and had thought he would be too big for our little apartment. (He was listed as a Shar pei/mastiff mix) Little did we know he was more pug than mastiff and a perfect little man. We haven’t looked back since he came into our lives.
I want to thank you for taking the time to give exposure to dogs like our little Wash. Without people like you these special animals would have a harder time finding their forever homes. I doubt I’d be able to do what you do as I would have to take everyone home with me 🙂
You’re simply amazing.
Awwww…Sarah, thank YOU! It was just about the nicest e-mail to receive. Sarah also included some lovely pictures of Washburn to show us how he is doing now. This is one happy furry face!
Photo Credit: © Sarah Sullivan
Image provided by Sarah Sullivan
Know any other animal lovers that could do with a little pick me up? Please share this story with them…you and they will be glad you did!
PS: If any of “my” other adoptables are out there…please feel free to reach out and say hi.
Oct 23, 2013
Well…the Posh Pets‘ gang is back! After spending 3 weeks in Italy (which was wonderful!), it is soooo nice to be home! In part, because it means that I got to see all of my furry faces at the shelter this week.
These bright, happy furry faces are available for adoption from Toronto Animal Services – North Region. Give them a call if you are interested in a meet-and-greet! Please take a look and share…
Sep 10, 2013
Wow! Lots of furry faces to photograph at the shelter this week! We photographed them all yesterday when it was nice and cool, before the heat wave hits today.
They are all available from Toronto Animal Services – North. Although some may not be quite in the adoption pool yet, feel free to call TAS directly if you would like to meet anyone from these pictures. The furry faces will also be featured on the Posh Pets Photography facebook page throughout the week.
Everyone have fun and stay cool – we’ll see you next week!
Sep 6, 2013
With Labour Day, this week was a short one! Which meant the shelter was super busy on Tuesday when I went in to meet the furry faces. Given how busy the staff were, I focussed on the gorgeous kitties and here are the results. Every one of them would make an awesome family pet – all friendly and cuddly, most wanting belly rubs.
If you are interested in meeting one of these beautiful felines, please contact Toronto Animal Services – North directly.
Sep 3, 2013
Starting a business is never an easy thing. Exciting, nerve-racking, even scary, yes, but definitely not easy. There are always too many things to do, too many things to purchase and not enough time or resources to do it all. And so, I learned to make compromises and focus on the things I really needed at the time and put the other things off for a later date.
When I started, all I had was a name – Posh Pets Photography. That, and a dream to own a boutique pet photography business. Initially, I embarked on setting up a proper, bona fide business. It included things like obtaining a business license, purchasing insurance, drafting contracts…these were boring, mundane things, but so necessary.
However, the one thing I wished for was a beautifully designed logo. I loved looking at great design, but my knowledge of typography was limited to what was available on the drop down list in Word and I had no idea of the intricacies between size, placement and spacing. But, with some knowledge of photoshop and help from a friend, I was able to cobble together a logo that I could live with. Had I had the money at the time, I know I would have invested in a graphic designer.
Looking back now, I realize that I was missing more than just a beautiful logo, and that, in reality, I did not even have a brand. My style was still evolving and thus changing. A lot. It therefore turned out to be a blessing that I had not had the resources to invest in branding and logo design at the beginning. Had I done so, I think I would have outgrown it. So, to anyone who would ask, here is my first piece of advice if you are just starting out: wait until you have established your style before investing in logo/brand development.
Waiting also brought another unexpected benefit. It gave me great exposure to the photographic industry. An industry that has a plethora of vendors, selling you almost anything you can imagine. I have learned from great photographers, purchased far too much gear and, have seen the work of awesome graphic designers. Through all of that, I definitely had my favourites which I kept in a ‘favourites’ list.
Well, the day came when I had the money saved and I sent off an e-mail to Natalia Martinez of Design Lab Creative Studio located in Pentaluma, California. I had seen and followed Natalia’s work for some time, during which I had fallen in love with her clean, modern design aesthetic and there was simply a point when I knew that I would ask her to design the Posh Pets Photography logo. The beauty of the modern world is that your creative vendors do not have to live in the same city as you. We agreed on a schedule and began the process.
Now, I will warn you: designing a logo around your brand is hard work. Much harder than I expected. Natalia sent me an initial questionnaire with made me think about what I wanted my logo and brand to communicate. And when I wrote down the answers, honestly, I was starting to wonder if my money would be better spent on therapy as I was evidently at least partially schizophrenic. Early in the process, I joked that I was probably her worst client (which she graciously denied). But, through all of the crazy ideas meandering around in my head, Natalia was able to bring clarity and came back with the most gorgeous designs for me to choose from.
One of the greatest values I think that a graphic designer brings to the process is the ability to introduce you to new concepts and designs that you would never have come up with otherwise. I was completely surprised that what I eventually chose was not something that I would have ever asked for. But that is the point, I didn’t have to ask, Natalia created something and then offered it to me.
My final choices are beautiful and meaningful to me. The cat stamp is a custom-drawn profile shot of our very first pet, our dear Ripley. The dog belongs to a favourite client of mine. The fact that I have two stamps is special – while I love photographing all dogs, I believe I photograph more kitties than the average pet photographer. They are an important part of my business! I had to purchase fonts – such a grown up thing to do! – and I have beautiful design in my business cards, my letterhead and my watermarks. Together with the Posh Pets website and Posh Pets blog, I now have a cohesive look and feel to my brand. Plus, I have my Brand Guidelines to help me as I move forward and use my logo while creating additional marketing materials.
Natalia and Bill (her partner in life and business) were amazing through the whole process and went above and beyond what I could have ever expected. Natalia even got on line and prepped print files for me while she was on vacation, all because I had managed to mangle them up and my printer was having a fit. No question was too stupid and no idea was disregarded. Which really why my second piece of advice would be this: find a graphic designer with whom you feel comfortable and whose working style fits with you.
So, there you have it – The new Posh Pets Photography logo is now live! A huge thanks to Natalia and Bill who made all of this possible…I am so excited to share it with you all!
PS: I always get this question, so I will answer it here…my awesome luxe business cards are from moo.com If you want to try them out and save 10% on your first order, use this link.
Aug 16, 2013
This week’s visit to Toronto Animal Services included photographing a whole clowder of kitties (and a couple of cute doggies)! I have missed photographing the felines because of the on-going youth camp taking place at the shelter – they take up the usual bubble area where I set up the Posh Pets‘ camera. But, there is a little outside enclosure where quite a number of them were enjoying the summer weather.
If you are interested in bringing one of these gorgeous furry faces into your home and life, please contact Toronto Animal Services – North!
Aug 13, 2013
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.
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.
Aug 10, 2013
There is still a youth camp going on at Toronto Animal Services this week and the dogs are having a lot of fun learning new tricks. And this week, I had 2 awesome students help me out with the adoption photos. They were great, showing off the sit and stay skills they have taught the dogs. The pictures are gorgeous!
These guys are all available (or will soon be after the camp concludes so they are not on the website quite yet) at Toronto Animal Services – North. So feel free to contact them directly if you would like to inquire about adoption. They will also be featured on the Posh Pets Facebook page during the week!
Aug 9, 2013
So…we had a visitor in our house this week. Although neither my husband or I knew it, Baxter had it all figured out. He was fussing about, looking intently at the window. And then he simply got on the ledge to take a better look. I looked with him. Nothing. Baxter gave me this look of, listen, I am not the crazy one here. So, I looked again.
Well, right at the top of our window, behind the blinds was a tiny ladybug. How Baxter heard or saw her, I just don’t know, but he stood there looking up until we caught on. My husband carefully caught her and set her free outside and Baxter was satisfied.
And yes, through it all I took a few images. My kitty silhouette for this week’s Project 52 theme.
Next in the blog circle is Blue Amrich Studio in Massachusetts. Please check out her work and the rest of the talented pet photographers around the world!
Jul 30, 2013
If you have been missing the weekly updates of the adoptables Posh Pets Photography meets each week, there is a reason – we’ve been spending our time being a New York City pet photographer…
Now, if there is one thing you notice at first glance is that New Yorkers LOVE their dogs! So many cute, furry faces out on the streets enjoying the city life. As a tourist and a pet photographer, I am always walking around with my camera. It is therefore only natural that I would stop a few and ask for quick picture. Hope you enjoy this little peak into our travels through the eyes of the dogs…
We spent some time walking through Manhattan which is where we met 2 year old Panchetta. She was enjoying the gorgeous weather, patiently waiting to cross the road with her human at 86th and Lexington. A Boston in New York!
Then I met Markus, a Tibetan Terrier who enjoys his walks on Park Avenue. He was sporting his new summer cut. When I asked if I could take his picture, I was told that Markus loves to strike a pose and show us his best smiles. He certainly didn’t disappoint!
This is Jessie, an absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous Italian Greyhound. She and her human were enjoying the sites and sounds of The Boardwalk at Coney Island/Brighton Beach in Brooklyn. She took a little time to warm up to me, but after a thorough examination of my camera and copious amounts of scratchies later, she was ready to show off her model-worthy good looks. Jessie is 10 years old…love the senior dogs!
Last, but certainly not least, was appropriately named Fluff who was enjoying the evening in the company of his little human. His mom graciously allowed us to photograph her happy 6 year old boy!
Looking for more to do in New York City?
Here is a list of the top 100 things to do in the Big Apple, many of which can be enjoyed with your dog. Happy travelling and exploring!
Planning to go further afield?
If you are someone who loves to #travelwithdog, you should also consider documenting your travels with flydographer.com. Learn more about them here.
Jul 19, 2013
Another hot one this week! We took some quick, and I mean quick, photos outside of the gorgeous adoptables soon to be available from Toronto Animal Services. If you are interested, please contact Toronto Animal Services – North directly. They can give you all of the details and arrange an introduction. They will also be featured on the Posh Pets Facebook page throughout the week.
