If I did a chronology of all of our animals to date, how they came to us, and how they left, there would be too many pages of this blog to read.  Suffice it to say, we have loved and lost six cats, eight dogs, four horses and five chickens.  Each came to us in their own way, had their own story, lived what we hope was a happy life, and now live permanently in our hearts.

What I can tell you is this:  YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH PHOTOS OF YOUR PETS!

I realized something a few years ago--we did not have enough photos of several of our cats and dogs.  Back in the days of film camera, getting rolls of film developed may have been put off, followed by misplacing or not storing photos well enough to guard against deterioration.  Change "film camera" to "cell phone" and you have the same problem.  How many of you print out your cell phone photos?

Left to right, top to bottom, the photo montage above shows Sandy, Ollie, best buddies Ollie and Ike, and finally, Ike.  Three out of the four above are photos of film camera photos, and may very well be the best photos we have of these dogs.  Ike passed onward in 2011.  It wasn't until after Ike's passing that I became serious about documenting the lives of pets.  Not part of the montage, but very much a part of our lives, were Chelsea and Phillie, both moving on to spirit in the 1990s.  We have only one or two faded photographs of the two of them together.

In the meantime, we have ONLY our memories to sustain us in terms of our cats Cleo, Muffin and Emma, all passing before 2011. No photos exist today of these three lovely kitties that graced our lives.

I made up my mind in 2011 to be mindful of capturing good images of all our pets from that point on, and began turning my hobby into a profession.

Above, left to right, top to bottom are Daisy, Winston, Burton, and Winston (in front) with our still very much alive dog, Danny.  I credit Winston with bringing Danny out of his very fearful self.  Thankfully, we have MANY photos of this group, some of which now adorn our walls in various forms.  In fact, we have many photos of ALL of our animals, because I don't like to rely on just my memory to bring back the days of when they were with us.  I like to see them.

It's why I offer Loving Memories sessions to pet owners.  Whether they have received news of a pet's health deteriorating, or simply want a good portrait as wall art, these sessions are geared to capturing the relationship between the owner and their pet partner.

Whether in studio:

Or in a place similar to those days of hunting in the woods:

Capturing a lasting visual memory is one of the things I am glad to be able to offer my clients.

There are many times I will travel to a client's location, so that their pet can remain comfortable in their own environment. With cats, especially, it is best for them to be in their own homes, where I can almost always find a spot to capture a memory, and the kitty is happy and cooperative.  Below a simple traveling backdrop and a favorite footrest were all that was needed to settle this beautiful kitty into a nice pose.

Many of my clients know the value of capturing their pets throughout the stages of their lives, including the final stage, where we as their caretakers manage a difficult, but responsible decision to allow them to leave us with dignity.

Today, August 28, is Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day.  I hope all of you have a lovely memory not only in your minds and hearts, but on your wall.

The blog circle is ahead.  Start this week with Linda Perdue of VPShoots Photography, remembering all those furry companions.  Stay safe out there!

Best friends (BFFs) come in all shapes and sizes. 

I have been very lucky as a photographer to showcase the relationships, love and respect of people and their pets.  That became clear to me as I looked back over some of my work while cleaning file storage this past week.

The bond between a horse owner and their best friend is a strong one.  There is a lot of mutual respect that happens in a horse/human relationship.  On a beautiful Fall day, I was able to capture equine BFFness at its best.

BFFs take care of each other, listen to each other, keep each other company, and share their lives.  That sharing and caring is a hallmark of very strong friendships.

I often like to capture the candid interaction of a BFF relationship.  In the photo below, this pup was a bit overwhelmed by activities in the park.  Luckily, her best friend stepped in with some comforting arms.  That's what best friends do.

Sometimes best friends are those that act on our behalf.  Like volunteers who want us to be happy, live good lives and have good homes.

I love capturing volunteers at work, being the best of friends to those that might just need a great BFF boost in their lives.

Then there are those times, when you know you have great BFFs because they take you to their favorite spot and share it with you.

BFF activities don't always have to be party-every-day events.  A simple walk, a quiet moment on a park bench where squirrel watching is what's on TV--certainly makes for lovely BFF bonding time.

Each and every one of these great BFF moments were brought to you by people who realize that, not only is having a strong relationship with their pet a valuable part of life, but documenting that relationship is a great way to keep the memory of it alive.

With that thought I have decided to take advantage of the Fall foliage once again this year and offer some BFF petastic sessions.  Sessions will run from September 15th through October 15th.  More info will be shared on my Facebook page, and my website in the near future.

Finally, our puppy Talley, has a BFF.  It's Mr. Hedgehog.  He is her best playtime buddy!

This week's blog circle is all about BFFs.  To read more and see more lovely photos, follow the blog circle links, starting here with Linda Perdue of VP Shoots Photography in Tampa, Florida.  Have a great weekend with your BFFs!

It's been a very strange year, that is for sure.  BUT...there is one thing you can always count on...SUMMER!

Even though we are sticking close to home these days, and finding outdoor summer activities which also afford "social distancing" opportunities, summer is still shining its light down upon us!

Sticking close isn't so bad.  Our dogs are keeping us busy, we can now see the grandkids to have some outdoor summertime fun, and there are plenty of things I have been doing photography-wise (that's another blog) over the last several months.

Enjoying the pool on the deck, going for walks with and training our new puppy, having a nice cup of tea at night while sitting outside and watching the stars, listening to the din of katydids, tree frogs and crickets...all of these things remind me of summers when I was young. 

Since I was somewhat nostalgic for summer's long ago, I decided to capture this week's photos in black and white.  Lilah helped me.  She loves summer because she can play with her toys.

Lilah is a "keep away" specialist.  There is no retrieve here.  She grabs, runs and never comes back.  She has safe spots in the yard and if you say her name in a very high pitched voice, she runs to them and thinks she is hiding and you can't see her.

And while Lilah really does not like to go out in the rain, if you put the yard sprinkler on, she will run full tilt through the arc of water it makes while moving from side-to-side.  Go figure.

Each of our dogs has a quirky thing they like to do in the name of summertime fun.  Our older dogs are happy just laying in the grass, enjoying the warmth of the sun, sometimes taking a good roll or itching their backs.  Our younger dogs are squirrel watchers.  Our Border Collie manages the outdoor kitties.  The toy box is always handy, and any of them can grab a toy for playtime.

Speaking of new puppy, here's a shot from a few weeks ago of Talley enjoying her time in the green grass of summer.

I hope everyone is making the most of their summer.  Enjoy it as much as you can.  For us Pennsylvanians, the winter is forever, so we pack in as much as we possibly can while mother nature brings us the best that summer has to offer!

For more "summer fun" take a trip around the blog circle.  Start this week with Pawparazzi Pet and Animal Photography presented by Shae Pepper Photography.  Enjoy your weekend, (and the rest of your summer)!

This week's blog circle prompt is "service."  There are many paths I could have gone down, but I decided to touch on the customer experience provided by I Got the Shot Photography.

Notice I say experience. A customer EXPERIENCE is different than customer SERVICE. It's not arbitrary or spontaneous, but  instead completely DESIGNED!  

My mindset is always "approach the customer with a sincere desire to deliver the best I can."  By thinking through the step-by-step process I will need to use for a great customer experience,  then developing the system to implement those steps, I can ensure that EVERY customer is receiving sustainable and measurable quality work.

The service (professional photographs) is only a piece of the puzzle.  The outcomes (deliverables) and opportunities (referrals, additional sessions, etc.) are really most important to, not only the client, but myself.

Below are some of the things I use to implement the client experience.

I value each and every client and want their experience to be the best!  From offering a great space to view galleries, to finding just the right formula and package to fit their needs, clients can be assured that they are getting quality photos and products.

When I am not working on client photos, I am taking online courses to learn new skills, and new ways to approach my craft.  Applying those skills is rewarding, and ensures that my clients have an OUTCOME that is successful!  Working with the same quality that is required in print competition, means that many of my client images are award winners.

Do I love my work?  You bet I do.
Do I love my clients? More than anything.
Will I always try to make their experience the best it can be?  FOR SURE!

Whether in studio or on location, you can be assured that I am going to do everything in my power to meet my clients expectations and wishes, and make them SMILE!  That's the plan!

To see how the blog circle photographers handled "service" this week, follow the links at the bottom of each blog post to travel through the group.  Start with Pawparazzi Pet and Animal Photography presented by Shae Pepper Photography.  Enjoy!

To book your very own experience, give me a call or fill out the contact form linked to this website.