It's not every day that I get to hang out with a Labradoodle and three teenagers. I've had my fair share of clients with dogs and cats and young children, but that is a much different story. The connection between dogs and young kids is such a special and unique bond- it is innocent, and genuine, and curious. There are secrets there. Kids can tell their pets anything, they can show them their true emotions without the fear of being judged. Pets supply an endless source of unconditional love for kids, and getting to witness that with my camera while taking potraits of dogs and kids is always so beautiful. Unfortunately for me, this group of girls was not going to be impressed by my typical kindergarten-level banter. Asking them to tell me stories about their dog or what they learned in school wouldn't really make them think I was 'cool,' so I decided instead to just be my regular, true self. We bonded about their funny prom stories, who got to wear what sweater during our session, and which sister the dog liked best. I showed them how my camera worked, taught them how to use my light meter, and we all laughed a lot and threw up a lot of hi-fives. It was great.
My client really wanted an image of the girls (including Ruby, the Doodle) in their beautiful bath tub. Always open to creative suggestions and requests from clients, I was happy to oblige. Luckily, their bathroom was flooded with bright natural light, the tub was framed by floor to ceiling windows, and everyone was surprisingly willing to pile on in. I set up my camera, created the perfect composition, locked in my exposure- and then just joked around with them while shooting through a handful of rolls of film. Within those dozens of frames that were exposed, I knew I would land on a few completely perfect moments. This is the method of 'shooting through moments' that I talk about a lot. It is the only way I photograph, and it ensures a genuine connection between photographer and subject.
Ruby (the Doodle) had a special bond with my client- as she brought Ruby into the family as a gift for herself. Ruby is a calm and confident dog, protective in an kind way, and truly devoted to her humans.
I love this series of black and white dog photographs that I curated with my client. These will be printed at a Loft and Gallery size (LARGE), and installed in the Master Bedroom, and a few smaller supporting images will be installed on their great black and white photography collage wall.