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.
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!
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!
Ben - Comox Cat Photography
Benny the cat came by the studio recently for his very own photo shoot, and I got the impression that he was totally stoked about being a model.
This cat has many talents! He can sit and shake a paw (I've never seen a cat do that before!).
Ben is owned by friends of mine, Julia and Amiel. They haven't had Ben that long, but they are sure in love with him. And I can see why. He has loads of personality.
Julia and Amiel found out about Ben through my daughter Jessica, who works at Woofy's Pet Foods in Comox. They often have kittens up for adoption from Kitty Cat Pals, a volunteer organization here in the Comox Valley that helps match cats up with loving homes. Jessica thought that Ben would be just the cat for our friends, and she was right!
Thanks for coming, Ben! It was a blast to play with you and take your portrait!
I'll sign off with a portrait of beautiful Julia, who took the opportunity to get a quick headshot while she was here with Ben. Amiel, you are a lucky guy!
Mika - Courtenay Pet Photography
This week I got to meet Jan and Carroll and their 12-year-old miniature poodle, Mika. Mika has had some health problems of late, but she was still excited to meet me and pose for some portraits.
I love smiling dogs!
Jan and Carroll were fortunate to win one of the prizes in the "Paw Prints Fundraiser", raising money to help low-income families with the cost of spaying and neutering their pets. The project was spearheaded by Carrie Lumsden of K9Kind and the kids in the Taking the Lead Canine Therapy Program.
I am still taking bookings for Valentine's Day Mini Sessions on Feb. 13th. Bring your pet to my home studio in Courtenay for a chance to get some professional portraits taken...(makes a great Valentine's gift to yourself or someone you love!). Call me at 250-650-7389 for more information.
I'll leave you with one more of lovely Mika:
Big City Dogs Find Home in Comox Valley
Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting Alicia and her 3 dogs: Rosie, Roscoe, and Prince. These little chihuahua crosses were rescued from a high-kill shelter down in Los Angeles and Alicia brought them home to BC to live in the Comox Valley (the day before they were going to be put down!).
For strays these three were very well behaved. Rosie was the biggest cuddler of the three. She definitely was the most outgoing too. Part corgi, she has the ears to prove it.
Prince was a little more aloof, but he is hilarious. He has what is called in my family, the "gressels" (the ever-present protruding tooth). Prince is a chihuahua/pug cross.
Roscoe was pretty laid back. I love his big eyes. He enjoyed snuggling on my fuzzy rug.
Watch for details on my Valentine's Pet Mini Sessions coming up soon. This is your chance to get some great quality portraits of your furry friends! I'll leave you with this adorable shot of the 3 amigos:
Check out Alicia's trendy clothing store, "Finders Keep Hers" in downtown Courtenay or at www.finderskeephers.ca.
Mowgli - Comox Pet Photography
There aren't too many things in this world cuter than puppies. So when I get asked to do a puppy portrait session I get very happy. Add in the beauty of the Comox Valley and I know that there are some great photos to be made...and that was definitely the case with Mowgli, a 3 month old Weimaraner, owned by Laura and Jeff.
Mowgli was actually bigger than I expected (and calmer!). Like all dogs he was more interested in all the smells of the forest than posing for the camera, but after a short while he settled down and I was able to get him to look up! His coat is so shiny.
Although we had a very dry summer, the forest is still green. I love the moss carpet on the logs in the woods.
Fall is here. It's a great time for portraits! Whether it be in the great outdoors or in studio, I am able to capture some unique images of your furry friends (and your family too). Contact me for availability!
Piper - Courtenay Therapy Dog
Recently I had the pleasure of photographing Piper - a cute Bernese Mountain Dog cross owned by Jan Higham. Piper isn't just an ordinary house pet. He has a job to do! And his job is with the St. John's Ambulance Therapy Dog Program here in the Comox Valley.
Part of Piper's job is to visit seniors' homes in the community and provide comfort and joy to those in need. Jan explained that it is very rewarding to see dementia patients brighten up when Piper visits, presumably stimulating memories from when they had pets of their own.
According to the St. John's Ambulance website, www.sja.ca, "the Therapy Dog Program yields many benefits. Studies have shown that holding or petting an animal helps lower blood pressure, release strains and tension, as well as ease feelings of loneliness and depression. A dog can give comfort that sometimes no words can offer. They provide more than just a warm furry body; many dogs instinctively understand when some needs comfort and offer it unconditionally - without judgment and without obligation".
And of course Piper is just half of this team. Jan has trained Piper from puppyhood to be the easy-going, lovable dog that he is. Not only does Jan volunteer with St. John's Ambulance, she also helps out at the Comox Valley SPCA (in addition to holding down a full-time job!). Thanks for all you do, Jan!
Do you have a dog with a job? Time to celebrate them with a pet portrait! Contact me for availability.
Lily - Comox Valley Photography
My brother-in-law and his family recently welcomed a new addition into their home: a sweet little Havanese cross puppy named Lily. Lily is less than a month old, and has already stolen the heart of everyone who meets her! Not only is she cute as a button, she is as easy-going as they come; a perfect companion to my 8-year-old niece who carries her around like a stuffy!
We chose a perfect summer evening for Lily's photo shoot. I love that evening glow.
One of my favourite shots is a dog running towards me. It's great when they actually look at me while they're running! I love Lily's long eyelashes.
Here's a behind the scenes look! It usually takes help to get the dogs running in the right direction. This is my daughter Jessica getting her exercise for the day.
This next shot might be my favourite, because it's simple, but shows how cuddly this puppy really is. Makes me want to scoop her up onto my lap!
Got a new puppy in the family? It's time for a puppy portrait session! Just like newborns, puppies change so fast. Don't wait, contact me today!
Fun Photos With Virginia's Pets - Courtenay Photographer
My daughter works at Woofy's Pet Foods with a gal named Virginia, who we recently found out only lives about 4 doors down from us! Understandably, Virginia is a big pet lover, so this week she brought all her pets over (one at a time) for a photo shoot! It was lots of fun and here are some of the best shots of the evening:
Oliver
Walter
Henry, aka Kitten
Emily
Austin, Mausi and Pig - Comox Valley Dogs
This weekend I got to do a very energetic photo shoot with Jenn and her three awesome dogs: Austin the Blue Heeler, Mausi the German Shepherd, and Pig the Pug. These dogs were full of energy and had a great time tearing it up on Kye Bay beach. Austin and Mausi were all about chasing the ball while Pig quickly realized that I had treats in my pocket and stayed pretty close to Jenn and I.
I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get a group shot of these three but Jenn is a great handler and was able to get the dogs focused on her (for a few seconds, anyway!). I'm really loving Kye Bay as a portrait location, for the freedom that the dogs have to be themselves as well as the neutral backdrop of the sand. It really helps to make the dogs stand out from the background.
Jazz - Chilliwack Pet Photography
I've been holding off on this blog post because I didn't want the photos "leaking" out into cyberspace. My friend Joanne booked this shoot so that I could photograph her husband's dog Jazz as a Father's Day present for her husband Michael. Now that he has his prints and album I can show you these cute portraits of a very sweet dog.
