In the mood for chocolate?
Photoshoot with a lovely Chocolate Labrador puppy. A really remarkable dog, full of sass and sweetness!
In the mood for chocolate? Read More »
dogs
Terriers photo-shoot
A while a go I had a request to do a “Birthday photo-shoot” for a Bedlington terrier and his canine brother. This took place in our Montreal photo studio.
Here are a few photos from the session, including one shot with the proud pet-mom.
Enjoy!
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About the love of an old dog
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.
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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!
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Siberian Husky dog studio photo session
A few weeks ago I photographed a wonderful blended family. Two of the kids had fluffy tails and perky ears. Get where I’m going with this? 😛
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. 🙂
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.
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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.
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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. 🙂
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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…
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Do you dress-up your pets for Halloween?
Bet you all want your dog to be this happy to dress up for #Halloween! One thing is sure, he is taking his job very seriously! LOL #dogsincostume #montreal #firefighter #costume #petsincostume. 🙂
Do you dress-up your pets for Halloween? Read More »
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 don’t get the chance to head outside of the city, don’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, you’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.
Prepare to Fall in love… Read More »
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 for Gleener The Ultimate Fuzz 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 me because I did not want to stress her out. The photos came out exactly the way I wanted them. Thank you, Angeloup.
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This is an Afghan hound dog
I recently did a photo-shoot with an absolutely gorgeous dog: an Afghan Hound.
Elegant, mysterious and a very talkative clown at the same time, it was a special session. As I was clicking away I continued to be stunned by how beautiful this dog was. The camera loved him and seemed content to be admired.
Here are a few photos, for your viewing pleasure.
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Sam…I am. This is Sam the dog.
This is Sam the dog. The basset hound, lab, german shepherd and love mix. He’s got the eyes and the sass and the softest fur ever! He loves his treats and his human parents. I had fun photographing Sam and his parents a while ago. Sam tried to lick me and he tried to lick the camera and argued with his dad when the session got too long for his taste. Sam made me smile. Sam is adopted. Sam is love.
Sam…I am. This is Sam the dog. Read More »
Why should you photograph your pets professionally?
This post is going to be a little odd perhaps, a little off-kilter. “Why would I photograph my pets” someone asked me recently. I guess the underlying question would be “why hire a professional to photograph my dog/cat/ferret..etc..? ”
The blunt answer is: because they will (probably) die before you and all you will have to remember them is a dark, blurry, red-eyed photo of them. Or maybe not, maybe you got some decent shots of them with your phone playing outside, because the built-in camera metered nicely for a summer’s late afternoon. Maybe you were lucky that way. Maybe…
The truth is, however, most of your phone shots are just fleeting digital moments that will never see it to the light of print. The truth is, you love your pet like your child and yet your memory of them will fade slowly over time. I know because I’ve been there, like many of you reading this post. I know because I have 1000 amateur shots of my first dog and none of them is technically good enough to be printed bigger than a 4×6. If it were, I’d most probably have a nice 20 x 24 print on my wall. Because I shared 13 years of my life with that dog and he was my furry brother. Because I had crying fits for 2 years after he died. Because he shaped my life in ways I am still discovering. Because he made me love dogs and thus made me rescue my GSD baby in the nick of time (she was 5 minutes away from euthanasia).
Knowing all this, in retrospect, what is one hour of your time and a couple hundred dollars so you can have THE larger-than-life photo to print, frame and hang on your wall, to be able to look at the heart of your past, immortalized into image forever?
Why should you photograph your pets professionally? Read More »
Advertising Campaign by the best Montreal pet photographer
There comes a time in every professional photographer’s career, when they see their work published in a major advertising campaign. Well for me, this is one of those moments. And it feels very, very, nice. 🙂
This particular project was commissioned by the (really nice) folks at Pets Plus Us insurance company – with campaign ads running in the winter edition of Modern Dog Magazine and Canadian Dogs Annual.
The lovely spotted gentleman in the middle is Jack, a very spirited and photogenic Jack Russell Terrier. The two humans are his very caring parents.
Now I know that some of you might wonder why so many people treat their pets as their “kids” even going as far as buying health insurance for them? Well, the truth is adding a pet to your family can have numerous health benefits, physical as well as mental. Here’s more about that from the folks at Positive Health Wellness Blog. Meanwhile, enjoy life with your four-legged friend! 🙂
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The stray dogs of Moscow
So, you all have heard by now of the stray dogs of Sochi, in Russia. Well, this is the story of Petrovich, a stray dog from Moscow. That doesn’t make it any less interesting.
You can see him here posing by himself, a wise old gentleman as well as with his sisters. Literally his sisters, his actual littermates.
His story begins some 11 years ago. His human mom travels often because of her job and one of her many travels brought her to the far reaches of Europe, Moscow. There, a stray dog had given birth to her puppies a few months before somewhere on a construction site. As luck would have it, Petrovich’s future human mom couldn’t resist the bundles of fur and she went to great lengths to bring two of the three pups with her to Montreal, Canada. Petrovich was “adopted” by the construction crew so he stayed behind for three more years, period during which his future human mom passed to visit a few times and brought food and cuddles. In the end, the connection that formed between them was too strong so she decided to bring him back to Canada as well. He was successfully adopted and now lives with his two sisters in a beautiful house next to a park. He is loved and has domain over plush couches and comfy rugs. He has also beat cancer. If he remembers anything from his distant past, you couldn’t tell about it when he asks for belly rubs or comes to investigate the treat in your hand. Perhaps only his wise eyes hold a reminder of how far he’s come.
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Good pet sitters and daycare in Montreal
Since I am a pet parent myself, I figured it’s a good idea to give a shout-out to a few doggie day care and kennel services in the Montreal area that I have already tried and I am very happy with.
One of them is : Joelle Hamelin – she is a also certified positive reinforcement trainer (R+). Her kennel is situated in the quiet country side in the town of Mont-Saint-Grégoire – this is their website: http://www.joellehamelin.com/. They have organized outings in a large secured fenced area (outdoors), with supervision, as well as an indoors play area. What is really neat is the fact that the dogs get grouped up by temperament so they can get the best playmates possible.
I left my pooch with her for 3 weeks ( yes, that was a vacation length necessary for my sanity..LOL) and I got email and photo updates every 4 days; the beast gave kisses to the daycare lady when we came to pick her up and seems a tad better socialized than when we put her there. So I will definitely be using her pension services again.
Another one is Bark Avenue – this is their website: http://barkavemtl.com/
I used them for daycare and was very happy with the services. The dogs have an indoors free range area and an outdoors one. It’s very clean and there is someone with them on site 24 hours a day and the owners are certified dog trainers. Coincidentally one of them was instrumental in the troubled rescue of my little diva, so I knew she would be in good hands there. Since they are in Montreal, they are a better option if you just need day care services but they also offer kenneling. Oh, and if your fur-baby was adopted from a rescue or shelter you get a discount.
Please feel free to chime in with your own suggestions about doggie daycare and kennel options in and around Montreal!
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