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our Woofstock winner(s)! ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

17 June 2011 – 11:56 am

once again, thank you to everyone who stopped by the scruffy dog booth this past weekend at what had to be the best Woofstock ever.  fabulous weather and even more fabulous dogs!  if you haven’t already checked out the awesome faces that visited us, check out the previous Woofstock blog entries … all three of them!

but enough yapping … i know everyone wants to know the winner of the draw for a free scruffy dog photoshoot.  as always, my girl Matea — second scruffy in command around here — picks the winning ballot every year …

she takes her job pretty seriously … sniffing carefully through them all.  in fact, we had one booth visitor — upon learning that Matea is the official picker — use one of the liver treats to “spike” her ballot … rubbing the treat over every square inch of the hopeful ballot.  i’m not sure if this is the one that my girl ultimately chose; she’s not easily swayed.

but she was mighty proud of her pick, regardless.

and the winner of this year’s scruffy dog photo session is …

… Isadora P. and Wolfgang, the Irish Wolfhound!  figures Matea would choose another big, leggy wirehaired.  she’s often been mistaken for a wolfhound herself.

but not to be outdown by his sister, Merrick wanted to pick a ballot too, and given that he’s still in the training stages, learning lots from his big sister, i could hardly deny him.

so we have a second winner …

Melissa M. and her little King Louis, the chihuahua.  as runner-up, i’m offering $50 in scruffy dog dollars, to be used for your little King Louis towards a shoot or prints and products … however you like.

i look forward to meeting these two 4-leggers, but as i mentioned in yesterday’s newsletter there were so many amazing dogs i met over the weekend whom i would love to meet up with my cameras … gorgeous, beautiful beasties! … all of them!

also, if you didn’t receive yesterday’s newsletter, drop us an email — info@scruffydogphotography.com — and we’ll rectify that pronto.

have an awesome, scruffy weekend, everyone.  and scritches to your 4-leggers from me and the scruffies.

By illona | Posted in news and rumblings | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (4)

Sunday’s Woofstock – second installment ~ {Toronto dog photographer}

14 June 2011 – 1:12 pm

i present to you the final set of images from our fabulous Woofstock weekend.  as i mentioned in the last two installments, because of the overwhelming response and the often crowded booth, i wasn’t able to sneak away from scruffy dog booth for more than a very brief outing on Saturday, and then one quick pee break on Sunday … so whatever images you see here were snapped quickly inside or just outside of the hubbub of our very popular booth where there was often very little more than elbow room … that’s why you’ll see a lot of ‘overhead’ shots.

as i’ve mentioned in the previous Woofstock entries, if i did manage to pull myself out from behind the scruffy dog table to snap a few photos of your dog, you’ll find them in one of these blog entries.  please respect the copyrights of these photos and do not copy them from the blog.  instead, please email us and request them.  i’m happy to provide you with a copy for your facebook page!  and obviously if you’re interested in any prints, just let me know.

and oh, what happy, shiny, sparkly faces visited us at the scruffy dog booth.  like this amazing Boston-cross … look at this face!!!

i could have shot him/her all day … what expressions!

… every shot of this character is brilliant, i had a hard time choosing which to share here.

and this bruiser … i just LOVE when black dogs have these phenomenal eyes for me to focus my cameras on.

and it’ll be a long time before i forget this little niblet and her expressions.  she strutted up to the booth, pulling her man behind her, with an attitude and an air that no other dog could possibly match, like: “hey, photographer chick, i’ve arrived. i’m here. check me out. hundreds of dogs you’ve shot, you think you’ve seen it all … well, darling, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!  i’m the hot shit you ain’t never seen in your career!”

i think she’s right.

whether the front end or the back end … she was all ‘tude!

and this pretty little girl danced for me …

and then there was bat-earred Billie …

so pretty in pink.

now, i’d like to write a word or two about this girl with the eye-liner eyes (again, forgive for not remembering everyone’s name … the weekend is a blur!).  always when owners tell me things like: “Oh, my dog doesn’t photograph well, they always end up being a black blob.” or “They’re extremely camera shy and always turn away from the camera. I can never get a photo of them.” … well, it’s not so much that i’m trying to prove them wrong; it’s more that i hear the need for at least a couple of decent photos of their beloved 4-legger.  so … when i heard phrases like that this past weekend, i immediately reached for the camera and came around the table.

as i rounded the corner of the table in this particular case, i immediately felt this gorgeous girl’s energy.  she was just lying there, seemingly calm, but her energy was palpable for me.  i lowered the camera and told her owner: “no, you’re right.  her energy isn’t right.  i’m not even going to try.” why? because if i don’t have the proper time and environment in which to bring a dog around to accept the cameras and the concept of a photoshoot, i am not going to force the concept on them and potentially ruin them for any future shoot.  i’ve met too many dogs who have been ruined by previous photoshoots by non-dog-savvy photographers and have had to work long and hard with them to bring them around.

but then this little girl met my eyes, perhaps her hound-nose catching whiff of the dehydrated treats clutched in my one hand, and she got up.  then she jumped up on me.  when her owner pulled her down, i told her no — as i do with my clients with potentially camera-shy dogs — let her jump on me, i explained.  i’m a play-thing for their dog, not some new authority in their life.  i’m not there as a trainer, but as their new, fun outlet … although i’ll never leave a photoshoot with the dog still jumping all over me … we always leave with respect and love and wagging tails.

so while this little hound girl jumped and clawed at me, i doled out treats, all the while holding the big, scary camera overhead, patted, treated … then i asked for a few sits … treated, patted … still with the big, black camera overhead, and in under two minutes this eye-linered girl was posing like a pro.  and how gorgeous is she?!

then there are others who are completely and utterly oblivious to the camera …

and when he finally did take a treat, well, i have to admit, it was what i imagine it would be like feeding treats to a hippopotamus … those lips!

and here’s the first pharaoh hound i’ve met in person …

this sweet little pup belongs to a fellow raw feeder who lost her last girl some time ago.  i was so thrilled to meet the new pup in her life…

and this sweet old girl (many apologies to owners if i’m getting their 4-legger’s gender mixed up … it was a long weekend, with a long flood of gorgeous dogs, and although i had a 98% success rate in guessing gender of the pups who came into our booth, for some reason, when it comes to photos, i have more difficulty).  lying so patiently while her owner chatted with me about the different sessions and packages available, and the best seasons for booking.  i just love the seniors.

and you know i love the scruffies …

this ball of sweetness belongs to one of the Pattison CTEs who were our wonderful booth neighbors … i managed to snap this photo a split second before she realized i was squatting there, at which point she mozied over, and rubbed herself all over me for affection.

and no, i didn’t get a single photo of the booth this year!  a number of you have already asked to see images of it, but i was too busy, and totally forgot to take photos!!  if anyone else got a shot or two, i’d love to see it!

thank you to everyone who visited us this past weekend — past clients, future clients, dedicated facebook and blog followers, fellow photographers, fans, and everyone else. thanks for bringing out your wonderful pups for us to meet.  it’s a lot of work and a big investment to put together an event like this, but you make it worth it!

and a huge, bottomless thank you goes out to Karen and Kim — my amazing staff members — who worked such long hours, so devoted and dedicated, so passionate about scruffy dog and everything we do, and equally passionate about all of the dogs out there.  if you met them, i’m sure you’ll agree — they’re absolutely amazing!  i couldn’t have asked for two greater, more generous, and more positive people at my side last weekend.  you’re amazing, girls!

as for the draw … yes, it’s coming.  i’m keeping everyone in suspenders.  :)   the event gear is all still being unpacked, artwork is still wrapped up, and everything needs to be sorted.  so please stay tuned!

thank you again to everyone. and please hug your 4-leggers from us at scruffy dog.

By illona | Posted in news and rumblings | Also tagged , , | Comments (8)

a few more faces from this year’s Woofstock ~ {Toronto dog photographer}

13 June 2011 – 6:14 pm

well, yesterday was yet another incredible day at Woofstock.  i mean, could we have paid for better weather!?  although i woke at 3 a.m. with a migraine and had to medicate, i was feeling fine and ready to hit the road by shortly after 7 … flying into TO bright and early, with a surprising and new-found bounce in my weary feet.  of course, being true Canadians and none of us trusting a weather-forecast no matter in what form it’s delivered, my staff and i had stripped the booth walls of their artwork the night before in order to protect it all under tarps … just in case.  sigh … if only we’d been able to unzip that canopy to walls fully-loaded with all those big pieces and not had to rehang a thing.

still, everything went up quickly amid morning greetings and catching up with our awesome booth neighbors … and very soon the slobbery faces began trickling in.  ah, so many lovelies!

if i actually managed to tear myself out from behind the table on the weekend to snap a few quick shots of your dog, you will find at least something here on the blog of them … either in the Saturday entry, this entry, or the next one to come … so stay tuned.  please respect the copyrights of these photos and do not copy them from the blog.  instead, please email us and request them.  i’m happy to provide you with a copy for your facebook page!

so, without further ado … check out this handsome boy!  this young catahoula leopard dog was a handful.

yeah, that sit makes it look like he’s a poser, but don’t let it fool ya.  this boy is a mover and a shaker, and if you don’t give him the treat you’re bribing him with within 2.7 seconds, you’re going to hear about it.

… and then he’s going to launch himself onto the booth table and clean out the treat bowl himself.

others were a little less direct … calmer and quieter in their approach …

maybe even a little bashful.

and then these two scruffmuffins …

gauging by the drool on both of them, i think they’d been sampling a number of booths before hitting ours.

“did someone say: squirrel?” yup, that was me. i’m such a tease sometimes to get the shot.

next up were these two lovely labs owned by one of our facebook followers … i just loved this girl’s face …

… and her sweet, quiet brother was such a doll.

i would have loved to snap a few more shots of this gorgeous girl, but from the first release of the shutter i could instantly see that she was wary.  if a dog ever shows even the trace of nervousness with the cameras or their energy is just a little off, i always work with them first.  but in a situation like Woofstock, where there are crowds and noises, and the overstimulation can be overwhelming for a young dog, and i’m unable to work with them, the last thing i’m going to do is set a standard for her in regards to cameras.  so sadly, in spite of her stunning looks, this is all i allowed myself to snap …

perhaps one day i will meet her again, and have the time needed within a shoot to develop her confidence.  just look at that face!

but here’s a little nibblet who had no issues with the camera, even though it was bigger than she was.  this little gremlin was just the cutest!  i think i died a little inside when she took the bits of dehydrated liver from my fingertips … SUCH a little dollface.

and her wilder, scruffy buddy …

and if this guy isn’t begging for a scruffy dog shoot, i don’t know who is.  ;)

and this hunk of sweetness? just look at those white whiskers … and those eyes!

i have to admit, it’s rather frustrating shooting in this kind of environment … extremely tight quarters, overwhelmed and overstimulated subjects … and frankly, when i see these gorgeous faces, feel their amazing spirits, and meet their loving owners, i just want to be out on a shoot with them, not in a booth in the middle of festivities, with concrete and crowds as a backdrop.  sometimes i think i’d do best to leave the camera at home.

still, i wouldn’t see this at a scruffy dog shoot, would i?

and this armful of sweetness.  (apologies as i’m struggling with a migraine today, but i can’t remember this darling’s name) this little rescue pup is definitely wary of the camera, so it was just a quick shot, but i had to.  apparently mom drove all the way from Windsor to see us at Woofstock!

and what’s Woofstock without a wolfhound?  of course, since this big guy had just had a drink, i had to quickly clear the table as he sauntered into the booth and i encouraged him to come on up to the table.  yeah, his highly respectful owner tried to pull him back, dribbly beard and all, but i asked for it … i just had to say hi!

although yesterday didn’t seem any busier than Saturday, it was steady, and i have to admit, i simply love meeting everyone who stops by the booth: past clients, current clients, people who follow the scruffy dog blog and facebook page, and others who simply had to stop when they saw the display photos … especially goofball Oxford (a client from last year’s Woofstock) standing on the fencepost.  he was quite the hit.  and meeting all the dogs!  my gosh, what a mish-mash of gorgeous faces and amazing characters.  it was difficult to tear myself away from the booth just to go to the washroom!  so yesterday, sadly, i did not make it out for any wandering around.

i’ll be posting another round of faces from the booth tomorrow, so stay tuned.  and again, if your gorgeous pup is posted here and you would like a copy of the photo for your facebook page, just drop me a line.  please do not copy the photo from the blog as this is a copyright infringement. thanks, everyone!

oh, and of course, we can’t forget wee Sasha … she was our booth dog this weekend, belonging to staff member Kim.  my how she’s changed since her first shoot a couple of years ago.

again, stay tuned for more!  and stay tuned for when we announce the winner of the draw for the free scruffy dog photo shoot!  (i haven’t even dug out the ballot box yet … but soon! i promise!)

By illona | Posted in about us | Also tagged , , , | Comments (9)

here’s what you missed at Woofstock yesterday! ~ {Toronto, Ontario pet photographer}

12 June 2011 – 6:35 am

yesterday’s Woofstock was a blast … at least, at the scruffy dog booth it was!  aMAzing faces showed up, and the dragged along their equally wonderful people. sometimes i was too busy doling out treats and massaging weary old bodies or smooching scruffy baby faces to actually take photos, but i wanted to share a few of the gorgeous scruffies i managed to capture both at the scruffy dog booth, and during my one brief outing into the throngs of Woofstock visitors during the first day of festivities yesterday.

[added note: if i pointed my camera at your pooch any time during the Woofstock weekend, you will find them here on the blog in one of the three Woofstock entries.  please respect the copyrights of these photos and do not copy them from the blog.  instead, please email us and request them.  i'm happy to provide you with a copy for your facebook page!]

ol’ mr. blue eyes … (at least, i think it was a mister … my sincerest apologies if i’m wrong!!) … just look at those eyes!!

and come on, is this kid not begging for a scruffy dog session, or what?

last year it was bulldogs … this year the breed that seems to be in high-representation is the Bostons …

and to the owner of this sweet brindle pitty: see? she’s not a black blob!  how pretty is she?  maybe my girl matea will pick your name out of the ballot box this year and you’ll win the free scruffy dog photo session so we can get even more lovely photos of this sweet pup.

and check out these patient pooches all lined up while their owners had some lunch.  this little girl is Abby.  upon first click of the shutter, she promptly turned her back, so it took some cajoling and several of my signature sounds to get her turned around and interested again.

and this young pup stopped by the booth … Bailey, i believe … the most unique colour of a dog i’ve ever seen!  a cross between a boxer and a vizsla …

and what’s a Woofstock entry without a chihuahua!  this little 3-pounder was to die for!

now, you all know that Woofstock is known for its fashion shows, wild costumes and getups … dogs wearing all kinds of crazy clips and dye-jobs.  and while i watch all the other photographers and attendees snapping endless photos of the purple poodles and the mohawked, studded whatevers, well, my apologies, i still prefer my dogs on the “real” side.  so if you want to see all the crazy, zany getups, a quick Google of Woofstock will get you hundreds of photos of its wilder side.

but me, i like the real guys … like this bad boy …

and the dogs over at the rescue area.  unfortunately, my visit to the rescue booths yesterday was cut short by a slight sprinkle … not before a few shots at the Setter Rescue booth though …

… i’ll get back today though.

and of course, you all know the soft spot i have for seniors.  check out this sweet pup …

and these little princesses with their matching dos!

did i mention there were a lot of Boston puppies? sleepy ones too.

and then the unforgettable Buster …

“oh wait, do i have slobber on my ears? again?”

and okay, one photo of a dyed mohawk …

heading off shortly for round two.  looks like another awesome day as far as weather.  hope to see you there!!

NOTE: if you’re the owner of one of these dogs and are interested in any of the images, just drop us a line.

By illona | Posted in about us | Also tagged , , | Comments (10)

come see us at Woofstock and win a free session! ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

8 June 2011 – 1:16 pm

scruffy dog is going to be at Woofstock again this year and — come rain or shine — we’d certainly love to see you!

yeah, the forecast doesn’t look the greatest, but then it seems to change every other day, so — paws crossed — we’ll have some lovely sunny breaks and you can get Bowser and Fifi out for a stroll down at the St. Lawrence Market area to check out all the goings-0ns!

there’s always lots to see and do, lots of vendors from canine health to cool new dog products, treats, collars and leashes, clothes, beds and all kinds of dog services including a number of new dog photographers.  so lots to check out, lots to choose from to answer everyone’s tastes …  if you want to see a preview, here’s a list of this year’s vendors.

and if nothing else, it’s just awesome to check out all the amazing faces …

the super-awesome scruffy dog staff and i will be on Front Street at booth #339, between Scott and Church Streets … see the map below.

we’ve got lots for you to see … and, yeah, i know, you’re waiting for it … i mentioned winning a scruffy dog photo session, didn’t i?  well, you’ll have to show up and find out how!  so, leash-up and come on down!  we’d love to see you and meet your scruffies.  and yes, i’ll have at least one camera along, so maybe the scruffy dog lenses will have an opportunity to meet your 4-legger!

By illona | Posted in about us | Also tagged , | Comments (3)