this lovely old man had his Honour Session™ in June …

if you want to see more from Buster’s Honour Session™,  you can see it here.

goodbye, Buster, you sweet man.  i know you are dearly missed here on earth.

dashing, isn’t he?

this boy was adopted from the Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society.  as you can tell from the backdrop, this shoot was done in the graffiti tunnel right after Memphis’ dad, Don, painted it specially for Memphis’ custom shoot.  i didn’t want the painting to go to waste after Memphis’ shoot so we booked Orville for a quickie …

you’ll be seeing more of Orville later this year as he is scheduled for a proper big shoot in the fall …

… when he can run and fetch and be a goofball on some real doggy turf, not some grotty train tunnel.

still, Orville was a good sport about his little graffiti shoot … even though i know it was tough for this high-powered athlete to sit still for this kind of shooting …

thanks, Orville.  and i’m looking forward to seeing you really let loose in a more species-appropriate setting this fall!

some of you might even remember Norbert from our scruffy dog contest earlier this spring.  in the heavily voted-in contest, with over eighty entries, young Norbert finished in the top ten.

we covered a lot of ground during Norbert’s shoot, and because of some awesome locations, the resulting gallery is big on variety … SO big, in fact, that i’ve decided to bring you Norbert in two blog installments.  yeah, two!

first off, we started out — at mom, Sarah’s, request — in the graffiti tunnel …

although still very young — 8 months — Norbert’s obedience training came in handy.  especially when dealing with specific locations like this …

obedience isn’t required for a shoot, but it obviously helps with certain shots and locations.

don’t worry though, after the train tunnel, we definitely allowed Norbert to let loose right after this.  off to some fields of grass …

… and flowers!

how gorgeous are these?

i couldn’t imagine a more stunning backdrop for this gorgeous boy.

rocket-boosters on!

can you find Norbert’s little friend?

and one of my favorites in the golden field …

having come very close to catching a song bird as he flew after it through the flowers, Norbert was full-speed ahead, hoping to rouse up another potential victim.

i think this pup could have run through the yellow flowers all evening if we’d let him.  but we had other places to go.

next stop was Langdon Hall, where Sarah works … and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shoot on the grand front steps.

apparently Norbert hangs out at the Hall when Sarah works, greeting guests and lounging around.  how awesome is that?

and let me tell you, the staff at Langdon Hall are extremely dog-friendly … not to mention Norbert-friendly.  shooting this boy on the front steps wasn’t easy … every staff member who came through those doors caused Norbert to break his sit and run up for affection … not to mention the attention he garnered from guests in the short window of time we used the entrance.

and the grounds of Langdon Hall are stupendous!  for those out-of-towners (and out-of-province’rs) coming for their scruffy dog sessions and looking for a place to overnight, i highly recommend it as a true, one-of-a-kind get-away with your dog.  beautiful, wooded trails …

breezy fields and country lanes …

a swimming hole and room to run … but you’re going to have to wait for those images.  stay tuned for more of Norbert.

so this is Memphis …

these first few shots were taken during a pre-shoot session.  “a what?” yup, a pre-shoot shoot …

and why the need for a pre-shoot session?  well, here’s the thing … we use this train tunnel from time to time, and — not unlike a few other scruffy dog clients — the graffiti in the tunnel was something that Memphis’ owners definitely wanted for their boy.  and, hoping to capitalize on the awesome skull that they’d seen in our recent shoots there, they decided to book a Starter session now, before their fuller Standard session later this fall.

however, after a quick trip down to the tunnel, Memphis’s dad, Don, discovered that the graffitied skull had been covered up.  yes, it’s quite a busy tunnel!

so, being a bit of an artist in his own right — decades building and painting NHL goalie masks, and now painting NASCAR driver helmets — Don decided to paint his own graffiti for his boy … and in order to establish the best spot for his artwork, we arranged a pre-shoot.  and that section right above Memphis’ head was the decided-upon canvas.

after some arranging, a busy morning, and a surreptitious rendezvous, we were set.  Don had a busy morning, i was on call, and Memphis was in waiting.  and when we brought Memphis into the tunnel that second time, with Don’s work fresh on the concrete wall, i kid you not, one of the first things Memphis did was check out his dad’s work!

… perhaps a little intimidated by the bull terrier skull looming behind him?

” … maybe if i don’t look at it.”

but overall, i think the big boy approved, as quite soon he was relaxed and posing …

even a little action-jackson …

just look at this gorgeous boy!

“hey, lady, put that camera away and give me some more treats already!”

“snarl!”

“hey, dad? you finished? we gettin’ outta here any time soon?”

thanks for a fun afternoon, Don and Memphis.  can’t wait to pick up your canvas for you guys!  and i’m really looking forward to our fall session.

his full blog entry from his previous shoot can be found here.  and we had a great shoot last summer, but when mom Ingrid saw Buster’s latest shoot in the train tunnel and the tunnel of trees (for which a lot of scruffy dog clients travel here in order to have their shoot incorporate), she just had to bring Miles here for some similar shots.  she especially wanted the train tunnel because of Miles’ past … picked up as a stray in Tennessee, Miles’ history is unknown, and Ingrid imagines him having toughed it out on the streets and in tunnels.

so, it was off to the train tunnel.  at first Miles was a little confused as to the odd location, and maybe just a little uneasy … a quick tongue flick of nerves …

then … “wait, did i hear a train comin’?”

“and hang on a second, is that Skeletor? seriously, are you sure he can’t get me?”

“okay, okay …i’ll sit for you …”

“… and i’ll give you my best faces.  howz this one?”

“and this one?”

but if you wait long enough for something to catch their attention, eventually even the craziest little terrier goofball becomes a stellar model.

even a bit of a runway … er … railway model?

this was the first shoot to which i brought Merrick along for the ride.  he’d met Miles last fall during Ingrid’s studio-consult and these two “chill” little boys hit it off, so i thought it would be fun to take him along and let him run around at the second location.  in the tunnel though, i set down my camera bag and asked my boy to wait by it; and the entire time i worked with Miles, my boy stayed by the cameras.  still, i thought it would be fun to get a few shots of the the two adorable rescued terriers in the tunnel …

and this is the image that Ingrid is deciding to go with big … a 54″ canvas.  i can’t wait to see it!

so after the train tunnel, it was a drive through Mennonite country to the tree tunnel.  i swear, Miles was like: “seriously? more posing what am i?”

“oh, all right…”

“wait, do i smell something from that farm over there?”

and then i dared to ask for a “stand” from sweet Miles.  “are you kidding me, lady?”

“now, where was that delicious smell i just had?”

“oh yeah, baby!  there it is.”

“that’s one terrific smell … i love the countryside.”

“hold up. got an itch!”

okay, now we’re posing …

and … that’s a wrap, Miles.  “seriously? we’re done?”

all done.  “and i’m outta here!”

thanks, Ingrid, for a fun shoot, and thanks, Miles, for always being such a fabulous and patient model.  you’ll be seeing another blog entry soon about Miles when i talk about dogs on posts … so stay tuned.

Buster’s shoot is a Father’s Day gift, so i hope these images and his blog entry are a real surprise.

from Toronto, Buster came to our neck of the woods for his shoot because — like a number of our clients — his owners really liked some of the settings that they have seen on the blog.

14-year-old Buster is suffering from degenerative myelopathy — a progressive spinal cord disease which is affecting his mobility.  but in spite of some rests, this boy was rarin’ to go during the shoot.  in fact, Sara and her sister claimed that they hadn’t seen this old man move so fast and have so much fun in a long time, especially once we got out to our natural setting.  you could hardly hold him back!

on the way between the graffitied train tunnel and our favorite shooting spot, i made sure to stop at a small park to capture the last of the wild flox.  when scouting earlier in the day — checking out the state of the latest graffiti — i passed this amazing patch and just knew that we’d have to make use  of these pretty flowers for our tough pitty boy, so i way-pointed it on the GPS in order not to miss it later that evening during our shoot.  and at that point, with the late afternoon sun, it was glorious.

“woof!”

and then, up to the infamous tunnel of trees for this old boy …

i’d like to take a little time to talk about our Honour Sessions™.  as i mentioned in our most recent newsletter, i’ve struggled over the last few years to come up with a proper name for those very special sessions that we shoot for clients with ailing and aging pets.  other pet photographers call them “bereavement sessions”, but that term has always felt a little too morbid and sad to me.  friend and Minneapolis pet photog Sarah Beth, calls hers Joy Sessions®, but for me, the name still eluded me.  for me, based on the number of these sessions i’ve had over the years, these sessions aren’t always joyful, nor are they sad and full of bereaving.  instead, for me, they are a serious time, a deeply heartfelt time, and — most of all — a truly reflective time.

so, at long last and after much thought, i’ve come up with the name “Honour Sessions”.  these are sessions where the clock stands still … where we do whatever it takes to capture as many unique and powerful images as possible of your beloved pet … where we strive for as much variety as your pet can muster … where we sit and talk, sharing the experience … and through it all, truly honour your pet, the love and bond that connects you, and the lifetime you have shared together.

no matter what, these Honour Sessions™ are always worked into the scruffy dog shooting schedule.  even other clients are happy to shift their sessions to accommodate a sick and ailing pet.  after all, we all know the love of a pet, we all share the common understanding, and as such, share the same compassion.

at the same time, i always advise people not to wait too long to make that booking for their dog.  i’ve had numerous Honour Sessions™ where the clients wished they’d booked a year earlier, when their dogs were still relatively vibrant and able to run and catch a stick, or just walk amongst the grasses.  to me, those are the memories best captured.  but still, many wonders can be worked even with a pet who is relatively immobile, as i’ve done in many Honour Sessions™.  (and by the way, if you don’t already receive the scruffy dog newsletter, drop us a line, and we’ll rectify that, pronto!)

but back to Buster …  during our shoot, you’d hardly know he was struggling.  this big-hearted, never-quit boy was on the move … he had things to sniff, trees to pee on, and lovely long blades of fresh grass to mow down …

in fact, he was so determined to eat this entire field of grass, it was nearly impossible to get just this one shot of him not eating!

yup, still licking his lips from his salad-bar experience as we headed to the shore …

Buster, it was a true pleasure and delight to meet you, and an absolute honour to photograph you.  i hope i have done your courage, strength, and great will-power justice through these photos

Sara and family, i look forward to hearing from you, and i hope this is the happiest Father’s Day ever, for all of you and for Buster most of all.  you have a large gallery of images to sort through.  do not hesitate to contact me for help, and i am here if you would like to set up a studio consult.

and Buster, you three-toed wonder … dude, you’re the best.  just keep on keepin’ on!

he’s an Olde English Bulldogge.  i’m sure i’ll be corrected if i’m wrong, but this breed is a newer recreation of the original British bull-baiting dog, done by combining Bullmastiffs, American Bulldogs and American Pit Bull Terriers.  but don’t dare call them oldie english bulldoggies, not even in jest … i was harshly corrected by a breeder at an event recently for having a little fun with the spelling.  gulp!  fortunately, Bosco here doesn’t care what you call him …

… as long as you’ve got the right treats, you can call him just about anything and he’ll come running.

we had a fun afternoon, starting in the park, rounding up some of the local wildlife …

doing a little cleanup …

checking out the swamp …

and then into the woods for some puppy training …

good boy, Bosco!

proud parents, Katharine and Sheref, definitely love their new boy, and even at five months you can already see the bond forming.

from the park, to home … where i introduced Bosco to the Cuz.

as with all of my shoots, i come equipped with toys, and it’s almost always Cuz balls. why? because even if i happen to walk into a home with a Cuz-hoarding beast of a dog, a new Cuz always, always, always tops the cake … paws down.  Bosco agreed …

even though he had little energy left after our time at the park.  it’s really a wonder Bosco didn’t fall asleep while i had the camera on him … he was SO pooped!

but again, i know which treats to bring.

but before Bosco could completely retire for the day, we headed to one more location that Katharine and i had in mind … one of my favorite graffiti walls down by the tracks.

wait, was that a train?

thank you, Bosco, Katharine and Sheref for a fun afternoon.  i look forward to seeing you at your studio consult.  and i look forward to shooting Bosco again when he’s filled those massive paws of his!

of course, what’s an urban shoot without a little hair product?

merrick wasn’t entirely impressed with his urban shoot.  he’s still rather mistrusting of the camera … and taking on the job of location scout, chauffeur, hair stylist, and photographer all in one doesn’t leave room for “acting couch” as well.  i had to take what i could get.

still, we managed … and took the time to “enjoy” two different locations …

… and i use the term “enjoy” loosely as we had to be somewhat careful with our steps through the Parkway underpass train tunnel.

this is one of  my favorite shots …

… and if you come to Woofstock this year, i’m hoping you’ll see it on my t-shirt.    … the new scruff of scruffy dog photography.

the tunnel was awesome … until, of course, we heard the train rumbling far down the tracks, heading our way.

back at home we required a bit of a clean-up … waterless shampoo to get the Alberto hair paste out … and mineral oil for a large spot of grease on one of merrick’s paws.  i’m sure the entire time he was thinking i was insane.

so … if you’re local to Kitchener and would like to incorporate more of an urban flavor into your shoot, we’ve got the locations to suit!  and if you know of any other awesome walls of graffiti in the area, drop us a line … we’ll be sure to check it out!