Thanksgiving, Dogs, and Gratitude
As a child, I hated autumn. It meant the end of time at my family’s cottage, which was my happy place, and it also meant back to school, where I was profoundly miserable.
As an adult, I gradually came around. There’s no denying that the changing leaves are beautiful here in Southern New Brunswick, there are fewer mosquitos in the backyard and fewer tourists at the beach!
As a pet photographer, I have learned to LOVE fall. The browns and golds compliment most dogs so beautifully and fit easily into neutral home decor. I think most dogs are more comfortable during their cooler weather sessions, too (I know I am)!
Cooper the Boxer's Fall Photos in Hillsborough
Lucky boxer Cooper is loved by the owners of the Pet Valu in Riverview! If you’ve ever been there, you may have seen the top right portrait hanging proudly behind the checkout counter.
Late autumn was the perfect time for this session because the reeds and marsh grasses had turned gold and brown, making a beautiful, muted background for his brindle colouring.
2024 Eastern Canada Image Competition - Best In Class!
This past weekend was the awards ceremony for the Professional Photographers of Canada Eastern Image Competition. It was super fun to gather with some other local photographers in the Greater Moncton area to watch the awards and celebrate together at 5 Bridges in Riverview. Our Atlantic members represented very well in competition against members from Quebec and Ontario.
I received a Best in Class and a Judge’s Choice award for my Conceptual Illustration titled “Harlequin Romance”. (None of the judges seemed to get that it’s a Harlequin Great Dane, which was disappointing, but luckily they loved it, anyway!)
2024 Pet Photo Calendar Contest Outtakes
This year’s PAW-SBA Pet Photo Calendar Contest was another success, raising over $6000 for the Moncton animal shelter! We also had a record number of cats in the top 12 this year, which did lead to some challenges during the photo shoots. Well, you’ll see - here are some of the session outtakes!
Unique Pet Memorial Tribute Ideas
Watching your senior pet age or losing a beloved pet to illness or an accident is devastating. Pet loss grief can be overwhelming, and is only made harder when those around us just don’t understand, or make insensitive remarks. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and definitely no time limit. It will be different for every person and with every loss.
Honestly, even after 25 years as a vet tech, and many personal pet losses throughout my life, nothing prepared me for losing my beloved pug mix Becca last summer. I still cry almost every time I think about her, and I haven’t been able to properly memorialize her yet … but I know I will do something extra special when the time is right.
2022 Eastern Canada Photographic Artist of the Year
Judging for the 2023 National Image Competition has wrapped up, so now I can finally share my images from the 2022 Eastern Canada Regional Image Competition this past November.
First of all, I was pretty shocked to win Photographic Artist of the Year again. It was the fifth year in a row that I have won the regional title BUT, this year our tiny Atlantic Region merged with Quebec and Ontario, creating the new Eastern Canada Competition. It was truly the proverbial jump from being a big fish in a small pond to a tiny fish in a big pond.
2022 Pet of the Year Winner
Congratulations to the winner of the 2022 Pet of the Year Contest, the horses of Broadleaf Ranch! I was really happy that Broadleaf Ranch won, because they are an amazing, local Albert County business who give so much back to our community.
2023 Calendar Contest
Once Again, I have partnered with the Greater Moncton SPCA for their 2023 Calendar Pet Photo Contest Fundraiser.
Last year, we raised over $6500 for the SPCA, and I’m sure we can blow that amount out of the water this year!
The 12 contest winners will each win a Pets in Action-themed photoshoot with me, and a photo from their session featured full page for a month in the calendar. The lucky Grand Prize Winner will also have their pet featured on the cover.
Tails of the Chocolate River
For the past year, I have been photographing pets in scenic locations along the beautiful Peticodiac River, and the Upper Bay of Fundy. The result is this stunning, hard-cover coffee table book, containing:
174 full colour pages
230+ photos
90+ dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and even a rabbit!!
40+ locations in the Greater Moncton and Albert County areas