Author name: lifeinfocusphoto

The cat who played fetch

This is Bohden. He’s 14 years young and has beaten cancer. Bohden is a cat. Or perhaps a dog? He can play “fetch” and can wind his own toy. How many dogs do you know that can do both?

He is a majestic Sphynx. At least until the toys come out.

His mom loves him very much and she wrote a book about how they beat cancer together. She hired us to do a pet photo-shoot for her book. Here are some of the more “fun” photos from that session.

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About the love of an old dog

old dog with hat photo session

A few weeks ago, a beautiful human being emailed me to book a photo-shoot for herself and her dog. Her old, blind, cancer-ridden rescued dog. A dog that someone abandoned in his old age and that she rescued, to give him the most love possible in his last years of life. A gentle, quiet Boston Terrier named Lucky.

He meandered slowly and patiently through the studio, and allowed us to place him and dress him up with all the wisdom his age provided.

A photo session unlike any other I’ve ever done before.

Boston terrier photoshoot Boston terrier and human mom photoshoot Boston terrier photoshoot

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Summer Vacation in Cape Cod with your dog

A few weeks ago, we decided to make the best of the hot August weather and take a few days vacation in picturesque Cape Cod region, in the United States.

We stayed at a lovely pet friendly motel, in Provincetown (the very tip of Cape Cod) called Cape Colony Inn, within walking distance to the main street with most of the restaurants, boutiques and about 40 art galleries.

Here you can see some of the photos with or without our dog, who, I must say found the sand and ocean a bit odd at the beginning, although she took pretty fast to digging feverishly into the sand (clean beach towel, what is that??).

Several photos were taken in the Port of Provincetown, other by the sand dunes and marshland close to Long Point Beach.

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Weimaraner Braque dog photo shoot at home

A few weeks ago, I was hired to do a Father’s Day surprise photo session. The “baby” was a 3 year old Weimaraner Pointer who “matched the furniture”, to the delight of his human mom, hence the photo session was booked at his home.

Let me tell you; this dog did not like the camera, in fact I had to stalk him through the house (and the garden) to be able to get some good shots. Apparently the gods of pet photography were smiling upon us because we got some very good shots, including one that was printed large and framed to be delivered to Dad this very day.

Let’s hope he liked his surprise!

weimaraner photo session

weimaraner photo session

Weimaraner Braque dog photo shoot at home Read More Ā»

Siberian Husky dog studio photo session

A few weeks ago I photographedĀ  a wonderful blended family. Two of the kids had fluffy tails and perky ears. Get where I’m going with this? šŸ˜›

The “kids” were two 11 year old Siberian huskies. They are brothers and one of them is, sadly, dying of cancer. The dogs are loved and look great, honestly wouldn’t have guessed they were that old. Always a little difficult to do photo sessions like this; I know how their “dad” was feeling. Most of you reading this probably do as well.

I did my best to capture their bond and I think I did a fairly good job. They loved their photos at the the “reveal” meeting. šŸ™‚

I can only hope that looking at their prints over the years, they will be able to better recall the memories and the moments that these two lovebugs brought into their lives.

huskies

husy or worf photo

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Lights, camera, dance! An aerialist photo session in studio

I recently had the pleasure ( and challenge) to photograph a beautiful professional aerialist and ballet jazz dancer. It was certainly a novel way to shoot portraits and not entirely dissimilar to photographing acrobatic cats in mid-air, although this cat, I was able to communicate with. Small blessings. šŸ˜›

It was both a gruelling and satisfying photo session, while certainly delightful to discover another talented Quebec artist. To see her literally fly through the air was a real treat!

dancer photography Montreal

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Quebec Sphynx cat breeder photo-shoot in our Montreal studio

It is always nice to see a happy client. Why are they happy, in this case?

Well, this is a smart cat breeder who realized that investing a few hundred dollars in a professional photo session every few months, helps her sell her purebred cats for thousands of dollars each.

When you are selling a luxury item, presentation is key. Now that is  a wise business investment.

Also, the kittens are very well cared of and they go to their new homes with a lovely temperament, cuddly and eager to play with their humans.

If you want to see more photos you can go to her website. http://www.chatteriemystique.com/acc-e.htm

Quebec Sphynx cat breeder photo-shoot in our Montreal studio Read More Ā»

Happy New year 2016

Sphinx kittens photography portrait in studio

Happy New year 2016, Montreal.

As the frosty tones of January start to take hold of the city, here are two delicate sphynx brother kittens with eyes as blue as the ice on the St-Lawrence river.

I hope you enjoy the photo. And before you ask, they were not photoshopped to stand together and yes their eyes really are that color. And they were really, really tiny; one could fit in the palm of my hand.

Kitten photo

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A furry family photo-shoot in our studio

Now I know that when someone mention “family photography” your first thought is taking you to the parents with their kids. Human kids, that is..

Well, as it turns out in my line of work, the ‘kids” are usually of the furry, four-pawed variety. Case in point, a recent photo session comprised of mom, dad and two fur-kids. I should say two adorable fur-kids. I will never deny that working with animals is hard but, at least for me, patience and a willingness to spend 2 hours crawling on my belly while making weird sounds, seem to appear out of thin air (I am generally not a patient person – LOL) when it comes to working with cats or dogs. Some session are also more rewarding than others. This one was particularly fun. Enjoy some of the pictures I took.

French bulldog playing

Family photoshoot with dogs in Montreal

A furry family photo-shoot in our studio Read More Ā»

Print the photos you love – advice from a pro

I’ve always wondered how people see the value of getting 100 photos on a stick from the photographer, only to misplace the stick (and lose all their photos) or damage the stick (and lose all their photos) have you seen an USB stick? not the sturdiest things around…besides, are you ready to rummage through the junk drawer to get it if there is a house fire and you need to leave NOW??

Suffice it to say I am a staunch advocate of printing your photos. Latest case in point, this photo of my fur-baby taken in the park, this fall. I tried a new company too (Pictorem), very impressed with the quality of the canvas print and the customer service as well. šŸ™‚

Canvas print

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Montreal Fall Photo-shoot with your pets

Fall is a wonderful season in Quebec, if you like taking photos outdoors. Today we tried bringing our dog outside for a mini photo-shoot. Did I mention she is a German Shepherd and Husky mix? Yeah, the energy levels are up there. Here is one of my favourites. She is looking at a squirrel so just the fact that she is laying down for a second is quite the feat, trust me…

Dog photography outdoors

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Fall in Montreal, autumn colours

Well, in spite of a warmer than usual September, Fall has in fact, arrived in Montreal. Scroll down forĀ a few Ā of our picturesĀ to inspire you. You can also book an outdoors photo session with us, we have a fantastic natural area close by the studio and if you shoot at this location there are noĀ travel charges.

If you feel like hoofin’ it along with a nice thermos of hot cocoa, here is this year’s Quebec Fall Foliage Map.

Fall scenery photo with dog

apple picking in quebec red maple leaves Fall scenery in Quebec

apple picking in Quebec

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Prepare to Fall in love…

Prepare to Fall in love. With this adorable pooch, or the scenery, or both. Take advantage of the gorgeous Montreal colors right at your doorstep and bring your dog outside for a canvas-ready photoshoot.

You can follow Quebec’s changing colors with this neat little tracking tool: https://www.quebecoriginal.com/en/discover/seasons-in-quebec

Some cool places to see the colour also are:

Mont Royal Park

If you donā€™t get the chance to head outside of the city, donā€™t worry; there are many great places within Montreal to check out the fall colours. Mont Royal is a favorite due to its extensive trails and paths. For easy access, use the #11 Bus (east or westbound). You can also walk up from downtown, use the path from the Park Avenue Cartier Monument or try the escarpment trail on the eastern slope. Other areas within Montreal that are great for leaf watching include:

  • Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery
  • Mont Royal Cemetery
  • Parks Jean Drapeau, Maisonneuve and Angrignon

Mont St. Hilaire

Located just east of Montreal, Mont St. Hilaire is a perfect choice to take in the autumn season. Not only will you find breathtaking vistas, youā€™ll also discover numerous apple orchards and farmland that add to the country charm. Mont St. Hilaire is also a nature reserve, with the western part open to the public for hiking and cross-country skiing, for a small fee. To get there from Montreal, head to the south shore, take the 20 east, exit on Route 229 and head to Beloeil. Once you reach Beloeil you take Route 116 across the bridge, turn right on Fortier, then left on Chemin de la Montagne and head to Gault Nature Reserve. Enjoy!

Other similar areas just outside the city include:

  • Mont Tremblant (north)
  • Laurentians (north)
  • Mont St. Bruno, Mont Rougemont and Mont Saint-Gregoire (southeast)

Monteregie Cider Route

The province of Quebec has long been known for its amazing apples. Travel the scenic Cider Route and taste the best our orchards have to offer! Diverse and rich, the cider industry is alive and well, waiting for your taste buds to arrive. Take in the beautiful fall scenery while sampling delicious and unique local ciders and produce. To find out more take a look at the Cider Route map.

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Black cat appreciation day – celebrating our domestic felines

#blackcatday Today is Black cat appreciation day! Isn’t this one just gorgeous? Psst.. in some cultures Black Cats are said to bring good luck to their owners…

Here are some interesting black cat facts:

The black fur gene is recessive, so a cat must carry two copies of it to be black.
Scientists have found genetic mutations among several different kinds of cats that caused them to be black, meaning they are favoured in nature.

Scientists also discovered that the mutations affect a gene related to one that’s resistant to HIV in humans, leading some to theorize that black cats may be resistant to disease.

In Europe, poor, lonely women often fed alley cats. When witch hysteria hit, many of these homeless women were accused of witchcraft, and their feline companions (especially black ones) were deemed guilty by association.

The Egyptian goddess Bast was thought to take the form of a black cat, so many ancient Egyptians owned black cats as a way to court her favor.

According to British lore, a black cat’s presence in a house will bring a young woman many suitors.

The British also believe that a black cat will bring its owner good luck, but coming across one accidentally brings bad luck.

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A golden moment – adventures in canine aesthetics

What is better than a Golden Retriever dog? Two golden retrievers! Believe it or not, the two golden retrievers in this photo are cousins (of sorts). They met accidentally during a photoshoot we had recently. Turns out, they are from the same breeder. I’d say he is doing a pretty consistent job since both dogs are gorgeous and have wonderful temperaments…

Bonus: they both fit perfectly with the wonderful honey-colored Autumn scenery….

A brief history of the Golden retrievers, if you are curious:

In the early 1800s, game was plentiful in England and Scotland, and hunting was both a sport and a practical way of obtaining food. Retrievers came into prominence because of the desire for a medium-sized dog that would do well in wild-fowling, both upland game and waterfowl. Records kept from 1850 to 1890 at the Guisachan estate of Dudley Marjoribanks, first Lord Tweedmouth, near Inverness, Scotland, record the development of the original strain of Golden Retrievers.

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Gleener fuzz remover commercial photo-shoot

In the past week, our studio had the great opportunity to photograph the upcoming advertising campaign forĀ GleenerĀ TheĀ UltimateĀ FuzzĀ Remover.

Although the products and campaign will only be ready in about one year, for now I can show you some of the “making of” photos from the epic 3-day shoot.

In passing, this photoshoot was done in collaboration with the expert photography team at http://costin.ca.

We’ve had some phenomenal dogs and cats, some really shy one, and some reluctant at first, understood pretty fast that the flashes means treats and accommodated our requests to look into the camera and sit still for a few seconds.

Here are some quick photos and one adorable video, for your viewing pleasure.

https://instagram.com/p/5zqYILpy44

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Old dogs and the illusion of time

Initially I wanted to call this post: Old souls and the limitations of our perception. But that sounded too pretentious. This is Angeloup. She is 13 year old and has survived a heart attack. She is also deaf. Which means she no longer hides under the table when the rain thunders or the fireworks sound up. She is a stray that was brought to her human parents by their other dog (who has already crossed the Rainbow Bridge).

Angeloup likes to carry rocks around in her mouth and roll in the grass. She will be gone soon and these photos will be all that’s left of her, to help along with the memories, which will tragically fade as time goes by. This is one of the photoshoots I did where I did not direct the dog in any way, I just followed her around and let her show me whatever she wanted to show meĀ becauseĀ I did not want to stress her out. The photos came out exactly the way I wanted them. Thank you, Angeloup.

Old dog smiling

dog carrying rock dog rolling in the grass

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This is a Maine Coon cattery photo-shoot

In life, there are cats, and then there are Main Coon cats. You have to meet one in person to realize how gorgeous they really are. They are huge and fluffy and soft and cuddly. They can also be funny. Like this:

maine coon cat

Of course he can also be dignified in his photos. Somewhat…

maine coon cat

Lately I’ve been wondering how well a Maine Coon cat would get along with my crazy german shepherd…hmm…

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