pet of year blog cover
The Animals that Shaped this Year
Every year, a body of work takes shape quietly. It doesn’t arrive all at once or in one place. Instead, it forms over time, across…
Looking back on some of the funny, sweet and playful moments of 2022
It's that time of year when we are looking to the future and are planning big things for the New Year. Before heading to the future though, this week I will celebrate some of the dogs that made this year memorable.
Josie with urban art
Pet Portraits and Urban Art
Syracuse has multiple places that have beautifully painted urban walls. I recently had a session downtown by one of these walls. We enjoyed having the dogs pose in the painted scenes and then also just sitting with the colorful walls fading out beyond them.
My Dog Won’t Sit Still
One of the most frequent comments I get from people regarding my animal photography is "my dog won't sit still. I could never have a photo session with him." I promise you that I have worked with all different types of dogs. I have worked with shelter dogs for a more than 6 years and have encountered dogs that are rambunctious, hyper and untrained dogs all the time. In addition, I have worked with dogs that are fearful of the camera and had successful images with all.
dog and autumn leaves
Lucky Dog
This past autumn I was so lucky to meet up with Norman (Now named Toby) again. His mom won a contest for a photo session. It was so great to see how well he is doing. He continues to have a happy smile and is ready to run and play. His skin has all healed up and his fur is healthy. We started our session just with a little walk up a hill where he stood among the golden leaves. He then showed just how much he loved his mom with an adoring gaze.
brown and black dog
Greeting Dogs at the Photo Session
I find it best when greeting a dog to let them approach you in their own time. At a photo session, I will let your dog approach me when he is ready. Dogs need time to sniff and assess that this person is not a threat. I generally leave the camera to the side, as that big black box often appears threatening to dogs.