Little Red Dog Studios

Website down

2011-12-18T08:22:00.003-05:00

For the time being my website will be taken down. If you are in need of photo samples I can send a PDF or check here for portfolio samples. I will be posting a portfolio to the blog soon! I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Penny and Laney

2011-10-25T06:27:00.014-04:00

What fun I had photographing these sweet, amazing little girls. Penny is quickly approaching the age of two while Laney is coming up on four.

I took a very casual, equipment light approach to this session. It was all about the kids having an experience and capturing that. I have to be honest, I did try a few times to get the girls to pose but was quickly shut down by my adorable subjects. They were right! Lets have fun and forget the rest. Kids can be our greatest teachers. Soooooo...we raked leaves.
Played in them.

Threw rocks in the creek. Played peek a boo.
Took a wagon ride.
At the end, we decided to sit down with a lollipop while Daddy pretended to be a monkey.
Fun times!

Velma

2011-05-20T06:55:00.008-04:00

This weekend I met Velma. She lives in Center City Philadelphia. The shoot was super fun as Velma was very flexible and even broke the Law by not wearing her leash or collar.
It was rainy and the session was almost cancelled. Fortunately we took a risk and it paid off. Overcast skies made for superb lighting and the everything looking wet created a very nice visual feel. Velma loves Washington Square so we started there. There were concerns that Velma would not set foot in the wet grass but she surprised us with her bravery.
We then jaunted around the city letting this sweet Bulldog lead the way. This day Velma had two speeds-"super spastic run at the camera" or "dead stop/pose/rest."

She was very tired by the end of it all.
Velma kindly waited for me every step of the way which was super adorable. How do you not love a Bulldog's face?

Headshots times two

2011-04-05T20:29:00.010-04:00

A while back I did some head shots for my husband, Brendan. We finally got around to editing today and chose the final photos. Brendan's company likes head shots on business cards. They wanted each person show their uniqueness, interests etc. Seeing that Brendan is a hip hop DJ/music producer on the side, we went with corporate attire and head phones. Yesterday I returned from Boulder Colorado which had no shortage beautiful scenery. I was visiting my brother Jason who is starting a blog/website very soon related to a new inspired business-he too needing some portraits/head shots. The first two days we spent doing what calls-hiking and bike riding-the weather was a sweet 70 degrees. I was kicking myself on Sunday, our final day, when we awoke to cold and a mix of rain, snow and hail (respectively) and didn't do nearly enough photography the previous days to capture what I was aiming for. Relegating the rest of our shoot to indoors I decided simply toting the camera around as we went capturing our activities.
Jason works in marketing for a liquor company. He is being tested on a drink mixing class for work so I decided to take some shots of him practicing.When the rain let up slightly we decided on a whim that we should drive up the mountain and hopefully get some quick shots before weather went wet. I felt like I hit the jackpot as we drove higher and higher and saw this amazing mist and fog that created an ambiance that only a photographer could hope for. There was a bit of pelleting coming down but being Colorado we could simply pull over anywhere, get some shots and the background would be amazing. I am really glad we missed those perfect weather days or else this scenery would've passed us by.One of the best things about photography is that it can sometimes be instantly gratifying. Spending time on studio set up and lights can be really fun and challenging. Chasing a cat or dog around trying to balance all the elements is what I love. However, when I just happen upon a situation that works effortlessly in my favor I feel incredibly lucky.

Tatty, Tinkerbell and Poe

2010-11-20T07:34:00.011-05:00

Last weekend I photographed three lovely cats. When I get a call about photographing multiple cats I get very excited and a little nervous at the same time. Cats are not normally food motivated and have a tendency to do things on their own terms.

When photographing a cat the challenge is always getting him/her comfortable with me following him/her around. A cat will dart off into an inaccessible crevice of the house never to be seen again by my camera. This has happened in the past but somehow (knock on wood) I am always able to get the shot. This usually only happens via hard work from the kitty's owner. When you times this by three there is always the fear I will lose at least one of them and miss it. What makes environmental cat photography so fun is being able to really follow the kitty around and catch him/her doing all those fun, catlike things.
Speaking of cats and their point of view-check out Cooper who is a photographer who happens to be a cat. I can't really compete with that but if you care to check it out the rest of the photos from this session they are posted below.

I was pleased to meet Tatty, Tinkerbell and Poe.
Tinkerbell and Poe are sister and brother. Tatty is an older kitty who has some health issues but you would never know it based on her demeanor. All three did not mind having my camera in their faces. In fact, I got lots of kitty snuggles in between shots.

Tatty is a Main Coon and super sweet. She likes to lounge in the house and explore outside.

Poe is a beautiful black cat is super inquisitive. He was not into going outside as much as looking out the window. He led the way to the basement where he could sit on his seat!

Tinkerbell is an adorable black and white kitty. She loves to park it outside and lounge on her chair in the sun. Tinkerbell and Tatty both love laying/playing with tissue paper.
All three cats were so mellow and welcoming. This was such a calm, enjoyable session.

Bill and Oscar

2010-09-29T08:03:00.010-04:00

I find it interesting that this shoot came about at the same time as the latest Michael Vick controversy. Bill was a dog whose owner rescued a number of years ago.
Bill was used in fights as a bait dog. His owner showed me the before the pictures, the less gruesome ones. Completely and utterly shocking. I will not get in specifics but let's say he couldn't walk because his paw pads were non existent at that point. As you can see he is no longer in such a state.
Bill's owners nursed and healed him until he became the physically healthy dog that he is today. Obviously Bill has severe emotional issues from his past. This means he cannot be exposed to other animals at all. His life is not so isolated though. He has two very dedicated and loving owners who spend lots of time with him and make sure he gets his exercise in their fenced in yard and isolated walks. Very experienced trainers have explained that although Bill can be rehabilitated he should not be around other dogs because you could never fully trust him. At the shoot Bill quickly warmed up to me and had a blast playing fetch, running and laying in the sun.
As I was leaving this is what I saw while packing up the car. Apparently one of his favorite spots.
A few years ago Bill's owners found a street dog who had no home. They decided he should come and live with them.
Oscar is a beautiful brindle color. He has socialization issues with people so it was questionable if he would even allow me in the yard with him. After some getting to know him, treats and pets we were able to into the yard. At first he was a little wary of me but he eventually warmed up. Oscar started playing, having fun and then parked himself in the grass (which is his favorite thing to do).
I was very happy that he was able to accept my camera and a flash as these items can cause problems with dogs who are skittish around newcomers. At first I could only shoot from standing position. It took some time but I was able to get down to his level without any problem at all.
Bill and Oscar have lived in the same residence for 3 years but reside on different floors at all times. These dogs have very dedicated owners who are will to take in animals who would've otherwise been put down. I give these people tremendous credit for all the time and love they give to Bill and Oscar.

This is a perfect example of how to work with an animal's disposition and deal with their problems in an appropriate and safe manor. Bill and Oscar love their owners dearly and want nothing more than to be close with their humans.

Jaxon

2010-09-25T12:41:00.007-04:00

Jaxon is a very sweet, friendly Lab and Dalmatian mix. He is super cute and has such interesting coloring around his neck and chest area.
We spent our morning outside playing and then brought it inside for a little lounging.

Meredith joined her beloved dog for a few sweet photos.
It is very clear this two have such a tight bond. I had such a great time photographing Jaxon.

The archives

2010-07-25T14:05:00.006-04:00

My friend and former tour-mate, Katie, is currently works in Television and Film. She acquired some of my images to be used for background photos on a few of her current projects. This gave me the perfect excuse to dig through the archives and find some oldies that could work as wall/desk art for set design. Here is a small sampling of what I sent. I love going through old work and hope to post some more soon.

The Strzempeks

2010-07-25T14:00:00.012-04:00

My very best friends decided to renew their vows for their 10 year anniversary. Actually, Stan decided this on his own and surprised his beautiful wife Sara. Since college we have been camping once a year on Stan's parents' property in rural Catawissa, PA. It is an annual gathering of old friends and usually there is some theme or game for the occasion. This year's theme was Hawaiian. Our usual antics and silly games were replaced with a beautiful, touching ceremony as we all have been friends for many, many years. This couple has 3 beautiful, fun loving girls-Ella, Gracie and Anna.
First Stan proposed (again) and provided Sara with her dress. She was very surprised!
Make up and dressing occurred in a tent in the middle of the woods.
Gracie was very happy to see her mommy all dressed up.

Shots from the ceremony.

Family pictures. What a beautiful crew!
They happy couple.
Ella, Gracie and Anna.

This was such a great surprise ceremony and a lovely day.

Annie and Jack

2010-05-06T20:56:00.013-04:00

This duo aren't genetically related but they should be. Both of these sweet, darling dogs are brother and sister by all definitions.

Annie was found on the street. Her mix of breeds is unknown and she has beautiful eyes. Annie really wanted to play and run around the yard.
This handsome fellow is Jack.
Jack is a Brussels Griffon. I adore the look and personality of this breed. Jack was my buddy the entire time and really seemed to love the camera.
These two definitely spend their days hanging together and enjoy each others company.
This was such an enjoyable shoot on a lovely spring day.

Jack

2009-10-14T07:16:00.010-04:00

On Saturday I had the pleasure of photographing Jack. Jack's breed mix is unknown but whatever he is sure makes for one adorable dog with fantastic hair. No really, this dog's hair is unlike any I have ever seen. Sometimes it looks like a lion's mane other times it looks like a hair piece, it all depends on how it is laying. The poof on the top of his head looks like he went to the salon to get some highlights.

Jack also has adorable floppy ears and a very sweet demeanor. We did some outside shots first.

Jack was being super playful and doing the hide and go seek bit.

Afterwards we took it inside for some studio photography. Jack was a little freaked by my set up but loved my squeaky toy. On a side note: I spent about 20 minutes squeaking various dog toys in the pet store to find the perfect one. The people that worked there probably wanted to kick me out for being so annoying.

Thanks so much to Crystal and Sean who were awesome to work with! This shoot was beyond fun, it is great to have such a willing and unique looking model like Jack.

Goodbye Summer, hello Fall

2009-10-03T20:07:00.010-04:00

It's been awhile for a lot of things. Photo shoots, sleep, cleaning, blogging...not in my vocabulary these days. I gave birth to my second daughter, Casey June, on June 19th. We moved to the burbs in April, rehabbed our Philly property which we are renting out to tenants and taking care of our almost 2 year old. Lots of changes, all wonderful, amazing and challenging in their own ways. I have never been happier or busier. I put all photography (other than personal) on hiatus during the pregnancy and move.

I did manage to squeeze in the annual PAWS photo shoot and a few small client appointments in the past few months. The silent auction and photo show for PAWS will take place in the Spring this year. I actually took the photos when I was 8 months pregnant which was interesting. When I work I often times get on the animal's level and try a variety of angles. You can only imagine how graceful that looked! Here is a teaser from that shoot (Stoli and Casper):

I also had a great appointment with Carl and his lovely, sweet dogs. It rained but I had so much fun.

Here's a few random personal shots from recent months just to round things out:

I am currently taking new clients and thrilled to be back at work. I have some goals this "New Year" and one of them being to shoot more personal work. By personal work I mean my family but also some projects I have brewing in my brain. It's been years since I have worked in a serial format and aim to become more focused on that. I don't have much time these days but I am going to book as much as possible.

Hey Hey!

2009-03-18T10:18:00.002-04:00

I promise some updates by the end of the month. We are in a total upheaval over here personally. All good things, just very time consuming. We are moving in April, renting out our current building to other people, under construction in said building, having a baby in June and taking care of a 1 year old. I have managed to squeeze in a few photo sessions here and there which I will post my favorites from soon. This weekend I am attending/donated a piece to the following:

Future Tenant

This is a Pittsburgh gallery where my fabulous, amazingly talented cousin Kate works. Come join the fun if you are in the area and raise some money for the Arts.

Quick link

2009-01-29T21:31:00.002-05:00

This story is incredible. I caught it on Sunday Morning last month (I told Y'all I was behind). It brought tears to my eyes, it is totally worth taking a few moments to watch:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4696315n?source=mostpop_video

Kelly

2009-01-29T20:47:00.006-05:00

Kelly is a completely mellow, puppy-looking lap dog.
This sweetie sat so well and was not intimidated by my set up. I was actually able to take my time photographing him on both of his favorite lounging spots.
Kelly's mom and dad simply adore him and you can tell he is lovingly spoiled.
Ultimately one of the photos from this shoot were used on the family's New Years card. Kelly's best behavior and pleasant demeanor really made this an ideal photo session.

Ean!

2009-01-24T20:42:00.009-05:00

Since I am so far behind I am going to update blog in no particular order. I would like to introduce little baby Ean.
In these photos Ean is a mere 8 weeks old. These photos were done back in early December. This is the second session I have had with Shannon and Marty. The first session was in '07 (prior to this blog) where I photographed their very sweet dog, Abbie.
Ean is just a joyful little guy and adorable to boot. I was thrilled that he managed to stay awake for almost the entire session.
Well, almost. Really though, who am I kidding, there's is nothing like seeing a sleeping baby. Good job Ean!
We did some family shots.
I think Ean was getting bored with me.
Look at those legs!
Ean's mom and dad we able to get him to smile.
Baby hands and feet are so ridiculously cute it's not even funny.
It was such a joy to meet this new, beautiful baby. I am sure Ean has already changed so much since this shoot. Shannon is an Independent Distributer who hosts parties for Premier Designs. If you are interested in having this type of party you may contact Shannon at shannon.marcussen@yahoo.com.

Rusty

2009-01-01T11:25:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year!

Clearly I have been MIA the past few months. I have a ton of updates to do from various photo shoots. Lets start with Rusty. This adorable dog has the most expressive eyes.
Daniel and Katie were so fun to work with. Daniel is in the know with photography so it was fun to talk shop. Rusty is a total sweet heart and sat in the set so patiently.
Rusty has the best ears!
This photo shoot was for Rusty only but his kitty family couldn't resist hanging around the set.
Thanks to Katie and Daniel for having me in their home to photograph their loved ones!

Long time, no blog

2008-12-13T18:58:00.002-05:00

Things have been extremely crazy here. I have ignored this blog and my website for a few months. I have been actively working but no time to update. Hopefully I can catch up this month.

Things I have been doing: jury duty, taking care of a sick baby, getting car work done, getting ready for the holidays, visiting with family, throwing a 1st birthday party, taking lots of photos and suffering from some heavy duty morning sickness which put me in the hospital the other night(yes I am pregnant with baby number 2.) Hopefully I am on the tail end of sickness so I can get back to my normal life.

In other news, the PAWS calenders are now available: http://www.phillypaws.org/

That's it for now. I am going to try and get some photo shoot updates here soon.

E- - A - - G - - L - - E - - S!!

2008-10-17T19:22:00.011-04:00

Ozzy is an adorable Chihuahua who simply loves the Eagles. Ozzy likes to wear his Eagles jersey, collar and tag on game day. Most of Ozzy's portraits were taken without his fan gear but we could not resist snapping a few shots with his game day best on.

This little guy came to my studio for some classic style portraits.
I opted for a blue and brown muslin for a few different looks. I also chose to use one of our newly exposed walls as a backdrop which I totally loved.Ozzy has such a great personality. Totally friendly and completely mellow for his breed. He is a beautiful blond color that looked amazing on the darker backgrounds. Ozzy is really food motivated and loves chasing his ball.
Hopefully Ozzy's team spirit will help the birds in making it to the Super Bowl!

Article in The Philadelphia Bulletin

2008-10-06T12:16:00.001-04:00

Today there is an article in the Philadelphia Bulletin about my photography and the PAWS project. You can either see it in the paper or online here:

The Bulletin

Take Care,
Shannon

Quick post-PAWS Silent Auction

2008-10-03T09:05:00.003-04:00

Calendars are available for pre order on the PAWS website. 100% of the proceeds go to the shelter.
Information about the auction directly from the PAWS site:
PAWS is very pleased to present its second annual Photo Exhibit and Silent Auction, running now through October 11 at the Shops at Liberty Place. Featuring nearly 100 portraits of PAWS dogs and cats, the event is raising awareness of our animals in need as it raises badly needed funds for our lifesaving efforts.

The portraits are the work of Shannon Locker of Little Red Dog Studios. This is the second year in a row that Shannon has generously donated her time and talent to make the photo exhibit possible.

Please visit the exhibit, see some of the amazing animals we have worked to save, and support our efforts by placing a bid on your favorite shot!

The Shops at Liberty Place
16th & Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8am to 7pm
Saturday, 9am to 7pm
Sunday, 12-6pm

In addition to Little Red Dog Studios and our hosts, the Shops at Liberty Place , special thanks to Photo Lounge and TAWSCanDo! for their generous support in making this exhibit possible.

Marian and Charlie Chan

2008-09-28T09:26:00.007-04:00

I was so excited to photograph Marian. We met while she was volunteering at the PAWS photo shoot.
Marian needed some head shots and was looking for something natural, laid back and warm. I was thrilled when I arrived at her home to find a lovely property with beautiful landscaping. Saturday was rainy and overcast which made for the perfect lighting when combined with the strobe. I love doing head shots like this because it allows for a loose and casual portrait.

Charlie Chan is Marian's 10 year old Shih Tzu.
Charlie and his mama are in love big time! These two clearly have a bond that is unbreakable. While Marian is on her computer Charlie hops up on the desk and lays on a soft bed right next to the laptop! Often times he wants to be so close he inches his little furry body on top of the keyboard. I couldn't resist photographing Mr. Chan and Marian together.
It was such a pleasure photographing Marian and Charlie.

Beach + Dog = Happy Dog

2008-08-28T19:37:00.012-04:00

The beach is my most favorite place to be. I am completely addicted to being anywhere near the water. My dream has always been to live at the beach. There is nothing like the sound of waves, the sea salt breeze and a sunrise on the sand. This is Rosie and she also loves being on the beach.

If you were a dog what would you like to do early on a Sunday morning? The obvious answer would be to go to the beach! There is so much to do! Dig in the sand.

Ride the waves.

Run along the beach chasing a ball.

Take a rest:
Enjoy the scenery:
We went at the crack of dawn to capture this energetic pup in her element. Wow. Not only does Rosie have a killer personality she is also extremely adorable. I love sessions like this because the dog can really do his/her thing without being affected by the camera. This was an amazing shoot with and incredible dog.

Molly

2008-08-18T12:12:00.008-04:00

This past weekend I had to pleasure of meeting Molly. This fluffy girl is so darling! Molly spends much time lounging on her porch in Ocean City NJ. Sadly, Molly has been diagnosed with tongue cancer. Fortunately Molly was feeling well the day I photographed her.

We decided that photographing her on the porch would be the most natural and lovely environment in which to capture her.

Molly really responded to my favorite sqeaky toy which really seemed to perk her right up.

This dog's feet are so adorable with fur sprouting out everywhere.Molly's groomer originally suggested they would like to trim the wild fur growing between her paws. Molly's mom and dad said no way as this is an outstanding feature they simply adore!

I feel very lucky to have met and photographed wonderful, well loved dog.

Cats, cats and more cats

2008-08-03T20:24:00.003-04:00

On my many walks I notice tons of cats hanging out in windows. I guess it is turning into a small series for me:

Last week I had a photo session with some of the cats from PAWS. What an interesting experience. It was super entertaining because I set up in one of the socialization rooms which just so happened to contain about 6 cats. This means while I had individual feline subjects in the set there were plenty of other kitties making their presence known. Lots of playful cats pawing at me, walking through the set and generally hanging out while I was shooting. I have never photographed so many cats in a studio set before!

I have been very busy this summer and am really looking forward to Fall (my favorite season). In the meantime I have a few sessions booked in Ocean City, NJ. I LOVE taking photos of dogs on the beach so I am really excited about it.

Art in Cirty Hall opening

2008-07-10T06:27:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I have posted. We are very, very busy here! The opening for the "Likeable Art" exhibition in City Hall happened last month. Yes, I am behind. The good news is that it is up until the end of September.

It was a great opening. I was thrilled to discover that I have my own case and the very first one at that. The case is located directly across from the Mayor's office and I was told he and his staff quite enjoyed the dog portraits. I am mostly proud because these images are from the upcoming PAWS auction/calendar. Hopefully it will draw some attention to the thousands of animals in need of homes in the Philadelphia shelter system.

Speaking of, I am having a second photo shoot this week for PAWS. I will be doing cat portraits only at their satellite adoption center. This year not only will there be a dog calendar but a cat one as well. Very exciting!

3 dogs and 4 cats. Lots of photos and stories!

2008-06-29T08:37:00.002-04:00

Wow, what a fun shoot this was. I have to admit I was a bit nervous when it was requested that I photograph 3 dogs and 4 cats. I am used to photographing many animals at one time but usually they belong to various families.

This is a calm, peaceful household where all animals seem to be completely relaxed with one another. This set the stage for a really great shoot. Two of the dogs, Enki and Teddy, love playing in the outdoors. It was fun chasing them around.
Enki is as sweet as can be, completely friendly and seemed to love having her photo taken. She is so darling and small. Enki was a gift from Karen's sister:

Teddy was all about playing with sticks and romping around the landscape. This happy guy is adopted. According to his mom: "Teddy was originally owned by an older person who decided to not train him - he was not housebroken when we got him, and was very destructive. We got him on the right track with pottying outside (and he's perfect with that now), but if it weren't for our 3rd dog Gladys, he'd still be a monster. Teddy wants to be with Gladys pretty much all the time. She's his best friend. She plays rough with him and then gently nibbles him in a motherly way sometimes. Very sweet."

Gladys is a Momma's girl who stuck by Karen's side the whole time. Gladys was not very happy with me taking her photo but she was such a good sport about the whole thing. Karen explains Gladys' troubled history: "Rescued through Shannon from Delaware Alliance for Animal Welfare Groups. Gladys was a breeder for a man who lived in West Virginia. She came with 3 chihuahuas, who had also been used for breeding. All 4 came to the rescue malnourished, and Gladys was missing almost all of her hair from a flea allergy. Shannon happened to know the animal control officer in the town where these dogs lived. When they were taken from the man who owned them, the animal control officer called Shannon and she brought them into rescue! All 4 were adopted and have wonderful new homes." No wonder this little girl wants to be around her mommy so bad.

Onto the kitties. Karen let me know my chances of photographing all 4 of the cats might not be possible. Two of her kitties like to hide. I managed to photograph three. Manjulah had no problem with me taking he photo. She chilled on the window ledge which was clearly her favorite spot. Julah has beautiful eyes and is a little on the plump, cuddly, sweet side.
Bumpy has no eyes (hence the name "Bumpy" because she bumps into everything). This cat has such lovely coloring. Here are their stories (quoting Karen):"Manjulah is Bumpy's mom. I got her when my sister's friend called and said he had a mother cat and a blind kitten that needed a home. The nice guys at the shop her friend worked at were allowing them to stay in the cars there, but they thought she needed a nice, warm, safe place to go.
As soon as I saw them, I told my sister that they were mine - Bumpy doesn't have any eyes, and both have an extra toe on each paw. They are irresistible!"
Peanut is extremely shy. We tried to coax her out and nothing was working. Eventually we gave up and don't you know she came out on her own? Peanut has awesome eyes and fortunately she hung around long enough for me to get her portrait. I started packing up my gear and once left alone she decided to get comfy which allowed me to sneak in and get some tight shots. Peanut has such a beautiful story. Again, Karen's words:"My father found Peanut outside of his house on 7/2/07. She was approximately 10 days old at the time. Her mother was probably moving her and her sibling someplace, but my Dad happened on her and thought she was abandoned (that was after he realized she was a kitten - at first he thought she was a rat!). He called me to come down right then, and after work, I drove to his house to pick her up. For the next 2 months, I brought her to work every day so I could feed her as often as she needed to be fed. It was the most amazing experience - and a wonderful way to bond with your cat! Enki became her best friend, and she used to do Sumo wrestling moves on Enki and bite her head every time she saw her. It was only in the recent past that Peanut started being accepted by the other cats. But now, she plays with Coach all of the time, and Enki has pretty much been left behind."

I was unable to get Coach's photos. In fact, I never even saw Coach! However, Coach is also a rescued cat. Karen works for the Phillies: "About 3 or 4 days before Manjulah and Bumpy came into the picture, a litter of kittens was found at the ballpark. I found homes for all but 1, who I decided to keep. I named him coach after my favorite Phillie Maje McDonnell, who calls everyone "Coach" - it's alot easier than remembering all of our names, I'm sure!!! When I brought Coach, Manjulah, and Bumpy together, Manjulah allowed Coach to nurse right along with Bumpy, and accepted him right in as her baby. 3 years later, he is still stuck to her side like glue."
This was such a unique and excellent shoot. Since there were so many sweet animals around there always seemed to be a willing subject roaming around! Karen worked so well with her animals that it made my job super easy. Thanks Karen!

Rocky

2008-06-14T21:38:00.001-04:00

Rocky is a simply gorgeous female Beagle. This girl looks like she could be in the movies!

Rocky has such an expressive face and her coloring is simply beautiful. She is playful but not rambunctious and listens extremely well to her mom.

It was a joy to photograph her because she gave me so many different poses and was not shy about being photographed.

Rocky is the first Beagle I have ever photographed and she did not disappoint. I think it is the floppy ears that make dogs of this breed appear to be perpetual puppies. This was such a fun shoot!

Leo

2008-06-13T21:31:00.003-04:00

Leo is an adorable "Jug" (Jack Russel Terrier/Pug mix). This sweetheart is about 2 years old. He is completely and utterly in love with his Mama! It is so lovely to see the wonderful bond he and his guardian have. Leo is adopted.

Laura (Leo's mom) was kind enough to email me his story. Her words to describe this little guy are far better than any I could write:

Leo was born in March of 2006 and his history between then and the time he ended up at the Washington-Wilkes Humane Shelter in Washington, Georgia is unknown. I feel odd calling it a "humane" shelter though since it's one of the shelters that euthanizes dogs in a gas chamber due to overcrowding. I have a feeling he wasn't there for too long, and he wasn't going to be around much longer -- even as a perfectly healthy, lovable less-than-year-old pup. Fortunately, the White Boxer Dog Rescue , a small rescue in New Jersey, heard about him in February, 2007... and even though he's not a White Boxer, they had it in their hearts to take him in. He lived at the rescue (a nice big farm) for the next 6 months, where he was listed on petfinder.com as "Levi" a Chihuahua/Pug or "Chug" mix.

At the time of his listing, he was said to be about 15 lbs. Imagine my surprise when I encountered a 32-lb bundle of joy on the day of adoption! The woman at the rescue said he put on some weight after they fixed him... poor lil' foodie! Naturally, with our mutual love of food and snuggling, we bonded instantly. He was nervous to start (I don't think I even heard him bark the first two months he lived with me), and his first few months of adjusting to city life were a challenge... but he now frolicks in Fairmount Park with his tail wagging, on the hunt for the next squirrel to cross his path.

We believe he is a "Jug" (Jack Russell Terrier/Pug) mix. He has the heart of a lap dog and at any given time just wants to love (which he shows through intense licking!) and be loved. His favorite treats are beef marrow (bones for making beef stock) and purina chicken carvers. Unfortunately, his favorite toys are live baby animals in the woods, but we're working on that! What excites him most is anyone coming in the door to greet him, at which point he violently wags his tail to the point of his entire body wiggling back and forth. When walking off leash, he's stuck to me like glue, and usually sits right by my side when we stop to greet other dogs. When he runs ahead, he'll actually stop and wait for me to catch up, then proceed to move forward. Such a gentleman -- or a momma's boy. ;o)

Mew Gallery

2008-06-07T19:53:00.013-04:00

There is this amazing little shop/gallery in the Italian Market area called Mew Gallery. My husband and I stopped in during the Italian Market Festival. I cannot believe I have never went into this place before. Basically it is a gallery where people sell their handmade wares/art work. It is this and so much more. They have workshops and exhibitions/events. Some of the sellers are on Etsy. Etsy is such a great site and to have a physical store front for locals is such a cool idea. My lovely and artistically talented cousin, Kate, turned me onto it and I haven't been able to tear myself away since.

Anyways, back to Mew. We decided to stop by because we had just bought an Eric Fausnacht print (who had a stand set up at the festival) and we were told he was showing work at Mew. Eric Fausnacht's work is based around roosters. The paintings are superb and the prints are just beautiful. We spent about an hour trying to decide which print to get. We will definitely be purchasing another one because the one we have is just so lovely. Yay for local artists!

Ok, ok back to the topic at hand. Mew gallery is set up so beautifully and they carry such cool items. I do my best to support local businesses AND local artists so to have a venue in which to purchase such items is a dream. I also like the fact that these pieces are actually affordable. It's a way to have some artwork without spending tons of money. We ended up acquiring a few prints and I am sure we will be buying more. There is something so liberating about spending your money on unique, hand made art.

After going there we went home and I promptly emailed Mew samples of my work. They decided I was worthy of selling some of my photos in their shop and I couldn't be more thrilled. If you happen to be in the area you should definitely check out this gallery as they are doing something incredibly cool. Support your local businesses!

Ok..here are some recent street photos:

Mo

2008-05-27T13:03:00.008-04:00

Mo is short for Marylin Monroe. Mo's mom found her at PAWS about a year and a half ago and noticed a dark marking above the pup's lip. No amount of scraping would remove the "beauty mark" which inspired Mo's name. Turns out that with a good washing the mark came off but the perfect name stuck!

Mo is a unique looking dog with a lovely face. She is a very mixed breed. Mo's profile is simply beautiful and shows off her Shar Pei shaped nose. Her favorite places to hang are on the couch gazing out the window and at the top of the steps.

Mo has such a great personality, insanely sweet and gentle. She made a great model and listens so well to her mom. Mo is the type of dog that gives pet adoption a good name.

Art in City Hall

2008-05-27T11:40:00.006-04:00

Three of my pieces have been accepted in the summer Art in City Hall "Likeable Art" exhibition. I am so thrilled! The photographs are from my recent shoot for PAWS. It is so exciting to know that these sweet dogs will be on display for many people to see. The show runs from June 9th to September 26th. There will be a reception open to the general public on June 26th from 5pm-7pm. If you are in the area come check out the show. The Art in City Hall website has not yet been updated with program information as of yet but I will surely post it here once it is.

I have been trying to do a little street photography on my many daily walks so here are some images from that:

Also, if you get a chance, check out the Elliot Erwitt show at the Michener Art Museum. Erwitt's dog photo series will be on display until the end of August. I have his "Dog Dogs" book and it is something I look at constantly. I simply love this guy's work and can't wait to see the prints in person.

Mother's Day Photo Shoot

2008-05-19T14:11:00.007-04:00

I had my baby in November so this was my very first Mother's Day. We are so lucky to have 5 Grandmoms in the family (including one Great Grandmom). Our daughter, Evan, is the first Grand baby on both sides so you can imagine how loved she is. I decided it was only fitting for me to photograph Evan and frame a different image for each Grandmom.

I am hoping to carry this tradition throughout the years so that with each Mother's day there will be new photos of my girl. Obviously I am always taking photos of my kid (as every new parent does) but this was my first studio shoot with her. Happy Mother's Day!

Donovan and Serafina

2008-05-10T09:11:00.004-04:00

Min Pins!!! If you have read my bio you will see that my dog was a Min Pin. I always get so excited to photograph Miniature Pinschers. I just adore this small dog breed and all the "big dog" attitude that goes with it. Donovan and his sister Serafina did not disappoint! I seem to get a little nervous before a shoot with Min Pins because I know how their spit-fire energy can be a little difficult to capture within a studio setting. However, these two little ones were simply amazing and so happy to be photographed.

Donovan is about 3 years old and was literally found roaming the streets by his loving animal guardians. He was starved, dirty and running all alone near the prison in the Art Museum area. His rescuers put signs up all over and when no one responded the hopeful pair realized Donovan was to be their new baby.

This pup is just fun, fun, fun and sweet as can be. Donovan is the type of Min Pin that gives the breed a good name. He just lit up the set and is gorgeous to boot. What a special little guy. Donovan loves to burrow under the covers and curl up against his owners' legs. He enjoys going on car rides and has a tendency to jump in other people's cars if the doors are left open as if to say "I'm ready. Where are we going now?" Donovan's parents just love him to pieces and because of him they were inspired them to adopt Serafina.

Serafina is just a lovely little elderly girl. She is about 12 years old and was adopted in October. Yay for adopting older dogs! Her parents quickly fell in love with this dog's adorable snaggle tooth. Serafina was adopted from the New Jersey Animal Welfare Association. Her soon to be parents saw this little girl up for adoption at Outfest and they could not resist. Even though the plans were not to get another dog, they could not walk away from this sweetie. Due to her age Serafina is blind in her right eye, partially blind in the left and is almost totally deaf. She did wonderful in the strange setting of the studio. The challenge of photographing a deaf dog is one I have encountered before. This forces me to get creative in my attention getting tactics. So far Serafina has gained 3 lbs (probably more by now) and LOVES peanut butter flavored Frosty Paws ice cream. According to her mom "Serafina recently took her first plane flight to Dallas for a medical conference I attended because WE have separation anxiety. She slept through the whole flight in her dad's arms, woke up and enjoyed a chicken sandwich."
These dogs were such a joy to photograph. What a wonderful little family!

PAWS Photo Shoot

2008-04-27T11:29:00.002-04:00

This past week I had the honor of photographing 25 shelter dogs and 6 cats from the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society. This has, by far, become the most rewarding project I have ever done.

The volunteers and PAWS staff are so wonderful. Photographing these animals would be impossible without the gentle patience and loving guidance that is provided by these dedicated individuals. I want to give a big thanks to Tyann, Marian and Allison for all of their amazing help. I know they all dedicate their time to saving so many lives and having them assist on this shoot was awesome.

The photos turned out amazing and I am so proud that they will be displayed this fall and made into a calendar. I am not posting any images here until the show goes up.

Since I am not posting any photos from this shoot I figure I put in a random one. This is Renaldo. He is a real beauty and a gentle giant:

Bailey

2008-04-26T20:30:00.016-04:00

As a kid I begged for a dog and I became obsessed with Pomeranians. I remember seeing one in a pet store in the mall and simply falling in love. They look like little puff balls, how can a kid resist that! A few years back I photographed a Pom named Rosie and she cracked me up. I just love this little breed.

Bailey is a beautiful Pomeranian mix. Seriously, this dog is insanely photogenic. Her coat is perfect and she has a movie star face (not to mention a low key, sweet disposition.) Bailey gave me every pose and expression that I asked for. It is really rare to photograph a dog that simply reacts so easily to the camera. I had so much fun with her.

Bailey was adopted through Penn Veterinary School and was received from PACCA. Yes, this sweet, unique pup was adopted. Yay for adoption!! I can't imagine why anyone would give up this little girl. Bailey is 4 years old (estimated) and now spends her nights sleeping with her humans and days snuggling at the feet of her busy, thesis writing mom.

Family Portraits

2008-03-26T07:51:00.000-04:00

As of late I have been doing a ton of dog portraits. However, this past weekend I had a family portrait session. Marie and her lovely family sat patiently as I did my best to coax Quinn (their Great Dane) to look my way. This was a great shoot and even though it was freezing out (and Quinn was crushing everyone's feet) all managed to look completely relaxed.

This family adopted Quinn from the ASPCA in October. They found the 2 year old Great Dane on Petfinder. We were marveling how someone could give up such a well behaved dog. Another happy adoption story as he is a perfect fit for this family. Quinn seems to think he is a lap dog and by the end of the shoot he was ready to take a nap. It was so cool to do a family portrait where the dog is as big as the other subjects!

I really like doing portraits of people. Since the bulk of my work in photography deals with animals I think people may be wary of hiring me for people portraits. However, I really enjoy working with human subjects and I am always psyched when I am booked for this type of shoot.

I have a long term people project that I am trying to work on and possibly show at some point. I am no longer shooting for this project but am trying to gather the images and organize everything. This work was done at a time when I was on the road managing in promotions and it lasted about 4 years. I needed a little distance from it before delving in editing everything down. I will eventually post some images and stories from this series. I would love to take on some other projects involving portraits of people.

Chloe and Winston

2008-03-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had a fantastic outdoor shoot with a spunky brother and sister duo. Chloe, a Silky Terrier, is 1 and 1/2 years old. Winston (aka Winky) is a Maltese/Silky mix who is 1 years old. Chloe proved herself to be a bit of a stress case as a puppy so it was decided that she needed a partner in crime. Winston's sweet demeanor has done wonders in calming his sister's hyperactive behavior.

There was doubt that these pups would be easy to photograph but they proved everyone wrong. Through shooting outdoors in their Grandma's fenced in yard (a favorite place) I was able to really get in their space without much fuss. This shoot was so seamless and natural, really the perfect way to capture the true personalities of these active little ones.

Chloe is described by her mom as the "rebel teenage daughter". Full of life and fun loving, Chloe does things on her own terms. She loves picking up sticks and leaves to toss around and chew on. She definitely does her best to playfully harass her brother. She has such a super little personality and just wanted to play with me when I would get down low to photograph her. She didn't seem to care that I was taking her photo and just did her own thing.

On the other hand I give you Winston:Winston is such a sweet dog. He was all about being the model. Winky followed me around much of the time begging for his close up. He was sure to give me lots of kisses while I was shooting. At one point the neighbor's dog came out to see what was up (his name is Winston too) which made for a lot of spying on our side.

The best move these dogs have involve an endless game of hide and seek. They would chase each other around the bushes and then freeze on opposite sides. They would stand there for a few minutes and then dart around to see who could catch who first. Fun times!

This little guy just wanted as much camera time as possible!

It was a perfect day for these little ones to show off. I had such a blast hanging out with Chloe and Winston.

Photo show at The Mat this weekend

2008-03-16T16:57:00.000-04:00

There is going to be a photo show/party at the 10th Street Laundromat this weekend. I will be hanging a few pieces along with 4 other local artists.

Rosie and PAWS Photo Shoot 2008

2008-03-04T11:39:00.000-05:00

This photo shoot was done as a surprise birthday present for Melissa Levy, the Director of Development at PAWS. Melissa's husband, Harper, stealthily brought their lovely dog Rosie to the studio for a quick photo session. I chose a simple white seamless in order to show of Rosie's shiny and sleek black coat. This dog has such expressive ears (a feature her owners adore) and it only made sense to chose a background that would really show her fantastic silhouette. Rosie was the perfect subject who had a controlled yet playful energy that allowed for me to shoot a ton of images. Rosie is 3 year old lab mix and was adopted by Melissa and Harper from PAWS about 2 1/2 years ago. She had been a stray and was at the shelter for 10 days before they met her, fell in love, and adopted her. This adoption is what kick started Melissa's career in saving the lives of so many homeless animals.

Here are a few of my favorites from this session:

I worked with Melissa on the PAWS silent auction/photo show this past year. The show was held for two weeks at The Shops at Liberty Place this past Fall. It was very successful in raising money and awareness for the shelter. Melissa also had calendars designed which include images from this show. These calendars are still on sale here: PAWS
All profit from the sale of the calendars go to the shelter.

Here are some of my favorites from this show. I have a portfolio on my website dedicated to this project:

The reason this show was such a success is because Melissa works incredibly hard in organizing all of PAWS events. She is such a pleasure to work with and cares so much for animals and their welfare. For this show I provided the images but Melissa did EVERYTHING else. PAWS is always looking for volunteers for various fund raising and adoption pets throughout the area. If you wish to get involved please fill out the volunteer application.

Melissa and I are in the works on planning for this year's photo show. The photo session will be held at the end of April. I love doing this shoot because I get the chance to work with so many amazing shelter dogs. Stay tuned for details!

Cutter and Emma

2008-02-25T08:59:00.000-05:00

This weekend I had a location shoot in North East Philadelphia. I met the lovely Cutter and Emma. Both were adopted by Trisha who in the past has fostered other dogs for Brookline Lab Rescue. Cutter who is a Bernese Mountain Dog/Collie mix from Ohio and was adopted through the Knox County Humane Society . Emma is a Black Lab from North Mississippi and was adopted through Labs4Rescue.

Since Cutter is an elderly pup (13-15 years old) Trisha expressed that he be the primary subject. There were some reservations as to how fearful Cutter would be of the whole scenario but fortunately he warmed up quickly which allowed me to get some great shots. What a sweet and loving dog. If you see the shots of him on the couch you will notice his tail wagging which it was the whole time we were shooting!! Emma (who is 4) gave Cutter the spotlight but certainly had no qualms about showing what a lively, fun loving and playful dog she is. She is a great listener and sat perfect for all of her photos. These two are a great pair and were so fun to photograph.

On a side note: Trisha makes beautiful jewelry and you can check out her work here
Emma Rose Jewelry

Here are my favorites from the shoot:

New blog + Studio under construction

2008-02-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

Hey All! I am so excited to introduce my new blog. Over the past few years I have had the great fortune to photograph so many amazing animals. I have met fantastic pet loving families. I felt it was only right so share some stories about these animals as well as my adventures in pet portrait photography. I will do my best to update every few weeks with all my favorite pet photos and stories from each and every shoot.

I currently have a half finished studio space. It is coming along and I have been holding photo shoots here although it is not quite complete. This space is rather raw right now but has high ceilings, a glass door for natural light and exposed brick walls. It really is the perfect space for portrait shoots. Working here has already been a treat!

Have a great weekend!