Nero - Milwaukee Boxer Photography

Here is another shoot from the end of last summer with a boxer named Nero. If I had to choose only one purebred breed to photograph for the rest of my photographic career (thankfully I don't) it would be boxers. I LOVE this breed! The energy, the expressions and the personality make for amazing photographs. Nero didn't disappoint. We really lucked out for this shoot. Starting at Nero's house, a short drive from Lake Michigan, it was hot, hot, hot! We burning off some energy, got in some garden hose time and then headed down to the lake. The beach was covered in this amazing fog. The combination of a great dog and a surreal beach scene made for some great images.

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Gabby - Milwaukee Golden Retriever Photography

Photographing puppies can be difficult. Gabby is a Golden Retriever puppy that definitely had energy however she always managed to sit still just long enough for me to trigger the shutter. I had a blast meeting Gabby and can't wait to see the dog she grows up to be. The word is that she's going to be BIG! I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Honey and Phoebe - Brookfield Dog Photography

March in Wisconsin is unpredictable. We had a week of 60 degree days and then an inch of snow the day before Honey and Phoebe's shoot. Luckily the snow melted in a matter of hours and we had a perfect spring evening at the park. Honey is the tan pit bull and Phoebe is the pug. Honey's life story started pretty bad before finding her forever home with two great dog parents. She is as gentle as can be and was in dog heaven at the park with all the sights and smells. Before I met Phoebe she was described to me as a dog that can make a person smile no matter what mood they are in. After meeting her I would have to agree that this description was right on. Thanks Lisa for contacting me to photograph your family. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Dog Details - A Study Of Fur

So to get a much needed creative boost I decided to shoot something completely different.  These are macro shots of dog fur shot with a 50mm f/1.8 lens and Kenko extension tubes.  I would love to hear thoughts, critiques, etc. I may be guilty of this from time to time but anyone who says there isn't anything interesting around to photograph isn't looking hard enough. Get up close, change your angle, whatever it takes to see something a different way. More macro "Dog Details" to come.

Bone Connoisseur - Waukesha Dog Photography

I hope everyone is having a great week. This is a photo I took of Chloe enjoying one of the finer things in life... a good bone.

Benji - Milwaukee Lab Photography

Benji was recently diagnosed with an aggressive illness. Photographing sick animals can be emotionally very difficult, however I have found that it's also one of the most rewarding parts of pet photography. This guy was so gentle and happy that I found myself forgetting that he was sick. Thanks Cynthia for contacting me to capture some photos of Benji. He's a great dog!

Liam - Milwaukee Corgi Photography

I have a thing for short, stubby legs after growing up with a Bassset Hound. Pair this with some nice big, pointy ears (like my dog Chloe) and you have a dog I could photograph all day long. Liam is a Corgi set to make an appearance in a national Corgi magazine and in need of a good portrait. According to his mom, Liam was nervous and unnatural when they tried getting photos of him in the studio. Some dogs just need to be outside having fun before they will show their true colors. Liam was one of these dogs because out in the snow (with the help of a ball) Liam was as natural as can be. Anyone who thinks all dogs with little legs are slow has never seen a Corgi run. This little guy can move! Thanks Marggie for contacting me to shoot Liam. He was great!

Blue Eyes - Waukesha Dog Photography

Windy - Wauwatosa Dog Photography

Many of you know my affinity for senior dog photography. Windy was no exception. She is a 17 1/2 year old Yorkie-Poo. For the shoot we got a balmy 5 degree Wisconsin day. As you can imagine I was a little worried about what we'd get for photographs since cold weather and little dogs don't mix all that well. My fears were quickly put to rest as I was able to get some great shots right off the bat. Windy was a trooper! Most of my experience with senior dogs involves the dog staying in one place with me moving around. Windy had other plans. She was constantly on the move and made me work for every photograph. In the end I had a great time photographing Windy. Thanks Beth for the opportunity. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Sara and Sydney

Besides my dog Chloe, Sara and Sydney (belonging to my parents) are the most photographed dogs on my computer. You may recognize them from my "Dogs" gallery or prior blog posts. We wanted to get some new pictures of the girls for the holidays... so I thought I'd share. Sara (brown/black) is incredibly photogenic. Sydney (black) takes a little more work. However it doesn't take much to get a good head tilt out of either of them. I hope the holiday season has been good to everyone so far. Enjoy it, it will be over before you know.

Bubba, Jack and Sparky

Meet Bubba (tan), Jack (white) and Sparky (black/tan), three Pomeranians I recently met for a Christmas card photo shoot. Aside from my treat pouch being constantly raided by Jack (you can't blame him for going right to the source), everyone did a great job. I could have photographed these guys for hours. Although Christmas card photos were one of the main priorities, we managed to get outside to do some ball fetching and chasing. It always amazes me how fast some little dogs are. Little or not these guys had big personalities and were not easily intimidated (even when I opened up my 60 inch umbrella). Which is great considering they are all from Pomeranian rescues. It goes to show how well they have been cared for. Thanks Dawn and Carl for introducing me to the guys. Enjoy the photos!

Harley, Romeo, Rosie and Tess

I got to meet Harley (Scottie), Romeo (Greyhound), Rosie (Cocker) and Tess (Terrier mix) on a nice sunny Sunday morning. Everyone in this group has a unique personality and I enjoyed working with them all. Romeo did some running, Harley did some observing, Rosie did some sniffing and Tess did some lounging. They were all great subjects! I was also able to get a nice butt shot of Romeo and Tess. They have nearly identical markings as you can see from the picture below. Thanks Shanna and Bob for introducing me to your pack. I hope you enjoy the pictures. P.S. In need of a great groomer? Shanna owns "Doggie Doo's by Shanna" located in Milwaukee. Voted A-List's #1 groomer in Milwaukee for  '08 and '09. More information here: Doggie Doo's by Shanna.

RW Wrinkles

RW Wrinkles is a 3.5 year old black lab. We started with some studio shots. Wrinkles is a lab; he likes balls. So getting him to look at anything but the ball (ya, I just said "the word") was nearly impossible. So I miiiiiiiiiight have digitally added the tennis ball into some of the pictures. You do what you gotta do. We managed to get some good studio shots and then headed outdoors to wear off some energy. Thanks Roxane for letting me shoot Wrinkles and, for the record, I think this will be the best Christmas present ever (but I'm biased)! I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Hugo, Adele and Elita

Talk about a perfect evening for photography. For the most part this month has been rainy and cold. However, we caught a break for Hugo, Adele and Elita's shoot. We had blue skies, a comfortable temperature and amazing evening sunlight. Aside from the normal photographic challenges of shooting the two color extremes (white and black dogs) and one high speed squirl chase we got some great shots. Hugo is a 16 year old Standard Poodle known around his home as "The General". Adele (white) and Elita (black) are 3 year old Standard Poodles known as the "Amazing Poodle-ettes". Thanks Christina for contacting me to shoot Hugo, Adele and Elita. I hope you guys enjoy the photos!

Anakin, Clancy and Gus

These guys were a blast to shoot!  Anakin is the yellow lab/pit bull mix affectionately referred to as "Big Head" by his mom. Gus is the beagle/basset hound mix with a great snaggle tooth rivaled only by his brother Clancy. Clancy looks like a 20lb Rottweiler. What's even better is that they were all rescues from the Wisconsin Humane Society. Anakin is the tennis ball connoisseur. Gus chases the all mighty treat. And Clancy... well, Clancy is kind of a momma's boy. Thanks Erin for introducing me to the boys. It was great meeting you and John. Enjoy the photos.

Kuma

Kuma is a Shiba Inu with a TON of personality. He is high energy, ball crazy, very curious and also well behaved. He was pretty much game for whatever we asked him to do. This interesting little dog combined with a couple of great locations made for a fun shoot and a ton of great images. I always have a hard time whittling down photos from shoots but this time was especially hard. Jackie, it was great meeting you and Kuma. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Connor, Jasmine, Meg and Moxie

Well it's been a few weeks since the last posting. September shaped up to be a busy one. I recently got to shoot 3 Golden Retrievers and a Rottweiler Mix with personalities ranging from a little timid to a little crazy and everywhere in between. Multiple dog shoots (especially 4 of them) are a little chaotic. Luckily, with the wide range of personalities in this bunch, I was able to work with each one separately throughout the shoot. Once one got bored with me I'd move on to the next. By the end of the session they had all but forgotten I was there and I managed to get some nice candid shots. Posed shots are great but capturing a dog act as if no one else is around can be priceless. The dogs' parents, Patti and Bob, are actively involved with Wisconsin Adopt a Golden Retriever (WAAGR). All three of their Golden Retrievers are from this organization. In addition, Bob (also know as "The Pet Rescue Realtor") donates a portion of all his proceeds to pet rescue and shelters. I hope you guys enjoy the pictures.

Simi and Ellie

Recently I had the opportunity to shoot two poodles, Simi and Ellie. It was a windy, hot morning but these pups were ready to go. Simi (left) was a natual in front of the camera. I got quite a few shots of his ears blowing in the wind. Simi's little sister, Ellie, was a little more of a handful to photograph. I did, however, get to see her do her two legged twirl trick. Very impressive! Thanks Melanie and Alan for coming up to Waukesha and letting me photograph your family. Enjoy the pictures.

Manning and Little Man

We got to the Minooka dog park bright and early to capture some of the morning sun. Manning and Little Man were fired up and ready to go. For being 10 years old, Manning (the black/brown/white mix) had some spunk. His brother, Little Man, was one of the fastest, little dogs I've seen in a while. This is especially amazing since, before he was adopted, Little Man had a bad knee and multiple surgeries. We chased some balls, chased a bird and had an all around good time. Manning and Little Man's parents, Donna and Todd, do some great work with fostering for the Wisconsin Humane Society and helping with Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) Wisconsin . GPA Wisconsin is having their annual Greyhound Gala fundraiser on Sept. 26th. More information can be found here. Thanks Donna and Todd for your work with these organizations and for letting me shoot your dogs. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Tucker

Tucker is a 7 month old Lab. When we first met Tucker was a little unsure of the camera, but he warmed up very quickly. He turned out to be a fun guy that was easily distracted by EVERYTHING. Although Tucker's attention span is short we were able to keep him entertained with a Frisbee and treats. Tucker also discovered sand when the Frisbee was tossed in a nearby volleyball court. After a couple seconds of him trying to pick up the Frisbee he realized that it's actually more fun to just dig. And that's what he did! Thanks Krystal and Mike for letting me photograph Tucker. I hope everything goes as planned with your wedding this weekend. Enjoy the pictures.