Well the clouds have returned all too soon to our sunny Seattle skies. I spent most of the weekend glued to my camera and computer working on a couple very consuming projects, but Sunday luckily I was forced to creep out of my studio into the light of day, to travel to Woodinville for a shoot. Oh and what a day it was!
I was so giddy from the sun I had to write about it - and the day just kept looking up! When I arrived at my destination I was thrilled to see one of my most cherished sights in the world: horses.
Yoshi, a bouncy Shiba mix with flip-floppy ears and a wide toothy grin greeted me along with his lovely mom, Cheryl.
We set about the business of setting up the studio inside. With the doors wide open, Yoshi came and went, checking on our progress. Occasionally, Pirate (a big black mass of curls that you will meet later) would wander in, sopping wet beard and all, to evaluated the situation, steal a bone, or sniff out the treats.
Once we got shooting, Cheryl and Yoshi (who are a perfect team by the way) were fabulous models. I heard stories of how Yoshi was one of several pups that Cheryl has fostered over the years for Homeward Pet Adoption – and how she just couldn’t give him up. Can’t say I blame her, he’s a little star!
With formal studio shots out of the way we wandered outside to soak in the sun… I couldn’t help but just stop every few moments… close my eyes and inhale the warm breezes that kept skipping on by. It truly was a glorious day.
We wandered around the property, stealing photo ops here and there… I think my favorite little location was on the porch of the barn/garage- chuck-its in a “gun rack,” vintage coca cola signs and designer rubber boots all add up to one great scene.
And then we wandered over to the horses. I could feel the smile spreading as we approached the fence… I am going to let you in on a little secret… Horses have always been my A#1 favorite creature (Sssssh don’t tell Olivia- well, she almost counts…)
Side note: When I was little, I was so obsessed with horses that I would get up early to nab the Sunday paper and strip it of the classifieds. Then I would settle in the sun and circle any and all of my favorite horses for sale and any and all stall jobs I could find. I would sketch my perfect barn/stall configuration on graph paper and master drawing the actual body of a horse with “how to draw” books… I would dream and dream about riding my own horse through fields and fields of grass and wildflowers… Yes, I was that girl. In many ways, I still am.
Since that time I have learned how to ride (Western that is – English is still a total mystery to me) learned the principals and practice of Natural Horsemanship, volunteered for riding charities like H.O.P.E, assisted with many Equine veterinary procedures and mucked way more than my fair share of stalls.
One of these days I will get our Equine portfolio up on the site, and sometime after that, when time, lifestyle and location allow, I will have horses of my own.
Ok so back to Woodinville… and Arby. Arby is 23 and has been Cheryl’s companion for more than 15 years. He is curly and fiesty… he took every opportunity he could to try to get a nibble of me… gentle little love bites on my hands and shoulder. His fur is is salt and peppery with age and swirly with Winter coat. He is a fine boy and it was immediately clear to me that he and his human have quite a connection.
After indulging in more than my fair quota of pats and scratches I returned to the task of photographing Cheryl and Yoshi. Predictably (although I hadn’t thought of it at the time) as I sat in the grass, Arby leaned his meaty neck over his fence and nudged me on the shoulder as if to say “hey you – I haven’t dismissed you yet.” So I did what any photographer would have done in my position, I took advantage of the angle and the rare bright blue sky and captured this… HAH!
A big thank you to Cheryl, John and Joey who invited me out to their beautiful bit of heaven in Woodinville. I will share with you all their exciting new business venture soon…
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