Have you ever thought, "I'd love to get family photographs with the dogs" but then immediately cringed at the thought of loading them into the car, dealing with the drool (or worse, barf), the panting, the hair everywhere, etc. Or thought "There's no way my reactive dog could handle being in a public park for a pet photo shoot"? Well, I've got good news for you, you don't have to worry about any of that because we can photograph your pups and family right in your own backyard!
Whether it's due to the reasons above, or maybe because of a pet's age or illness, I've photographed families and their pets in back yards all over the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex. You don't have to have a beautifully landscaped yard for me to create gorgeous portraits of your family. I use various lens choices, angles and depth of field to make any background complement the subject. What is happiness? For Dallas dog lovers, it might just be a pet photo session right in your own backyard!
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When I started chatting with this Coppell family, they mentioned that they have a really pretty backyard and maybe I'd like to hold their session there, it would certainly make it easier on them. I told them that we don't anything fancy, their relaxation and the pups' comfort came first and if they thought they'd do best at home, then that's where we were going to hold their session.
Five minutes later Robert texted me some pictures of their backyard and I replied "Yeah, we're definitely holding the session at your house". They have koi pond, waterfall and stunning stonework in their backyard - and to top it all off, the daylilies were in bloom!
During the design consultation call I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they lived in my neighborhood; like literally just across the golf course! A couple of weeks after their session we bumped into our newfound neighbors at the local Mexican restaurant in town. Coppell is a small town, but the dog lovers seem to find one another.
All their poodle pups are rescues; Chanel is the grand dame of the pack, weighing in at just five pounds, this little cloud of a toy poodle rules with an iron (somewhat fluffy) paw. Bitzi is her sister, a ten pound toy poodle who can be a little nervous, even in her own backyard, so I was very happy that we chose their home for their pet and family portrait session. And because poodles are like potato chips and you can't have just one, Danny, a black standard poodle, came into their pack in the last couple of years, adding some tall, dark and handsome to their family.
We had a windy spring here in Texas. I mean REALLY windy. April was measured to be one of the windiest on record with an average speed that clocked in over 15 mph. As a result, I captured a lot of fun pictures of the wind lifting fur, tails and ears, but none as adorable as this one of Chanel who looked as though she could take off any minute. I love the joy on her face and her humans did too, this picture was a definitely to be included in their story print.
Decorate Your Home With Portraits of Your Family and Pets
Why decorate your home with generic artwork that has no personal meaning to you when you can display beautiful portraits of your family and your pets that can be enjoyed every day? This family knew exactly where they wanted to hang their portraits and I photographed specifically for those spaces. The final touch was the most perfect frame that complemented the metal accents, as well as the striking staircase carpeting, in their grand foyer.
The story print directly below hangs at the entrance to the master bedroom so it can be enjoyed every single day as the first thing they see in the morning and the last thing before they go to bed. It fit's the tall, vertical space perfectly and the colors pop against the clean color palette of the walls. Story prints are printed on 100% cotton fine art paper with archival inks and are finished with museum quality, acid-free mounting, non-glare glass and a classic, black gallery frame.
All Around the Pet Photography Circle
It's all about joy and happiness this week in the pet photographer's blog circle so let's kick things off with Toronto Dog Photographer, Terri of Terri J Photography shares 5 simple ways to keep your dog happy and content and then continue clicking on the link at the bottom of each page for an around the world tour of stunning portraits of dogs and cats and who knows what else!
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. Tracy is always happy to schedule an at-home portrait session whether it's because you love your backyard, or simply because that would be easier on your pet. No matter, she makes every location around the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex look beautiful.
Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, equine, family, couples & engagement and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
6 Comments
Aug 6, 2022, 10:16:09 AM
Angela - Yep, I would be thrilled to do a session in that backyard!
Aug 5, 2022, 7:57:56 AM
Jan - What a beautiful setting! What a great service you offer, visiting people's homes to photograph their pups.
Aug 5, 2022, 7:52:26 AM
Terri Jankelow - Great photos in a beautiful back yard!
Aug 5, 2022, 7:24:21 AM
Courtney Bryson - What a perfect poodle trio! I too have a small dog that rules with a dainty iron paw, lol! And the photo of the poodle in the wind with those ears -- Perfection! It's not even my dog and I kind of want to hang it up in my house.
Aug 5, 2022, 6:46:08 AM
Darlene - Those ears in that wind!!! Priceless! Chanel just made my day! :) These pups are adorable. You did an amazing job decorating the home! Gorgeous family photo on the bench, too :)
Aug 5, 2022, 5:14:53 AM
Kim Hollis - What a beautiful foyer for your work to be hanging in. I love the windy ears photo too. LOL