holly & leila | burlington ontario pet photographer

I met Dana and her two rescue cats, Holly and Leila, in their cosy fourth-floor apartment. Holly is a beautiful black-and-white long-hair, who is quite timid and spent most of our session tucking herself away into impossibly small spaces. Holly is more curious and playful — your textbook feline.

As an on-location photographer, I rarely get to see the spaces I will be photographing in ahead of time. It's always a surprise when I show up, which is really part of the fun. Sometimes I get super lucky with open spaces washed with light. Other times it's more challenging. But it's these tricky spaces that often result in the most interesting images, since I often end up in a room I wouldn't normally consider.

No matter the situation, I always make it work!

Let's start with lovely orange Leila, who was the easier girl to photograph.

Dana's apartment is pretty small and has only a few east-facing windows. To make it even more challenging, shy Holly was most comfortable in the bathroom — her favourite room — with the faucet running of course! The bathroom is tiny and has no natural light, but I didn't want to use my flash, since Holly was already nervous and the comfort of the pet is my priority. So, I spent lots of time laying on Dana's bathroom floor to get the shot. Ah, the glamorous life of a pet photographer!

And the two sisters together. What you don't see are the other two adults jammed in the bathroom with me, and the fact that I was standing on Dana's toilet! I think this is my favourite image from the day though because it really speaks to their personalities. I think this would look great framed and hung, where else, in the bathroom!

Thanks Dana, Leila and Holly for a fun afternoon!

Wags,
Stacey

what got buried | southern ontario pet photographer

Welcome to another edition of What Got Buried! I try to post daily over on the Happy Tails Facebook page, so if you want to have your nose to the ground on all the most up to date news and nonsense, high-tail it over there! It's a fun place and I would love it if you joined the pack.

Here's a quick peek at what's been happening at Happy Tails HQ. What you won't see is all the behind the scenes activity I have going on right now. I have a few special shoots coming up that I'm really excited about and I am mulling over putting together my first ever vendor booth for an upcoming event. It is a lot of work, so I haven't committed ... yet.

Let's kick things off with my Chloe, snoozing on the couch the day after Daylight Savings earlier this month. While the rest of us lost an hour, her marathon napping ability helped her make it through the day with no noticeable side effects. The best bonus about moving the clocks ahead is more time to shoot in the afternoons with the soft, glowing light that I just love! Bring on spring!

I also met sweet Sophie in March. Her furrowed brow just kills me. She might look perpetually worried, but she is a happy little thing.

I think pink is definitely Sophie's colour!

I also spent time photographing adoptable cats at the Burlington Humane Society. It breaks my heart when I have to photograph an animal for a second time like seven-month-old Fernando. He was adopted, declawed (I won't get into my thoughts on this except to say that I don't agree with the practice) and then returned shortly after because he was "misbehaving" likely due to sore paws.

Adopting an animal is a huge commitment! If you know anyone thinking about adding to their family, please share this link to this great article about what to consider before adopting.

I also met Cocoa while I was there. She was happy to be out of her crate and took the opportunity to enjoy some fresh tap water — it's better than bowl water don't you know!

And finally, I dug into the archives to share this photo of scruffy Chloe, a wheaten puppy. The lens I used for this shot gives it a fun look — isn't she adorable?

With the longer days and warmer temperatures, now is the time to book a session if you are considering it! Just drop me an email or give me a call — contact info is available on the Contact tab up at the top there. I would love to meet your furry family member!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Wags,
Stacey

treat time | southern ontario pet photographer

It feels like spring out there, so it's time to get cleaning! And that includes your four-leggers too! If your dog needs a good scrub, I'm sharing a great coupon for 50% off a self-serve dog wash at Oliver Pets & Co. It can be used at the Burlington and Oakville locations, so it's for those of you living locally (sorry everyone else!).

Just print and take your pup in for some tub time!

 Have a great weekend — enjoy the nice weather!

Wags,
Stacey

charlie | burlington ontario pet photographer

I've posted a few photos of Charlie in previous entries, but it's about time this lovable giant gets blogged about properly.

Charlie is a great pyrenees, although his caregiver Heather is sure he's part part polar bear. His soft, fluffy fur is white as snow, and he's pretty huge. I often joke about wanting to smuggle my clients' dogs home with me in my camera bag, and this holds true for Charlie. But I would have to get a much bigger camera bag first!

I was smitten the moment I saw him. There is a soulfulness about Charlie that belies the trauma he has experienced.

Charlie's story is one of tenacity. His exact age is unknown, but he is a senior dog for his breed. He moves slowly due to the onset of arthritis and he is almost fully blind. It was in this condition that he was dumped in a marsh and left to die.

But Charlie is a fighter.

No one knows how long he was alone in that marsh fending for himself — although those that came to care for him say it could have been many months. Happily, Charlie was rescued and put up for adoption through Great Pyrenees Rescue. It was there that Heather, her husband and four children found him.

"When we first arrived to meet Charlie, the kids fell all over him and walked him around," she says. "You almost didn't notice his condition, he was so mellow and loveable. Almost. Under his thick coat of fur, he only weighed 70 lb (about 30 lb underweight). You could feel every rib and his backbone stuck out prominently."

Since he's been in his new home, Charlie has gained 12 lb. Heather says he loves to sleep in front of the fireplace and everyone adores him. "I hope he understands that he is with us forever, and he will never have to suffer again a day in his life," she says.

Even though Charlie is almost completely blind, he is very aware. There were many times during our shoot that I totally forgot about his lack of vision — he just seemed so present. He was happy sniffing away at all the smells during our slow walk through the forest, and there is just a serenity about his presence that is very calming.

Although I was hoping for a blanket of snow on the ground — our session took place in February! — I love the golden tones and light in Charlies images.

As a pet photographer, I always try to capture the unique personality of each animal I meet. And I think Charlie's images are some of my all-time favourites. He seems like an old soul, one that could teach us so much in life, and yet you can tell he enjoys each new moment, each new smell, each new hug from his family.

Kudos to Heather and her awesome kids for adopting a senior dog. He may not move as fast as a puppy, but he truly is the best first dog a family could ever hope for.

Wags,

Stacey

kyra | burlington ontario pet photographer

I have tried to write this post several times, and I keep tearing up. It's so difficult to find a starting point for such an emotional story.

Meet Kyra, a gorgeous three-year-old Siberian Husky. She entered my model call a while back and I picked her out of several entries, not only because I've never had a husky in front of my camera before, but also because her story — and the story of her companion Jill — is so powerful.

You see, Kyra saves Jill's life every day. With her devotion, companionship and ability to understand when humans cannot, Kyra stops Jill from taking her own life. Every day.

Let's rewind a bit before going forward. Jill is a competitive ultra long distance marathon runner. That's right, ultra. She runs distances of up to 160 km on forest trails. In 2008, she competed in 10 races and made the podium in nine of them. She was training to make the Canadian Women's Ultra Marathon Team. When Jill's original canine running companion (husky Kysmit) became too old to accompany her, puppy Kyra became a member of the family. By the time Kyra was three months old, they were running together.

"From the very first moment her little paws touched the trail I knew by the gleam in her eye and the grace of her gait she was born to be a runner," says Jill. "Not only because of her breed, but I could sense the desire in her heart and the ache in her soul to run. We were two peas in a pod."

At the time, Jill was also a busy volunteer and coach, worked a full-time job and had two active children. Her days started at 4:30 a.m. and didn't slow down until 11 p.m.

In 2009 she had a mental breakdown and attempted to end her life.

She was diagnosed with manic depression, anxiety and anorexia. One month later, her mother passed away, followed by her beloved husky Kysmit. Unable to work and alone all day, Jill turned to Kyra. Or perhaps it was Kyra that turned to Jill.

"I plummeted to the darkest place I have ever been to in my life and no one could understand me or knew what to do," says Jill. "But Kyra did. She would sit with me while I cried, resting her head on my lap. She slept by my side of the bed and paced the hallway with me when I couldn't sleep. And if I needed something, she knew what it was. Be it something to eat (she would lead me to the kitchen), get out of bed (she would pull off the covers and lick my face until I rose) or go running (she would bring my running shoes to me). She helped me feel just a little of her sunshine."

That sunshine began to grow stronger as Jill recovered.

In 2010 Jill competed in her first 80-km race in two years. Two kilometres from the finish line, Kyra was allowed on the course to bring Jill home. Kyra has also inspired Jill to follow a new path in life. She is taking classes to become a certified dog trainer and handler. She hopes to train therapy dogs for people with mental illnesses, and one day have those dogs recognized as official service dogs. 

Jill is still coping with her mental illness with Kyra by her side. She calls Kyra her safety net — Kyra can sense when Jill is about to have a panic attack and they travel everywhere together. With her canine companion in the car, Jill knows she won't run it off the road.

Now, when dark thoughts creep in, Jill thinks about what she will leave behind. She has a debt to Kyra that keeps her alive.

"I owe her a lifetime of runs in the forest, of snuggles at night, of cookies and unconditional love like she has given me," says Jill. "She does not label me mentally ill and did not pull away from me like some humans in my life. I don't know what she sees when she looks at me, but I know that when I look at her I see the sun, I see joy and I see hope for my future."

Thank you Jill for sharing your story so openly and honestly in the hopes of helping others. And thank you Kyra for being such a kindred spirit to Jill.

Although she was a busy girl during our session — always exploring, nose to the ground, eyes searching the trees — Kyra's presence is one of serenity and light, which I feel so lucky to have experienced.

The nurturing and healing powers of four paws is awesome. I hope the sun keeps shining bright for you Kyra and Jill!

Wags,
Stacey

what got buried

The winter months are typically the slow ones in terms of photography — nobody really wants to brave the cold and snow when you can wait a few months until spring, even though winter sessions can be gorgeous! Maybe it's because we've had a very warm winter — I'm talking hardly any snow — but I've been pretty busy over the past few weeks.

I've seen other bloggers do weekly or monthly recaps, and I thought it might be a good way to get you up to speed on what's been happening at Happy Tails headquarters. I often post outtakes and sneak peeks over on Facebook, but if you don't follow me there (if you aren't, you should — it's awesome over there!), here's a chance to get caught up on all the tail-wagging shennanigans!

Just a shout-out first: I really got this idea from a little home renovation blog I follow (it's not all paws and wet noses for me — I love home decorating too!) called Little House Blog. The author, Lindsay, occasionally posts What Didn't Get Blogged About ... which is what I turned into What Got Buried. You get the idea.

Up first are a few of the super cute faces I recently photographed at the Burlington Humane Society.  This little guy was one of a litter of puppies, and yes, they all looked this adorable.

And I was totally enamored with little Angus, a nine-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. It was really windy when we went outside for his photos and this updraft shot makes me chuckle every time.

I'm happy to report that both these cuties have been adopted. In fact, since January, more than 60 dogs and cats have found homes through BHS. Paws up to all the awesome volunteers there!

Then there's Charlie, who I met a few weeks ago. You saw his sneak peek earlier  (and be sure to check out the video!). I just love this big lug. Look for a full post about him soon!

I also shared a little before and after over on Facebook to show what my editing process looks like.

We also got into the Valentine's Day spirit. Chloe spent Valentine's with her true love .... her tennis ball!

Next up is Kyra, an energetic husky ... a VERY energetic husky. She did sit still for a few shots though. I love it when I catch dogs with their eyes closed — it's just so cute. You will also see that her leash is still in the photo. I typically take these out during post-processing, unless it lends itself to the overall aesthetic of the photo. Isn't the light just gorgeous?

Kyra's friend Duncan came along for the session, and I got a few shots of them in action. See what I mean by energetic? I think Duncan is part jack-in-the-box and part bulldozer, although his people swear he is a Boxer. Gotta love the jowly running face!

During Kyra's session I met a few other dogs at the park and took random shots (I can't help myself!). Ryder's puppy bum got lots of love over on Facebook.

And we met this guy who was clearly happy to have two sticks ... or logs.

But back to model Kyra. Here's another before and after.

I hope you enjoyed the first instalment of What Got Buried! What it's shown me is that my watermarking and image style are all over the place! I've got logos, text, rounded corners, square corners ... lol. I will have to pick a style and stick with it, but I've never been good with making decisions — what are your thoughts?

That's what's been going on around here! I'm excited to blog about Charlie and Kyra's full sessions, so check back soon.

Wags,

Stacey