Tag Archives: pet photography Washington

Dachshund Calendar Dog Makes Monday a Bit Brighter

We photographed a slew of dachshunds at the Leesburg Canine Country Club.  This feisty fellow found the over-sized frisbee to be no match!

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Frieda & Stoney – Another Holiday Surprise!

We met Frieda & Stoney this week for a secret santa session.  Stoney is a Yorkie. A very tall, 20 lb Yorkie, with papers to prove it.  Don’t tell Stoney he’s a bit large for the breed. He will have none of it. He is a very animated and funny dog and doesn’t seem to be or act 9 1/2.

Frieda is a gorgeous hound mix.  Found by a co-worker on the side of the road as a teeny puppy, Frieda’s human Paulette was asked if she might find Frieda a home. She did.  And six years later Frieda is still at Paulette’s.

You never know how dogs are going to be during a photo session.  The key, I think, is to let things work themselves out.  While we always direct a session to optimize lighting and composition, we also always let the animals show us what makes them comfortable.  For instance, Stoney was happy to perch on any piece of furniture.  Frieda however, preferred the floor. And so it was.

We had such a nice time meeting these two and know their other human will be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful holiday gift.

[caption id="attachment_1022" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Stoney & Frieda"]Stoney & Frieda[/caption]

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Babette & Her Sidekick Bella

Our session was booked for two dogs, Bella a Bouvier des Flandres, and Babette, a toy poodle.  Really though, this was about Babette.  Babette, who is 13, has been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism, and is very ill.  She is not a surgical candidate apparently and so, because of a tumor on her parathyroid gland, her calcium levels continue to rise and cause terrible symptoms.

She was such a trooper though.  Once she figured us out she realized she could rest between sets and still rally for her “beauty shot.”  Perfectly groomed and used to being pampered,  Babette is a true fighter.  That she brought along her best friend Bella to sort of stir things up was appropriate!

Bella’s favorite trick was to walk in front of my lens as I was shooting Babette.  On more than one occasion I was able to use Bella’s back as a tripod to rest my camera on.   An unlikely pair these two. Nine pound Babette and 96 lb Bella!  Though there is 90lbs and several years separating these two, it was obvious they are fast friends.

We are conscious of the fact that Babette is so very ill.  Our hearts go out to the family.  She is such a strong personality I know she will fight as long as she can.  Dogs really are amazing. We are so lucky to have the moments we get with them. We all wish Babette could have many more moments..

[caption id="attachment_995" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Babette and Bella"]Babette and Bella[/caption]

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Wolfie and Teddy – Mini-Poodles in Historic Leesburg!

I first met this awesome duo when I went to their home to photograph their “grandmom’s” dog – Boo last spring.  Boo and his human, Marjorie, were given the session as a birthday gift.  We shot that day at the home of Marjorie’s daughter, Kathleen, while Boo was here visiting from Virginia Beach.

We didn’t see much of Wolfie and Teddy that day as Boo was the star. But I knew from my short meeting that their shoot, when the time came, would be “energy-filled.”  I was not disappointed!

We decided to shoot early Sunday morning amongst the cobbled sidewalks and old shops of historic Leesburg.  I really felt that these tiny and perfectly manicured dogs would look so much better amongst stone and buildings than against the fields of the farm.  And even though a shoot like this took us longer and required more planning – like double leashes for potential escape artists, I think it was well worth it.

Teddy, the apricot, was Mr. Personality. Quick to smile and pose he was willing to try most anything.  Wolfie, the teeny white, was a bit tougher. Definitely supremely attached to his human, Kathleen, it took a lot of coaxing and thinking to get him more than an inch or two from her leg!

In the end though we got some lovely images.  These beautiful dogs were such a delight. I so loved that we had a breeze as the images with their ears flying are some of my favorites.

Thanks for the fun morning Teddy and Wolfie!

[caption id="attachment_854" align="aligncenter" width="466" caption="Teddy"]Teddy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_857" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Wolfie"]Wolfie[/caption]

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Reba – A “GenChan” Dog – The First Breed for Mutts!

We met little Miss Reba at the farm for an early Sunday morning session.  Her human, Linda, adopted Reba from the Dallas SPCA over 13 years ago.  She will celebrate her 14th birthday next month.

Reba is proud to be the first “GenChan” dog – genetically challenged that is.  Her human developed the breed after questioning the parentage of her beloved Reba.  She came out to the farm for a session with Reba, not just for personal photos but for her new website set to launch soon.  For more information, and to take the GenChan test to see if your dog qualifies, check out the site here.

Reba, was such a trooper, plowing through the long wet grass in our lower field.  Because she has a heart condition, we offered and she graciously accepted, our ride to the shooting location in the upper field.

Such a sweet and adorable dog. We’re so glad she came out for an early morning romp at Tranquility Farm!

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