Just as the past can inform the future, past work can be an inspiration for future creativity. I have been looking back at the portraits I created for my clients throughout 2017 and pulling out inspiration for the coming portrait season. I hope it inspires you, too.
Thank you to all my clients for trusting me to create beautiful artwork of their dogs or horses. I am honored by the opportunity and inspired by the challenge. Can’t wait to see what we can create together in the future.
Although I specialize in environmental portraits, in 2017 I worked with several clients in the studio to create original artwork of their canine companions. It was also the year of the puppy, with several of these studio portrait sessions occurring to capture litter portraits.
As you can imagine, these types of portrait sessions are always challenging and fun! But who can resist the opportunity to play with and cuddle puppies, even if getting them to strike a pose is a bit of a challenge?
Feeling inspired? Looking for a portrait session for a litter of puppies? Get in touch and let’s set-up a portrait session.
I don’t know what could be better than to be gifted a portrait session with your best friend, especially for a friend as dearly loved as Duffy.
Duffy’s mom, Diane, contacted me because her husband was giving her a portrait session for her and Duffy, her 12 year old Border Collie, for her birthday. In our pre-session discussions we talked about the kind of session she wanted with Duffy and what she was hoping to get out of it. Diane chose an environmental session as she and Duffy spend most of their time together outdoors. She was hoping we could capture images that showed the relationship she and special boy share.
We also talked about her ideal location for Duffy’s portraits. In the end she selected her own lovely, twelve-acre property in Maine because it holds sentimental meaning for her. Since I was unfamiliar with the property, I suggested she send me a couple quick snapshots or cell phone images of her property before the session to help me pre-plan. There were so many great spots for photos, it was hard to choose!
We hiked the wooded trails and mowed green paths, posed by a waterfall splashing through the woods and in bright green ferns waving in the gentle, late spring breeze, and enjoyed the warmth of the late afternoon sun in the open fields. The weather kept us guessing throughout the entire session, constantly switching from bright blue skies to overcast with sprinkles, then back again. Honestly, it was a wonderful way to spend a day… if only the hordes of mosquitoes buzzing around had left us alone.
I think these portraits capture their special relationship, especially Diane’s love for Duffy.
Diane selected a lovely 11×14 double matted, photographic print finished at 16×20 and a 16×16 quad print with four 5x7s matted finished, both in a simple black frame, as her final artwork to display in her home.
In the end, the real gift is the love and the memories you share with your best friend.
If you would like to talk about holding a portrait session for your dog, please get in touch.
When you specialize in environmental portraiture, you are at the mercy of mother nature and her whims. Even the best laid plans… well, do not necessarily go as planned.
Parker’s autumn, sunset session is a perfect example. The day was a typical fall day, bright and sunny as I left home to meet-up with Parker and his mom, Joan, at our shoot location. When I arrived on scene I found, instead, that the day had grown overcast and my perfect sunset shooting location was now not-so-perfect, shrouded in low-hanging fog. When Parker and Joan arrived for this session, we had to decide what to do. Creating sunset portraits was one of the main goals for Parker’s photo session. You can’t create sunset photos when you can’t actually see the sky. This was not going to happen unless the clouds lifted. No sun, no sunset.
After we’d discussed whether or not to re-schedule Parker’s session—with the hope of having better weather and a clear sky on another day—Joan decided to stay. In the end she trusted that I would be able to create beautiful portraits of Parker, regardless of the weather.
Parker, of course, didn’t care about the weather. He posed and posed some more, never objecting when I wanted “just one more shot.” While we didn’t get our desired sunset photos, we did end up with some very unique, atmospheric and evocative images. You can almost feel the damp, fall chill in the air as you look at the final images of Parker.
Being prepared and able to handle the quick changing weather here in New England is an important skill in creating unique portraits for my clients. As they say here, “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute. It will change.”
If you’re interested in booking a portrait session or learning more about my process, please get in touch.
Autumn is a great time to schedule a custom portrait session. Fall portrait sessions offer several advantages: beautiful autumn colors, soft light, and cooler temperatures for the dogs. This time of year provides the perfect setting for a dark-colored dog who will not only will appreciate the chilly fall air, but look spectacular against the foliage.
That’s why I was thrilled when Keel’s owner contacted me about doing a portrait session for Keel and the family last year. During our pre-session consultation, we discussed when she wanted to schedule her session, who we would be photographing, the best location, and the best time of day. Finally, we spoke about how she wanted to display her final artwork after the session.
The pre-session consultation is one of the most important parts of working with my clients. The client and I can discuss their purpose for the session and any specific needs or requirements for the session itself. This allows me to make suggestions on how we can achieve these goals and fulfill the requirements based on my experience.
For this session Meredith had two goals she wanted to achieve: first to create beautiful portraits of her beloved young Newfoundland, Keel and second portraits of the whole family together. Based on her goals, our schedules, and what would best suit Keel, we held our portrait session one brisk fall morning.
The season suited him—and I really think he appreciated the cooler temperatures. Being a show dog, Keel was an awesome subject, strutting his stuff and showing off how handsome he is. The vibrant yellow and oranges of the fall foliage created a bright, colorful backdrop that contrasted beautifully with Keel’s black coat. The gentler fall light really showed the depth, texture, and softness of his coat.
After a bit, we moved down the field and found some bright greens that created a different look for a few of Keel’s portraits. These portraits were less seasonal, more timeless outdoors shots.
One of Meredith’s goals for this session was to create family portraits. During the pre-session consult one the topics we discussed was what to wear for the session. Selecting the right clothing for your session will improve the look of your portraits.
Meredith did a great job working with the rest of her family members to choose outfits that created a cohesive look for the final portraits
If you would like to talk about holding a portrait session for your canine companion and family, please get in touch.
