Last Saturday was the always anticipated Harbor Hounds event in Gig Harbor! Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gig Harbor Midday, there is always a good time to be had, and many different breeds and sizes (and even a cat!) … Continue reading
This is my fifth consecutive year attending PetsWalk as a vendor, and it just keeps getting better! Like last year, PetsWalk was held at the Poulsbo waterfront. There was a wonderful turnout of dogs and their people and a bird! … Continue reading
This week’s lighting challenge was to use a video light – my models grow weary of my lens, and were not buying into my concept of the shoot, but the video light looks a LOT like a light saber, so I had plenty of volunteers to assist, even if they were not terribly cooperative!
The last image, “A “Boy” and His “Dog”” is done in natural light, so you can see the difference.
Port Orchard Photographer, Kids and Families, Natural Light Portraiture, Video Light, Lifestyle Photography, Four Foot Photography
This week I was delighted to be asked by a middle school student if she could job shadow me. The specific day was Friday, my plan was to edit and work on taxes – a realistic view of my workday, but not something I thought would be too exciting for a 13 year old! The weather did not allow for outdoor shooting, but Miss S’s mom happens to own Cindy’s Grooming Styles, which has a large area for doggie daycare (and some beautiful wall art by Four Foot Photography)! We have talked about doing some limited edition sessions in the shop for Cindy’s clientele, so this was a great opportunity to do a dry run. Without much time to put out a model call, I decided to work with my own four foots – unfortunately, my wingnut Bichon was still several weeks from his next grooming appointment, and I really haven’t worked with our rescue pug that much. To that end, Cindy agreed to work Fabio in to get him camera ready, and I thought I would set up my mobile backdrop and bring Gladys along for a realistic study on how it can be to work with an animal who doesn’t have much experience at posing or isn’t particularly trained (Gladys is quite deaf). We had a lovely day – Ms. S is a bright, eager learner, Cindy did a beautiful job on Fabio, and Gladys was a pleasant surprise. Over the past several years I have been looking for the words to explain how the process of having your pet (or family) photographed can be very validating to the strong connection people have with their pets (and each other) – and also it is so FUN! The shared experience brings an emotional element to the images that is reinforced every time you look at those photographs. This was first called to my attention by the fabulous Stephanie Wright, whose rats I photographed my first year in business (Click here to see the images). She told me later that the evening after the photoshoot she just couldn’t put her girls down, seeing them through the camera’s eye she fell completely in love and just sat and cuddled them. This was the best compliment, and after photographing Gladys Friday, I got a taste of my own medicine. We loved her right away, stinkiness and quirks and all, but I am now SO IN LOVE with her adorable little head tilt! Here are my babies!
I genuinely prefer to shoot in more of a lifestyle format and natural light, but this really got my studio juices flowing! Miss S had an opportunity to photograph as well, I will add some of her shots in the next few days (I REALLY have to get my taxes done!).
Four Foot Photography, Mary Eklund, Pet Photographer, Kitsap County Pet Photographer, Dog Photos, Cindy’s Grooming Styles, Port Orchard Photographer, Pets and People, Portrait Studio, Bichon, Pug
Thanks so much for the great year – I so enjoyed meeting such fantastic people and photographing your gorgeous pets! It has been a truly wonderful year for Four Foot Photography, and I look forward to 2013 being full of growth, learning, challenges and an ever-widening circle of people and pets I am lucky to know. I feel abundantly blessed as Kitsap County’s most passionate pet photographer and am seriously jazzed about capturing memories and creating personalized art for your homes, as well as helping adoptable dogs and cats find their forever homes through pet portraiture and social media. Oh, and I have some crazy-fun ideas and beautiful new products to introduce as well… Happy, Happy New Year!
-Mary Eklund
If we’ve met, or you’ve been to the blog, you’ll know that I love me some pugs! Last weekend the kiddos and I took the Blogdog to a new (50-some days) dogcentric business in Port Orchard, Cookie’s Pet Corner & Wash – 1010 Bethel Avenue, across from the bowling alley. We were promptly greeted by the proprietor (none other than Cookie herself!), and her able assistant, Dan McNab. A quick tour of the facilities ensued for the two-foots while Cookie showed the Blogdog that he was not all that, racing him around the displays to send him careening on the slippery floor. All in good fun, until somebody lifts his leg. Utter humiliation ensues, greeted with good humor by Mr. McNab, who assures me that these things happen (I swear the dog pottied right before we entered the building…and then again right after – UGH!). My shame was compounded when the two-footed children took it upon themselves to run laps just like the four-footed children. Honestly, they NEVER behave like that in public, but to be fair, it was the 4th errand of the day, which is against my core of my parenting principles: Never, EVER, under any circumstances, make more than 3 stops. 
Back to Cookie’s! The 411 is you have a spa-type suite with a walk-up tub, aprons, towels, shampoos, brush, cotton, treats and blow-dryer all to yourself for 50 minutes. No bending, no chasing, no clean up! The cost is $25, although there is currently a $5 off coupon in the ValPak (available online if you don’t have one). Additionally, on the weekends Cookie employs another helper who trims toenails for a suggested $5! Now that’s a deal! The $25 is for the space and time, so you can bring all the dogs, and everyone goes home smelling sweet.
Mr. McNab spent 17 years in the pet supply business, so the foods, treats, toys and supplies he stocks are all well researched and arranged. My guess is if he doesn’t have something you want, he can probably get it for you! Having rescued dogs himself, I found his advice and tips for my badly behaved buddy-beastie to be spot-on, without being patronizing.
Oh, and Dan – the logo is a keeper – my 3 year old looked at the flyer I have on my desk to scan for this post and said, “That’s Cookie!”
In short, dog people are good people, people! I hope you’ll help me welcome this business to Port Orchard and for certain you must, must stop by to meet Cookie, she is a VIP, Very Important Pug. She’ll charm your socks off and get you to scratch her cute little curly tail in the process!
My work here is done – now it falls to Mops & Dudley’s parents to choose their favorite images from the session they won at PAWS Wagfest 2011. Better them than me! It’s hard to pick a favorite – this is one of mine. Feel free to chime in – what’s yours?
Here is a sneak peek from my session with Dudley and Mops, the winners of FourFootPhotography’s Paws Wagfest 2011 Photo Contest! While I had to wait for my supermodels to return from their Mexican vacation for our shoot, it was soooo worth the wait, I think you’ll agree! They came back tan (especially Mops), refreshed and, ahem, ready for their close-ups. Far from being a diva, Mops patiently showed Dudley (the fawn), who is only 6 months old, the ropes. He is obviously both a natural and a quick study. Supermodels just keep getting younger and younger! For those of you who know me personally, how much fun was it for me to get my pug on?!
Dudley & Mops! Congrats to our pugalicious participants, and kudos to your pugnatious people, who rallied 30% of the votes in your favor. I’m looking forward to your session, double cutey-cutums!
Four Foot Photography 