For the Love of Pet Portraits

August 19, 2019  •  Leave a Comment

Our kids are avid dog-sitters and dog-walkers.  Earlier this month, we were able to keep "Millie" for a bit, while her humans vacationed in Europe.  We considered our home to be Millie's summer vacation home :)   When Ronnie brought Millie to us, he carried all of her puppy paraphernalia into our home, with 12 pink roses for me :)  Millie turned out to be a snuggly sweetheart.  She liked to leap & play & run with the girls, and then find me to snuggle or stay close for nap time - perched in my lap, or atop a fancy child's chair with a wide view out our front window.  I had purchased the tiny chair at Value Village, as a photography prop.  Days passed quickly.  My roses dried when their time was up.  They were beautiful dried, and I wanted to photograph a person with them.  I happened to be crushing on fancy pet portraits in the 2019 Portrait Masters Competition at that time...  and the opportunity was obvious!  A strong vision came to mind... Millie... on her favorite perch, surrounded by the roses and HUGE soft pink flowers...  

I am really a very shy person, fearful at every moment of "messing things up" / doing things "wrong" / just failing at what I try.  So it feels risky to put action to ideas.  I prayed that God would help me find the right pink flowers and make this idea into real portraits, and took the leap -  to the Issaquah Farmer's Market at Pickering Barn.  I put on my brave face, and swept in.  Prominently displayed at the "Green Cuties" flower stand was a large vase overflowing with enormous fluttering, pillow-like, soft pink dahlias. Yes!!! Thank you Lord! Perfection. I purchased 10!  

Then back to our home to make preparations...  a few Millie-treats were ground up into powder and placed in a bowl.  Light was tested, and reflectors and shades set up in a tiny corner of our office... it became a miniature studio :)  We even had a small fan to create movement in our flower petals and in Millie's luxurious blond hair! The little chair was decorated with abundant Green Cutie gorgeousness.  Finally, Sweet-Pup was invited to take a seat :)  She received such attention & conversation & praise the whole time - and every 60 seconds or so, she could lick treat powder off my fingers :)  That kept her quite alert!  

Millie has been my muse in the past. Nearly one year ago, she joined the photoshoot for "her" Alison's senior portraits.  One of Millie's portraits with Alison was even published!  In the Eastlake High School yearbook :)   See Millie's photoshoot with Alison here.  

Millie was such a conversation-starter with strangers while we had her - and everyone wants to know... what breed is she?  She is a long-haired dachshund, 2 years old.  Her tail had an accident before her family brought her home, so she only has a little stub that wags like crazy when she is happy :)  She is very protective of "her" humans, and it felt like I had passed a test when she became very protective of me!  

Poor Tony walked into his own house that first evening and Millie went nuts growling and barking at this "intruder."  I scooped her up, assuring her that Tony is a good guy, but Millie whipped her head around to give him the evil eye and a growl - and then - TONY lunged at MILLIE and BARKED!    Not helpful.  

But, in the end, after DAYS of suspicion had passed, Millie accepted Tony as part of the family too.  Now Tony is one of "her" humans :)  Yay!

If you might like to make portraits of your pet(s), I may like to make them with you, and we could imagine fun pet portraits and make them really happen :)   Click here to start our conversation!
 

 


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