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buster’s big session ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

10 November 2010 – 2:02 pm

this is Buster …

you might remember him from his sneak peek earlier on the blog.

Buster’s Serious session spanned several locations, and — as is typical of scruffy dog’s shoots — we’re often stopping along the way, whenever and wherever we find little patches of light or inspiration … whether it’s a little swath of clover on the side of a busy street …

… or the subway station

even the subway car itself.

when owner Giovanna signed her little man up for his Serious session, i’ll admit i was a little concerned when she admitted that he had no training and wasn’t food-motivated. knowing we were headed for locations where we’d be needing more poses vs. “wild” natural locations where he could run willy-nilly, i wasn’t certain Buster would be up for it.

i couldn’t have been more wrong. Buster was the consummate poser, and contrary to Giovanna’s booking form, Buster liked my treats just fine.

of course, Buster did give me his signature “look” more than a few times …

but truly, i think Buster enjoyed every minute. i certainly did. Giovanna and her little man were a pleasure to share my day with no matter where we went.

and the Distillery District was just an awesome place to hang out and shoot …

gorgeous colours, lots of textures, and – with Buster – lots of expressions …

but of course, no scruffy dog shoot would be complete without some crazy, dog-being-dog, action shots …

and some great skies …

and back home …

dance, Buster, dance!

and i just love Buster’s expression here …

but by late evening, i think Buster was done as he showed me to the door …

thanks for being such a fantastic model, Buster. i hope you enjoy your gallery, Giovanna. talk to you soon!

By illona | Posted in clients & sneak peeks | Also tagged distillery district, havanese, ontario dog photography, ontario pet photographer, subway, toronto, toronto dog photographer, toronto pet photographer | Comments (15)

big boy james ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

1 November 2010 – 10:03 am

this is James …

James is from Toronto, but — like some of my Toronto clients — his owner decided to bring him to scruffy dog territory for his Starter session after seeing some of the great locations we have at our disposal here …

and if you hadn’t guessed, James is a rhodesian ridgeback …

…who sniffs a lot.

and he gots some big feet.

James enjoyed the woods, and then a romp on the beach …

i receive a lot of inquiries about leashes … concerned owners who — after viewing so many images of the wild and free dogs on the scruffy dog blog and throughout the portfolio — worry that their dogs would never be suited for an SDP shoot because they cannot be trusted off-leash. needless to say — like so many other aspects of shooting dogs — i’ve got that covered.

as you see, James is sporting one of several long-lines that I use for dogs who might have a habit of following their noses and drives instead of the treats i’m offering up … although you’d be surprised at just how many SDP clients turn on their best behavior in regards to recalls when they discover the treats i’ve brought! these lines and their clips have a holding strength well beyond a mastiff at full throttle … not that anyone is capable of stopping one of those anyway. so all is safe. i also take some time at the beginning of our shoot to educate the owners on how best to work with the long-line, since there is a method. years of utilizing these lines in dog training has taught me a few tricks, and you have to know what you’re doing with these lines to avoid injury or rope-burned hands. with proper instruction, you’d be surprised at how many SDP clients have decided to incorporate long-lines into their regular walking routines and training.

the benefit of these lines vs. standard leashes is obviously the freedom and safety they provide. but also, traditional “long-lines” are generally just longer webbed leashes which take much more work to clone out in post production later (even in photos like the one above, the line can be removed) … not to mention that traditional long-lines are heavy, which causes undue tension on the collar, not only making the dog uncomfortable during the shoot, but — no matter how much post work you do — you can’t fix a collar that is skewed from the burden of a needlessly hefty line.

you don’t get that with the scruffy dog lines … here the line has been removed …

and as you can see, the line affords even this big boy plenty of running space …

thanks for a pleasant shoot, James. i think you’ll be pleased with your gallery, Justyna. looking forward to seeing you again at your studio consult. and Merrick thanks you again for the balls! he’s still enjoying them and hasn’t destroyed their squeakers.

By illona | Posted in clients & sneak peeks | Also tagged ontario dog photographer, reservoir, rhodesian ridgeback, tunnel of trees | Comments (8)

fritz and greta ~ {Toronto exclusive pet photographer}

19 August 2010 – 12:00 pm

this blog entry has been a while coming … i’ve been dying to share these two little darlings with you all for some time, but it was a big shoot and it’s been an extraordinarily busy summer here at scruffy dog.

you saw a sneak peek of Fritz and Greta earlier on the blog, but now i’m going to hit you with all of their glory. of course, i think this is going down as the biggest blog entry to date. these two are adorable and it was impossible for me to narrow down this selection any further … i mean, just look at these two!

Fritz and Greta belong to phenomenal, power-house photographer-couple Dave and Charlotte. if you aren’t already familiar with their fabulous wedding photography or Charlotte’s unbelievably creative and out-of-this-world baby photography, you’ve gotta check it out.

these two are not only highly skilled, uber-creative, and vastly experienced in their fields, they are easily the coolest, rockin’est, sweetest couple you’ll ever meet. without a doubt, our time spent along the Credit River and out on the Badlands was the highlight of my summer.

but, i know … you’re here for the dogs …

and they don’t come much cuter than little Greta … and i do mean little. however, don’t let her diminutive stature fool you … her voice is mighty.

Greta was born with arthritis, so although she’s still young, her comfort is a constant management.

but this little girl’s love for life is undeniable.

especially under the guardianship of big brother Frit …

so many times while working on these images for Dave and Charlotte, i found myself saying “aw” out loud at images of sweet Greta …

and then almost choking on my coffee as i laughed at Frit.

these two weren’t necessarily easy subjects … always on the go, and really, really, r-e-a-l-l-y low to the ground, but they’re just so darn sweet with each other.

and of course, easy to get started on a chorus or two. check out Greta … her bark is so fierce it lifts her right off the ground.

the Credit River was an awesome backdrop …

… even if Greta didn’t entirely agree.

and then it was off to the Badlands. when we’d originally decided on the Badlands for a location for these two little red guys, i had to admit, i dreamed about it.

and Frit and G-girl couldn’t wait to check out the clay ridges.

little Greta marching … i mean, seriously, how cute is she?

and what dog doesn’t go crazy with sand? dig, Greta, dig!

and how handsome is Fritz?

thanks, Fritz and Greta, for being so adorable. and Dave and Charlotte, you’re seriously the coolest. talk to you soon!

oh, and for those of you who still haven’t had enough of Fritz and Greta, you can see them in an awesome little home-movie Charlotte and Dave made recently of their trip to the beach. seriously, check it out. you won’t be disappointed.

By illona | Posted in clients & sneak peeks | Also tagged badlands, dachshunds, dave and charlotte, rainbow eleven, toronto pet photography | Comments (16)

this is why … ~ {Toronto dog photographer}

3 July 2010 – 12:25 pm

i’m often asked why it is i do what i do, especially after a pretty successful, twenty-year career as a novelist. i guess there are a number of reasons, the bulk of which i won’t bore you with … but the main reason for scruffy dog photography, the purpose behind it, the passion and the mission, is dogs like Bridie …

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it was touch and go whether i’d even get to meet sweet Bridie, a Cushings dog currently in renal failure. her shoot was postponed while she was in hospital, and even once she was released i wasn’t quite sure what to expect. i should never have doubted a terrier heart. Bridie was a trooper throughout our extremely long shoot yesterday and last night. with special shoots like this, i never take any chances, and since the mission of scruffy dog has always been to capture as many unique image in a variety of locations, especially with the special cases, when i know it is highly unlikely i will ever have the opportunity again, i go all out.

you will be seeing many more images from Bridie’s shoot, but she and owners Harriet and Tom have been on my mind during this difficult time (before and after the shoot) … so I wanted to share at least a couple of images for now.

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you are in my hearts. be strong for your little girl, as she is strong for you.

By illona | Posted in clients & sneak peeks | Also tagged bereavement session, cairn terrier, senior, terrier, toronto dog photographer, toronto pet photographer | Comments (17)

diesel and jake

21 November 2009 – 2:12 pm

meet diesel and jake …

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… reddog sidekicks of trainer Diane Holmes of Holmes on Hounds. That’s Diesel girl on the left whispering sweet nothings into younger brother Jake’s ear.

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Diesel.

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Jake.

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the thing about Diesel and Jake is that they know how to have fun … especially with Jake as the instigator …

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Diane is a Certified Educator Trainer, taking her classes to the streets of Toronto and teaching people how to manage their dogs in the real world — Street Safety Training — something i’ve always been a huge advocate of, seven years ago starting up my own training-in-the-park group that met weekly to expose our dogs to various challenges and obstacles outside of a controlled (and often boring for the dog) training facility. anyone with a challenging dog or seeking an avenue to deepen their bond with their dog should definitely try out this kind of group class.

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