It was so good to have Gianna and her two adorable pups Coda and Cadence in front of my lens again! This year mom Kim decided she wanted to do our photos back in the studio again since we did our session at Lake Ronkonkoma last year. Coda and Cadence spent the first few minutes re-familiarizing themselves with the room. It's been a few years since they were in there, so they had a lot of new smells to smell! They wanted to go cozy for the theme this year, so Gianna wore some super cute Christmas pajamas. While Coda and Cadence did a thorough sniff inspection of the place, we started off with a few shots of Gianna on her own against a snowy wood background. Then each pup had their turn posing with their girl! We switched over to a red brick background that looked great with Gianna's pajamas and Coda and Cadence's adorable Christmas bandanas. Then we did some individuals of Coda and Cadence on some of the most popular studio props, my grey chaise lounge and the tiny grey couch that matches it. Coda especially loved the large chaise lounge. In between shots he would jump up there and cuddle up. He got so comfortable during some of the shots, it looked like he was going to fall asleep! Everyone did amazing, as always, and we got such cute shots. Here are some of my favorites we got that day! Get in touch to book your pet session today!
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Every year I’m so busy getting my clients’ holiday photos done, that I tend to leave my own shooting and editing to the last minute! Here are some of the personal holiday photos I've been shooting this season. For the last few years, I've been decorating a small studio tree with some of the camera ornament overflow from my big Christmas tree (I have roughly 1,000 haha). Last year I picked up a small real tree from Waterdrinker Family Farm in Manorville, and decided to put it up in our kitchen instead of the studio so we could see it more often. |
I also took a few shots in the studio of my beautiful daughter Gracey, who is a very unwilling participant when it comes to photos 😂. I usually have a only a few minutes of cooperation before she decides the session is over. Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve been doing this long enough to be able to get a decent amount of photos of even the most unwilling subjects, so I was able to snap some adorable portraits of her in less than 5 minutes, and she was handsomely rewarded with a smorgasbord of treats for her time.
Then another day we tried again in some Christmas pajamas for more photos with his huge stuffed moose, who he named Horns, which was his big Christmas present last year. He likes to sit on top of Horns and has decent balance, but he was getting a little wobbly toward the end, so I added a little support for him so he could be antsy on top of Horns and we wouldn't have to worry about him taking a tumble.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Their Gracie is an adorable Yorkshire Terrier and she did amazing for her photos. We did some of the whole family, some of Gracie on her own, and some of Brendan and Gracie, to commemorate the very special bond they share. We had a great time talking while we walked and shot photos along the beautiful trails in the park. It was so nice to get to know this sweet family. Shannon told me she hadn't gotten professional photos done in so many years, so I was very happy to be able to capture some for them!
I love the way that Gracie was tilting her head in so many of these photos. I have an arsenal of silly noises I can make to catch a dog's attention. Usually once they hear a noise a few times, they get used to it and it doesn't get them to look anymore. That's why I've developed so many, and Gracie was interested in every one of them. If you're ever at a Long Island beach or park, and you hear a woman squeaking, whistling, humming, and generally sounding like an absolute weirdo, there's a good chance it's me trying to get a dog to look my way. It's all worth it for those adorable head tilts that all dog owners know and love!
Here are some of my favorite photos from our session!
Get in touch to book your pet session today!
Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call (631)256-7476. Happy Holidays!
Apparently Long Island dog lovers were excited about it too, because the event booked up in a matter of days! We had 12 families join us with their pups and they were all so sweet and adorable. So many people said to me that day that their dog was way too excited and there was no way we were going to be able to get a good shot! This is something I hear all the time, and to that I say "watch me"! I've got so many tricks up my sleeve, (and a huge store of patience), that I'm proud to say I haven't met an animal yet that I can't get a decent photo of. Even the most hyperactive puppy will look at me for a split second, and I've got a trigger finger honed from many many years of experience to catch that split second on camera. Every pup that day did an amazing job and I loved seeing the holidays outfits they came in with. We had two different backdrops and plenty of props that families could choose from. I brought Christmas and Hanukkah props, and one especially adorable Happy Pawlidays banner that my sister Lisa bought me that I was really excited to use for the event. Lots of people chose to incorporate that one and I loved how it photographed.
Thank you to Gabriella and Kevin for hosting the event and handling the booking for everyone! And thank you so much to everyone who came and purchased prints and cards and ornaments of their adorable pups. I made a donation to the Dotty Fund on Giving Tuesday this year with the proceeds from the fundraiser and they were very grateful for our help. Here are some of the sweet holiday photos we got that day! Happy Holidays, everyone!
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1. Dash Express Dog Treat Maker: My dog Gracey has gotten so many tasty treats out of this thing. My nephew and I love making treats for her with this machine. It comes with a recipe book, it's easy to use, and the treats look adorable when they come out.
2. Bully Grip Bully Stick Holder: This thing comes in very handy if you have a dog who loves to chew on bully sticks. I didn't have this for my last dog Basil and he ended up swallowing the small end of a bully stick. It sat in his stomach all night and then the next morning it found its way onto my bedroom floor. Yuck. This offers dogs a grip to hold onto while they chew the bully stick and keeps them from being able to swallow the end of the stick. This gives me peace of mind when Gracey enjoys her favorite chew.
3. Pooping Pooches Calendar 2023: Great for a gag or White Elephant gift, this quirky calendar will make you laugh each month. My brother in law bought me this last year and each time I turned a page, it made me chuckle. Plus, $1 from each calendar is donated to the Maui Humane Society!
4. Dog Smart Composite Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy: This is a level 1 dog treat puzzle, perfect for beginners to these kinds of interactive toys. I bought this for my dog Gracey and it was fun teaching her how to get to her treats. This can also double as a slow feeder if you put dry kibble in the holes. I feed her her dry portion of food for the day in this for some mental stimulation.
5. Foldable Pet Ramp: This is good if you have a big dog you like to bring on adventures, or if your senior dog is having trouble getting in and out of the car. I bought this for my dog nephew Ash when he was getting older and having issues getting up and down my back porch steps. It folded up nicely when not in use and provided some good traction for him.
6. Do Not Knock Sign: I have a dog who has assigned herself the role of neighborhood watch, and she's identified the following crimes that my neighbors regularly commit: walking past our house, pulling in and out of their driveways, getting their mail, existing on their own property. But the absolute worst offense anyone could commit in her eyes is to knock on our door. I wish I had this sign when my nephew was a baby because every single person who came up to our door would set off a barrage of barks that would wake him up from his naps. This would have come in handy!
Bonus Stocking Stuffer idea:
Dog Shaped Cookie Cutter
Personalized Dog Paw Ornament
1. Pioneer Pet Stainless Steel Dog & Cat Fountain Raindrop Design: Dogs will love this too, but cats especially prefer their water to be flowing over still. This one is stainless steel, so most of its parts are machine washable and it's very easy to use. My pets love this fountain. My cat Charlie prefers to drink from the top bubbling part of the fountain, and my dog Gracey likes to drink from the bottom part of the basin.
2. Flopping Fish Cat Toy: At first, my cat Charlie was totally freaked out by this flopping cat toy, but quickly he learned to love it. It looks realistic, is activated by touch so it won't run all day and bother you, and it's rechargeable by a USB.
3. On2Pets 2 ft Mixed Maple Cat Tree: This cat tree and scratching post is fun for kitties and adorable to look at. A lot of cat trees are very basic, but this one is so nice looking it can be a part of your decor!
4. Custom Pet Phone Ring: Another one you could get for dog or cat lovers, this is for the pet obsessed owner. The inside of their phones are filled to the brim with pet photos, so why shouldn't the outside of their phones reflect that too? I get a lot of compliments on this phone ring whenever I'm around other animal lovers.
5. Kitty Face Magnetic Bookmark Set: If you know someone who likes to curl up with their cat and a good book, they'll love this magnetic bookmark set with assorted adorable little kitty faces.
6. Kitty Cape: This cape is just too cute. I know a lot of cats don’t appreciate clothes, but this one is pretty loose and may not bother them too much. If you can get them to wear it for 5 minutes for a photo, I consider that a win!
Bonus Stocking Stuffer Idea:
Cat Shaped Cookie Cutter
Catnip Infused Felted Balls
1. Camera Teether: I often put a camera teether in my newborn clients' packaged orders as a gift. The one I typically buy is no longer available, but this one is very similar. Made of soft food grade silicone, this is a machine washable, nontoxic and absolutely necessary when those poor babes are cutting their first teeth!
2. Baby Shusher: Listen, the voice is creepy at first, but I'm telling you, this thing works. My sister gave me this when my nephew grew out of the need to use it and it's become a staple in my studio. I used to constantly shush the babies to quiet and calm them, and I don't have to utter a peep anymore. The baby shusher does it all for me!
3. Electric Baby Nasal Aspirator: AKA "The Boogie Sucker". This thing is very helpful for stuffed little noses. Machine washable tips make this a sanitary option and very easy to clean. A must for cold and flu season.
4. Flappy the Elephant: This Gund classic is both musical and plays an interactive game of peek-a-boo with babies. My nephew loved this toy!
5. Bath Color Tabs: In my experience, kids never want to get in the bath and once they’re in, they never want to get out. These color tabs will help you convince them to get in, and I usually tell my nephew once we’ve added so many that the bathwater looks like mud, it’s time to get out!
6. Fisher-Price Magical Lights Fishbowl: This was another favorite of my nephews when he was a baby. So much so, that I can still sing the songs to this day. And honestly, not bad tunes!
For your Shutterbug Friend
1. Capturing Couture Camera Straps: I like scarf straps for my camera because it's a little softer and easier on the neck when my camera starts to feel like it's 100 pounds toward the end of a session!
2. Backdrop Clamps: These are great to keep fabric backdrops wrinkle free and in place. They attach to the side of your backdrop holder and clip to your backdrop and can be adjusted to the desired tautness you need.
3. Hot Shoe Level: This sits in the hot shoe of the camera and helps you stay level for horizontal shooting. This is especially helpful for landscape photography. It also serves to protect your hot shoe contacts and keep them in tiptop condition.
4. Photo Prism: This prism can be shot through, held in front of the lens and used to create interesting colors and reflections in your composition.
5. Flex Tilt Tripod Attachment: This gives you more flexibility with the angles you can shoot from when your camera is attached to a tripod!
6. Dust Blower: This blows air to gently clean the camera's very sensitive components. A special valve keeps dust from being redeposited onto your camera.
I hope that helps you check off a little bit more of your holiday shopping list this year. Thanks for reading and happy holidays!
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Happy Shopping!
Author
Laura Paesano
Long Island, NY
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