contemporary, lifestyle, on-location animal photography

Makeda ~ {Waterloo pet exclusive photographer}

March 16, 2015

how’s this for a face? this is Makeda, a lovely 11-year-old ridgeback i had the pleasure of photographing for her Fine Focus session last winter.

01-waterloo-ontario-professional--dog-photographer-best-makeda slinger-395 02-waterloo-ontario-professional--dog-photographer-best-makeda slinger-207 she loved the snowy trails, and didn’t let her age slow her down one bit.

03-waterloo-ontario-professional--dog-photographer-best-makeda slinger-62 04-waterloo-ontario-professional--dog-photographer-best-makeda slinger-91 it was a foggy winter day when Makeda’s session came up, and her guardian, Tyson, wasn’t certain about the weather … but i had a feeling — based on Makeda’s color, combined with the beautiful dried beech leaves in the forest — that we could pull some interesting colors and tones out of the afternoon.

just how stunning is this girl?

thank you, Tyson, for sharing your majestic girl with me, and entrusting me to capture her image for you. it was such a pleasure to meet her and create lasting artwork for you!

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the fabulous Jake ~ {Toronto pet exclusive photographer}

March 14, 2015

meet Jake. this handsome devil is an English Springer Spaniel and from the moment his Big Picture session was booked almost a year before his fall session, i was already pretty stoked. it’s a well-known fact that i pretty much love and adore all dogs, and i have many favorite breeds to photograph for many different reasons, but i do love meeting and working with hunting breeds.

especially pointers, setters and spaniels — they have an energy, drive and intensity that is unparalleled, and such a joy to work with. this boy is apparently from some champion bloodlines, but don’t let all of his fancy genealogy fool you … he’s still just a big, loveable dork, who probably couldn’t set and flush a bird for the life of him due to his joie de vivre; Jake charges into any open field with complete abandon, and with enough wild barking to successfully scare off any bird or game within two kilometers.

still, i bet — like any respectable spaniel — he still dreams of catching birds …

one of the funnest parts of Jake’s session was his guardians … completely in tune with who Jake is and what makes him happy. and nothing seems to make Jake happier than a big puddle of mud …

next to his deep fondness for mud, is a propensity for catching leaves …

… and smiling, of course.

thank you, Ashton and Laura, for choosing me to capture Jake’s photos and create his one-of-a-kind artwork for you. it was a genuine pleasure to meet and work with all three of you.

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Gail BentThank you for sharing these beautiful pictures. <3ReplyCancel
Carl L. JensenWonderful pictures, you have a pretty model tooReplyCancel
Holly Garner-JacksonWow, Illona Haus ,just when I think you can’t get any better, you post this amazing blog entry. So many stunning photos. The light is that first one is so very incredible. I’d have a hard time narrowing down my picks if I was Jake’s owner. So many awesome images.ReplyCancel
RuthArgh, that log jumping shot is amazing! Stunning dog, stunning pictures.ReplyCancel
Jonathan YearsleyA perfect set of images as always, Illona.
As someone with two ESS bitches, I know so well their love for life, puddles, fields and the forest. It’s because of them I’m a full time pet/equine photographer. They are a constant challenge, but like you I love everything that working with HPR clients brings me.ReplyCancel

Diesel & Muffin’s awesome fall session ~ {Toronto pet photographer}

February 20, 2015

and finally, we have Diesel and Muffin’s fall segment of their Seasons Session. you can see their winter segment here, and their summer session here. words can’t describe how much i love these two … both seniors but still full of spit and vinegar.

when Steph took a few seconds out with Muffin as we were setting her up for some shots in the grasses, i had to grab a quick shot … and this image has become one of my favorites across all three of their sessions.

in fact, their fall session was my favorite of all three, even though i did still feel a lingering twinge of pressure from Stephanie’s words on her booking form. under the optional: Can you share with us why you’ve chosen scruffy dog photography? Stephanie’s response was:

“Oh man, where to start…..
When I look at your pictures, I feel like you are able to capture the personality and the spirit of your subjects like I have never seen anyone else do. These dogs mean so much to us that I don’t want to lose the subtle nuances that I love so much as my memories fade. I honestly believe that you will be able to capture them in a way that will let me hold on to all of those things that I love about them. They are getting older, but both of the them are still so vibrant and full of life….I can’t imagine anyone else make this happen! “

i only hope i managed to capture all of those subtle nuances that i know all too well make up the whole of every 4-legger we share our heart with.

thank you, Stephanie and Eric, for trusting me to capture those subtle nuances and the spirit of your two amazing scruffies. it was such a joy to work with you, and to work on your album, canvas and prints. thanks for being such a big part of the scruffy dog family!

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SuzanneYour ability to capture the joy, personality and dignity of these pets is a true talent. I’m in awe of your photography skills.ReplyCancel
shohrehsooooo cute, soooo nice,soooo lovely thanksReplyCancel
DinonaYour photos are simply amazing. Love the colours, love de focus… I can’t get my eyes off your website 🙂ReplyCancel