Boss the Cane Corso

I have seriously been neglecting my blog…oops, bad photographer. But with Covid restrictions and winter weather I haven’t been as active as I usually am (ya, we’ll blame it on that). Nevertheless now that spring is here I am resolving to get back at it, and why not start with this handsome fella, one year old Boss.

I first met Boss and his owner Jessica last year when I photographed him as a puppy. Boy has he grown!

We met down at Airforce beach in Comox on a beautiful sunny day. See the Caribbean blue water? That is compliments of the annual herring spawn which takes place every year around this time in the waters off the coast of central Vancouver Island. It is an amazing sight!

Boss was great to work with. He has intense eyes but also a playful side!

I love to take images of dogs running. It is hilarious to see their goofy faces as they chase a ball or run to their owner. With Boss, you can really see how muscular and athletic he is.

I like to take portraits of dogs with their owners whenever possible, because I always enjoy seeing the bond that pets have to their humans. Here are Boss and Jessica together.

I hope you enjoyed the images, and I hope to blog again soon.

Spring is a great season for a photo shoot, so if this inspires you to book a portrait session for your pet, please get in touch! My phone number is (250) 650-7389.

Susan the Sphynx

This week I got to photograph one of the most unusual subjects I’ve had in front of my camera: a hairless cat. I really didn’t know much about hairless cats before this, just that they looked angry most of the time. But looks can be deceiving!

This is Susan (great name, eh?). She belongs to Virginia (ya, Virginia, from the Woofy’s videos!). When I saw Susan I knew I had to photograph her.

Susan came to Virginia as a rescue, and she has quickly found her way into the family. According to Virginia, she is the most “dog-like” cat she’s ever had. She loves to be around people, tear around the house, and provide lots of entertainment. It didn’t take long for Susan to get comfortable in the studio. In not time she was purring and playing while she had her portrait taken.

Her body is quite soft, too. And as you would expect, Susan loves warmth, so a good cuddle is welcome.

My studio is portable, so I can bring it to you! That is especially helpful with cats, who can have trouble adapting to new surroundings. If you have ever thought about having professional portraits of your cat, drop me a line! I’d love to chat about the possibilities.

Here are more shots of Susan. Enjoy!

Hallie - Courtenay Grad 2020

As we all know, this has not been a typical year, especially for high school graduates. So I wanted to do something special for Hallie, who is graduating from Vanier High School.

The light was beautiful the other night at Kye Bay, which made her beautiful red hair glisten in the golden sun. Hallie's goal is to pursue musical theatre, so she was very comfortable in front of the camera.

Hallie also brought along some casual clothes for a more natural look.

Her dad Jim came along and became my instant assistant, carrying around my lighting and making sure it didn't blow away on a breezy evening. Thank you Jim! This also gave me the opportunity to take a few daddy-daughter shots.

And of course a new headshot for Jim.

Congratulations and all the best, Hallie!

I am still taking bookings for grads of 2020, so if there is someone you know who would like a fun photo shoot experience to cap off their high school years, please send them my way! Contact info can be found here. Bye for now!

Treat Catching with Josie

Hey there, the last time I wrote a blog post I realized it had been 6 months since I had posted one. Well guess what, this time it has been over 6 months! It hasn’t been for a lack of shooting, although with the pandemic I obviously haven’t been taking nearly as many portraits as I’d like.

Lately I’ve been enjoying making treat-catching photos. I asked on my Facebook page if my followers would like to see a video of how I make them and there was a big positive response, so even though I’m not usually one to be in front of the camera I made this little video so you can see how I produce images like these:

This style has been popularized by German photographer Christian Vieler. He has amazing treat-catching images so I hope you check out his work. His Instagram handle is @vieler.photography.

Enjoy the video!

I should mention that the images I have posted in the video (and above) have been edited. Because I use a wide angle lens for these shots they get cropped quite a bit. I make them square and do some minor editing (mostly increasing contrast and clarity and adding a vignette).

I plan on offering a “post COVID” package deal on treat-catching sessions once things get up and running again so if you’re interested you can stay tuned for that, or join my mailing list to get notified. To do that click here.

So long and stay safe!

Adah - 11 Years Young

I can’t believe that it has been almost 6 months since I did a blog post! Having just gotten back from a three week vacation to the east coast, I thought it was high time to get back into blogging. And what better way to start than to show off this beauty - Adah.

Adah is an 11 year old shih tzu, owned by Joyce at Pampered Dogs Grooming in Comox. Joyce works out of the Woofy’s Pet Foods in the Comox Mall and was looking for some portraits to adorn the walls of her shop. And her dog Adah makes the best model! We headed down to Kye Bay (my favourite beach) for a photo shoot. The soft evening light was perfect.

Adah was just celebrating her 11th birthday the day after our session, so it was extra special. Joyce obviously adores her, and the feeling is mutual!

I always like to get some action shots if the dog is up for it. It usually helps them to blow off some steam after sitting still for awhile. Adah was so cute! I always find the expressions on running dogs hilarious.

Thank you, Adah and Joyce, for a great evening! I hope you love your portraits!

Ranger - Comox Valley Photographer

Could it really be spring? I don’t know about you but this past winter felt a little long. Maybe because we had the coldest February on record. But I guess the upside was that we didn’t have nearly the normal amount of rain that we usually get in the winter. Anyhow, I was so excited this last weekend to get back out to Kye Bay beach I invited Jenn and her little bundle of fluff Ranger to join me.

Jenn is also know as the “Crazy Dog Lady” and she has a very active pet business taking dogs on 2 hour pack hikes every day. She is so much in demand that she isn’t in taking new clients at the moment! Way to go, Jenn! Jenn is also Josie’s dog-sitter so I am always at peace when I go away knowing that she is left in Jenn’s capable hands.

Ranger is just the cutest little dog. At 9 years old, he is still able to keep up with all the big guys in Jenn’s pack. He was just the best little model too (maybe because I spoiled him with treats!).

After taking some traditional portraits we went out onto the sand for a different perspective. The light reflecting in the tide pools created some interesting effects.

And here’s one of Jenn’s behind-the-scenes shots of me trying to get really low without getting my knees soaked. It didn’t work!

Then, you can’t go to the beach without playtime. Although the sun was setting quickly Ranger was happy to run to me and provide me with lots of kisses!

I hope you enjoyed Ranger’s photos! I’ll be available for beach portraits from now until the snow flies again! Please call me at (250) 650-7389 if you would like to find out more about my beach photo shoots for families or pets (or both!).

Fynn's 1st Birthday!

Last February I had little Fynn the frenchie in for puppy session. Here he is (cute lil gaffer!). Well recently he turned one, so he came back for a first birthday cake smash session!

Big difference, eh? But he’s still adorable, especially with a bow tie.

Here is a shot of the special doggie cake I made for him, complete with greek yogurt icing and sprinkles!

I wasn’t sure how he’d respond to his birthday cake but he was a perfect gentleman! I don’t think he could believe that the cake was actually for him.

Good boy Fynn, and happy birthday!

Does your dog have a special birthday coming up? Maybe you’d like to try a cake smash session. They aren’t just for babies! Contact me if you’d like all the details. (250) 650-7389.

Comox Valley's Best Dog Walking Areas - #2

In my last blog post I named my favourite dog walking trail in the Comox Valley: Seal Bay Park. In second place? Kye Bay Beach!

Kye Bay is where my family lived for a few months when we first moved to Vancouver Island. It is one of the only sandy beaches that I know of in the area…and when the tide is out the sandbars go on forever!

You are almost always going to see people walking their dogs on the beach, and no wonder. There is room to spare! Most people are very relaxed about letting their dogs run off leash (but always check!). Josie is sometimes a little too rambunctious for her own good so I always have a leash handy just in case.

There is a picnic area if you want to pack a lunch, as well as public washrooms.

There’s always something to see at Kye Bay. Next door to the airport, you frequently see planes coming or going, and if you’re visiting in April you have a great view of the Snowbirds as they practice their maneuvers over the Strait.

There is an abundance of wildlife, from bald eagles and blue herons, to shellfish like sand dollars, starfish, crabs and clams.

Kye Bay is actually my favourite beach for photo shoots because of the variety of images I can create there. The forested area makes a wonderful background, and action shots in the water can be pretty fun as well.

Sunset is one of my favourite times to visit! On a clear day the views of the North Shore mountains are spectacular.

So whether you are a local, or coming to the Comox Valley for a visit, I hope you will check out Kye Bay! You’ll be glad you did.

Have a dog walking trail you’d like me check out? Leave a comment below! I’m always on the lookout for new places to walk with Josie. If it’s a good one maybe a write a blog post about it!

Until next time, get out and walk!

Comox Valley's Best Dog Walking Trails: #1

Now that I have a puppy (a very active puppy!), I am spending more and more time walking in the great outdoors. And of course I have come to have my favourite spots for walking Josie here in the Comox Valley. So I thought I would do a blog series on my favourite dog walking trails.

So today’s post is all about my #1 favourite dog walking park in Courtenay: Seal Bay Park!

Managed by the Comox Valley Regional District, Seal Bay Park has it all: endless walking and multi-use trails, an ocean playground, lots of wildlife and views of mainland mountains. It is over 652 hectares in size and is never crowded. There are leashed and leashing optional trails for dogs, although in the spring there is mandatory leashing due to nesting and fawning season.

Josie learned to swim here last week!

One of the fun things about Seal Bay’s beach is that you almost always see seals, either on the rocks or swimming in the distance. Once I even saw orcas!

Unfortunately the beach is rocky, but at low tide there is a bit of sand to play on.

Every season in this park has it’s own beauty. I think I love fall the most. The colours are spectacular. Even though I detest winter, sometimes the crisp winter air is refreshing.

One of my favourite walks with Josie is around Melda’s Marsh. Often you can see beavers swimming around in the evenings.

Although there are several ways to enter the park, the main lot is on Bates Road. From there you can take one of three trails that meander down to the ocean (coming back up is a chore), or cross the road for more trail options.

My hubby and I have started biking the 10k horse bike loop. That is a great way to tire Josie out.

Stay tuned for more posts about my favourite dog walking trails in the Comox Valley. Let me know if you have any trails you’d like me to try out! I’m always looking for more places to go.

I’ll leave you with a few more shots of the park.

Jessica's "Trash the Dress" Session

My daughter Jessica has been a horse girl since grade 4, and when she got engaged to her man Elder, she thought it was fitting to have the ceremony at her horse Maverick’s barn, Dove Creek Heritage Farm. But alas, the weather didn’t cooperate and we made the decision to have the ceremony at the reception venue, the Little Red Church in Comox.

Jessica still wanted to have photos with Maverick, so a few days later we headed out to the barn to do a “trash the dress” session. I’ve never really been comfortable with the term “trash the dress” because I’m much too practical for that. But, I like the idea of brides being able to do some fun shots in their dress without fear that they might get it a little bit dirty. And, I like the thought that after the wedding is over, it’s time to get on with life (the marriage is of course more important than the wedding), and that she won’t need the dress anymore.

So here are a bunch of shots from our fun time together!

The Kang Family - Comox Valley Photographer

Last weekend I had the privilege of photographing the Kang family out at Kye Bay in Comox. It was bittersweet though, as they are moving to Calgary later this summer.

Dan has been our pastor at Living Hope Church in Courtenay since we arrived 4 years ago. We appreciate him and his wonderful wife Sara-Lynn very much. And their boys and dog are pretty awesome as well!

It was a beautiful Vancouver Island evening on Saturday, and even though I didn't get the low tide I was hoping for, the mountains showed up in all their glory.

Can you believe they're twins?!

Natural smiles from preschool boys isn't a given, but I did manage to get a few great ones! I think we were talking about farts at the time. 

Little boys and dogs don't stay still for long, so very soon they were on the move. I knew I wanted a shot Kaya chasing a ball with the family behind, but she doesn't like to run in a straight line! I think the boys probably wondered why I kept getting them to walk up and down the beach.

I always like to get the "jumping off the log" shot!

And one of the happy couple.

And of course, the dog.

All the best to you, Kang family, as you head off to new adventures in Alberta! We'll miss you!

A New Chapter - Comox Valley Photographer

In my last blog post I wrote a tribute to Maggie, my little Shih Tzu that passed away last October. Well, after we took some time to be "dogless" over the winter, we decided it was time to start entertaining the idea of a new dog (I should say, I decided it was time: the rest of the family was ready for this long before I was).

The next difficult part was figuring out what breed of dog to get. We've always liked big dogs, but little ones tend to be less maintenance (at least in our experience). My husband wanted one that he could take out on hikes, while I am content with one that will cuddle on my lap while I drink my morning coffee. We kept an eye out but decided that we would let the dog "find" us... I had a feeling that the answer would be revealed in due time. And that's exactly what happened!

Meet Josie:

Our friends told us that they were getting a new labradoodle puppy from a local family, and thought we might be interested in one as well. There were 6 in the litter and 2 hadn't been spoken for yet. I hesitated. We had never had a puppy so young before. Was I ready for that? I waited (of course the rest of the family was all set to forge ahead into this great unknown).

To make a longer story shorter, we went to see the puppies and fell in love. The puppies had two healthy parents, mom a cream standard poodle and dad a chocolate lab (I had actually photographed the dad last year!). They were in a loving home with a great family and this was it! We found our puppy!

We are now 3 weeks into this adventure. Josie (or Jojo) is a real sweetheart. She is a little tentative, and takes some time to warm up to people, but that is coming. She came to us mostly housetrained (thanks, MC and Jean), and she is very smart and mostly compliant (still working on the puppy biting). I am reliving the newborn days with the sleep deprivation of having a new baby in the house.

A huge bonus with Josie is that so far she is a great model for my pet photography! No doubt we will have lots of fun together creating images. Here are some of my favourites so far: 

I look forward to many adventures with Josie (except for the ones that involve emergency trips to the vet after eating something she shouldn't - yep that happened this week).

I'll leave you with a photo of her with her brother and sisters that I took just before they all got adopted (Josie's in the centre). Have a great day!

My Tribute to Maggie

It has been 5 months since I lost my little buddy, Maggie. Last night I realized that I had not done a proper tribute to her, so here it goes. I think enough time has passed that I can do this without crying. Pet grief is so strange. On the one hand you realize that they are animals and it's not like losing a human, yet at the same time they are members of the family, and you grieve the hole they leave in your heart.

2005

I went back to the first pictures I could find of her and this is Christmas 2005 (we had just gotten a digital camera!). Look how small those kidlets were! 

Maggie was a rescue, literally. Relatives of one of my co-workers at the time found her wandering the streets and they took her in. Unable to find the owners (the info on her microchip was outdated), we ended up giving her a permanent home.  

2008

To be honest, it took a while for us to get used to each other. Many rescue dogs have quirks and insecurities, and Maggie was no different. She did not like to be picked up or hugged, and loved to wander away if we ever accidentally left the gate open (perhaps the reason she was a stray in the first place). She liked her space, and Dave often remarked that she was more like a cat.

2012

Life went on and we all changed, especially the kids. As I got more and more into photography, Maggie became my #1 model. No complaining from her, as long as I had treats nearby. She was usually happy to do it:

2014

But sometimes she got tired:

2014

In her later years, Maggie warmed up to us more and more. Although she wasn't allowed on the furniture (except "her" chair), I would often pick her up onto my lap for a little cuddle. And, like most dogs, she loved to go for walks in the woods.

And the beach

A week before Thanksgiving 2017, Maggie started refusing her food, so we knew something had to be wrong. We took her to the vet and after the blood tests it was revealed that she had pancreatitis ("treatable, but no guarantees", said the vet). Seeing as she was 15 we prepared ourselves for the worst. 

A pet's death is hard enough, but having to make the decision about euthanasia was excruciating. At a certain point, though, it was pretty clear that Maggie was not going to get better and it was time to end her suffering. It was a pretty quiet Thanksgiving around our house. This is one of my favourite "later years" shots of her, taken a few months before she died.

2017

As spring approaches, I am starting to think about getting another dog, although I'm not rushing it. It's a little lonely walking by myself out at Kye Bay or Seal Bay Park, and I could use another model! :) 

Whatever we decide as a family, I will still have the memories of Maggie and the good times we shared. And, of course, the photographs. Always the photographs.

Otto - Courtenay Pet Photography

I got a call before Christmas from Bob, who asked to have a portrait made of his wife's dog Otto. He wanted to give it to her as a Christmas gift. I said sure, of course, and he brought Otto over that day for his portrait.

Otto was an older dog, a spaniel mix, who still had the sweetness of a puppy. He did a great job at this photo shoot, giving me a mix of those soulful spaniel eyes as well as some fun, happy looks.   

Bob and his wife Margaret came the following week to pick out their portrait, and it was nice to get to know them a little and hear about their life with Otto.

Sadly, I got an email this week from Margaret that Otto had unexpectedly passed away on Christmas morning. Having just grieved the death of my own dog I was so sad to get the news. It is always so hard to lose a friend. 

Life is precious, folks. Enjoy your pets for this short time that you have them. You were a good boy, Otto.

Lara and her dogs - Courtenay photographer

Just before the holidays I got the chance to photograph Lara and her 3 lovable dogs. We chose a "woodsy" location down near the Puntledge River to match the west-coast style of her home. 

Chai, Diesel and Jack were all very cooperative and listened to Lara intently. It is clear that they have a special bond.

With my software I am able to take your room photo or a stock photo and create examples of how your artwork will look on your walls. Lara chose 3 16x20s in 20x24 mats.

Hope you had a very merry Christmas and all the best in 2018! 

Lovely Lovebirds - Courtenay Pet Photographer

My friend Virginia recently added 2 lovebirds to her family, so I knew I just had to photograph them. I had never done a bird portrait shoot before so I didn't quite know what to expect, but they did great! 

These little fellas are still quite young, but very well-behaved. I love their beautiful colours.

To get them to fly toward me, I had my assistant hold a branch where I wanted them to go. After a bit of coaxing, they started to fly toward the camera. They totally got into a groove and did it over and over again, as if it were a game. It is incredible how fast a bird can flap it's wings. They went from one branch to another in a split second.

My husband recently pruned our fig tree so we had some branches in the back yard. The birds were curious and started pecking at them!

I love this one below because it just looks like they are two friends hanging out having a friendly conversation. They look totally comfortable with each other.

As a reminder, my last pet mini-session event of the fall is coming up next Saturday, November 25th. Click on the bar above if you'd like to get in on the fun!

Bosley's Halloween Photo Shoot

This past Saturday I did a special Halloween-themed photo shoot at Bosley's Pet Food in Courtenay. Here are some of my favourite photos from the day:

Trudy

Oliver and Tripp

Bain and Mia

Jango

Tucker

Ivy

Watch for a Christmas-themed shoot coming up in the next month! Want to get reminded? Join my mailing list here

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween!

Buster - Comox Valley Photography

The other night I had the pleasure of photographing Buster out at Nymph Falls in Courtenay. Nymph Falls is a popular swimming hole along the Puntledge River and has some spectacular waterfalls. Buster just turned 11, but he looks like a puppy.

And of course we had to get one with his family. Happy Birthday, Buster!

Ella - Courtenay Pet Photography

Recently I got to do a fun portrait session with Ella, a lovable 11-year-old black lab. Ella was described by her owners as "somewhat neurotic", especially when she is around other dogs, but she did great out at Kye Bay beach on a beautiful summer evening.

Hope you are enjoying lots of summer sunsets with your dog this year! 

The Snider Family - Comox Photographer

This week I've had the pleasure of hosting my nephew and his wonderful family this week all the way from Whitehorse, Yukon. They hadn't had a family portrait since their third child was born a year ago. So we headed out to Kye Bay for a quick photo shoot at the beach.

Memories are made at the beach! Summer is the perfect time for a beach family portrait, and a great way to remember your vacation in the Comox Valley. The evenings are long, the weather warm and the kids are out of school. If you'd like to find out more about how you can have this experience while at the same time creating some beautiful wall art for your home or office, please call me for an introductory consultation: (250) 650-7389.

Hope you are having a great summer!