Rocky Gets Four Wheel Drive
Rocky shows off his new prosthetic leg.
Rocky can do amazing things on three legs. His agility, strength and athleticism would be impressive for a four-legged dog. Even when working as a team, Ringo and Moose cannot take him down. But all of the physical activity that he loves, comes with wear and tear to his single front leg. Luckily, through the wonders of 3-D printing technology, custom prosthetics can support dogs like Rocky who have a full front leg amputation.
Rocky received his custom prosthetic in November which will take some of the pressure off the single front leg. The idea is to extend the life of his front leg which will ultimately extend his lifespan. This is not something he will wear all of the time, but it can be worn during walks so that he can go a bit further and for longer periods of time.
Being the champ that he is, he took to the new device almost immediately and is quickly getting acclimated to using it. And he looks pretty badass in blaze orange! ❤️
Single Digit Days
A cold snap brings snow and fun photo opportunities.
A recent cold snap brought snow and single digit temperatures. It also presented an opportunity to photograph familiar subjects in a new landscape.
The main challenge was taking my gloves off to work my camera settings. Even brief periods of exposure were difficult to tolerate and collectively led to dry and bleeding hands. But the photos were worth it.
Like most labs, my neighbor’s dog Bella (pictured above) loves cold and snowy days, and took numerous snow baths while I was visiting with her. Back at home, Ringo and Moose (below) braved the cold temperatures for a chance to play in the winter wonderland.
This was Moose’s first experience with heavy snow and thankfully he really enjoyed it (although he is a little unsure about the snow shovel).
Of course, we spent a lot of time inside, and these cozy shots were easier to capture.
Posing Pros
Rocky and Ringo show off their posing prowess in today’s photo.
Rocky and Ringo are both amazing models for photography. In addition to being photogenic, they both have posing skills that make my job as the photographer much easier. And when they join forces, their posing prowess is even more powerful.
I’ve been a bit distracted recently, and this shot snapped me out of it. Sometimes I think they do this on purpose, to lure me out of my daydreams and into the present moment.
Beyond the Backyard with Rocky
Rocky is a master at the portrait shot.
One of my goals for dog photography is to take more shots of my dogs beyond the backyard. While I love the sense of security I feel when my dogs are enclosed inside a fence, shooting in the backyard often results in distractions in the images that have to be either accepted or edited out of the photo.
As a responsible dog owner, I would never risk the safety of my dogs just for a photo, so I’ve been training them to be off-leash dogs, a process that takes a lot of work and time. Each dog is at a different stage of this process, but today I was comfortable setting each one up in a semi-controlled environment inside my twenty acre property for a photo session.
Rocky has the most experience and already does well off-leash on the property. I’ve photographed him many times here and that practice is showing up in today’s beautiful portrait of him resting on a pile of autumn leaves. 🍁
Make Room for Ringo
The desire to be included is universal.
Rocky poses for a beautiful portrait and Ringo wants to join the party.
Best Seat in the House
Dogs have a way of finding the best spot.
This chair was supposed to be for me, but Rocky claimed it before I could sit down. The only thing for me to do at this point was go and get my camera. 😂
Rocky and Ringo Recharge
They’ll be back to 100% in no time.
It may look like they are sleeping peacefully, but they are just recharging.
No Place Like Home
Dogs bring a spontaneity to photos not found in static subjects.
I often find my favorite photos are taken right here at home. After deciding to linger outside just a little bit longer with Rocky and Ringo today, this happened, and I was ready with my camera. These moments remind me why I love to photograph animals, especially dogs, and especially my dogs. They bring a spontaneity and joy to my photos that just can’t be found in static subjects. Capturing these shots requires me to be spontaneous and in the moment with them, making me love the process as much as the result. ❤️
The Perfect Pose
This shot made my day.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm catching the dogs in a perfect moment, or if they've learned to set up shots like this one. 🥰
March Snow with Rocky
He indulged me by wearing the scarf. 😀
March has been a snowy month and today I took some shots of the dogs on the winter landscape. Rocky indulged me by wearing the red scarf, which adds a nice pop of color. Rocky chose dignified poses, giving his photos a regal look. This is in contrast to Ringo’s playful photos also taken today.
Boys Will Be Boys
The snow games continue.
After a beautiful snowfall today, I wanted to capture some winter shots of the boys. Ringo surprised me when he jumped into my view with a piece of weed barrier fabric he dug up from my garden bed. It wasn’t long before Rocky joined in and it was game on!
Seize the Snow Day
Snow days are magic.
The snow day captures our attention by magically transforming a dull landscape into one of beauty and a day of work into one of play. Who can ignore such a wonderful gift.
December Dance
The last round of play for the day.
The days of winter are upon us with chillier temps and less daylight, but Rocky and Ringo still want to enjoy every moment outside.
Meditative Moment
His mantra is play, rest, repeat. 😎
The sun begins to set on a beautiful November day, offering the perfect moment for meditation. His mantra is play, rest, repeat. 😎
Quiet Time
They’ve finally worn each other out.
Today, the boys gave me a nice break, enjoying some quiet time on a sunny dog bed together while I edited photos in the loft above them. I was so happy to capture this shot of them from overhead without disturbing them. ❤️
One on One with Rocky
It’s just the two of us, but not for long.
Rocky and I both miss Charlie. His absence has changed many aspects of our routine and our environment. The biggest change is that Rocky no longer has a canine playmate or companion. I’ve been enjoying this one on one time with Rocky, but a second dog is in the cards.
A New Journey Begins
Rocky and I begin a new journey together.
Rocky and I took a long walk this afternoon, one of the changes to our daily routine since Charlie passed away. It was warm and sunny, so we stopped to cool off and take some photos. This shady spot was perfect to take a short break and reflect on the road ahead of us.