I met another volunteer at the shelter to pick a dog for a Hounds Around Town adventure, and we were both drawn to Crimson, a senior, full-figured Pittie. He was so happy, even in his kennel, and his smile just lit the place up, so he was an easy choice.

DSC_4301-EditHow can you say no to that face?

We decided to revisit the murals in Midvale (the last time I had been there with Gary and Austin it was so cold I thought my fingers were going to fall off!) because I had seen so many really interesting ones that we just couldn't visit with Gary and Austin.

As I do with all dogs in this project, we take a bit of time to meet and greet each other, and check out the location, just to make sure everyone is comfortable.  Crimson was a rockstar from the very start.

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I couldn't find an artist for this very cool dragon on a low wall, but it's beautiful!

Location: 681 W Center St, Midvale, UT 84047
 

The square we were in had a bunch of murals in very close proximity, so we checked out several of them.

We then stopped by another unsigned, colorful piece of street art.  Crimson loved the adventure (and the snacks we had)!

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That smile!

Then we stopped by the Main Street Theater, for this very cool work by @knucklebeanie

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Our final stop on the trip was this huge mural, Focus on the Good, by @1.4.4.0 

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Crimson showed us that he could dance, too! DSC_4387-Edit DSC_4433-Edit

So very handsome!

We had a great time with Crimson, and he had fun with us!

Crimson's story doesn't quite end here, though.  I learned a bit later than Crimson and his sister Jersey, another senior dog, had ended up in the shelter because their owner had died.  The shelter was willing to adopt Crimson and Jersey separately only because they thought it was a huge ask to find someone who would adopt them both together.  However, the staff and the volunteers did our best to show off Crimson and Jersey together as much as possible in the impossible hope that there might be a special someone who would take them both.

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Crimson and Jersey together at their shoot in the shelter.

About a week after this photo was taken, I heard the Most Excellent News - a family adopted Crimson and Jersey together!!!  It's hard to get senior dogs adopted in the first place, and getting two senior dogs adopted together is very hard.  But I guess all the good wishes and thoughts for these two were heard by the universe, and they found their perfect family.  I am so thrilled for these two super sweet dogs.  They are both so special, and I'm glad someone knew they had to have these two in their own home.  Thank you all who adopt!

The first place we went was to Pictureline with the oh-so-cool Dennis Hopper Shooting Dennis Hopper mural by Jann Haworth:

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Cujo totally has that rebel look going!

We then moved on to the Utah Industry mural by Evan Jed Memmott:

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Location: 723 W Kilby Court, Salt Lake City

We then moved on to the last mural we stopped at for the day, some cool cartoon characters by Trent Call:

DSC_8773-Edit_8764 DSC_8802-Edit Location: 798 W Kilby Court, Salt Lake City
 

Cujo was such a rockstar, and this was a great adventure for Cujo, his mom and me.  It's always good to get out in the fresh air and discover some of the amazing, unique street art in Salt Lake City.

I am always looking for models, so if you have an adopted pet (from any shelter or rescue), and would like to be part of this project, reach out to me with this form.  Your dog doesn't have to have any special skills other than a willingness to walk (or roll) around a block or so of Salt Lake. A 'sit' would be nice, but not necessary.  Feel free to email me, too, with any questions!
 

The first mural that caught our eye was this ginormous one on the back wall with a leaping tiger.  Needless to say, Romeo was certain that he could imitate art

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Swiper was more interested in getting up on the big stage! DSC_1494-Edit

Swiper was then ready to go to the ball, but apparently her carriage driver was more interested in posing for photos than actually going anywhere!  DSC_1519-Edit DSC_1534-Edit

"Yeah, fine, I'll just sit here and look beautiful until my prince comes to sweep me off my feet!"

Romeo and Swiper then discovered the giant letters, and thought they should pose by them.  (And who am I to argue with the models?!?)

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We then moved on to the final mural of the day - I was starting to get a bit tired (although I think Romeo and Swiper could have done this for days!).

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Romeo, wondering where his TARDIS is...

 Romeo, Swiper, and their parents were such good sports! It was a real pleasure to meet all of them and spend some time with them. I really hope I get the opportunity to work with them again, as it was a great afternoon!  

Street art speaks to me on so many levels. It gives me an opportunity to spend time outdoors, and I have the joy of discovery every time I see a work of street art, even if I've seen it before. Because street art is outside, the time of day, the weather, and the sunlight can change how the art looks and how it resonates with you; every experience is unique, and that is so cool!

Many thanks, again, to the SLC Arts Hub for letting us explore all of the amazing art there!  I look forward to going back, as there is yet more art to discover!

Usually I put the entire session in one post, as I try to keep these sessions short. Most of the dogs aren't professional models, and photo shoots take more mental energy than you might expect.  (But, a tired dog is a good dog, right?)  Romeo and Swiper, however, are not only supermodels, but they are super athletes, too, joining their family on 3-13 mile runs most days, so they had energy for days!  We at the SLC Arts Hub in Salt Lake City and took a bunch of time to explore some of the amazing art on the premises.  All murals are officially 'property' of the Utah Arts Alliance, and so I don't have artists' name for most of these, but I do have permission to use the artwork.  That said, I'd like to keep trying to track down the artists to show my appreciation for their amazing work.

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The first stop didn't quite work out as planned - ideally one of the dogs would have been in front of one of the silhouettes in this first mural, but Romeo and Swiper were good sports and we still got a great photo!

DSC_1364-Edit Then we moved on to this really cool mural; Romeo didn't seem to be at all fazed by the ginormous teeth and claws behind him.  (Maybe he figured his own teeth and claws were an equal match! But Romeo doesn't have crazy eyes, so he wins in the overall looks department, I think!)

DSC_1386-Edit DSC_1400-Edit DSC_1407-Edit Then we moved on to this beautiful mural.  We figured Swiper's red coloring would go well with this work.  As a supermodel, Swiper was a pro with the 'Oh, I'm so bored with this' look.  Don't let that face fool you - she was having fun, and she was VERY well rewarded for her time and patience!

DSC_1420-Edit Romeo then reminded me that this project is a dream for me, and I'm having a ball with chasing my dream!

DSC_1436-Edit-Edit Swiper then had the opportunity to mimic the pose behind her.  She couldn't really pull off the bored nonchalance of the model behind her, but she rocked the head tilt! 

This mural I actually have the artist info for: @daoverstreet 

At this point, we moved to the back lot for more murals, and adventures, so stay tuned for the second part of this adventure.  (Did I mention that Romeo and Swiper - and their parents - were absolutely fantastic?  I meet this most amazing people with this project, and it makes this even more fun!)

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Cold Weather

The first and biggest winter-related threat to your furry friend’s health is cold weather. This might sound obvious to you, but unfortunately every year there are news stories about how dogs are left outside too long with tragic results

Most dogs will become affected by the cold to some degree when the temperature falls below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (although if you have one of those "arctic breeds" 45F is a summer day for them!). When the temperature is less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, small and thin coat dogs should not be outside for long periods of time. If you keep your dog out for long durations of time in the winter when the temperature is less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit, your dog could easily develop frostbite, hyperthermia, heart issues, or other life-threatening issues.

In short, you should never leave your dog unattended when it’s below 45 degrees Fahrenheit. When you let them outside and it’s cold, you shouldn’t leave them out for longer than ten minutes at a time without being with them. Keep an eye out for lifted paws - a sure sign that their feet are getting cold.

Snow Salt

You also need to be aware of snow salt dangers too! Snow salt is bad for your dog's paws because your furry friend’s paws can become sore and irritated from constantly stepping on the harsh salt. Furthermore, snow salt can cause dryness, cracking, or burns on your pups paw pads. To help keep your dog safe, you might want to consider dog snow boots. These will protect your pup’s paws from harsh salt and help to keep them warm.

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The pants and boots might look silly, but they keep the kids safe from all the road salt/sand and ice! And once we are on a walk, the girls don't mind at all!

Snow salt and other ice melts are also very toxic to dogs if consumed. If your furry friend eats large amounts of snow salt, then they could have excessive thirst, excessive vomit, nausea, among other issues from ice melt toxicities.
 

If your furry friend has salt stuck in their paw that you can't remove or consumed significant amounts of snow salt, then you should take them to the vet right away. Being a huge fan of pet insurance, you might want to look into pet insurance this winter. Pet insurance allows your dog to get the care they need if unexpected medical emergencies arise. It’s also a great tool to have if you think you would be unable to afford vet care in times of need for your pup. The last thing you want this winter is for a sick or injured pup with no medical help available.  And having had more than one dog who has had cancer, pet insurance brought the peace of mind of knowing that every medical decision we made was based on their best interests, and not just our finances

Bodies of Frozen Water

There are many beautiful bodies of water in Utah that freeze each winter. However, bodies of water are dangerous to your dog’s health in the winter because they could appear to be frozen, when they are in fact not! One second you could be watching your furry friend run and slide on a semi-frozen lake, then the next minute the ice could break and your pup could be in a dire situation.

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If you do decide to take your pet on a frozen body of water at anypoint in the winter, there should be at least four inches of clear ice, according to an article by Ausable River Association. Also, make sure you keep your four legged friend on a leash when you take them on a frozen water body, so they don’t run off into a less frozen part of the ice.

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Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun outside with your dog! In fact, the opposite is true - you have more opportunities to make new and precious memories with your furry friend. Following the tips above will help ensure that you have a safe time doing so.

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When I went out with two volunteers and Jager last Saturday, we weren't really sure how Jager was going to be; there weren't very many notes on him, and he seemed a little stressed in the kennels (again, why the Hounds Around Program exists).  Jager was really more interested in going on walkies and other adventures, than in posing for the camera.  But he put up with me and my camera for a little while before heading off for a hike and a puppaccino.

The first place we went was a colorful mural.

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Snacks? I heard there might be snacks involved in this. Actually, Jager wasn't super-interested in my snacks. Silly boy!

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Hai. I am going to kiss you!

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I am far too handsome to just stand here!

Mural : Darling You Are a Work of Art
Location: 21 East Haven Ave, South Salt Lake City
Rian Kasner (@riankasner)
 

I'd say Jager was a work of art!  And, we disovered that he walked well on a leash, liked giving kisses, and was generally an easy-going boy.

We then moved across the street to a mural celebrating workers.  I couldn't find an artist signature/tag on this, but I'm asking around to see if I can find who did this - if I find out, I'll update the info here, as I like to recognize the artists whenever I can.

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Jager wasn't really interested in the camera, but he loved walking towards one of the volunteers, so we went with that!

Mural: Workers
Location: 2288 S. Main Street South Salt Lake City
Artist: No signature that I could find

The last place we went to was a different type of street art.  The place is called Sugarpost, and they make metal artwork out of repurposed metal stuff. Jager was really ready to get on with the rest of his adventures at this point, so we didn't stay super long, but I really want to go back when the place is open and see if we can get some photos of the amazing metal work they do.  Their metal art is so cool, and so creative!

DSC_3436 How cool is that octopus?

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Stopping to check out the flowers!

DSC_3472-Edit For those of you Star Wars fans, notice the X wing and the TIE fighter on the top of the fence!  Seriously, this place has AMAZING art. I really look forward to going back.

Location: 80 West Truman Ave, Salt Lake City, Utah

As an aside, Jager was adopted a couple of days after these photos were taken.  I'm not surprised - he was such a sweet boy, and I'm glad that he found his fur-ever home!

The first mural we visited was the Floral Portait.  Thor was a bit more comfortable with the camera than Isabella, so we started with him.  Because he has some food allergies, he had to put up with me making weird noises to convince him to look at the camera. I don't think he really thought my noises sounded too much like chickens!

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At first, Isabella would only let me get profile photos, but she's a gorgeous girl from the side, too, so that was okay!

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Floral Portrait

154 West Haven Avenue, Salt Lake City

Artist: Lindsay Huss (@lindsayhussart) https://lindsayhussart.com/

We then moved on to Seres Del Soul, which seemed appropriate, as we were searching for some sun, while nurturing our souls!  As this point, Thor was TOTALLY thrilled with the camera, and gave me his best 'come hither' looks!

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As a more senior gal, and a princess (I get it!), Isabella didn't really want to sit around on the cold pavement, so her Mom took her for a stroll.

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After walking a bit, Isabella decided that the camera was definitely NOT going to steal her soul (or her 'sol'!) and that she could sit and look enthusiastic!

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Seres Del Soul
2284 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City
Artists: @secp256k1_ @hokzyn

We then moved on to the last mural of the morning, a brightly colored portrait done, I understand, to honor the artist's son's birthday. So, happy birthday, Rocky!

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"The camera is not going to steal my soul. The camera is NOT going to steak my soul.  The camera is not going to steal my soul!" *grin*

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For our loved one Rocky
22 West 2260 South, Salt Lake City
Bill Louis @biltslouisart

https://biltslouisart.myportfolio.com/

As always, many thanks to Thor, Isabella, and their parents, as well as to the amazing artists who have created these beautiful works in the Salt Lake area. I love that this art is so accessible, and so varied - in the area where we photographed Thor and Isabella there are at least 10 murals in a 3 block range, all by different artists, and all with very different styles.  It's spectacular, and it's so amazing to be able to experience this art with wonderful dogs (and their humans!)!

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These two boys and their parents met up with me on Historic Main Street in Midvale, Utah to check out some of the murals created during Midvale's Main Street Mural Festival last summer. It was the exact opposite of summer when we met - so cold that at one point I could barely feel my finger on the shutter release.  I honestly don't know when I've ever been that cold before, and I was a ski instructor so I've been pretty cold at times!  Anyway, because it was so cold, we stuck to murals that were in the sun, and the boys didn't ever take off their jackets because it was COLD!  (Did I mention that it was cold?  *grin*)

This first mural of the colorful crane was great because we had lots of sun, and lots of space.  (And seriously, how adorable is that little pom on the top of Austin's jacket?)

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The boys has both mastered the head tilt, too, which was awesome!

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Gary is such a handsome boy!

Artist: Matt Monsoon @mattmonsoon.art or https://www.monsoonartworks.com/

Location: 7583 S. Main St., Midvale

The Historic Midvale mural was the next stop on our list (again, in the sun).

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Because there wasn't a lot of sun on the far side of the street, I could only get bits of the mural, so here's a larger view:
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Artist: Gerry Swanson @silentswanart  http://www.silentswanart.com/

Location: 7640 South 2nd Avenue, Midvale, Utah

The last mural we stopped at (before my hand froze to the camera!) was this beautiful Tongan design by Kalani Tonga

DSC_0158-Edit DSC_0167-Edit Artist: Kalani Tonga @kalanitonga.designs , Kalani Tonga Art

Location: 1st Ave. and Main St., Midvale, Utah

Many thanks to Gary and Austin, and their parents for braving the cold temperatures with me!  I'm looking forward to seeing more of the murals when the weather is a bit warmer (20F would be fine; 12F not so much!)! 

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Me. Just in case you were wondering. Early 2020. Crappy cell phone photo, photo credit: my husband.

I started off the year still in a bit of a slump.  I lost my heart dog in April of 2020, about a month after the pandemic lockdown, and while I wouldn't have said at the time that I was depressed, the combination of losing Fi and not being able the things I normally do to heal my soul definitely left me depressed. Sure, I got out of bed, walked the dogs, and actually lost quite a bit of weight.  But I didn't have the fire to do the things that brought me joy. I worked a ton at my day job (which I truly love), and I kept putting one foot in front of the other, but the creative fire was lost for a while.

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Fi, my heart.

At the start of 2022, I began to feel the first stirrings of creativity.  I started talking more photos of my own dogs, I began to take both photography technique classes (if I'm not learning something new, I get bored, and there are ALWAYS things to learn) and business classes. I played around with a bunch of different ideas, trying to find that fire.  I began photographing at the animal shelter again, and got involved in Salt Lake County Animal Service's Hounds Around Town program where volunteers get dogs out of the kennels and take them on adventures.  About the same time, I started discovering the street art in Salt Lake City, and convinced one of the volunteers to humor my attempts to photograph some of the Hounds Around Town dogs in front of the street art.

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I did more of this, and got more and more interested in the street art, the artists, and the entire experience. And the more of these 'sessions' I shot, the more inspired I got, and the Shelter Dogs and Street Art project was born.  This project has really sparked that creative fire in me that I had lost. (And helped me realized what I had been missing for almost 2 years. It's okay; that's life, and in all honestly, I appreciate the excitement that comes with inspiration and creativity even more, having known what it is like to have lost it for a while.)

I'm an introvert, and the lockdown didn't bother me too much, but it made it very easy for me to stay in my comfort zone - my home, my neighborhood, areas that I know.  The Shelter Dogs and Street Art project has forced me (in a good way!) to get out of my comfort zone and go to places in Salt Lake City I probably never would have gone otherwise, and meet amazing people that I definitely would not have met. I've already met so many amazing artists, wonderful people who have adopted dogs from shelters and rescues, and people who keep inspiring me to push this project forward.  I know that this project is perfect for me when I don't hesitate to pick up the phone to call a business to see if I can shoot inside their locked parking area to get a specific mural, when I ordinarily HATE talking on the phone.  

DSC_0063-Edit Crane: 7583 S. Main St., Midvale
Artist: Matt Monsoon @mattmonsoon
 

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Tongan Design
1st Ave. and Main St., Midvale, Utah
Artist: @kalanitonga.designs
 

Cartoon Animals
Artists: Trent Call (@trentcall), Gailon Justus (@sweetneedles), Mike Murdock (@mikemurdock48)
750 South 400 West, Salt Lake City

Summer in the Granary, artist unknown.

The following photos were taken at the SLC Arts Hub, 663 West 100 South, Salt Lake City.  While I'm still tracking down specific artist information, the art work at the SLC Arts Hub is public access, and credit goes to the Utah Arts Alliance (and eventually the artists, when I get their names!)

So, 2022 was definitely a year of rebirth for me.  Having been 'lost' for a bit, I know what's important to me - finding joy in life, and stoking the creative fires so photography is truly fun for me. I'm not looking to ever make photography a full-time job (I really do love my day job!) and keeping that in mind, I want to make sure I'm having fun.  Yes, I'd like to cover my expenses and keep up my equipment and continue my education, but if I'm not having fun, it's just work.  I'm looking forward to 2023, and where this Shelter Dogs and Street Art project takes me, because this is the most alive I have felt in several years and it is FANTASTIC!

The Hounds Around Town program through Salt Lake County Animal Services helps get shelter dogs out of the kennels and go on adventures with volunteers. The adventures range from hikes to getting puppaccinos to getting a bath, and, being a supermodel (or any combination of those activities). It's a great way to get the dogs away from the kennels for a bit while the volunteers learn more about the dogs, and get more photos to help get these dogs adopted.  I'm very fortunate to be able to tag along from time to time, and even more fortunate to have other volunteers indulge my passion for street art!  Ultimately, my goal is to help these dogs get adopted, while also raising awareness of the wide variety of shelter dogs available for adoption and showing off the amazing street art in the Salt Lake City area.

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Moonfire is a 13 year old female Cattle Dog, and she was a total rockstar supermodel on her Hounds Around Town adventure.  She loved the camera, and was so much fun to photograph.  We found a side street in South Salt Lake City that had several murals, and Moonfire showed us what an awesome girl she is.

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Mural:Metamorphosis

Artist: TakerOne (@takeronegraffiti)

Location: 155 West Utopia Avenue, South Salt Lake

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Mural: Light Work

Location: Utopia Avenue off West Temple, Salt Lake City

Artist: Chuck Landvatter (@chuckaintnobody)

DSC_7894-Edit DSC_7918-Edit DSC_7928-Edit Mural: Fish and Astronaut

Artist: Chris Peterson Studio

Location: 154 West Utopia Avenue, South Salt Lake

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Mural: Big Bear

Artist: Chris Peterson Studio

Location: 154 West Utopia Avenue, South Salt Lake

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Mural: Very Colorful Collage

Artist: Billy Hensler (@hensler_art)

Location: 194 West Utopia Avenue, South Salt Lake

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Mural: Look Away

Artist: Chuck Landvatter  (@chuckaintnobody)

Location: 194 West Utopia Avenue, South Salt Lake

I am actively looking for dogs to be a part of this project.  If you have a rescue dog, are a shelter or rescue volunteer, or just want to help promote adoptable dogs while exploring some street art in northern Utah, contact me!  There is no charge to you, and you will get some photographic prints for your time and participation, as well as my undying gratitude!

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Daisy is used to having a camera in her face, and she wasn't fazed by the angler fish behind her!
 

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Mural: Giant Squid

Location: West Temple and Bowers Way, Salt Lake City

Artist: Dan Toro (@ziggaziggah)

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Mural: Juicy Flavorssss

Location: 2255 S W Temple St, South Salt Lake City (Beehive Distilling)

Artist: Atentamente

The goal of this project is to bring attention to the types of dogs that are available in local animal shelters (and again, while Daisy didn't come from a shelter,  Doodles like Daisy are available at animal shelters and rescues, ready for the furever homes) while also highlighting street art in northern Utah. If you would like your dog (or dogs) to be featured in the Street Art and Shelter Dogs project, contact me and tell me that you would like to be part of this project. Your dogs do NOT have to sit or pose to be part of this project; they can run, jump, walk or otherwise move (or be carried!) for the photos.

When I heard that Salt Lake County Animal Services was doing a 'Hounds Around Town' program, where volunteers get dogs out of the kennels and take them on adventures I thought this would be a great opportunity to get photographs of dogs when they are a bit more relaxed.  Anything from getting a puppaccino to going on a hike or getting a bath or a long walk, or just about anything else that is fun for the dogs and gets them out of the kennel is a Hounds Around Town adventure. 

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During the pandemic I discovered the wealth of street art (murals, graffiti, and other stuff) in Salt Lake City, and fell in love with the art. It's accessible to everyone, and is so varied and beautiful. I alway feel like I've discovered hidden treasure when I come around a corner and see a mural - even if I know that the mural is there, seeing it in person is always exciting.

So, I suggested to some of the volunteers with the Hounds Around Town program that maybe we could get photographs of some of the shelter dogs using street art as backgrounds, highlighting shelter dogs while also showing off amazing street art.  And thus my idea for Shelter Dogs and Street Art was born.  This project is still in its infancy, but I am really looking forward to building this out.  South Salt Lake City sponsors a Mural Fest every Spring, and I'm looking forward to photographing new murals and current murals, meet some of the artists, and, of course, help shelter dogs get adopted!

DSC_1864-Edit_118596_Azeri_HAT DSC_2533-Edit Dog: Azeri; Great Dane ~6 months old

Mural: Wasatch Front

Location: 2132 S Richards St.

Artist: Chris Peterson Studio (@chrispetersonstudio)

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Dog: Azeri

Mural: Giant Squid

Location: W Temple and Bowers Way, SaltFire Brewing Co.

Artist: Dan Toro (@ziggaziggah)

DSC_1995-Edit_118596_Azeri_HAT And yes, Azeri was well-rewarded with a puppaccino for her modeling efforts!

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Through Kelly's work and my volunteering for Salt Lake County Animal Services, we had known each other for quite a while. In late September of this year Kelly messaged me to see if I would be willing to get some photos of Kandie and one of her other dogs, Kismet.  Kandie had been recently diagnosed with cancer and Kelly wanted some photos of her.  I knew Kelly didn't have any spare money (no one who starts a non-profit has any spare money!) and I was happy to do the photos for no charge.  (As an aside, this is true not just for local superheros, but other people as well. Having lost my heart dog over 2 years ago, I know how valuable photos are, and I will do what I can to make photos happen. If money is an issue, but your pet is terminally ill, don't let concerns about not being able to afford photos stop you from contacting me.)

We met at a local park and spent the morning getting some photographs of the Kandie, Kismet, and Kelly. 

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A little while after this shoot, I learned that Kelly had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, and the prognosis wasn't good. The world said goodbye to Kelly over the Thanksgiving weekend, and Kandie joined her mother across the Rainbow Bridge less than a week later.  It was an honor to know Kelly, Kandie, and Kismet (and a few of her other dogs as well!).  

Savor every moment; life is short, so live your life fully. Hug your dogs, tell them you love them, and tell your friends and family you love them. Be kind to others, and try to make your conrner of the world a little bit better in your own unique way. 

Kelly and Kandie (and Kismet!), thank you for sharing some of your precious time with me.

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Run free, ladies. I know you are reunited, and have been welcomed by the many, many dogs you have helped over the years. 

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As someone who has to make sure that she has her own family photos taken every couple of years (and yes, with our newest family member, it's getting time for more family photos!), I really love that Tracy makes it easy and fun for her staff to get regular photos of themselves (and their families) with their pets. 

The fall sessions were just breath-taking.  We managed to get pretty much peak Fall colors up Guardsman Pass for two weeks in a row (there are enough staff members - and enough different schedules - that we always try to schedule to sessions so we aren't shooting midday, or in the dark!).

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When we've got a little bit of time between sessions, I try to get a few photos of the dogs, as well. You can never have too many photos!

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Staff/owner photos are one of the many commercial photographic services I provide to local, regional, and enterprise level businesses. If you are interested in photos of your staff (or if you are sole proprietor, photos of yourself), products in action, or photographs for social media/blog posts for your pet-related business, reach out to me by email liz@lizdranowphotography.com or phone, 801-712-3200 for custom packages specific to you and your business.

And, along with jury duty, I returned to Petapalooza, the big pet adoption event sponsored by Salt Lake County Animal Services, where there were 10 (or more) other rescues there.  Because Petapalooza is always crazy, and I like to do something fun for it, I've always set it up so that for a $10 donation people can get a photo of their pets (or, the people with their pets), and free photos for people who adopt that day.  This year,  it was at Historic Wheeler Farm, and I photographed 60 pet families, and raised almost $500 for the animal shelter.  Of course, I then had to pull all the photos out, match them up with their emails, create albums and make sure everyone got their photos.  Which took some time.  But it was fun, and I'm so glad so many people participated!

This sweetie was old, blind, and didn't have many teeth. Her parents didn't think they'd ever get any good photos of her, so I took some extra time to make sure we got several ones.  (I'm a sucker for old dogs, and I just loved this girl!)

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And then on the other end of the spectrum, there was this puppy:

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So cute! I mean, that face!

There were even a couple of cats who braved the experience (we were right up against the dog runs - that's what the chain link fence is).

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It was a lot of work, but I'm so impressed than ANY of the pets sat still long enough for photos - we were surrounded by chaos, with the dogs barking in the dog runs, the (literally) thousands of people, the big line of people for the pet psychic, and the microchipping/adoption stuff going on right next to us.

Here are a few more from the event:

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Thanks to everyone - the volunteers, the shelter staff, and everyone who showed up - who helped make this event so awesome!

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I have a new Outex underwater housing for my camera, and I'm dying to go out and use it (my day job, the weather, and other people's day jobs have conspired against me this last week), but I'm hoping to get out to one of the local reservoirs this week and test it out, because I LOVE photographing in water.  I haven't done much of it lately because I didn't have an underwater housing for my good cameras, and while my Olympus TG-5 is a nice point-and-shoot camera, it is still a point-and shoot camera.  So.... stay tuned for new over/underwater (split photos) soon.  But while I'm jonesing to get out in the water (yes, I've checked about 5 times to make sure my wetsuit fits!), and thinking that if there isn't thunder, shooting in a downpour might be a first step, I've been looking back at photos of Fi at the Dog Dive.  The light in the Dog Dive wasn't great, and it wasn't a huge pool, but Angela was awesome, and a lot of special memories were made there.

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I loved Fi's Friday afternoon "swimmie" times; Fi LOVED to go swimming - she was always so excited to go, she loved being in the pool, and she LOVED getting massages. I loved being able to share that time with her. I don't think it was by chance that Fi was able to have a good swim session the day before we said goodbye (the cancer was winning, and she wasn't very strong and so didn't swim very much, but she still loved being in the water, and it made me happy to see her enjoying herself) - I think it was one of her final gifts to me. And I still get choked up thinking about that.

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I love everything about water - the refraction of light, the feeling of weightlessness, and probably because I was a swimmer as a kid, the absolute sense of fun and play that I have everytime I'm in water!

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While the Dog Dive is gone, I've already found some indoor pools in Salt Lake City and am in the process of scheduling swim times for Daisy and Lucy-Fur and Bella (all separately!), so that once they learn how to swim (it's been a while since Daisy and Lucy-Fur have been swimming, and I don't think Bellatrix has ever been swimming), I can get in the water with them, too.  And yes, I'll have my camera in my Outex housing so there will be photos!  Because nothing is better than spending time with dogs when they are having fun!

What do your dogs love doing for fun?

For our first adventure, we went to Guardsman Pass. I definitely should have brough the bug spray.  But mosquito bites aside, we had a great time!

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Koa is such a rockstar model. He's a clever boy, and devoted to his mom.

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It was a beautiful evening, and we were ablet to get a number of photos in different locations close to the parking lot!

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How awesome are those ears?!? DSC_9050-Edit

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I'm looking forward to our next shoot. I think it will involve water, a paddle board, a camera in a waterproof housing and me in a wetsuit!

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Frisbee Tug of War!

No, really.  This is a thing.  (At least in my house.  But we have Goldendoodles, and they are nutters. Great dogs, but nutters.  Don't believe the myth that they are super chill, low key dogs.  They are retrievers mixed with poodles.  Not exactly two of of the most chill dogs in the world.  Mix them, and you've got complete crazies.  However, for us, the crazy is a feature, not a flaw!)

Way back when I still figuring out how to use a digital camera (and hadn't learned much at all about photographing dogs), when Fi and her younger sister Abby were young dogs, frisbee tug of war was a great game that could be played for hours on end, in any conditions.  Many a good frisbee died in this game, but the frisbee lives were not given in vain - the girls had TONS of fun.

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As an aside, the girls' love for frisbee fun was such that it motivated me to become the action photographer I am today - I loved watching Fi and Abby fling themselves into the air, only partially caring if they caught the frisbee or not.  I spent many, many hours, photographing them, working on technique so I could get better at these action photos.

But that's another story for another day.  Anyway, Abby got cancer quite early in her life and we had to say goodbye to her when she was 5 years old.  Fi had never been an only dog, and since she and Abby were biological sisters, and we knew Abby's loss would be hard on Fi, we got a puppy, Daisy.

Fi was 6 when we Daisy, and Fi wasn't so sure about the whole puppy thing.  However, Daisy was relentless (another Doodle feature/flaw!) and Fi couldn't really get away from Daisy, so Daisy was brought into the Frisbee Fold (so to speak).

Fi was a bit non-plussed with Daisy nudging in on her frisbee time, but again, Daisy was relentless.

Because Daisy was relentless, and Fi wasn't always into Daisy's particular brand of nuttiness, we got Lucy-Fur.  (I think when we got Lucy-Fur, Fi thought we had completely lost our minds and wanted to start to look for a new family.  However, she quickly realized that Daisy was directing most of her energy toward Lucy-Fur - Daisy's biological sister from a different litter - and Fi had some space to get out of the fray.)

Lucy-Fur quickly picked up the Frisbee tug-of-war concept from Daisy, and it was game on. (Fi was happy to chase frisbees when she had her private time in the yard, not being hassled by the youngsters.  By this point, Fi had had a melanoma in one eye, and her vision in that eye wasn't as good as it had been, so she liked to chase frisbees and tennis balls without being distracted by the youngsters.)

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And now, with all the history, you'll see why I was So Excited when Lucy-Fur and Bellatrix had their first session of Frisbee tug of war!

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This is a huge milestone!  Yes, it means that Lucy-Fur is getting more comfortable with Bellatrix (and vice-versa), and Bellatrix is starting to find her spot in the family, and really settle in.

But for me, it also means the carrying on of a family tradition.  And while I'm sure there will many (many, many) hours of Frisbee tug of war in our future, there will be a time when Lucy-Fur will think napping in the sun sounds better than playing tug of war, and eventually, Bellatrix will introduce another dog to the joys of Frisbee tug of war, and I will look back on the photos of Lucy-Fur and Daisy the way I look back on the photos of Fi and Abby, and even Fi with a wee Daisy.  They are little moments in time that happen almost every day.  Until they don't for some reason or another.  And while I wish all dogs could remain health 3-4 year olds for about 20 years, life is nothing if not change. I'll enjoy our dogs' senior days (I love senior dogs - another story for another day) but when all the dogs are snoozing, I'll enjoy looking back at the youthful enthusiasm our kids showed.

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I say this all the time, to the point that it almost sounds trite, but it's not.  Photographs really are time machines.  Fi and Abby are across the Rainbow Bridge (chasing frisbees and tennis ballls there), and yet when I look at the old photos, I'm able to paddle up the River of Time a bit and watch my girls flying through the air again.  It makes me smile, and it makes me appreciate all the youthful shenanigans of our current kids even more - I know there will be a time when I wil miss Bellatrix stealing my shoes, or Daisy nudging my hand for snacks on our hikes, so I enjoy those moments now.  Just like I enjoy Frisbee Tug of War for the joy it brings the dogs now, and for connecting these girls to the girls that have come before them. 

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Fi will always be in my heart, and surrounded by photos of her and her sisters, she lives on forever.  And more than anything, she taught me to live in the moment - when it comes down to it, life is a series of moments to be thoroughly enjoyed at the time, and revisited and savored later with the help of photographs.

Daisy and Lucy-Fur have been excellent companions for each other and for me.  With the pandemic, they also became my co-workers, as well as my photography models and action stars!

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And now, very recently, we finally added a third dog to our family again. I continue to volunteer at Salt Lake County Animal Services, and kept looking until we found the perfect fit for our family, Bellatrix.  She's a young (6 or 7 month old) Goldendoodle, and fits in quite well with Daisy and Lucy.

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And me? I'm still working full-time as a biostatistician, volunteering for Salt Lake County Animal Services, including participating in their Hounds Around Town program to get photos of dogs outside the shelter, and working on some personal projects as well as photography sessions for clients and commercial work for several businesses locally as well as a few national companies.  Life is never dull, and I'm definitely living life thoroughly!  

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Cheers!  (Or, as Fi would say, *kissey face* !)

But, I'll be blunt. Our pets don't live forever, and that sucks. Frequently we wait until they are old or ill to have professional photos taken.  Which is great - documenting our relationships with our pets is important in recognizing how we really feel and how important our pets are to us, and those photographs help us in the grieving process when the time comes.   But look at your pets right now (my two youngsters are trying to hump each other while my older dog is asleep on my feet).  In 5 years, things will be different - the youngsters will probably have mellowed out a bit, and my older dog may no longer be with us.

But I want to remember the bitey-face between the two youngsters.  They probably won't do this for the rest of their lives.  (They might, but they may not - and since this is such an on-going thing right now, if it ever stops, I want to remember it in all its pearly-white toothed glory!)

I don't want to forget Daisy's first day swimming at the Dog Dive. She'll probably have many more days swimming there, but this photo brings back the first time she realized 1) her feet couldn't touch the bottom of the pool, and 2) ermegerd, I can SWIM!, and 3) how much she enjoyed being the center of attention - both mine and Angela's!

When my oldest dog is gone (she's almost 10), I want to remember all the days when she was happy and healthy.

We lost Abby to cancer over a year ago, when she wasn't even quite 6 years old. I never imagined I'd lose her that young. But because I documented her life, this is how I remember her:

And THAT is why you should get photographs of your adult dogs.  They will get older; the do change, sometimes imperceptibly until you notice that your faithful hiking buddy doesn't go as far as she used to, or until you notice a 'troubling' lump on her skin.  Document the now, so you can revisit this time in the future.  Don't lose the mundane moments - in a few years, you'll find yourself ready to trade anything to have those mundane moments back.

If you want to talk more about documenting the now in your pet's life, give me a holler - and tell me more about yourself so we can make sure those everyday moments don't slip by into oblivion.

I made a very conscious effort to document my own puppy's growth, and in the next post in this series, I'll show you her monthly photos - it's amazing how much she changes from month to month.  But here is just a quick trip in the Way Back Machine:

At 3 months old, Daisy wanted to be like her big sister and chase frisbees.  She didn't exactly get the concept of catching frisbees, and the frisbee was about as big as she was, but she wanted to be like her big sister.

Seriously! She was TINY!

And then I jump back to today (yes, we had snow in April - welcome to Utah!) - the changes are amazing.  And looking at her now, it's so easy to forget how she was as a wee bitty puppy!

I'm so glad I was able to get photos of Daisy's early puppy days, so I'll never forget them.

If you'd like to be able to revisit your puppy's early days whenever you'd like, contact me to book your session now before your puppy gets any older! Don't wait and lose those puppy days forever!

Be sure to check out my package designed to capture the entire first year with your puppy!

Always together

Scheduling a photo session with your pet when they are bouncy and happy is optimal, but sometimes you just don't think about it - or life keeps you so busy that it's hard to find an hour or two to have me come to you to photograph you and your pet.

Tank was such a case. His family had always thought about getting family photos with him, but they were busy. Then one day, he threw up a couple of times and his family took him to the vet. The vet took some x-rays and found a large mass in his abdomen. Tank was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic in Salt Lake City, where he underwent surgery. Tank's Mom reached out to me during the surgery, honestly concerned that he wasn't ever going to be coming home to them; Tank was 8 and a half years old, and he was undergoing major surgery.

We set up a time for a photo session at the emergency clinic, but a few hours before we were going to do the session, Tank had to go back in for another surgery. Extremely nervous about his prognosis at this point, we re-scheduled for the next day, and along with his family, I was hoping desperately that Tank would survive his second surgery.

Thankfully, Tank survived his second surgery in 4 days, and we decided to go ahead with the photo session.  We knew Tank was going to be a bit groggy from surgery, and there would likely have to be some cropping and Photoshop work to remove IV's and sutures and things, but there was the very real concern that it was now or never.

Tank rallied for his photo shoot, and while we kept it short so as to not wear him out, we were able to find a space in the BluePearl vet clinic to set up a backdrop and make things look a little less like a vet clinic.

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Tank's love for "his girl" and his family in general was very clear - he REALLY wanted to be with his family. While it wasn't a perfect situation, we were able to get photographs of Tank with his family, at a time when his future was very uncertain.

I am very happy to say that Tank made a full recovery from his surgeries, the mass was benign, and he is home with his family.  In a couple of weeks, we'll get more photos of Tank at his house, where he is comfortable, relaxed, and most importantly, completely recovered! But Tank is a prime example that the only time that is too late for photographs is once you've said goodbye. 

If you have a senior pet or a pet who has recently been diagnosed with a chronic or acute health condition, contact me about my Infinity Sessions at 801-712-3200, email me at liz@lizdranowphotography.com or tell me a little more about your pet and we'll work together to create memorable photographs of your pet.  Having lost one of my dogs at a young age to cancer in September 2016, I assure you that a photo session with your pet is an experience you will treasure for the rest of your life.

My favorite part of the birthday celebration is the trip to "The Magic Cheeseburger Window."  Also known as the McDonald's drive-thru.  Because really, think about a McDonald's drive-thru from a dog's perspective: you get to go for a ride in the car, and then you make a stop some place that has really amazing smells, and you get to put your snooter into over-drive sniffing all the cool smells. Then, when you are drooling from all the amazing smells, some person hands a plain cheeseburger to your Mom through a window.  How cool is that?  Awesome smells, and then a cheeseburger is magically passed from a cheeseburger-dispensing window right into your car, and you get to smell it all the way home, and then you get to EAT this cheeseburger that magically appeared from nowhere!

I love watching Fi take in all the smells - she just loves it!

Honestly, from a dog's perspective, that has got to be one of the coolest things ever!

I'm not a big fan of McDonald's (although in moments of weakness their fries can hit the spot) - I'm not a snob, but I just don't eat hamburgers very often, so when I do, I like to get all creative and experiment with gourmet burgers at home.  But I get such a kick out of watching my dog (Abby doesn't stick her head out the window to take in the smells, but Fi is ALL OVER IT).  You can tell she is having a grand time.  And we only go a few times a year - usually for each girl's birthday, my birthday (because the girls should totally be able to celebrate my birthday, too) and my husband's birthday - so it's a real treat for Fi, and I never tire of watching her nose trying to suck in every possible smell.

And besides, I feel much less guilty when I put birthday hats on them, because they know the Magic Cheeseburger Window is in their immediate future!

Happy birthday Fi - and happy sniffing! 

I grew up in Saudi Arabia with my parents and my two brothers, and one of my parents' favorite recreational activities was to take us to historical sites around the world. 

Which sounds really cool, right? In hindsight, yes, it was totally cool. However, in addition to standing on what is left of the steps of the Roman Senate proclaiming, "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears", and walking up to the Acropolis in Athens, I have very distinct memories of tramping through some farmer's field in England, in the rain and fog (of course) to look at some grass-covered mound, with another, bigger grass-covered mound and my Mom standing in her London Fog trench coat, pointing at a paragraph in a guidebook with leather-gloved hands, assuring us that the mounds were a part of Hadrian's Wall, and a related watchtower.  (To date myself, this was long before there was a concerted effort to excavate Hadrian's Wall and before the National Trail along Hadrian's Wall existed - although if you want to see what I imagined we were looking at through the rain and the growing darkness, check out Hadrian's Wall Country).  As an 8 year-old kid, it was not as interesting as it could have been.  But I'd love to go back now!

One of the cooler trips we ever took was in Saudi Arabia, where we traveled along the Hijaz Railroad.  If you've ever seen the movie Lawrence of Arabia, the trains they were blowing up were on the Hijaz Railroad, and that all really happened.  (And if you haven't seen Lawrence of Arabia, go watch it. Seriously. One of the great epic movies of all time, and had everyone who was everyone in it, including Alec Guinness (aka Obi Wan Kenobi) and Omar Sherif, not to mention Peter O'Toole, of course!)  Having seen the movie and then climbing around the trains rusting in the desert, and through the old Turkish forts, it was very easy to imagine the Bedouin attacking the Turks just over the next sand dune.  Even at 9 years old, I knew I was stepping back in time!  (Yes, this is me, as a young child, climbing around one of the old engines. Seriously, it does not get cooler than this!)

My parents are very cool people, and in hindsight, I am amazed at all the fantastically cool places we visited, even if I didn't fully appreciate everything I saw at the time.  Luckily, my parents took a lot of photos, and I can travel back in time to those trips and revisit those locations and the family adventures that accompanies them whenever I look at the photographs (looking at these photos, I can still remember camping in the desert, sand in our food, and the time the SUV we were using got a flat outside of Medina, one of the holiest sites of Islam - and only open to Muslims - and my Dad and a couple of other Arabic-speaking members of our group gaving the flat tire and a bunch of money to a guard to the city and waited for several hours, hoping he'd bring back a new-ish tire.  Luckily the guard returned with a new tire, or we'd probably still be there!).  That said, my husband will tell you that I'm a bit of a pain in the neck when we are watching the Tour de France, because when they show historical sites, I'm frequently saying "I've been there!", and then regale him with tales of my travels.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I finally took the time to do a walking tour of historical Park City (well, Main Street). I've lived in Park City for almost years, and in Utah for more than 25 years, but I had never really looked at Main Street as any place more than somewhere to avoid during Sundance, and to take friends and family for dinner when they come to visit.  Sort of silly for someone who loves history and lives in a mining town that has all sorts of fascinating stories that surround late 19th-century/early 20th-century mining towns.

Totally cool tour, and I have a much greater appreciation and understanding for things that I took for granted.  (Who knew Park City had a China Town? It burned down in the fire of 1898, but it explains why there is a 'China Bridge' section of town - I never really thought about it before, but that's one of those cool little pieces of trivia that I just love.)  I also found some really cool locations for pet photos.  Because honestly, Park City is a pet town, and I can't think of anything better than exploring historical Park City with your pet.  (Mine didn't come with me because the tour was through the Park City History Museum and I couldn't take my dogs with me.  But I am more than happy to pass on my new-found knowledge to you, and you can bring your dogs along!)

The Centennial, a one-time boarding house for miners (to ostensibly keep them away from the 'evils' of Main Street)

An old miner's cabin. I'm really glad I don't have to shovel those stairs!

The Egyptian Theater. A Park City landmark!

Yet more stairs.  Mining towns have a lot of stairs given that they are in the mountains and everything is either uphill or downhill from everything else!

A very cool monument to mechanical engineers!

A building with a mail-order front facade.  (Really!)

Yes, Main Street has a lot of high-end shops, restaurants and modern stores, but just underneath the 21st century veneer of Main Street exists the 19th century mining town with brothels and saloons and a Masonic Lodge, as well as over a century of people and the hopes, dreams, loves and goals. History that you can see and feel is fun, exciting, living history!

If you'd like a tour of Park City, pets included, and photos to memorialize the adventure so you can relive it in years to come, contact me at 801-712-3200 or liz@lizdranowphotography.com.  I'd love to share Park City with you!

Yesterday, I got to spend some time with a friend of mine whose only child also has paws, and I was able to get some "mother and son" photos for her. These two have such an incredible bond, and it is always inspiring to see these two together - they are the personification (dogification?) of unconditional love. It was an impromptu shoot, and her boy was being silly - which was great, because posed photos all the time don't necessarily capture reality!

After being silly, Buddy settled down a bit, and let me get some more "serious" photos of him. I really like that parts of Michelle are in the background, because it illustrates their unbreakable bond even when the focus of the photograph is on Buddy.

Yes, Mother's Day is about me being able to spend time with my mother and the rest of the family (even if it is through the magic of Skype), but it is also about sharing the joy of the love between a mother and her son.

If you'd like photos of your own furry (or feathery, or hairless) kids, contact me at 801-712-3200 or liz@lizdranowphotography.com or use the built-in contact form and tell me what you love best about your kids!

Julie Bee, a senior dog adopted at the age of 15, enjoying Salt Lake City in winter!

Ordinarily, these photos would be on the “something I’d like to do sometime” list; like a lot of people I’m busy, and I always assume there will be plenty of time to get the photos.  But two weeks agoI discovered a lump in Abby’s armpit.  About 9 months ago, we found a grade 3 mast cell on Abby’s chest, and we had it surgically removed, Abby went through chemo therapy, and she’s now had two sets of clean CT scans, the last 6 weeks ago.  We were confident that Abby was cured, and we’d have plenty of time to get those photos. And we may still have that chance; Abby has had surgery to remove the new lump, she will go through chemo again, and with luck, things will eventually return to normal. But it was another grade 3 mast cell tumor, and even with treatment, there's a chance she'll develop more. So I want to get photos while she is feeling good. Even if she's on a 'limited activity' restriction right now.

Woe is Me!

• What style photos do I want? Formal studio photos? Action photos? Documentary (also called “lifestyle” photos)? A combination?  In this case, I want lifestyle photos.  I want photos that capture the normal daily interaction between me and my girls. _DSC4243

   

• What kind of products do I want?  Digital files only?  Big wall art? Smaller prints that I would frame? A photo book or albums? Something else? In my case, I want either smaller prints for framing, a photo book, or possibly even a folio box (which is a box that contains a certain number of prints - usually 9-15, mounted or matted). I already have a bunch of large canvases of my dogs, and in this case I’m looking for memories that I might not look at every day, but are easy to flip through when I want to. I don’t want just digital files, because I don’t want something that will sit on a hard drive and that I will never look at again.

Large Folio Box

• What is my budget? I’m not 100% certain, as I need to discuss it with my husband but I anticipate around $3000 when it is all done. These photos are important to me, I can’t get these photos on my own, and I want them done right. Be honest with yourself; what can you afford? What are you willing to sacrifice to pay for the photos? How important are these photos to you? The more honest you are with yourself, the easier it will be to communicate your budget to potential photographers. And if there is someone else who has input on your budget (spouse, partner, parent, etc.) make sure you are all on the same page about your budget.

I know what I want, mostly because I know what photos I already have.  However, if this is your first time getting professional photos of your pet, you may not know the answers to questions #1 and #2 - and that’s okay.  A professional photographer will ask you questions about your pets, you activities with them, and what you want to capture most.  A professional will also ask you what you want to do with the photos, and talk to you about various options, and, ideally, show you some samples in various sizes, so you can get a sense of what will suit your needs.  The only thing you really need to have figured out when you contact a professional photographer is a sense your budget.  If your entire budget, including the photoshoot, and files (or prints) is firmly set at $100, don’t call a photographer whose sessions start at $150 and don’t include any prints or digital files, and hope that she will drop her price for you; if you really like the photographer’s style and won’t settle for anything else, either consider payment plans or figure out if your daily coffee is really more important than photos that you will enjoy for a lifetime.

Once I’ve answered the above questions, I look for a photographer that can help me get the photos I want.  I’m lucky; I know several pet photographers in the area, and I know one whose lifestyle photography really has the feel that I want.

Liz in Action

Not my photo; photo courtesy one of my clients!

If I didn’t know photographers, I’d Google pet photographers in my area (I live outside a larger city, so I’d Google photographers in Salt Lake City, as well as Park City, as many pet photographers serve a fairly large area), and I’d ask pet-owning friends.  If my vet’s office or dog daycare has pet photos on display and I like them, I’d find out who the photographer was.  Then, I’d look at websites to see if I like the photographer’s work, and see if I could get a sense of whether the photographer was in my budget or not (most photographers will give you some idea of what you can expect to spend).  Once I had found a photographer or two (or three) that I really like, I’d send an email, or call and see how well I ‘click’ with the photographer, and if we are a good match.

When I talk with the photographer, in addition to the types of products they offer, their availability, and travel policies, I also like to ask about their process - do they want to meet my dogs ahead of time? What is included with the session fee? Will they email me a link to view my photos or do they set up a separate viewing appointment? Do I have to purchase everything at that viewing appointment?  There are a lot of questions to ask, and the more you and your photographer talk, the more confident you’ll be that you are getting exactly what you expected - which means you'll have an experience you can enjoy.

If you’d like photos of you and your pets, contact me at 801-712-3200 or liz@lizdranowphotography.com - I’m more than happy to answer all your questions!

I had such a session about 10 days ago.  The discussion about the session originally revolved around a senior beagle and an old pickup truck.  Which in and of itself was enough to get me super excited!  Then, the owner mentioned she had a cat, and she would love to get some family photos with the dog, the cat, her husband, the old pickup truck and herself.  Totally!  Family pet photos are awesome!  And then she wondered if I might be up for including their two pet chickens.  Of course! But I did want to make sure no one was going to try to eat anyone else. Once it was clear that it was unlikely that any of the pets would be looking at any of the other pets with thoughts of dinner dancing through their heads, I was good.  I mean, senior dog, old pickup truck, cat, human parents and chickens!  This couldn't get any better!  And then the owner mentioned that the chickens had sweaters. I'll admit it; as soon as she mentioned the sweaters, I was giddy with excitement.  I don't photograph chickens too often to begin with, but chickens in sweaters?!?  That is not an opportunity you come across every day.​

When I got to the owner's house, I saw the truck.  I love cars.  I love trucks.  I love motorcycles.  In all cases, the older the better, as the 'classic' vehicles are true works of art.

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Um, yeah!!!

After meeting and greeting the owners, the dog and the cat, we got down to the business of the photos.  First we started off with Milo, the dog.

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Then we brought out Myrrh, the cat, who was surprisingly good with the snow, especially since she is almost exclusively an indoor cat.

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Given that the original idea of the shoot was to capture Milo the senior beagle and the 60 year old pickup truck,  we then moved on to some "dog in truck" photos.  There is just something fundamentally appealing about dogs in pickup trucks.

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After that, it was time for the chickens.  Chickens in sweaters!

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Feeling brave (since no one had made any attempt to eat anyone else at this point), we decided to try some photos with the full family. 

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The perfect storm!  A full family photo with all family members present and mostly attentive!

If you'd like photos of your entire family, include the furry, feathery, and hairless family members, contact me using the contact form or call me directly at 801-712-3200 and let's set up a family photo session that includes the entire family!

My dogs are definitely not the only ones having fun in the snow.  Koda, a chocolate lab visiting from southern California also discovered the joys of Utah powder!

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If you'd like photos of your adventure dogs having fun in the snow, contact me using the contact form or call me directly at 801-712-3200 and let's set up a Puppy Powder Day!

I have mixed feelings about the whole Christmas-the-day-after-Halloween phenomenon.   One the one hand, I sort of wonder what happened to Thanksgiving.  However, I don't really do the big family thing for Thanksgiving; my husband's family is scattered around, and all my family is on the East Coast, so Thanksgiving in my house usually consists of making something I enjoy preparing but usually takes too long during the work week (I've been learning to make sushi rolls as of late, so we might have sushi for Thanksgiving), making a pumpkin pie, because I love the way it smells (and tastes) and Skype-ing with my family.  For me, Thanksgiving is pretty much just a four-day weekend from my day job.  

On the other hand, I love Christmas.  We really don't do much more for Christmas than we do for Thanksgiving (traveling during the holidays is pretty much my personal idea of Hell), but I love Christmas lights, I love how people tend to be more cheerful and gracious towards one another, I love having an excuse to make fudge, and I like having an excuse to thank people for thankless jobs they do all year long.  I love the family traditions that we have, even though my family is a couple of thousand miles apart.  I love doing silly things with and for my dogs.

So, when I see the Christmas decorations in the stores, I will admit to feeling a bit of excitement.

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Bert is excited for the holidays!  He's a therapy dog, and he knows he's going to be spending a lot of time bringing holiday cheer to weary travelers and patients in hospitals.

I know some people think Christmas should wait until Thanksgiving is over, and I'm good with that - everyone has their own opinions about when Christmas decorations should appear, and I'm fine with that.

Except for one thing; if you want to give photo gifts (prints, calendars, photo books, whatever) as presents, or if you want a family photo for you holiday cards, or if you want a holiday ornament of your furry family member waiting until after Thanksgiving to start thinking about those things is a bit too late.  Even if you find a photographer with sessions available, the photos from the session have to be processed, you have to pick the photos you want, and then the products you want need to be ordered a delivered.  Not only are photographers busy, but photo labs are busy, and they start sending out notices to professional photographers along the lines of "you MUST order by this date if you want products delivered by Christmas".  Prints you might be able to get fairly quickly, but as soon as you start looking at canvases or metals or photo books or other specialty items, the "must order by" date comes up a lot faster than you might think.

If you want a Christmas ornament of your pet, don't wait until after Thanksgiving to start to find a photographer, unless you want to take your chances as to whether the ornament will arrive in time for Christmas!

If you are interested in Christmas photos of all your family, or just your furry family members, the sooner you contact me, the better!

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So put off the holiday decorating as long as you like (I grew up overseas and knew a Dutch family that didn't even put up a Christmas tree until Christmas Eve), but if you want to have family photos for Christmas cards, or if you want to give photo gifts as presents (to yourself as well as to others - there is nothing wrong with treating youself!), the holiday planning has to start early!

Besides, when you are able to cross "Christmas cards", and "photos for the grandparents" off your list, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the spirit of the holidays!

If you holiday photos of your pets, or your entire family (and your pets are family, right?!?), contact me at 801-712-3200 or liz@lizdranowphotography.com

Watching time fly can include the changing of the seasons, watching a puppy grow up, or watching a new pet come into your household and flourish.  I recently completed a Puppy Grow Up session with a poodle named Winnie (and her 12 year old poodle brother Lucky).  

During the very first session, Winnie was a 16 week old ball of fluff.

At 6 months, Winnie was a bigger ball of fluff, and still very puppy-like, but you could start to see the adult in her emerging, as her legs got longer and her fat puppy belly disappeared.

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Last week, I saw Winnie again, a little over a year old, looking much less puppy-like and a lot more like an adult dog (although she's still got a fair amount of goofy puppy in her!).

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When you see your pet every day, the changes over time are subtle - you can't really pinpoint when the changes occur, but looking back at photographs, you can immediately see that little puppy again.  When I did the final session with Winnie and Lucky, I had brought along a sample photo book, that included the photograph of the 16 week old Winnie standing on the bed.  Of course her parents remember Winnie the puppy, but when they see Winnie the young adult every day, it's harder to recall the little ball of fluff that was the 16 week old Winnie.  Until they saw the photo of her.  Time travel in a photo book!

Yes, Time DOES fly, but photographs are like a time machine - you can re-visit times gone by whenever you want!

If you'd like to get more information about a Time Flies package, either to capture your puppy growing up or just to capture the seasons changing and the year progressing, fill out the contact form, or call me at 801-712-3200, so we can talk about what times you'd like to capture.  According to Einstein, we can't ever really travel back in time, so photographs are the closest we are ever going to get - don't let time pass you by!

I usually photograph pets ready for their fur-ever homes, but I don't often get to see the pets when the are adopted with their new families. So when the volunteer coordinator asked me if I would like to help photograph adopted animals at Petapalooza 2015, a HUGE adoption event held at the Viridian Library in West Jordan, Utah at the end of August, I jumped at the chance.  Petapalooza was a great event!  There were a bunch of vendors and food trucks, and rescue organizations, live music, and, of course, a ton of adoptable dog and cats and birds - a great end-of-summer party event.  And there were a lot of people who met their newest family members there!

Petapalooza 2015A happy family with their new kitten!

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I think this girl's shirt and her face said it all!

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This handsome pup came from the Arctic Rescue of Utah, and looks like she found a family ready for action-filled adventures!

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A happy family, complete with a baby who is going to grow up with two loyal (and handsome!) siblings!

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Three beautiful ladies!

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And pair of beautiful ladies!

Since I was there with my camera, I also got to photograph a few adoptable dogs for rescues.

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This lovely trio was from the Arctic Rescue of Utah - beautiful ladies and very cooperative with the right treats!

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Mugsy!  What a face!

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How could you say no to a face like that?

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I also photographed people who were just out to enjoy the event with their current furry family members.

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It was a great event, and if I read the numbers correctly a grand total of 90 animals were adopted that day, between the rescue organizations, and Salt Lake County Animal Services!  Absolutely fantastic!

I am already looking forward to next year's party!  It was so much fun to be with fellow pet lovers, watching people with their pets, listening to their stories, and seeing everyone having a good time!

If you missed Petapalooza but would like photos of your family complete with the furry family members, contact me at 801-712-3200 or use the easy contact form. If you book a session before January 31, 2016 be sure to mention 'Petapalooza' (whether you were there or not) for special discounts on photography sessions, with a portion of each session going to help the adoptable animals at Salt Lake County Animal Services.

If you want to volunteer with Salt Lake County Animal Services, contact the volunteer coordinator for more information.  She'll work with you to find a volunteer position that best suits you - whether it is walking dogs, playing with cats and kittens, doing community outreach or even helping with office tasks - if you love animals (and I know you do!), there's a volunteer opportunity waiting for you!

This last Saturday was 'graduation day' for three puppies at the Three Little Pits puppy class in Park City, Utah, held at the Powder Paws Veterinary Clinic.  There was Theo, the fluffy Goldendoodle puppy:

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And there was Target, the border collie, who is still growing into his feet:

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And there was Monty, the Italian Greyhound, with one of the greatest sets of ears I have seen in quite some time:

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Seriously - those ears!

Obviously, the graduates had learned 'sit' very well, and were quickly mastering the fine art of looking cute for the camera (which they all caught on to quite quickly!).  

There was even time for a few photos with the doting parents!

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The graduates and their proud parents - what a great day!

If you'd like photos of your puppy - or your not-quite-a-puppy-anymore, contact me at 801-712-3200, or tell me a little more about yourself using the built-in contact form.  Puppies grow up so quickly, so contact me today!

Over time, through the magic of email, Facebook, and other online media, I became good friends with a number of people behind the blogs, despite having never met any of these people in real life.  Eventually, I found other dog bloggers in Utah, and I have since met several of them in person.

Last week, a dog blog friend was coming through Utah on her way to her home state after an extended job in another state.  A couple of other Utah dog bloggers and I managed to find a time and a location where we could all meet our mutual friend together.   We all met at the Utah state park Fort Buenaventura, and had a great time getting to know each other better, playing with the dogs, and for me, photographing the entire experience.

I finally got to meet Bert.  I've "known" Bert and his mother for years, and even though he lives in Ogden, I'd never had the chance to meet.  Bert is a therapy dog and comes to the local children's hospital, close to where I work, but the timing was never right for me to go greet Bert - and since Bert spends a lot of time working, I've had a hard time trying to get my schedule to fit in with his.  

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Bert was all fluffy from recent therapy dog work, but as soon as he got close to the pond, he made sure to get rid of his fluffiness as quickly as possible!

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Our traveling friend was Princess Harlow.  Princess Harlow lives out of state, but I've been able to follow her antics (and the antics of her family) on Facebook and through her blog.  I was curious as to whether Princess Harlow was quite as 'Princess-y' as she came across online.  Needless to say, Princess Harlow did not disappoint.

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Bert and Harlow hit it off instantly, and there was much Golden Goodness.

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Bert loved the pond!

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Harlow was not so keen on the water, but really enjoyed socializing!

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Both dogs happily posed for portraits before the afternoon was done.

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I never knew when I started Fiona's blog almost 7 years ago that I would make so many good friends through the world of dog blogging, and I certainly never realized how much these relationships would enrich my life.  And even though Mango has long since crossed the Rainbow Bridge, Mango's mother and I are very close friends.  

If you would like photos of your own pet "on location' in northern Utah, contact me for more information or call me directly at 801-712-3200!

An oncologist visit and an additional $1000 in tests later, the verdict is that chemotherapy is the best option to knock down the spread of cancer cells.  Even then, the prognosis isn’t great.  If we are really, really lucky, we might be able to give my girl a couple of years of good living.  Given that she’s only 5 years old, that really sucks.  The harsh reality is that my girl isn’t going to live forever, no matter how much I want her to.  And yes, it breaks my heart.  But I’m going to enjoy every minute with her that I can, and I’m going to make sure that I’ve got memories of her that will be with me forever.

Sadly, the trade-off for the unconditional love we get from our pets is that they don’t live forever.  Even ones that snooze in sunbeams well into old age, collecting white hairs on their muzzles and benign lumps and bumps eventually have to leave us.  And saying goodbye to a beloved pet is one of the hardest things any of us will ever have to do.    

But their spirits do live on forever in our memories.   Photographs can help you connect with your beloved pets long after they are gone.  A shared hug in the sun, or seeing your boy relaxing on his favorite couch will bring back all the emotions and feelings that can get disconnected from your memories over time.  Photographs of your pets do help keep them alive forever, and even if you have hundreds (or more) photographs of your pet on your cellphone, be honest with yourself – how many of those photographs are really high quality photos, and how many are really blurry pictures of furry blobs?  Even if you do have some great photos on your phone, what’s going to happen to those pictures when you upgrade your phone?  Digital photos are readily accessible now, but will they be in 5 years, or 10 years or 20 years?  Prints allow you to view those photos now, and in 10 years, or even 100 years.  Your pet truly can live forever in photographs.

I know all too well how quickly vet bills can add up, and you might be thinking that professional photographs just don’t fit in a budget already burdened by medications and extra vet visits and special diets and treatments.   I understand this predicament, and I don’t ever want anyone to have to sacrifice lasting photographs because of finances.   Payment plans are available, and I will work with you to ensure you can continue to provide the best quality of life to your pet for as long as possible, while also ensuring you will have high quality photographs of your pet to keep her memory alive forever.     

Happy Basset Hound!Molly the Utah basset hound having a great time during her photography session in her home!

For more information about Special Sessions for senior and terminally ill pets, contact me today - the sooner we can arrange a photo session for you pet, the more chance we will be able to get photographs of your pet at her best.  However, if you need to make last-minute arrangements, I understand - please call me immediately so I can re-arrange my schedule to give your pet priority.  Your love for your pet, and your pet's love for you is eternal and I can help you capture high-quality photographs that will keep your memories and feelings alive forever.   Call me today at 801-712-3200, or contact me using the built-in contact form.  I look forward to helping your pet live on through photographs.

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I have two Goldendoodles; my younger dog, Abby, was diagnosed with a grade 3 mast cell tumor.  The only sign anything was wrong was when my husband noticed a "weird" bump on her chest when he was putting her harness on her to get ready for a walk.  I hustled her off to the vet and they aspirated the growth and told me it was a mast cell tumor.  I've had experience with mast cell tumors before, but I was totally not expecting the biopsy results to come back as a grade 3 tumor - which means it has a high likelihood of returning and/or metastasizing.  She had shown no signs of ill health, her appetite is good, and she is full of bouncy energy - the diagnosis completely blindsided me.  The prognosis for grade 3 mast cell tumors isn't very good, but like every pet owner who has received news like this, I am hoping that we can beat the odds.  I'm also a realist, however, and this diagnosis only reinforces my belief in creating and preserving memories with both my girls for as long as I can.

Yesterday was a cloudy, wet spring day - not good for much but a nice walk walk with the dogs.  So, my husband and I loaded up our dogs and drove to The Farm; needless to say, I had my camera with me, and I took the opportunities to get a few images of my dogs enjoying a cool, damp day.  Being Goldendoodles, they are all-weather dogs, and a few sprinkles and a stiff breeze didn't deter them!

Happy Goldendoodle in Park City Utah Park City Utah Goldendoodle Dramatic Spring Day in Park City Utah Abby Relaxing at the White Barn in Park City Utah Happy Doodle in Park City Utah

It was a great walk for all of us, and nice change from our neighborhood streets!  I look forward to visiting the barn again when it has a large American flag on the front for Memorial Day.

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I truly believe that photographing adoptable pets helps them find homes faster; PetFinder is an amazing resource, and does a great job in matching up adoptable pet with people looking to adopt.  Truthfully, people click more frequently on listings where there are photos, particularly photos where the pets look happy.  And when pets find their fur-ever homes, I believe the pets breathe easier (as do their humans, with all the heath benefits pets provide to their owners).

Photographing adoptable pets at the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter is an important part of my life, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to donate some of my time and talent to the dogs and cats looking for fur-ever homes - it helps the pets, it's relaxing for me, and Salt Lake County Animal Services has a wonderful, dedicated group of staff and volunteers who actively work with the animals with training, enrichment, and quality play time.   Volunteering at the shelter helps fill my life with warm fuzzies (and I'm not just talking about the layers of dog and cat hair I bring home with me).

And speaking of warm fuzzies, here are a few from my latest visit:

Sir Miles (I'm sure he really made the Queen's Honours List - he was very regal!)

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Then there was Dobby.  I can only assume, with the big ears and googly eyes, that this Dobby was once a house-elf who had received a sock, and is now looking for a family who can truly appreciate him.  You have to love staff who are Harry Potter fans!

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This next guy may or may not have been named Aladdin (that was the name I was given, but I was also told he was a Lab - which clearly he is not).  I just called him Mr. Handsome.  

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And then there is June.  My husband and I have imposed a two-dog limit on our household (in part because our two dogs are more than a handful, and when we are both home, each of our dogs is able to receive double-handed scratchies, which they demand on a regular basis; also, there isn't any more room in our bed for another dog!) - otherwise, I would have been very tempted to bring June home with me.   However, there is no need to worry; it is my understanding that June was adopted shortly after this photo was taken.

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And in my book, that is success!

If you are interested in finding your own fur-ever friend, check out Petfinder or your local animal shelter.  And if you live in Northern Utah, and have helped an animal breathe a little easier by giving her (or him) a fur-ever home, contact me for special discounts on photography sessions for adopted pets! If you'd like to capture memories of your furry friend (adopted or from a responsible breeder) that will last you a lifetime, tell me a little more about yourself and your pet(s) and what makes them so special!

As you assemble (or replenish) your pet's first aid kit, this is also a good time to create (or review) your family disaster plan - if you have to evacuate in a hurry, do you have pet preparedness kit?  Check out the Red Cross information sheet on how to include your pets in your family's disaster plan. 

April is also National Heartworm Awareness month - stock up on your heartworm medication of choice from your favorite vet, pet store or pet supply business.  Let's keep our pets safe and healthy this month and every month!

If you have pets and you live in or around Park City, Utah, you probably know about Doginhaus, the luxury doggie daycare that also provides grooming and boarding.  If you don't know about Doginhaus, you should definitely visit them in-person or online to learn more about their services.  With an in-house groomer, you can drop your dog off for day care or boarding, and pick up a clean, trimmed dog.  But schedule in advance - Doginhaus is justifiably quite busy!

Last week, I had the opportunity to photograph dogs of some of the staff members at Doginhaus.  It gave me a chance to introduce many of the staff members to my photography sessions while also creating some wonderful images of their dogs.    I have a portable studio with a variety of backdrounds, so we decided to go with a studio setting for these photographs.  It was also great opportunity to meet some of the staff members' dogs and associate the owners with their pets - I can't think of a better, or more enjoyable way to get to know people better than through their dogs!

The first canine visitor to my studio area was Shasta, a Bernadoodle.  Being a doodle owner myself, I have a great appreciation for all doodle dogs, and while I have heard a lot of great things about Bernadoodles (a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle), I had never actually met one before.  Shasta is an excellent ambassador for her breed - fluffy, well-mannered and oh-so-cute!  Shasta is fairly young, but she took to the whole studio setup like a seasoned supermodel!

Stasha the Bernadoodle in Park City, Utah Stasha the Bernadoodle in Park City, Utah Stasha the Bernadoodle in Park City, Utah

After Shasta came Blu.  I'm not 100% certain what Blu's lineage is (nor do I care - purebred, mutt, young, old - all dogs are beautiful in their own unique ways), and it really doesn't matter;  Blu is gorgeous, and those eyes of his (which gave him his name) are as captivating in person as they are in the images.

My next guests were Cosmo and Nigel.  These two boys are siblings, and it was very amusing to observe the dynamics between the two of them and figure out the best way to photograph them.  Nigel is VERY treat motivated, while Cosmo is more mellow - which led to a lot of juggling treats, squeaky toys and the camera - we all had a great time together!

In addition to a 'siblings' photo, I photographed each of them individually.  Nigel was up first - so thoughtful and soulful!

Then came Cosmo.  I love everything about Cosmo - his face, his personality, and those eyes that make it clear Cosmo knows the secrets of the universe!

Finally, I met Ruger and Moose.  These two canine siblings probably couldn't have been more different - and so they complemented each other perfectly.  Moose is a French Bulldog and is very easy going, while his brother Ruger is a Vizsla, and is more energetic - as you would expect from a Vizsla.  Again, there was a bunch of juggling squeaky toys and treats and the camera, but with the help of Moose and Ruger's mom, we were able to get some perfect portraits of the boys!

Vizslas are such regal dogs, and Ruger was no exception!

Moose!  What isn't to love about Moose?  He has fabulous ears, a wonderful personality,  and did I mention those ears?

It was a lot of fun to meet the dogs of some of the staff at Doginhaus - and the next time you go into Doginhaus, be sure to look for photos of the dogs of Doginhaus and see if you can match up the staff with their dogs!  

For more information about Doginhaus, visit their web page.  If you'd like photographs of your own pets you can get more information about my pet photography sessions, or contact me directly for more information!

At 15 Goose is not a young pup anymore, but he is proof that unconditional love isn't affected by stiff joints or a few extra lumps and bumps. Goose is absolutely devoted to his mother and she to him; I feel very fortunate to have been able to capture the love these two have for each other.   This is one of those (many) times where images say more than words ever could,  so I'll just stop talking and let you experience Goose and his mother.

Unconditional love at its finest!  These images give me the warm fuzzies every time I look at them, and I am so happy that I was able to preserve memories that Michelle will be able to look at and enjoy for a lifetime.

But shelters and rescue organizations can use more than just dog walkers and cat entertainers.   There is a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work that has to be done to make sure that the organizations run smoothly, and you probably don't realize that what you consider to be 'basic' skills make you a Shelter Super Hero.   Do you have mad filing skills?  Do you type 100+ words a minute?  Do you design and maintain databases for fun?  Do you like coordinating schedules and organizing things? Do you like being an administrator on a Facebook group? If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, you have the makings of a Shelter Super Hero; office work is essential for any rescue organization, and you still get all of the joy of knowing that you are helping adoptable animals find their ‘fur-ever’ homes.  If you want to donate your time and skills, go call or email that volunteer coordinator immediately!  Go on.  I’ll wait.  Seriously; I'll still be here.

Welcome back!  Personally, filing is not my thing.  As for typing, well, spellcheck is my friend.  And while I do design and maintain databases for a living, it’s not my passion; when I come home at the end of the day, I want to take photographs of my pets, I don’t want to build databases. I am, however, related to people who build databases for fun, as well as people who build new computers out of spare parts.  Luckily for me, shelters and rescue organizations also need photographers; with the importance of Petfinder, and Facebook and Instagram and Twitter in matching pets with owners, a great photograph of an adoptable animal can vastly increase the chances of a pet getting adopted quickly.

After some research, I found the perfect match for me - the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter is a high-volume, no kill animal shelter, fairly close to my day job, and always looking for photographers to help them out.    I completed the volunteer training and recruited a friend of mine to be my photographer's assistant, and once she completed her volunteer training we were ready to go.

My first shoot at the shelter was last week, and it was a fantastic experience.  Because my assistant and I were new volunteers, we had a dedicated staff member to make sure we were comfortable with the entire process, a list of dogs and cats, a bag of treats, and a squeaky toy, and we went to work.  All of the animals at the shelter are taken out for multiple play sessions and enrichment sessions during the day, and the photography sessions were a 'bonus' session for the animals.   Since we were new to the animals (and the animals were new to the shelter) we worked with the animals to see what commands they knew, and we got to discover their personalities.  

Our first dog was Nisha, a shy red Australian cattle dog mix.  Because Nisha is a little shy, she has been working with one of the on-site dog trainers.  With some treats and some one-on-one attention she was able to relax and investigate the camera.

Since the shoot last week, Nisha has been adopted!

Next up was Wes, a very handsome chocolate Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix.  Wes has strikingly gorgeous eyes!

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Then we got to meet Nena, a gorgeous Pibble.    Nena found the camera fascinating, and I found Nena fascinating, so we had a mutual admiration thing going on!

Such a gorgeous, inquisitive girl!

After Nena, we moved on to a couple of little dogs.  While my dogs are of the medium-sized variety, I have a special affection for little dogs.  The first guy we met, Hershey, is very cute and very endearing - and with a bit of an underbite, he is very Muppet-like!

Hershey has also been adopted!

Our final dog of the day was Ziggy.  Ziggy is a bouncy bundle of energy, and trying to get her to sit still for a 'glamour shot' was a bit of a challenge, so we worked with her strengths!

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I enjoy photographing pets, and I'm consider myself very fortunate to be able to donate my time and skills to helping adoptable animals find their perfect families.  If you want to help homeless pets, I encourage you to identify your skills and figure out what you really enjoy doing, and then check out your local shelters and rescues and work with the volunteer coordinators to find the perfect match for you.   If you need any more convincing, volunteering really is good for your mental health, and you get to spend time with dogs, cats, and fellow pet-lovers!   What more could you ask for?

Update: as of this posting, Nisha and Hershey have found their fur-ever homes!

Every single book, article, and webpage you see will emphasize the importance of getting down on the level of your pet.  Why does this matter?   Unless you have an Irish Wolfhound, you probably spend a lot of time looking down on your pet in your daily life.    While it is possible to get very cute photos of your pets looking up at you, getting all your pictures looking down at your pet limits the types of images you can get.

Action shots from your pet's level can make for some very exciting images.

Park City Goldendoodles Enjoying WinterWinter in Park City Utah is a great time for pet photos!

"But Liz", you say, "I have a short-legged doggie, and I have knees that have seen better days.  How am I supposed to get down to her level?" Save your knees and your back, and get your pet up to your height.  Use common sense with this - don't ever put your pet any place where she (or you, or both of you) are uncomfortable.  With a little creativity and a close inspection of your surroundings, you can probably find a location where you and your pet can see eye-to-eye.

This is Rosie the Corgi.  She definitely meets the criteria of being a short-legged dog, and while there have been times when I have flattened out on my belly to photograph her, that isn't always necessary.  During this particular session, Rosie hopped up on a small rock in our local park.  The rock is maybe a foot tall, but there is a sloping hill on one side of the rock, and I was able to get in a comfortable position and still capture Queen Rosie surveying her park.

Queen of the ParkCute Corgi surveying her park in Park City Utah

If you don't have a rock handy, try your sofa, or your bed.   As always, keep your pet's safety and comfort level in mind when choosing a 'perch'; a nervous pet (or you being nervous about your pet's safety, which your pet will pick up on) isn't a photograph you want hanging on your wall. 

2.  The Eyes are the Window to the Soul  

Make sure the eyes are in focus.   Most cameras have a default 'auto area' focus which means that the camera decides what points in the frame should be in focus (this is done using an algorithm that uses color and light information, aka "magic").    In a pinch this can be handy (most cameras' algorithms include a face recognition component, as well), but if you are trying to focus on your pet's eyes, and use the auto area focus mode, you might have the eyes in focus, or the nose, or even the chest while the eyes aren't, and unless your pet is very patient, you'll find yourself 'settling' for an image where his eyes may or may not be in focus.

To avoid the 'press and pray' approach to focus points, read your camera's manual (you can probably find it online if you've lost it) to find out what focus options you have, and then experiment with the different focus modes on your camera and see what suits you best.  I personally prefer a single point of focus - I can make sure the eyes are the point of focus and then frame the image how I'd like it.  Hint: move the camera side to side - not forward or back, as that can make what you had in focus go out of focus.

Of course, the rule about the eyes always being in focus is meant to be broken.  Just make sure you are purposely focusing on something else, and not just on whatever the camera picks for you.  A nose in focus can create a fun, whimsical portrait.

3. Make Sure Those Eyes Sparkle 

Those 'sparkles' in your pet's eyes are called catchlights, and until you start actively looking for them, you may not even be aware of them. Catchlights are created by the eye's reflection of the light source (which can be the sun, windows, a flash, a lamp, etc.).   Eyes without catchlights tend to look dull and lifeless.  Before you take your photo, look at your pet's eyes - can you see the sparkle?  If so, make sure the eyes are in focus (unless you have a good reason for them not to be) and fire away.  Otherwise, move your pet and/or yourself (if you are outside) or your light source (if you are inside) until you see some 'sparkle' in his eyes.  If you are outside, an easy way to get those catchlights is to have your back to the sun.  However, if you are shooting in very bright sunlight, avoid having your pet face directly into the sun; he'll squint, or shut his eyes completely.  Either look for some partially shaded areas, re-position yourself so he is at a 45 degree angle to the direction of the sun, or wait and take the photograph when the sun is lower in the sky (early in the morning or in the late afternoon).  

In the picture below, it was late afternoon, and Abby was running after a tennis ball and the sun low in the sky highlighted her eyes wonderfully.

Keep Your Eye on the BallAbby the Goldendoodle focused on the tennis ball.

4. Avoid using the on-camera flash

While you want your pet's eyes to sparkle, you don't want them to glow or turn into laser beams.  Just as humans get can 'red eye' when an on-camera flash (the pop-up one) is used, pets can get green or yellow eyes from an on-camera flash.  You know the look, so I'll spare you some examples.   If you don't have an external flash (also known as a speedlight), look for natural light sources, or ways to enhance natural light.

Windows, of course, are a great source of natural light.  Look at the way light comes into the different rooms in your house at different times of day; if there's a specific room in which you want to photograph your pet, make sure you plan your photography at a time when the room is well lit with diffuse (not direct) sunlight.

Abby in Contemplation

If natural light isn't quite enough to give you a sharp photo, consider using additional continuous lighting (what the rest of the world calls lamps or lights; photography, like most technical skills, has its own jargon).  Below is Max, a 14 year-old black Lab.  Max's living room had a couple of south-east facing windows which let in a nice diffuse light, but it was an overcast day, and I wasn't getting quite enough light to reveal the contours in his face.  So, I turned on a floor lamp to the right of the camera, and that gave me just enough light to capture Max in the 'natural' light of his living room.

While keeping these general tips in mind, don't forget the most important tip of all: make sure you and your pet have fun!  Photographing your pets can be a great way to bond with them while also working on basic skills like sit, stay, and treat dispensing!  *grin*   When your pet has had enough (you'll know they are 'done' when they are restless, they stop looking at you, or they literally walk away), call it quits for the session.  You want to keep this a fun experience for both of you.  

What tips work best for you?

1.  Digital media fails.  Yes, it's true.  Hard drives fail.  Backup hard drives can fail.   What you thought you were backing up to the cloud turns out to be only a small segment of what is on your hard drive.  CDs get scratched/broken/lost.    If you've ever had a hard drive fail, you know that sinking feeling of having lost your tax returns for the last 5 years, the pictures of the last family reunion where all of your family was actually able to attend have vanished, and pictures of your pets who have long since crossed the Rainbow Bridge are gone forever.   

2. Digital media collects dust.  This sounds silly, but I'll give you a personal example.  My father has invested a lot of time in converting old family prints into digital images, so the photos, slides and Polaroids (yes, Polaroids) weren't lost forever.  Don't get me wrong.  This is a noble endeavor, and I'm glad that our old family photos (and my parents' family photos) aren't going to just crumble into dust.  But without fail, when my Dad sends me a CD of images he has converted, I look at them, chuckle, and then put the CD in a filing cabinet.  Yes, the images are there, but I don't ever look at them.   This year for Christmas, however, my Dad took a number of family photos that he had restored and created a photo book, and my brothers and I got copies of the book.  It is only January 3rd, and I have already looked at the book many more times than I have the CDs my father has made.  The photo book also sits out on the coffee table, so other people can look at the photos.  

3. Prints are visible.   My house is plastered with photos of my pets and every time I walk by one of the photos, I see it and I smile.  The number of photos on my walls is a fraction of a percent of the photos I have on my hard drives.  But I look at the photos on my walls, not the ones on my hard drives.  

4. Prints are tangible memories.  I have had the great fortune to love many pets over the years, and sadly, I have lost many pets over the years.  But I have framed prints of every pet I have had on a table, where I can look at their pictures and relive memories of my pets that have long since crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  Every time I look at the photo of my miniature poodle with the excited look in her eyes and black spot on her tongue, I remember her dogged determination to be fed from the table.  When I see our Maine Coon wearing a paper dish on his head, I laugh at how such a serious cat was willing to put up with our silliness.  

Digital images are great for preserving memories, and a great way to share photos online with family and friends, but prints are real, physical, visible images that bring forth a flood of memories.  And that is something a CD in a file cabinet can never do.