We did a crazy thing this past week – we travelled to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In January.

Let that sink in for a moment.

We often refer to Winnipeg as Winter-peg because of its frigid temperatures, wind chill and copious amounts of snow and I can confidently say that the city lived up to its reputation. Before we went, people said we were crazy. And hey, maybe we were. But we are never ones to turn down an opportunity to travel and experience a new place, so we packed our bags and boarded the plane.

While we were there we were able to meet the hardy dogs of Manitoba. One of these was the lovely Charley. She is a 3-year old cocker spaniel with beautiful eyes and copper-coloured curls for days. She also travels everywhere with her family – she’ll be coming to Toronto this Summer – but I wanted to photograph her in her home and in her element.

So, on a very cold late afternoon in late January, we ventured outside to photograph Charley doing what she does…running and playing, and sniffing. We even got her to pose for a portrait or two.

There is something so great about letting a dog just run and seeing those ears fly…

The success of any session often relies upon letting things go at the pace and energy of the dog. Charley loved the new location with all of its amazing smells. At one point, she was in full tracking mode. Rather than fighting that natural instinct, I worked with it and these are some of the favourite images her family has of her.

If you would like a Snow Session for your favourite pup, find the information below: