My latest models

Latest project is not directly related to photography - I'm studying dog behavior, training, psychology. I'm working with my friends Nick and Ann of Balanced Dog in Denver Colorado. I've been doing photography for them, capturing their classes as well as their work with project dogs. Check out what we've captured so far, it's interesting stuff!

First, let me introduce my best friend - meet my darling Skittles. Caught her in a chair she knows not to get up on.... Think she knows she's caught?

Not really - I actually invited her up on the chair for some "out the window" shots, and she'd lay down while I goofed with stuff. This was my favorite shot of them all though. Skittles is a really cool model, patient to a fault, but not very responsive to posing suggestions.

Then there's Journey, a stray that was picked up frozen in fear by a creek in Arvada. He was so scared Animal Control Officer Kara couldn't get him to walk to the truck. However, once in the truck, he quickly came out of his shell and visited. Since then he's shown remarkable progress...


After a week in the care of a local vet for ear and eye infections, she came to stay at Indian Tree Pet Lodge to work with Nick and Ann. He was there just under a week when Kara came by to visit with a local camera crew. The crew is documenting Journey's journey (Nick's phrase, not mine ;) in the hopes it will help get him adopted.


Kara was walking her son on the raised platform, used in agility training, to keep him entertained while the crew shot Journey. Journey walked over as Kara and son came down, and fell in behind as they turned and went back the other way. He just wanted to hang out with them!

And then there's Kessel, who came to Nick all the way from Seattle Washington. Kessel is a Plott Hound (nope, I'd never heard of the breed either), is very friendly and upbeat. His owner reported that Kessel had bitten his 12 year old son, and it had something to do with food aggression.


However, in all the time he's been at Animal Tree Pet Lodge, he's shown no aggression of any type at all. So far, he's showing no real bad habits of any kind.

Looking at him with those legs that go on forever, you'd likely think he's a large dog, but he isn't'. Here he is playing with Skittles, who's only 38 lb. (most people think Skittle's is still a puppy when they meet her).


All 3 models are a blast to shoot, but forget staging or posing, just run around and wait for the shot to present itself.

Want great doggy shots? Get down low, crawl on the ground and/or get a right-angle viewer. Too many people stand and shoot their animals, which never does their physique or character justice. Get low, and up close and personal. Oh, and bring lots of Pep-pads to wipe your lens - they will nail it. A lot... Trust me!!!

Hope you enjoy...