Monthly Archives: February 2010

LEGO mania

I spend a lot of time photographing pets, design dog-themed tee shirts, hanging out at dog shows and generally submerging myself in the tides of animals and their people…

But on Saturday I had a different opportunity… to attend a Star Wars themed LEGO birthday for a kid named William who lives in Queen Anne. At this party, Dan Parker { who is one of 11 LEGO artists in the world who have the kind of know-how that makes them desirable as custom LEGO artists and birthday entertainers} kept half a dozen 8-10 year old boys {and a few parents too } engaged in the building of unique LEGO creations. It was somethin’ else!

If you’re interested in hiring Dan to entertain your batch of birthday youths or to build a custom LEGO creation { he regularly completes private and commercial commissions of LEGO art } give my new friend Dan a call:

Dan Parker, founder + principal artist

mobile. 253.632.9407 // email. dnvpark@juno.com

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Here is a slideshow of William’s LEGO birthday

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Mighty Momo the Mini

Still, two weeks after photographing this little puglit, I cannot get her out of my mind. I have spent COUNTLESS hours in front of my computer selecting and deselecting photos, trying to narrow down 671 images to 50. Yeah, right. This is what I cannot stand about decidedly photogenic dogs and their equally lovely people… it’s pure agony to pick which images make the “cut”. Oh what a delightful problem to have.

I met Momo and her family on an incredibly blustery day in San Francisco (February 4th to be exact). This also happened to be the same day I arrived in SF – so I landed, jumped on the BART, found my hotel, checked in, and had just enough time to change clothes, gather my camera gear and grab an umbrella before bolting out the door. I was thankful for the town car that the Hotel recommended because although I typically walk EVERYWHERE in San Fran – this weather was pure misery.

When I arrived my destination in SoMa, I was relieved to find a gloriously chic lobby waiting for me. As I walked in I thanked my lucky stars for the large windows, high ceilings and perfectly appointed decor, because there was no way we were going to be able to shoot outdoors as we’d hoped.

Deborah met me in the lobby, a squirming Momo in her arms, wriggling against her mom to greet me. Deborah set Momo down, she bounced over to me and I got my first fill of pugalove in ages. I got pug sniffs and snarfs and kisses and wiggles (and of course hair). It was the perfect way to start our time together.

We plodded into the elevator and headed upstairs to Momo’s apartment where apparently it became immediately necessary for Momo to run crazed circles around the floor, pausing at a few of her favorite toys before racing off again, tail tucked, screaming a battle cry that I took to mean:  “oh-my-gosh-mom-there’s-someone-here-and-she-has-treats-and-toys-and-she-smells-really-awesome-and-I-think-she’s-here-for-me!” She was right.

We spent the next two hours tugging, chasing, tossing, cuddling, and of course, shooting. Momo has the BEST little personality, and she was at the perfect age where she was still too small to jump off the couch on her own, so once I plopped her up there she hung out… being devastatingly photogenic until I let her down.

She also very clearly loves her humans and some of the images we captured are PURE GOLD!  I am so excited about this shoot I was actually a few days behind getting it out because I can’t stop obsessing over it.  I think you’ll have to agree with me that this is the real San Francisco treat!

P.S. After this shoot I had a meeting to attend – I ended up at a nearby “Philz Coffee” and had an AMAZING taste experience: If you want the details read my Yelp review. Otherwise – make sure you seek out a a Philz in Nor Cal and try the “Tesora Mocha”. Yum!

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Spring in Seattle

I end up writing basically this same post each year… It always happens around the same time too – the sun peeks out in late February or early March, after a long winter of dreary, sloppy wet weather and my inner-sun goddess goes giddy with excitement and inspiration.

Well folks – it happened again. On a whim I decided to take my camera with me one day to the “Dane Meetup” on Sundays at Marymoor. In all honesty this is a practice I try to avoid (bringing the camera, not meeting up with the Danes) – primarily because once I am behind that lens I suddenly slip into “pet photographer” role and out of “doggy mommy” role. Olivia has a great time either way, but sometimes I can be a little conversationally absent when I have my camera with me – so I try not to bring it.

This particular Sunday, however, the light was incredible and I was thanking my lucky stars that I had a way (other than my cell phone) to document it.

Yay for Spring!

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Rachel the Radiant

For days I hoped and waited and hoped for the weather forecast to say “sunny” for February 15th. Please, please, please, let it be sunny on this one day.

As luck would have it – it was gloriously foggy in the morning and sunny all day on President’s Day 2010. I guess I wasn’t the only one wishin’

I started my voyage down to Black Diamond to meet little Rachel and her mom WAY too early in the morning in order to capture the best light and boy am I glad I did! 405 South was so fogged-up I could not see the metropolis around me – only feet off the edge of the highway, and barely the cars in front of me. It was glorious (although I happen to be a serious fan of fog.)

Once I arrived I was greeted by a VERY polite Rachel and her smiling mom. We spent time in the living room and the back yard – trying hard to capture the early morning sunlight through the tall trees surrounding their property. It’s not too often that I am presented with a backyard this stunning: a stone waterfall surrounded by ferns and shrubs – all dripping with morning dew were only bested by sweet little Rachel bouncing, sniffing and nibbling her way around it all.

After our outside paces, Rachel was keen to come back inside and curl up with her mum – which she did, in true Golden fashion, with a statuesque beauty.  This shoot just reinforces for me what I already know (and tell people often) Golden Retrievers may just be my #1 favorite dogs to photograph – sweet, gentle, gorgeous and happy.

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More Bully love…

Here are more photos from our Experience.Frenchie.Project on Sunday  — just because you really can never have enough photos of Bullies :)   Here is mama Squirrel and our little Cream Pie Guy…

Here is “uncle hippo” the litter’s jolly Bulldog chaperon { and Angela his proud mamma }

And here is our sweet little “Cream Pie Guy” again — our #1 pick.

Could he be any more adorable!?

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