Meet Rags, the rescued Bichon/Maltese who is resident happiness and joy for his people. Last week I delivered the album and float wrap from his beautiful Four Foot Photography session, which was a gift from Annmarie to her parents. Rags, although only 7, suffered a devastating back injury earlier this year while on a walk. With a lot of faith and expert veterinary surgery, Rags is now once again the picture of health and the center of the household. Happy Holidays, sweet boy!
Tag Archives: Gig Harbor
Jackie & Jermaine
Jackie and Jermaine were married July 28, 2012 at Gold Mountain Golf Course. It was a beautiful ceremony celebrating the love they share and the SIX children they have between them. I was truly blessed to be present, and believe me when I tell you it was a powerful thing to be trusted with capturing the powerful moments of the day – that’s a lot of pressure, people! It is my fervent wish that as they look at these images over the years they will be able to remember those intense emotions and be present in their love and appreciation for one another. Truly, my best wishes to two people who found their perfect match in each other.
Aren’t they beautiful?
Custom Holiday Cards!
Oh my! It’s time for holiday cards! You can laugh if you want to, but I LOVE to send and receive Christmas cards! Social media is fantastic for keeping in touch, but I just can’t wait to hear what friends and family are up to, and if they include a picture, Oh Joy!!! My mom sent out picture cards of me and my sister every year, one year it included Honey, the family dog – perhaps an early lightbulb for me? Several years ago someone mailed my dad their collection of our holiday cards that they had saved over the years! What a gift to have that record. I try to make sure I save one of mine each year for this reason. From the first year we were married, my sweet, tolerant husband put up with me setting up the “family” Christmas card – that first one I sat with a Sharpie and colored in the glowing eyes of Jake, my Cocker Spaniel, and Jasmine, our tabby cat (she’s still around, but was exempted started the year we added a toddler). Over the years, we staged a Hawaiian theme – I bought toddler sized Hawaiian shirts for Jake and his Beagley brother), a sports theme (Rugby shirts!), the classic Fleece Family, Cougar Nation – well, you get the general idea! Is it any wonder I’m a pet photographer? It was not easy to try to get us all in, and DH has long since declared our family card should picture only the children, “Why would I want a record of myself getting older, balder and fatter?” Hmmm, Grinchy! So sometimes I used the timer on the camera, and sometimes we pressed others into service – I will forever hoot when I think of my dad rolling around the floor, going all Annie Leibovitz with the point and shoot. Love you, Dad. This year I am offering custom holiday cards from your Four Foot Photography photo session – let me know which images you would like to include, what you would like to say, colors, size, etc and I will create Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year, Happy Holidays, Kwanzaa or Festivus cards just for you! Prices are approximately $2 per card, depending on one or two sided flat or folded card, the paper you select, etc. Cutout shapes are available – in the samples below I left the cutline to show the shape. There is a pearlized cardstock I adore, but my friend Julie accuses me of wanting to print my images on Human Skin (ie it costs more than glossy photo paper)! There is no profit margin for these cards, but I really, really love for you to have and send them, so Happy Holidays! Here are some samples, recognize anyone you know?
Mike & Duke
I received a call late this summer (last summer already? Ack!) from Mike, who had seen my display at Woodside Animal Hospital and was interested in getting some photographs of Duke, his black lab and especially an image of the two of them together for a holiday card. I met them out at the public pier on the Port Orchard side of Sinclair Inlet, which was a really fun spot to shoot. There were folks fishing and crabbing and the sun was really sparkling off the water. Poor Duke – sooooo many wonderful, fishy smells! It turns out Duke hails from Kelso, my old stomping grounds! He is one lucky dog – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love love my clients – people who value the companionship their four-footed friends provide. In return, Duke lives the life of Riley!
When I first saw Mike’s lovely home (with all that clean, juicy wallspace!), I will admit I was thinking BIG CANVAS! However, I feel the artwork in your home is so personal (and that’s what I do!), it also has to mesh with your individual style. Mike selected a collection of 8 images in varying sizes, mounted on stainless standouts, for a very clean, modern look. It was also easier to choose 8 images than 1! I’m not going to share the Christmas card in case you are on Mike’s list, but suffice it to say a Santa hat and reindeer antlers are involved…FABULOUS! Oh, and as we drove away after delivering Mike’s order, my 7 year old said, “That guy is AWESOME!” Right you are, buddy. Thanks, Mike and Duke for your business, for being such good sports, for looking after each other and also for sharing your relationship with me. I look forward to our shoot next year, and seeing you out and about on your bike rides/runs!Picasso = Art
Allow me to introduce Picasso! This handsome dude belongs with Jeremiah, who I met at the Gig Harbor Mud Bay store (if you haven’t been there, you must check it out – they have great products and staff). Thanks to Hollywood in the 90’s, Rotties have a bit of a reputation as tough guys, but I have yet to meet one that was not a big sweetheart, and Picasso certainly falls well within that category. Like good looking men everywhere, he was more than happy to show off his genetic superiority, and pose away. Thank you Jeremiah and Picasso!
Heart (and dogs) of gold…
The winner of this year’s Four Foot Photography PetsWalk contest has become one of my favorite people. Katie, her husband Dave, and baby Casey share their home and hearts with Mae Mobley and Minnie Mae. I’ve mentioned before that one of my favorite things about my work is meeting people who care so deeply for the animals that share and enhance their lives. Katie lives that to an extent that puts her in the category of extraordinary.
Katie works at Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale several days a week, even though Dave is in the Navy, and she is on her own with the baby and doggehs when he’s deployed. I do love red dogs! Both of these girls are rescues, Mae from KHS, and Minnie came to KHS in Silverdale with a group of little dogs that had run out of time in California shelters – she came home with Katie “for the weekend”, but that was a year ago…Katie is so passionate about her work and rescue that for their anniversary, in lieu of gifts, Dave donates to the shelter. I delivered the products she ordered the other night (all the better to get in one more snuggle with the darling Casey and pet those lovely red-gold girls. Aren’t they just perfectly matched?), and this morning I was preparing to deposit her check – across the top it says, “Adopt your next best friend.” Of COURSE it does.
Mae & Minnie haven’t had an easy go of it – last winter Minnie was attacked by a big dog and nearly killed, and both have been affected by it. So while we were doing our session, things unfolded in such a way that Mae became extremely protective of Minnie when strangers approached, and we shot more than half the session with Katie wrangling the girls and me holding Casey (so good natured!!!) on my hip and shooting one handed, unable to change my settings or zoom the 24-70mm lens I had on the camera, let alone switch lenses! I was not so hopeful about the results, and we made tentative plans to reshoot. I cannot tell you how surprised I was that some of my favorites from the session were shot under those conditions – all that studying and learning, those expensive workshops and training, and these images came out great in spite of many challenges. A great lesson in humility!
You will see Mae and MooMoo again, as we are going to do a “booster” shoot to get some photos of the two girls together, as they are as tight as can be. And also so I can get my hands on that sweet, juicy baby…
I was so excited when I received her float wraps – gorgeous girls!
Kitsap County, consider yourself lucky to count these amazing people among your populace!
Little Ladies
A sneak peek of two of my favorite girls!
I’m IN!
One of the things at the top of my list when I started my business was to give back in some way. There has been no shortage of opportunity there, but I am very excited that I had my first session photographing adoptable animals at the Kitsap Humane Society today. Most of today’s talent today were of the feline variety, but this little guy caught my eye in the lobby, and I made puppy-dog eyes at the staff until I was allowed to photograph him (also he was due for a potty break, but I suspect they were humoring me). Is he not just the cutest little dude? Most likely 1/2 Corgi and 1/2 Jack Russell Terrier, he was just a big bundle of cute in a tiny little package. Those floppy ears! Seriously. I want the first one I saw…epic fail! Let’s get this little guy adopted, quick! Meet Max:
Aaaaand the winner is…
Well I couldn’t talk my little Vanna White into drawing the winner for the $100+ Gift Basket from Mud Bay, but I needed the drawing to be fair and square. What’s more fair than a 7 year old? That’s right – TWO 7 year olds. Thanks, guys!
Thanks again to everyone who stopped by my booth, and those who entered the drawing, and those who liked my Facebook page! Oh, you wanted to know who the winner is?
Congratulations to Lesli Loop-Smith! Please email me at info@fourfootphotography or call 360.551.2923 and we’ll arrange to get you this juicy basket.
Mary
Second Chance Care Fund Carnival
This doll baby is Barley. He is a Second Chance dog – arguably the poster boy. Isn’t he gorgeous? I had the good fortune of sharing my awning with him and his folks when it got too sunny for such a well insulated dude. LOVES!
This is the bite prevention talk given by Bethel Animal Hospital’s behaviorist, Jackie Kahler. Good information, people, and she is willing to present it to schools, clubs, etc! So in the top photo, which dog is more likely to bite, the cute little doxie in the man’s arms, or the gorgeously intimidating Dobie? Yup, the little dog being held is far more likely to bite. In the bottom photos the kids are demonstrating two bite prevention strategies – “Be a tree” and “Be a log”
The pet costume contest entrants, clockwise from the top….Wonder Dog, Double Stuffed Oreo, Seagull, Rich Lady. Bwahahahaha! So cute! The winner was Double Stuffed Oreo, but they were all worthy.
When was the last time you saw a dunk tank? Too much fun! Dr. Wempe got wet – some of the littler kids had a little help from some of the bigger kids…
More shenanigans from the good natured staff. It’s all to help the animals, right?
So we had to do a little comparison…medium brown in color, long white fluffy tails, four legs…who is bigger?
And my booth for the event. Thanks so much! I had a great time and met so many wonderful animal lovers. *Soon* there will be a colorful photographic display of Second Chance animals in Bethel’s lobby – please check it out! I am donating 10% of proceeds from sessions booked via the Bethel Animal Hospital back to the Second Chance Care Fund, to support their terrific work treating animals whose people can no longer care for them. You can read more of their stories at http://www.bethelanimalhospital.net/second-chance-care-fund.html
Four Foot Photography 