When Dawn excitedly booked her “Tail Wagger” pet portrait session package with me in June, I couldn’t have been happier at the thought of working with herself and adorable little Alex. We bounced ideas of red bandanas and forest exploration around between the time of booking and the time of her actual shoot this past Wednesday. We finally settled on a beautiful sunset stroll through Charlie Major Trail in Skaneateles, NY.
The crickets were chirping, the air was warm and heavy, and the golden light twinkled through the leaves as little Alex scurried around. I had delightfully been informed by his momma, Dawn, that he loved to slide down slides at playgrounds and would absolute do this on his own if prompted. What a great way to begin a doggy session! Sure enough, his little paws were soon scraping down the green plastic slide, and our photoshoot was quite literally set in motion.
Of course if a young man finds himself sliding down a slide, the only logical next step is to swing on a swing if one is available. Dawn happily helped Alex to do just that and the two had some truly tender moments of bonding and relaxation. We then chased the setting sun down a series of stone steps to the riverside where we continued to observe and document the touching relationship between dog and owner.
Making our way down the wooded trail, we came upon a bridge where Alex exhibited his two-legged talents and explored his surroundings a bit more. Wherever we went Dawn and Alex had such fun together and were so in tune with each other’s thoughts and feelings. Dawn made sure that he had plenty of treats and water to stay in good spirits, and Alex in turn listened and responded to every word Dawn spoke to him. They stood side by side in their matching outfits and were just the cutest pair of the evening!
To end out our session, Alex somewhat reluctantly but oh-so-perfectly sat and smiled in my rustic wooden crate. We even had time for some photos amongst the delicate wildflowers. When all was said and done he eagerly jumped back into the car for his ride home and smiled out of the window for one last adorable capture for the night.
Special thanks to Dawn’s hairdresser Stephanie from Hair Tonic of Auburn, NY for making her look her best, and of course to Dawn and Alex themselves for booking the session and going along with all of my fun ideas! Another heartwarming doggy session in the books for Molly Baldwin Photography!