chloe on canvas

Have you met Chloe yet? She's top dog at our house, although our bossypants cat would probably protest this (Kitty thinks she is top cat AND top dog). We adopted Chloe at age four and despite her insane tennis ball obsession, she is just amazing. We love her. Here is Chloe at her birthday last year when she turned six.

And now I get to look at that moment every day because here is Chloe on canvas!

I ordered this 15x30 canvas a while ago, but didn't get around to sharing it until now. I love it! It's a gallery wrap canvas with a nice chunky profile — I offer this product through the Happy Tails collection.

Here's an even closer look at the thickness. This canvas is one-inch thick, but you can also order these at two-inches thick.

 These canvases are hand-stretched and come laminated for durability. The quality is really stunning. I swear it looks like Chloe is going to pop right off my wall!

Here's the back, which is neatly finished. It comes ready to hang too, with a wire hanger or metal brackets (these are not recommended for bigger sizes).

I think this is a great example of how to approach art and professional photography in general. Before your session, try to have a good idea of how you are going to display your images, so your photographer can help meet your needs. And don't keep your finished photos languishing on disc or print off a dinky 4x6. You are investing in art, so treat your images as such!

This canvas was ordered through one of my trusted professional labs — the quality of ordering through a true pro lab that caters to photographers is undeniable. Please don't snap up a WagJag deal or go to your local Walmart. You have made the investment in professional photography — don't ruin it on poor-quality printing.

And when it comes to choosing images, don't feel compelled to pick the ones that are the best technically. This image of Chloe isn't the best work I've ever done — I had half a second to capture it before she gobbled up that cookie and some of the highlights are blown out. But it makes me smile every single day. Images that elicit an emotional reaction are the ones you will get the most enjoyment from day in and day out.

I will have this piece of art to enjoy long after Chloe is gone. It's a sad fact that our canine companions leave us much sooner than they should. It gives me comfort knowing that I'll always have a visual moment to cherish of my most favourite four-legger.

Wags!
~ Stacey

happy holidays! | milton, ontario, pet photographer

Christmas has come and gone, but I wanted to post a quick note to thank all my family, friends, clients and supporters who have encouraged me on this journey of photography. You all keep me motivated to pursue my dream and never give up - here's to a fantastic 2012! Paws up to all of you!

This is what our Christmas morning looked like:

What did your four-leggers get from Santa? I hope your holidays were filled with lots of good cheer!

chloe's favourite things | holiday shopping guide 2011

Hi everyone!

Can you believe there are only 25 days until Christmas? We've already watched our local Santa Claus parade, visited the big man himself at the local nursery to divulge our Christmas lists and started decorating Happy Tails headquarters for the holidays.

If you have a furry friend at home and are trying to think of gift ideas, look no further! Wonder dog Chloe is getting in on the blogging action and sharing a few of her favourite things — all of which are great gift ideas for your four-legger. Since she doesn't have opposable thumbs, I will be typing up her list for her! Please note, these are things that Chloe enjoys and can recommend after using them herself. We can't speak to the quality, durability, etc., aside from our own experience (but we are pretty picky about what comes home with us!).

FOOD

First up, treats of course! Chloe is not a fruit and vegetable kind of gal — she will not eat anything other than straight-up meat treats (just ask our vet, who tries to give her a fruit-laced treat every time we go in but always ends up breaking out the good stuff: freeze-dried liver!). This is just one brand of treat Chloe enjoys. It's wheat, corn and soy free. An added bonus is it's environmentally friendly — the products are made in a facility that is 100 per cent wind powered and the packaging is made out of 100 per cent recycled materials. Plus, Zuke's says it donates a portion of profits to the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund — it's multiple gifts in one!

Chloe also gets a homemade, all-natural treat from the "barkery" at the Bark & Fitz pet store on special occasions like her birthday and Christmas. So festive!

TOYS

Moving on to toys, Chloe loves her Chuckit! balls. They are durable and long-lasting. She also likes their bright colours, which make them easy for her humans to spot in the snow or long grass so they can be thrown again and again ... and again. You get the idea.

Another hit at our house is the popular Loofa dog toy from Pet Smart. Chloe knows it as her "binky" and can often be found sleeping with it. Even though she's a medium-size dog, she prefers the small-size Loofa, and small-size dog toys in general — maybe she's a chihuahua at heart?

TAGS & COLLARS

I've mentioned Lucky Pet tags before on the blog. These tags are made from durable enamel, laser engraved and have a lifetime guarantee. They also come in a wide range of colours, sizes and styles, and are very economical at under $10 (plus a few dollars for shipping). Peace of mind is a great gift to give for the holidays!

Chloe, like any girly dog, loves to be in style. She has a variety of collars, including a "fashion" collar from Fido's Fashion Collars. There are so many styles to choose from — Chloe has the "Artsy Fartsy."

CLOTHES

Okay, Chloe did not contribute to this section because she doesn't wear clothes. I wish she would wear sweaters — I've seen so many cute ones out and about, and at the dog park. I can only share the ones that have caught my eye. If you're looking for a piece of Canadiana, why not opt for this iconic pattern from The Hudson Bay Company?

I've seen lots of dogs wearing handmade sweaters by Chilly Dog Sweaters, too. They have lots of fun designs, such as a sock monkey and a one-eyed monster, plus designs with hoods to keep your pooch's ears warm. So cute! No photo, but check them out!

GIFTS THAT NEVER STOP GIVING

One of the best holiday gifts you can give is a donation to your local shelter or humane society on behalf of your pet. Chloe is adopted herself, so she knows how important it is to help pets in need find a forever home. A small donation can help make a shelter animal's Christmas a little merrier this year! For a list of shelters in Canada, click here.

A donation to your local shelter can help give a deserving animal like Noodle a home.

And of course, there's always the gift of memories, which you can give by gifting a Happy Tails Pet Photography session. Contact me for details!

What are you getting your pet this year? If there are favourite items you'd like to share, please leave a comment and let everyone know! Good luck with your holiday shopping this year!

post-processing: now you see it, now you don't

Ah, custom photography. You love the final product but wonder why the price seems so much higher than if you just took a few shots yourself and developed them at the local Wal-Mart. I once wondered that myself until I got into the actual business of photography. After advertising and marketing, booking clients, scheduling photo shoots (and rescheduling due to weather), travelling to the location, and actually taking the photos, my job is only half done. Yep. Still lots of work to do.

Here's an example of what comes next, during the post-processing phase. You might remember this photo I took of Chloe during our evening walk. The one on the left is straight out of camera with nary a tweak — I actually feel kind of naked showing it! The one on the right is after post-processing.

I use a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop to edit my photos. Sometimes it's just a matter of removing some eye gunk or doing some light retouching. Sometimes it can be quite meticulous and time consuming to get the exact look that I'm after. I'm pretty nit-picky, so I generally spend quite a bit of time on each photo.

The original photo of Chloe had several things going for it. I liked the composition with the tall grass on the left and the path down low fading off to the right. I liked that she's making eye contact with me and isn't sporting a goofy expression (this is pretty rare for Chloe!). And the direction of that warm evening light was quite lovely — you can see it softly hitting her left side. The photo just needed some "zing," so I brightened it up, added some warmth and contrast, and removed the leash, which she had so thoughtfully dragged through a mud puddle only moments before. I left her slimy tennis ball in the final image because it speaks to her personality — she doesn't go anywhere without it. Can you spot it?

Hopefully that explains some of the reasoning behind the price of custom photography and the work that goes into it behind the scenes. It really is an investment. But a worthwhile one I think. What are your thoughts?

happy birthday chloe!

Today Chloe turns six (although she doesn't act a day over two!). It feels like she's been in our lives forever, but she only became part of our family two years ago when we adopted her from a family that could no longer care for her. We still can't believe how lucky we are. We are actually her third family – it's hard to imagine, but she has been given up twice. Once as a puppy, then again when she came to us at the age of four. We are NEVER giving this monkey up. She is the sweetest, most loyal and exuberant creature, and she truly makes our house a home. Plus, she's super cute.

Chloe is obsessed with tennis balls. So, yesterday we went out for a walk with her trusty "Wilson." It was early evening and I was hoping to get some photos of my Golden during "golden hour" — that time in the evening when the light is warm and magical. But the clouds rolled in making the skies a little overcast. Parts of the path were still pretty though.

Of course, there were lots of things to explore along the way. There were bugs to sniff ...

And grass to eat.

Occasionally she would stop for a few seconds to let me take a picture.

We love you Chloe — happy birthday! Stay tuned to see how Chloe spent her big day!

a soggy strutt

We took part in the Oakville & Milton Humane Society's Mutt Strutt on the weekend - all the funds raised help homeless, abused and neglected animals. Mother Nature, however, was not on board. It was a soggy, booties kind of weather day.

It was nice to see people still come out despite the weather. And there was a short break in the rain early in the afternoon. Chloe was happy to be surrounded by four-legged friends. Aw, smiles!

And there were a few puppies! This little guy was only seven weeks old - so adorable.

There was also an agility demonstration. This border collie was clearly ball motivated, just like Chloe. 

Hopefully there was lots of money raised for such a good cause. We'll be back next year!

a sweet face

Just one of the many faces that have made me smile lately. Happy Tuesday!

lucy sneak peek | milton, ontario, pet photographer

Meet Lucy – she's a bit of a mystery. Lucy is a rescue dog. Her age is around two and it's thought that she has some border collie in her. She is very sweet, but shy. Lucy has to warm up to you before she really trusts you. I think we were friends by the end of the day.

More to come soon!

phoenix | milton, ontario pet photographer

I hung out with goldendoodle Phoenix in her backyard on a beautiful summer day. She's a shy girl and needed some coaxing with treats to come close. She has outrageously long eyelashes and the most soulful eyes. Look at that pink tongue!

It wasn't until I brought out my own dog, Chloe (who you'll be seeing lots of in future posts!), that Phoenix really came out of her shell. She loves to play and she LOVED Chloe - there were lots of doggie smooches.

She's a bit of a goofball too!

Thanks for being such a good sport Phoenix!