Studio Dog Portraits on Location

Studio Dog Portraits on Location in Johanneburg

Meet Rosie, Angus & Tank. Three little Dachshunds.

I was commissioned to photograph this this trio of friends recently.  Their mom told me that Tank gets very nervous if he travels, so we needed to do the shoot at home using my portable studio set up. The dogs were a little suspicious as I got the backdrop and lights ready, but the swift arrival of a selection of treats soon put an end to that worry.

Tiny Rosie was first up for her portrait session.  This little lady is 9 years old and her mom was keen to get some cute portraits of her to out up on the wall.  Rosie was quite shy so it took some coaxing to get her to sit still and look at the camera, but by the power of snack items, we got there.

Next up was Tank, also a senior boy who wasn't quite sure about the task at hand.

He was far happier when his sister was sitting next to him, safety in numbers, although that meant sharing the treats which he wasn't too happy about. He did however get his own back by photobombing Rosie's portrait.

Younger brother Angus showed them both how it was supposed to be done. He sat like a champ for his portraits, in exchange for a constant supply of snacks of course.

Angus is a standard sized wired haired dachshund, so he towered over Rosie and Tank who are mini versions.  

To finish the shoot off, we attempted some team photos. 

The dogs were far more focused on the snacks than me. Perhaps next time, I'll do a Lady Gaga and cover myself in steak before the shoot to ensure full eye contact at all times, LOL.

Rescue Dog Photography - Jeremy

Rescue Dog Photography

Dog portraits are something I really love shooting.

These two are my dogs, Jane on the left I got as a puppy not long after I arrived in South Africa and Jeremy is the little SPCA dog who was a catalyst for my journey into rescue dog photography. 

I shot these images of the pair of them together a couple of days after I adopted Jeremy and at this point, Jane hadn't totally warmed up to the idea of having him around. He loved her from the start.

I adopted Jeremy from Sandton SPCA on Valentine's Day 2011 so his 7th 'gotcha' day is coming up very soon. He was estimated to be 6 years old when I got him which puts him at a minimum of 13 now, although I suspect he is far older.  The time I've had with him since seems to have flown by and he's now a very elderly gent.

The image on the left was shot in February 2011 and the image on the right was shot in September 2014. You can see how much he's aged between the photos. He'd started to develop cataracts in the second photo, which resulted in his eyes being removed in September last year.  The photo of him wearing his bow tie is my favourite picture of him, it sums him up perfectly; proud, gentlemanly and very handsome. It's also interesting to see how much my photography has improved!

It didn't take long until Jeremy and Jane became firm friends and they would often lie together like this. That was until the arrival of the rest of my rescue dog collection which ended their intimate relationship when two became three with the arrival of Dora and three became four................and the rest is history.

Jeremy even featured on a birthday card.

I had this image taken just before Jeremy went in for surgery to remove his eyes after he developed glaucoma.  I haven't actually taken any pictures of him since. He looks very strange without his eyes, so I'm very happy that I got the lovely bow tie picture so I can remember him at his finest.  My only regret is that I didn't take more photos of him and that I didn't get any professionally taken pictures of him and I before he really got old.  I can't really recall what he was like in his prime, aside from when I see pictures. He bumbles around now in his blind, deaf and very elderly state which is not how I want to remember him.

Jane is now 8 and a half and also looking very grey, she's long overdue some portraits (thankfully she has been well photographed over the years). My Irish Grandad used to refer to time as the enemy which I think is very apt when it comes to dogs, you blink and they've aged. Take lots of photos, it's the only way to counter the enemy.

Dog Portrait Photography

Dog Portrait Photography Johannesburg

Dog portrait photography? Is that a 'thing'? Do people actually spend money on pictures of their dogs?

Questions I am often asked by non doggy people when I tell them what I spend the majority of my time doing. These are the same people that guffaw at the mention of doggy day care, apparently that's more shocking that professional photos of your dog. In my next life, I'd like to work at a doggy day care ;)

With over 9.1 million dogs living in South Africa, (the ninth highest dog populated country in the world) it's not really surprising that professional dog photography has found a place in the consumer market. More and more people are opting to delay or opt out of having children, there are 'empty nesters' with precious dogs for company and an increasing number of single professionals choosing companionship of the four legged variety. 

Us doggy folk treat our canine companions more and more like children, so it's par for the course that this would include professional photoshoots. I frequently produce large format framed prints of dogs for the walls of my clients' homes so they can enjoy looking at their favourite beings in larger than life formats. Dog portraits are a great conversation starter at parties.

There is a slightly more serious side to the business of photographing dogs; to preserve their memory when the time comes for them to go. The bane of most dog parents' existence is that we only get a decade or so (if we're lucky) with our furry friends. After they're gone, the only thing left are memories and photographs. I regularly photograph my dogs and now that a couple of them are in their senior phases, I'm so glad I captured them in their prime. Beautiful doggy portraits are a gift I love to be able to give my clients.

I'm often commissioned to photograph elderly dogs and dogs that have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, as their lives come to an end, owners realise that they need something to remember them by.  My advice is if you've been thinking about getting some portraits of your best doggy friend done, get on and do it.  

If there's a favourite place you and your dog like to go, have your shoot done there. I work in client's homes, on location and in studio depending on the individual shoot requirements and how well the dogs I'm photographing travel and respond to new environments.  Some dogs are happy wherever you take them, some get very nervous outside their home space which is not conducive to a fun shoot.

I love talking about dogs. Please give me a call if you'd like to find out more about commissioning a shoot of or with your beloved pooch on 076 564 4365. You can also use the contact form to send me your details - click here.

Mutts Matter - stars of the Sandton SPCA 2018 calendar

Mutts Matter. If you follow me, you'll know that I'm a passionate supporter of shelter dog adoption, if not, read on.

Each year I photograph the Sandton SPCA's annual fundraising calendar which has created over R1 million for the charity to date (the calendar project has been going since 2012) and made quite a variety of rescue dogs (and the odd cat) famous.

The 2018 calendar features mixed breed mutts adopted from a selection of shelters across Gauteng. I chose to focus on mutts in particular to tie in with Mutts the Book and because I really feel that something needs to be done to promote the mixed breed dogs who sit in shelters not just in SA but throughout the world.

Our line up included mutts big and small to showcase the variety of shapes, sizes and hairstyles you'll find at a shelter :)

Miles is Mr January. This handsome fella found himself at Sandton SPCA and was adopted and retuned TWICE before his forever Mom clapped eyes on him and took him home for good.  Not only has this tough little guy survived multiple rejections, he also survived the removal of a huge cancerous tumour from his stomach (he's happy and healthy now). Miles lives with his parents and three rescue dog siblings and enjoys long walks at the park and lots of love and attention.

Chappie is the February poster boy. Adopted from Kitty & Puppy Haven as a shy teenage puppy, this guy has come on in leaps and bounds. Chappie (so called because of his chewing habit) has grown into a super smart dog and companion to his doggy sister Sally and human baby brother. Thankfully the chewing has lessened. Apparently at the height of his itchy teeth phase Chappie could make large pieces of furniture disappear.

If there was an award for 'most unusual dog ears' Tutu would be the winner. This enormous pup was rescued from a township as a 5 week old baby by Ark Animal Centre. His mom adopted him at 8 weeks old when he weighed just 3 kgs. He's now ten times that weight and loves to go everywhere with his human parents.

The unique ear shapes continue with Sassy. Adopted from Wet Nose in 2009, Sassy has literally been a life saver.  Six years ago her Mom had a bad reaction to some penicillin and passed out in the bath. Sassy managed to alert her dad by pulling on his arm and he was able to get mom to hospital for treatment.  Sassy's heroic behaviour started a trend in her house which she now shares with 5 other rescue dogs.

Charlotte, Miss May. Charlotte was adopted from CLAW in 2009 after she'd been hit by a car and had to have her leg amputated. Whilst she was at the clinic, she made friends with another brown mutt called Lucy, so her mom was left with no choice but to adopt them both together. Despite only having three good legs, Charlotte loves to play frisbee and her favourite weekend activity is running with her mom.

Billy was adopted from Pawsome Whacky Whiskers in 2013 and despite only being a youngster he was diagnosed with diabetes shortly afterwards. Being diabetic means he's on a strictly controlled diet, which makes him a bit sad because he's obsessed with food.  If Billy was a person, he'd have his own foodie blog. A few months before the calendar shoot, Billy had a double cataract removal so he was very happy to show off his new eyes.

With more energy than a toddler after eating a bag of sweets, Gibsy is a bundle of fun. Adopted from Sandton SPCA at 11 months old, this kooky pooch has overcome many hurdles.  Gibsy was terrified of men initially, probably as a result of some abuse, so it took her quite some time to be ok around guys.  Now she's happy when anybody visits her and takes great pleasure in showing them her crazy repertoire of zooming around the garden and leaping into the pool.

Inherently intelligent and with no formal training, Honey is a pro when it comes to tricks and obeying commands. All she did was watch her Labrador brother Bear (who attended advanced training classes) and she learned everything she needed to.  Adopted from Kitty and Puppy Haven at 5 months old after being rescued from an informal settlement, Honey has charmed her way into family life. Loving, loyal and super healthy, this rescue mutt is the apple of her parents' eyes.

Tiny tot Lulu-Belle was adopted from Sandton SPCA after being abandoned as a very young puppy with a badly broken leg. Her parents took one look at her and fell in love with her fluffy good looks and super sweet personality.  Looking a bit like a Yorkie, but behaving nothing like one, Lulu-Belle now shares her home with her two older rescue dog siblings and totally rules the roost (in the nicest possible way of course).

Leo, King of the House. This quirky character was adopted from Sandton SPCA as a 3 month old Jack Russell X puppy. He's now the size of a German Shepherd. Leo loves to swim regardless of the weather and when he's not taking long walks through the neighbourhood with his parents, you'll find him playing with his friends at doggy day care. Once he comes home, he likes to put his feet up on the couch, literally in the air as he lies on his back for a snooze.

Meet Mauri, the luckiest and most expensive stray dog in South Africa. Found on a beach in Mauritius as a young pup by her dad when he was on holiday, this lucky pup now lives in the lap of luxury here in SA. The process of rescuing her from a life of abuse and illness in Mauritius to getting her flown to SA took two months and a small fortune, but here she is in all her glory representing for international mutts.

Cover star Blitz is another life saving rescue dog. One of many Kitty and Puppy Haven adoptees in the calendar, this lively little chap will be a diabetic service dog when he grows up. Blitz's mom has type 1 diabetes and often suffers from severe low blood sugar levels, most frequently at night when she's asleep. Undetected this could lead to her falling into a diabetic coma, Blitz's job will be to wake her up when he senses she's in danger so she can correct her sugar levels. Blitz didn't get the memo about having to wait for his big dog formal training and he's already doing his job waking his mom up at least ten times to date. Pretty impressive for a shelter mutt.

Last but not least is Oscar. Found and rescued by Animal Ambulance in 2008 after being left to starve to death tied to a pole as a puppy, this lovely lad now enjoys relaxing on the couch with his Mom and doggy siblings. Chilled and friendly, Oscar is enjoying retirement.

I hope this post gives you a good idea of the variety of dogs available from a shelter, how much they add to their human's lives and what you're missing out on by not adopting.  You can find information about the various shelters quoted here - 

www.sandtonspca.org.za

www.facebook.com/clawsouthafrica

www.kittypuppyhaven.org.za

www.animalambulance.co.za

www.facebook.com/pawesome-wacky-whiskers-rescue-and-rehoming

www.arkanimalcentre.co.za

www.wetnose.co.za

To get your paws on a copy of the 2018 Sandton SPCA calendar, please send me an email - emma (at) emmaobrien.com

Dogs are a girl's best friend

'Anyone who says that diamonds are a girl's best friend has never owned a dog'.

Here are my two favourite girls, Rosie my daughter and Victoria who I adopted from CLAW.  Victoria came into my life when she was just two days old, so caring for her was very much like looking after a tiny Rosie, although thankfully not for nearly as long!

Rosie lives in the UK with her dad, so I see her three times a year and every time she visits, I take photos of her (here are the last two shoots - London portraits & Kenton portraits).

I'll be the first person to admit that in the absence of my human child living with me, the dogs are treated like children, especially Victoria and her brother Edward.  Victoria has taken a particular liking to Rosie which is why I chose to photograph them both together.

I teamed up with the ladies from Impressionant Events for this shoot. I've collaborated with them a few times on shoots, and they created the beautiful floral arrangements for Rosie and Victoria.

I was aiming for a girl and her dog vibe with this shoot and to create some portraits with a fashion shoot feel that I can hang in my new home.  

Victoria was spectacularly non-compliant for the duration of the shoot, but thankfully managed not to eat any of the flower arrangements. Rosie was a very good model, despite that fact that it was a bit of a miserable day and we were rained on intermittently.

I love capturing the bond between dogs and their owners, so if you have a particularly special pooch that you'd like to get dressed up and shoot portraits with, please get in touch with me. The flower crowns and arrangements can be styled in colours to suit and Joburg & Pretoria have a plethora of lovely venues to work in.

Cool for Cats

Chaotic dog shoots are what I spend the majority of my time doing when I have my pet photographer hat on.  Often my other more human orientated shoots include dogs too and sometimes the occasional cat. I often get asked whether I photograph cats, to which the answer is yes, when they let me.

Dogs have masters, cats have slaves perfectly sums up the experience of a cat photo shoot.  They can't usually be bribed like dogs (only with cat nip and only sometimes) and they generally don't follow instructions which makes life rather difficult.

These silly kitties were riding on a cat nip high when I got this shot, not quite the quintessential portrait, but a fun, if not slightly ridiculous and well timed capture that summed up their personalities perfectly.

Siamese siblings Chai Kitty and Crocus were entranced into sitting still for a moment by some string. After I got this shot, they continued with their unruly game of tag around the lounge.

Figaro had what can only be described as a mental breakdown upon presentation of the camera and decided to hide in the bath. So this is what his official portrait looked like.

My most compliant feline subject to date, this tiny tot was utterly charming which makes up for the rest. LOL.

Unpredictable, non-compliant and slightly ridiculous. There's a very good reason that the expression 'like herding cats' came into being. I have first hand experience (of which I have loved every minute) of the nonchalance of cats. This is why they don't often feature in Sandton SPCA calendars.......

If you have a feline companion in need of an official portrait (maybe if you try and sell it to your cat as something important it might make life easier) please drop me a line.

Beware of the Brown Dog Myth

'Little Brown Jobs', hereafter referred to as 'LBJs'.  A phrase I often hear bandied about when people make references to brown mutts that find themselves in shelters waiting for homes.  Whilst at first glance it may seem that all brown dogs look the same, I'd like to challenge you to observe more closely this selection of brown mutts and see if you still agree.

All of these gorgeous and incredibly unique LBJs were photographed by yours truly either for 'Mutts the Book', or the spin off Sandton SPCA 2018 'Mutts Matter' calendar. Both projects are fundraisers for two charities I support, who frequently find themselves unwittingly in possession of brown dogs and know all about the subsequent struggle to home them because of their perceived lack of individuality.

Excuse the high horsery, but I am on a mission to do everything I can to breakdown and change misconceptions that often abound about shelter mutts.

Getting people to change their attitudes about adopting shelters dogs (it probably won't be good with my kids, I don't know what's happened to it before so I'd rather not take a chance, it's not a pedigree, it might suddenly turn on me or my kids, its bound to have behavioural problems, blah, blah, blah) is an agenda I'm keen to push. Granted one has to proceed with eyes open when adopting and some of the above preconceptions might occasionally be true, but, most often shelter dogs integrate brilliantly into their new homes. Buy my book and you'll find out all about how great mutts are.

My passion for mutts stems from my own experience visiting shelters.  On the occasion that a pure breed dog finds itself homeless and unwanted, invariably they are snapped up in a heart beat. I can only assume that this is because of the connotations associated with the particular dog breed and how lovely it looks. It makes me very sad that there seem to be lots of homes available when a Bulldog ends up at Sandton SPCA, but those homes evaporate when it's a mutt that needs to be adopted. Sob stories and heartbreaking tales of abuse up the odds of a mutt getting adopted, but how about an LBJ being chosen because he or she is a cool looking dog with a quirky personality?

I'm always thrilled when someone who's had a pedigree dog and then adopts from a shelter tells me that their mutt is the best dog they've ever had and that they'll never go to a breeder for a dog again.  Happiness. I'd like more converts please.

Don't get me wrong, I love all dogs and I understand that some folks have a real penchant for a particular dog breed, if that's you please google to find a rescue organisation for your particular breed of choice and adopt your next dog rather than buying from a breeder. If however, like me, your requirements for a dog are to keep you company, be your friend and share your life and you care not about their outward design, please check out the mutts at your local shelter. I promise that you won't be disappointed.

Mutts the Book is available to buy here - www.emmaobrien.photography along with a selection of other doggy goodies. Sales proceeds from the book are being split 50/50 between CLAW (Community Led Animal Welfare) and Sandton SPCA

In case you were wondering, I have 4 mutts ranging in size from 5kgs to 33kgs and they are full of fun, personality and incredibly smart.

Mutts the exhibition. I'm planning to put together a photography exhibition in the next couple of months, so if you have an LBJ from a rescue centre, please send me an email with their photo and adoption story for a chance to have them included.

Bull Terrier Cover Shoot - Pet Prints Mag

Excitable, enthusiastic and energetic are just three adjectives I could use to describe Shay and Nitro the Bull Terries when I photographed them for the front cover of Pet Prints magazine.

I met them and their Mom, Casandra, at Delta Park in December last year to shoot some portraits of them individually (pretty easy) and together (nigh on impossible) for the latest issue of this fantastic pet magazine (it's a complimentary mag that you can pick up at your vet or vet store).

Not only did we have lively hounds to contend with, I was watching dark storm clouds approaching very quickly, so we had to work fast which meant getting some good sits and stays on the go. Nitro went first to show his sister how it's done. he did it so well that his photo made it onto the magazine cover.

Shay is just a baby still and despite being very easily distracted, she sat brilliantly balanced on a log.

Mom had to do some wrangling to get them all together in a shot. Thankfully she'd brought a friend along to the shoot so he could attempt to get the dogs to look in my direction, we're 33.3% of the way there in this pic.

Bull Terriers are an interesting breed. I photographed some of the dogs Bull Terrier Rescue have in their care last year and witnessed first hand what damage a lack of early socialisation can do to this breed.  They are super high energy, bond with people very strongly and HAVE to meet new dogs, people, children and cats from the get go if they are to be problem free dogs. Sadly they often end up being abandoned because their owners didn't put in the effort early on. You can read up more about the breed and rescue organisations that support them in the Pet Prints Magazine.

Thankfully Shay and Nitro are super happy and well integrated dogs. The main challenge we had was getting them to stay still for more than 5 seconds, they really did both have ants in their pants.

Gigantic rain drops and the rumble of thunder ended our shoot quite abruptly.  I have been caught out by rapidly changing weather a few times at Delta Park, so I'm very good at making a quick dash to the car under the cover of my reflector.

I love to photograph dogs and their humans, so if you'd like to commission a family portrait with your pooches, please get in touch with me.

What's so great about Great Danes?

Excitement was the order of the day for this dog portrait shoot featuring not one, not two, but six Great Danes.  Most of the doggies are rescues, one is blind, another is deaf, so this was quite a challenging shoot to undertake.  I rely on using treats and squeaky noises to get head tilts and gorgeous portraits, so I had to draw on some ninja skills here.

As it's impossible to transport six Great Danes without a ten ton truck, I went to their home for the shoot, taking with me a portable back drop, a reflector and a little bit of luck.

This is Titan, he's a Great Dane mix and a rather handsome chap.

This is Jack Sparrow who really is as funny in personality as he looks.

The combination of treats and dog noises worked like a charm here, especially on Licorice.

Velcro the deaf girl required a dextrous and deft combination of treat manoeuvring and quick reflexes from me to get her to face the camera for a front on shot. She is called Velcro because she has to be with her Moms AAAALLLLLLLL the time.

Whilst the Danes did their best to steal the show, Pebbles the Pug with her super cute poses really gave them a run for their money. She managed to hog most of the group shots we took once the individual portraits were done in the most adorable way.

Magic did a super job of supervising the treats, oops, I meant shoot.

Lemon just wanted to be loved.

As one big group shot was going to be nigh on impossible, we broke the group shots down into pairs and watched as the Great Danes squashed the vintage couch.

Pebbles and Velcro in total denial about where they're sitting, I think they thought if they didn't make eye contact, they'd be invisible. We can see you and you look fabulous, even though you're on the couch.

Whilst this is a dog website, I do occasionally have the honour of cats letting me photograph them. I think you get the gist of how these two felt about being papped.

So what's so great about Great Danes? They have goofy personalities, no idea how big they are and they look very pretty on vintage furniture.

CLAW - Dogs for Adoption

Whenever I can , I donate my time to photograph dogs at CLAW (Community Led Animal Welfare) that are waiting for homes.  Some of the dogs wait a very long time to be adopted and good quality portraits up their chances of finding a new family drastically.

Here are just a few of the dogs I photographed just before Christmas.  You can find out more about the availability of individual dogs etc by contacting the adoption team on 076 834 7438

You can also get all the latest news on the CLAW Facebook page.

I've pledged to donate 10% of the profit from each dog shoot booked to CLAW to help them with their ongoing work.  So you can enjoy your shoot even more knowing that you're helping dogs in need as well as getting beautiful portraits of your best friend.

Dog Art Studio Shoot - Wallace

Meet Wallace the Bulldog.  Full of character and an absolute gent.  Wallace's Mom booked him in for a dog portrait shoot at the studio after he was diagnosed with a heart tumour (sorry this is a bit of a sad post).  She wanted to have some beautiful portraits of him in his prime and he did not disappoint.

You'll have got the gist from seeing my work that I prefer to keep backgrounds simple and focus on the dog or person I'm working with to capture character and personality in my portraits.  Wallace posed like a professional model (in exchange for biltong - not sure if that's what happens with Kate Moss, perhaps she poses in exchange for champers) and gave me some lovely head tilts, side profile shots and my absolute best, the leg out to the side shot.

This seems to be quite a signature pose for Bulldogs, ours sometimes does this, or she sits with her back paws tucked between her front paws which is super cute.

Very sadly, Wallace's mom messaged me a couple of days after the shoot to tell me that he'd developed pneumonia as a result of his heart problem and passed away suddenly.  He'd been a cherished member of the family for eight years so it was terribly sad news.  I'm very glad that we got him to the studio for portraits beforehand, these pictures mean that his memory will live on in the household. The photo above is being printed 70cm x 70cm and framed to go in the entrance hall, so he'll still rule the roost.

If you have a pampered pooch in need of some portraits, please get in touch with me.

Girl plus Bulldogs - Cape Town

This is York the British Bulldog who is somewhat of an Instagram sensation.  Until recently, York lived with his Mom, Dad and sister Ro in Cape Town, they have now moved to Utah in the USA.

I met up with York, Ro and Anya for an informal beach shoot last year and we had quite a lot of fun in the process.

The most exciting part of the shoot for York and Ro was the huge chunks of seaweed that had washed up on the beach, so in order to get their attention I had to wave pieces of seaweed around (yuk), and it did the trick.  I did, however, have to be very careful not to get knocked over by York when he jumped quite high in the air by Bulldog standards to get to the seaweed.

Shooting on the beach was brilliant.  We managed to find a quiet spot so that all I had to worry about was capturing the dogs as they hurtled past me and how to include the mountain in the back of my shots.

We all spent most of the shoot on the move, either avoiding being washed away by the sea (I had visions of falling over backwards and drowning my camera), dodging charging Bulldogs or running after the dogs and trying to get them to cooperate!  As you can see from the flying photos below, the dogs weren't very interested in me, they just wanted to play.

After 30 minutes of chasing around, the Bullies slowed down long enough for a couple of shots with their Mom before racing off again to find more seaweed.

Cape Town is on my agenda for 2018, so if you like these images and fancy yourself a beach dog portrait shoot, please send me an email or complete the contact form and we can make plan.

I’ll be in Cape Town between 20th and 23rd September, contact me to commission your own shoot by clicking here.

Dachshund Dog Art Shoot

So this happened.

Meet Phoebe, Chelsea and Harvey, three little dogs with BIG personalities. They came through to the studio with their parents and grandparents (Harvey belongs to granny and grandpa) for a portrait shoot which was rather chaotic, but lots and lots of fun.

If you've ever wondered how I actually manage to get portraits of multiple dogs sitting still, the answer is with patience, perseverance and snacks.

Smaller dogs are usually much easier to coerce into sitting still than big dogs and with all the extra pairs of hands made this shoot quite easy really.......

Harvey (above) wasn't overly impressed with the whole portrait shoot thing, the girls however got totally into the modelling vibe. To be fair to Harvey, his Dad was telling him that he smelt like a little girl after his bath the day before, so that probably put him off his stride a bit.

All eyes on the snacks.

Cheese, viennas and............

Biltong.

Happiness is an arm full of Dachshunds.

I'm so excited to see what the portraits from this shoot look like hanging up at Fran & Brad's house.  They ordered 12 20cmx20cm framed portraits which are going to look amazing.

Dog Art Photography

Matching monochrome dogs to photograph!  Yes please.  

Introducing Dog Art Photography.

Meet rescue dog Amber and her brother from another mother, Diego. I had the pleasure of photographing this pair last weekend in the studio.  I’m always on the look out for cool hounds to photograph and these two did not disappoint.  Just imagine how fabulous these images will look printed, mounted and framed on a feature wall.

Diego is very shy compared to Amber, so getting him to sit and look at the camera was tricky. Amber was keen to pose in exchange for food, which is her main passion in life.

They did eventually sit still long enough to let me get this almost perfect shot.  Diego was quite intrigued by my dog noises app and Amber was looking at, yes you guessed it, food. If only my camera lens dispensed biscuits, I’d have had 100% eye contact from her.

Mom and Dad colour coordinated with the dogs to keep the monochrome vibe going strong, the dogs wouldn't pose, so their parents made up for their lack of cooperation with gorgeous smiles.

I'm rolling out dog art photography sessions with the aim of creating more artistic images that can be framed or printed on canvas to make beautiful wall art for homes.  I love blank walls, so if you've got some to fill please send me an email and tell me all about it.  I work with a top framer in Johannesburg and the only limit here is your imagination, so let's get creative.