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Internationally-renowned, award-winning animal photographer Illona Haus created scruffy dog photography inc. as the province's premier pet photography business in 2007 ... the first of its kind in Canada ... and, still today, continues to serve clients across Ontario, the US and the world. Based in Kitchener, Ontario and photographing exclusively animals for almost 20 years - both commercially and for private clients - Illona is considered one of the world's leading and most influential pet photographers.

 

To learn more about scruffy dog photography, its creator, history, and the scruffy dog experience, feel free to browse through the menu above, and scroll over a decade's worth of blog entries below!

 

Please drop me a line! I'd love the opportunity to capture stunning, creative, one-of-a-kind photographic memories of your 4-legged loved ones to treasure in artwork for a lifetime, and show you just what makes the scruffy dog experience second to none.

special zoey

as usual, i’m hopelessly behind with my blog entries.  this girl is from a shoot i did in late february and meant to post to the blog weeks ago.  in the throes of house-hunting, some days it feels like i’m barely keeping my head above water … while the poor scruffies only dream of being out on the trails chasing bunnies.

but without further ado (and excuse-making), here is another lovely i wanted to share with you from the client-pool … darling Zoey.zoey-328

how sweet is this old girl?!zoey-diptych

we had a great hike along the balmy trails with fresh snow underfoot and even ran across a pack of coyotes.  unfortunately, i had the absolutely wrong lens on the camera for the encounter … i was capturing this shot of Zoey’s eye at the time …

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… so I was using my macro lens … the completely wrong lens to be entertaining when confronting a startled pack of coyotes even at close range. so this was as good as i managed to capture.

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… and then back to Zoey.  of course, she had to get over her own uneasiness over the close-encounter.  these guys were much bigger than her.

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and sometimes i couldn’t help thinking Zoey looked a bit like a coyote herself in the landscape we walked through.

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but back home, it was clear who owned the front porch of the wonderful home she shared with mom Deb.

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… and of course, that gorgeous red door.

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thank you for an awesome shoot, Zoey and Deb … for a wonderful and most-eventful afternoon.

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  • adeleneCan’t wait to see new pics! Been checkin every other day for new posts. Pls pls post more of of the cuties.ReplyCancel

  • EmileeOh, wow, these are great! I can’t pick a favorite! 🙂 Zoey is so pretty. Beautiful shots!ReplyCancel

  • Tammy MueckeI love the last photo the most but I love all of them. I have a Weim and you know to love a dog, you have to love them unconditionally….Weims are one to prove that theory. =)ReplyCancel

  • nicka wonderful snow covered session 😀ReplyCancel

  • AndreaSimply wonderful shots…always look forward to your new blog entries. Your photos are so captivating. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • andreareally super love the closeup of zoeys face/eye. beautiful session!ReplyCancel

  • wendyI LOVE the headshot with the evergreens in the background. There is just something about it!ReplyCancel

sweet little jada

after another major overhaul on computer equipment and now in the throes of  house-hunting,  i’m hopelessly behind on blog posts, and no longer deluding myself into believing that i’ll manage to get every client sneak peek up on the blog these days.  still, i’m going to try to get at least a few of my clients’ shoots up on the blog to share.

one little girl in particular left a lasting impression … meet sweet Jada …

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i swear i wanted to snatch up this 11-year-old dollface and take her home for morley.

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and for 11, she sure is a firecracker …

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in fact, Jada’s owners were aiming for a strictly indoor shoot because it was that sloppy time of the spring where everything was melting, but i persisted.  and when i showed Jada’s mom this money-shot in the LCD i think she finally agreed that heading outdoors had probably been a pretty good idea after all.  🙂

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… along with a few classic poses, of course.

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and indoors, Jada was a consumate poser … putting even my two models at home to shame.

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.. and with mom and dad …

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but when this girl goes down for the count, she goes down.

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thank you for an awesome shoot, Jada.  and Jenny and Blair, hugs to your fantastic little girl.

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  • andyBeautiful shots. You really brought this dogs portraits to life. I really like the color.ReplyCancel

  • adeleneLove all the pictures. They are so beautiful. Wish I have your job LOL. Anyway what breed is this? Is it an American Cocker Spaniel?ReplyCancel

    • illonathanks, adelene. yes, a cocker, although i’m not sure which kind. probably American.ReplyCancel

  • nickI love the second shot 🙂 Good thing you convinced them about the outdoor one too 😀ReplyCancel

  • AndreaSimply excellent shots!!! Love the outdoors ones…so glad you convinced them! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • LyndaThese are spectacular shots, illona! Jada is a gorgeous, wonderful girl, and her parents aren’t bad-looking, either. 😉

    That group shot is a treasure – really needs to be framed and displayed on their wall.ReplyCancel

  • Allison F.OH, and the nose licking, side-profile. Freaking awesome.ReplyCancel

  • Allison F.Oh these are SO good. The one of Jada on the lap of the couple is FANTASTIC. I love that one. She’s a lovely looking dog too. Hard to believe she’s 11!ReplyCancel

i shoot people too

i’m often asked by potential clients if i’ll include them in their photos of their dogs, and my answer is: “of course!” the only reason you don’t see more photos of people included in the scruffy dog galleries is because of privacy issues and out of courtesy to clients.

however, a few weeks ago, when i was approached to do an “engagement shoot”, i honestly came close to saying ‘no’.  afterall, although i believe in pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zone to learn new things, i firmly adhere to the notion of leaving some types of shooting to those who are more experienced in that area.  namely, you’ll never see me shooting a wedding, thank you very much.  and likewise, there are those photographers who seriously should never even point their cameras at a dog.

but Steph and Drew were adamant, especially since they wanted to include their two ‘ladies’ in on the shoot.  of course, their flattery went a long way to bribe me, and so it was …

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and although it’s been a rough winter as far as the weather cooperating with scheduled shoots, the day could not have been more perfect for a completely outdoor session.

image2the ladies had a blast running around the farm/location and exploring … sometimes they forgot they were supposed to be part of the session!

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in fact, trying to get their attention when there were such wonderful distractions of horses and freedom required a lot more effort on my part, but i always have my arsenal of secret weapons … like really good smelling treats sure to entice any beagle-nose.

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these rescue beagles were sweethearts and i truly hope we have the opportunity to meet again for some non-winter and indoor shooting.

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it was a great shoot … loads of fun in the snow, and a wonderful, windswept location …

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and of course, Steph and Drew were all about having fun too.

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thanks for a very memorable afternoon Steph and Drew, and thanks for letting me share a few of your photos and sugary smooches on the blog.  i’m sure others will agree that you two are a wonderful couple.

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and, as always, thanks to the ladies …

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  • jeffyour stuff is just too good for words – composition, exposure, processing… and that touch of “feeling” you add to every image. Superb!ReplyCancel

  • sue birdLOVE the fifth one in, great work…coffee soon….halfway maybe in Toronto! CHeers
    SueReplyCancel

  • BevOh my. These are great. Love the running closed eye shots. Especially love the couple. They look like they made it great fun!ReplyCancel

  • RachelThat’s so great that you tried something new! I think you did a lovely job. Very cool setting and such a cute family!ReplyCancel

  • Jill BeninatoWonderful shots…I bet they loved them!ReplyCancel

  • leesiagorgeous session, illona!ReplyCancel

  • Jamiethese are awesome Illona! maybe you have a new calling: engagement pet photographer. hee heeReplyCancel

    • illonathanks, guys. not sure about that, Jamie. Steph and Drew made this shoot. they were just a lot of fun. and the stars were aligned as far as the conditions, even though the light was harsh.ReplyCancel

  • Sarahawesome series! they all (dogs and people) all seem to have enjoyed themselves – cute couple, cute dogs!ReplyCancel

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