I just created this brief video showing how our canvases are now made. Watch until the end, to see some recent installations!
Some examples here, show recent installs for a front foyer, entertainment niche, fireplace mantle, dining room, living room and hallway.
East Evans Animal Hospital is moving to a beautiful new location right across the street from their existing building. The modern, cheerful and spacious facility will be home to DelaFoto's latest art exhibit. DelaFoto will be featuring different artwork over the year, with plans to update every for 4 months or so. The first installment is light & bright with a mix of canvas and framed prints of cats & dogs of all ages. You will see these featured in the front entrance sitting area. Additional artwork is on display in one of the exam rooms.
Thank you to the great folks at this beautiful new facility for inviting DelaFoto to exhibit and for all the enthusiasm as the artwork was recently set-up. East Evans Animal Hospital will be having their grand opening on February 10th, I hope you'll go and check them out!
Updated Exhibit as of April 2018:
DelaFoto partnered with Mile High Dog Magazine for our 4th Annual Cover Contest on September 16th at Wag 'N Trail. While it was a grey and chilly one this year, we did have another record breaking day! With 115 dogs entering to win a chance to be the next Cover Model for the magazine's Holiday issue! Together we raised $570 for Dumb Friends League.
Our tent/photo booth had a steady flow of dogs through the morning and while there were a number a familiar faces, there were many new ones too. The entire gallery is now being reviewed to find the top 3 dogs (selected by Mile High Dog Magazine). Then those three contenders will be featured on Facebook, where we will have a public voting for the winning pup!
The big winner will get a full hour outdoor session with DelaFoto and the best image will be featured on the Magazine Cover. It's always exciting to see who will come out as top dog each year! Stay tuned...
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I had the pleasure of meeting local artist, Patrick McGregor for a studio photo session with his wife and two Dobermans. At the end of our session we talked about pet paintings and I learned about his street mural work. Soon after the final DelaFoto images were complete, Patrick selected one of his dog "Kita" for this grand mural.
Patrick is one of about 30 artists featured at Denver's viaduct walls public-art installation (at York Street & 46th Ave). It'll only be there until new construction along i70 begins in 2018. If you're in the neighborhood or just love street art, I hope you'll go check it out!
This is the original image that Patrick so skillfully replicated:
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As DelaFoto enters into it's 5th year of elegant portraiture in Denver, Colorado I've been looking for new ways to showcase my images in unique mediums. This month, I'm super excited to announce my NEW "Masterpiece" Collection, featuring gallery quality Giclee Canvas Art Prints! These stretched canvas prints are meant to be framed artwork. Many sizes and painterly options are available. This first studio sample features our lovely "Ladybug". My original image was transformed into a digital painting by a team of talented artists. Then it was printed onto the Giclee Canvas and hand painted with oils, etc for a head- turning portrait painting, a beautiful collaboration.
The DelaFoto studio/gallery will be featuring more examples of this collection soon. Whether for beloved pets or family portraits, this unique offering is unlike any other in Denver. I can't wait to complete the studio collection and help clients work with this option for their homes and offices.
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Finally, a stylish studio befitting luxury Pet Photography! DelaFoto has been at the South Broadway Church for nearly 5 years now. I've loved the Denver location and have been so very grateful to start and grow my business here. The old school building needed some TLC but there other pressing concerns to address before indulging in a studio remodel. As DelaFoto has grown, I was finally ready to tackle this project full tilt. Every single surface in this 600 SF room was redone.
First step, remove the drop ceiling and fluorescent lighting. They served their purpose when the space was a classroom in the 1950's. Years later, they had not aged well. Not knowing exactly what we'd find when we tore the ceiling down (only knowing it was a poured concrete above) what a relief to find it was beautiful! Next step, properly separate this room from the adjoining Presentation Room & Storage area. Then came the new track lighting and painting all the previously white walls and windows with warm earth tones. Ah! then the dreamy new wood-look floor, durable and comfortable for our four legged guests. Finally, we removed the tired vertical blinds and installed handsome Sun Shades making it much easier to moderate the light when working.
Oh my goodness, just love it all! I'm so inspired creatively and can't wait for upcoming photo sessions in the much more comfortable space. Just a few more prints to hang on the walls and off we go. Now I feel at home and hope my clients will too.
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About a month ago, I blogged about "Dapper Dogs" in the studio. Now lets not leave out the Dapper Cats, kitties look great in bowties too!
In two recent sessions, families brought in their felines for some formal portraits. While the styling of the sessions were open to many options, among the favorite looks were the ones with these fashionable bowties.
Purchased online, the ties were varied in color and size and inexpensive. They can be tricky to photograph with long haired cats and if the pose involves laying down (with cats I have minimal control over that). Despite the mild posing challenges, I enjoyed how these turned out and so did their families.
Thank you to "Wesley", the Siamese, "Saki" the Ragdoll, and "Hanley" the Russian Blue for looking so marvelous for us at DelaFoto!
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As Colorado has enjoyed a most beautiful season of golden leaves, DelaFoto has also had a wave of Goldens! Golden Retrievers that is. Always cheerful, soft and huggable, these darlings recently graced my studio this during 3 unique sessions.
First, there was Stefanie and her wonderful senior, Emma. With a frosty muzzle at the age of 13, Emma is a vibrant girl who just loved being pampered during her session with mom. My favorite image is of the ladies smiling with heads pressed together, in a gentle hug.
Then came Zoey, who is the newest addition to Darby's family. She's a 5 year old rescue who's been learning to overcome her anxieties with hopes that she can be a therapy dog like her brother Cormac. Lean in build, with long hair, high energy and a bit goofball, she glowed in the studio.
Finally, there was the family session with three Goldens! This fun session with Danielle & Ben's Golden crew included: snuggle bug Kitt Katt, goofy Gilligan & their newest addition, love bug Jesse. Everyone piled in and held on for a fun session where yes, three Goldens can smile together for the camera, no problem!
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How I love the dapper dogs with their bowties! Some adorable pups have been at the studio lately, wearing their best and making their moms and dads proud. Meet (from left to right) Martin, Wrigley and Bourbon. Three different sessions, each of these pups sat beautifully and gave their best "I've got this" expression. I've even had kitties come in wearing ties too.
While I keep neckties in stock in a variety of sizes and looks, the variety of ties folks bring are wonderful. I'm told many of these dogs are known at their parks for their unique collar style. Super cute, cant wait to see more as we get into our holiday portrait season!
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Partnering with Mile High Dog Magazine for our 3rd Annual Cover Contest together was another big success! A record breaking day with 104 dogs entering in just one morning. Sitting fees/contest entries were donated to Dumb Friends League at Wag 'N Trail for a total of $540.
We set up a bright and sunny outdoor studio and every dog got one professional headshot to enter the contest. It was non-stop and we sure had some beautiful pups, with lots of unique personalities! Everyone's dog is a star while we share all the entries online. Soon, the list will be narrowed to a top three contenders. Those lucky pups will be shared on Facebook where everyone gets to vote on the final winner. It's going to be a tough choice, I'm glad I don't have to make that decision!
The winning dog will be called back for a 1 hour photo session with me, where the best image will be featured on the cover of the Holiday issue of Mile High Dog Magazine. It's always so much fun to be part of this contest, I can't wait to see who the winner will be and get some festive photos together. Thank you to everyone that participated this year and previous years too, it has been a fun experience and such a great cause!
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A couple of months ago, Kim & Matt came to me for some fun studio pictures with their sweet dachsies "DD" & "Dexter". The final photos were such a hit that they came back for a new session with the whole family, featuring 5 adults and 4 dogs in one sitting!
With some family members coming in from out of town (for their first time professional group photo) preparations were made in advance and the half hour sitting went splendidly. Styled with jewel colors for a relaxed but timeless look, we got everyone close and cozy with their pups. The final image which became a beautiful set of canvas prints, was a true gem. It was a first for me and I'm so pleased with the outcome, can wait for more photo challenges like this one!
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I've had the pleasure of several schnauzers in the studio this season. Meet Mini Schnauzers Peanut & Cashew. Always fun to work with, this pair are youngsters (Peanut is 3 years and Cashew 5 months) and a beautiful color combo. Peanut's ears go in distinctly different directions and Cashew has patches of white on his chest and one front paw.
The final images were regal on linen prints. Plus their mom got some early holiday photos done, super cute in festive jingle bells!
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Alex & David were so excited to get portraits with their fun loving boy "Rio". A Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler mix, Rio is about 2 1/2 years old and full of spunk.
After sitting beautifully for his "formal" pictures and we had time for some romping too! That's when I got to capture his true athleticism.
A "squirrel enthusiast", he loved leaping in the air and catching toys. The photo of Rio 6 feet in the air, mid-catch, made for an exceptional studio-action shot!
Expressive, energetic and overall fun, another great day in pet photography, thanks to Rio and his family!
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Introducing Wesley, an enthusiastic 1 year old Portuguese Water Dog. He knows life is good with his girls, Addison & Ainsley. Wearing matching dresses (I love plum), the girls were pretty and comfortable in the studio with their newest family member.
Among my favorite images created, were the unexpected moments. From the silly (with Wesley's tongue drooping out the side of his mouth) to the touching. The sweetest of images were less formal, when all three got close and just loved on each other.
Hugging a happy pup made reluctant smiles into gentle, relaxed expressions of gratitude. As their parents participated from behind the scenes, they also enjoyed seeing their growing family in this unique setting. The final collection of linen prints will be great momentos to look back on and share for years to come.
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Seth came to my studio with his best bud "Joey", a 12 1/2 year old brindled Boxer. His session was a surprise gift and while he may not have not known what to expect, he sure did have fun with it.
Joey was eager to please and a natural with his dad. He's been with Seth since the very beginning and still goes to the office with him daily. A gentle greeter in the front foyer, I got to visit with him "at work" when delivering Seth's order.
The resulting photos demonstrate their timeless bond. A mix of metallic paper prints and a gorgeous metal print were selected to suit Seth's modern taste and honor their amazing friendship.
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Adam & Caroline are the proud parents of their 7 month old furbaby named "Layla". A clever and petite Shepherd mix, she thoroughly enjoyed all the special attention at her studio photo session. Layla posed beautifully with her family and on her own.
As more and more of my clients are opting to be in the photos with their animals, I couldn't be happier. Capturing the family and their loving bond, makes for a more complete story of our brief time together.
People are often more relaxed when they have their pets with them, in front of the camera and lights. Animals tend to be more content too. In a 30 minute session, I will shoot for a mix of images from the calm and stoic to playful and silly. All with plenty of heart.
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When I get the emotional call that a beloved animal has a terminal diagnosis, my heart sinks. Ashlee, a mom of two beautiful Standard Poodles, got the gut wrenching news and immediately called me to schedule a photo session. So we quickly set up a sitting for her family.
Thirteen year old boy, JJ had been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. Quiet and dignified, he was well enough to be fully present and enjoy the loving session along with his brother Aiden. Puppy Aiden, is a precocious, clever and inquisitive "red devil" who's playfulness made for a wiggly, silly sitting.
I'm showing some rare outtakes because they were among the most entertaining I've captured. Aiden, being such a love, kept charging me and the camera while JJ sat patiently with his mom. Ashlee smiled the whole time and just rolled with it.
She was committed to capturing her little family, their happiness and the immense joy they share with each other. That we did! A series a canvas prints were ordered to commemorate that love.
Sadly, only a week after this session JJ passed away. Ashlee has braved the loss still smiling and so grateful for the time she had with her gentleman of a boy.
I'm so appreciative of the brief time I had
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Two girls enjoying a Colorado day in the sun. This is Tiffany and her sweet Bullmastif, 8 year old Ginger. It was a hot one, the morning sun was beaming and the skies were gorgeous blue with puffy clouds. Not far from Denver, a favorite dog park of mine offered acres of open land to explore with expansive green fields and scattered wildflowers.
For our "Classic" photo session, Tiffany wanted a natural setting and was pleasantly surprised with the gem of a park I introduced her and Ginger to. Working our way across rolling meadows, ducking under shady Cottonwoods, and splashing across a refreshing creek, Ginger enjoyed traversing this expansive off-leash setting. We managed to steer clear of the other park visitors by heading up a hill with wide views of the majestic Rockies and Flatirons. The resulting portraits were pure Colorado!
As the temperature rose, we got down low in the tall grass and bright yellow Snapdragons for some relaxed photos. We also found some pretty Paintbrush blooming to compliment Tiffany's blouse. Yes, Tiffany had to dodge the prickly Yuccas and such, but it was all worth it. When the session was done, Tiffany & Ginger stayed a bit longer to enjoy the park and they plan to return there again.
Want to see more photos from this outing? Visit my On-Location photo gallery. What park this is? Call me and I'll tell you all about it. Maybe you'll want to schedule a photo session there too.
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I recently had the pleasure of meeting "Ryken" a 1 1/2 year old Nova Scotia Duck Trolling Retriever. I had never seen one of the breeds before, so what a treat to have him and his mom in the studio for a "Mini" session.
His mom, Rhonda is a local pet business owner, running a busy Canine Fitness & Fun Center here in Denver. Ryken gets to go to work with her every day and charm her staff and clients with his winning looks and personality. Gotta love his color and crimped ear hair! Playful and obedient he was gently guided by his loving mom through a wide variety of fun poses. Among the favorite images were these two of Ryken frozen between mom's legs waiting for the nearby treat and, in contrast, him actively playing with his red toy.
The final linen textured prints are on display at Rhonda's business and home, part of a collection of prints celebrating the lives of the amazing dogs that have touched her life over the years.
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Meet 5 1/2 year Benji, a lucky rescued pup to visit DelaFoto for a "Mini" photo session. Thought to be a Tibetan Terrier, I could certainly see how he has completely won the hearts of his forever family.
Happy to do whatever pleased his mom & dad, Benji was very expressive, with an adorable underbite and overall fluffy charm. Benji was a joy to work with as we got a range of pictures from simply naked to whimsical (in his lion costume) to sporty in his Broncos jersey. Super cute!
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We all know how fast puppies grow. So do kids! A session with three young ones is special and makes for great memories. Meet 3 month old White Labrador Retriever "Cooper" and his brother, 9 year old Charlie and big sister, 11 year old Lucy. In between the relentless chomping (with his razor sharp puppy teeth), the kids braved some fun photos with their newest family member. A tall family, it seemed most appropriate to get a dog's-eye-view of just the kid's long legs with the smiling puppy.
On his own, Cooper posed like a pro. I even pulled out my red fire hydrant, which I haven't photographed in years. It seemed so perfect with this bright, cheerful cutie pie -when he wasn't trying to eat it! A beautiful collection of happy times and reminder of how our loved ones grow up in the blink of an eye.
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Imagine my surprise and pleasure, when I got a call from a Kansas resident who found DelaFoto online. Dog mom, Kaityln was looking for a pet photographer to capture her sweet furbabies and was willing to travel to get what she wanted!
Kaitlyn and husband Lance, took a road trip from Kansas to California and set up a photo session with me along the way. Kaitlyn arrived with a scrapbook of ideas for the types of photos she wanted, which provided great inspiration and focus for our brief time together.
After continuing their trip west, they circled back a week later to view the completed images. The final collection of Canvas Prints were shipped to their home soon after their return. They couldn't have been more pleased with the results. The excellent preparation and enthusiasm made for some amazing, heart felt photos that I will also treasure for years to come. Thank you to this lovely family for making DelaFoto part of their travel adventure!
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What could be more lovely than portraits a sweet girl and her one year old Havanese? Stephanie and her adorable puppy, Daisy came to DelaFoto for their first photo session together. Stephanie is a 5th grader and has gotten lots of school portraits, but this was completely different.
This was a unique opportunity to capture special moments of two young girls and their loving bond. Daisy is a thoughtful, gentle little girl who posed perfectly for the camera. She also loves belly rubs and tug toys, so once the formal portraits were done we also had time for candid moments as well.
Stephanie was pretty in pink and with her beaming smile was a pleasure to photograph. This is just a sampling of the beautiful duo. Would love to see more kids and pups together, it can be such a joy to photograph and share.
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How do you define family? In this session, family is: mom, dad an adorable boy and his dog. Who's the lucky dog? Her name is Ozzy, a 5 year old Boston Terrier. As you can see, she loves her family with all her heart.
This playful, fun loving pup is strong, gentle and loyal. Our 30 minute Mini Session was the perfect way to capture that love and cherish it for years to come.
I love Ozzy's grin from ear to ear, her expressions say it all. This is a happy girl and the whole family is proud and grateful to have her in their lives. This is why I love what I do!
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When I'm looking for dog models for upcoming "Special Session" themes, I often turn to my friends in the rescue world and the many animals in need of extra publicity. The dogs at My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue are among my favorites to photograph. Their hounds and pitties are some of the most soulful creatures to visit my studio. Many have suffered abuse and neglect, yet despite their past hardships are the gentlest of dogs.
My upcoming special "Glamour Shots" will be featuring flowers, and other stylish props, so I used fresh daisies and sunflowers in these images. The flowers, along with my signature red bowtie are eye catching and refreshing. The images celebrate the inspiring rehabilitation of these sweet souls, and hopefully expedite their adoptions into loving homes. To see more of these rescue images, visit DelaFoto's MFDM Gallery.
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I'm not just a portrait photographer that specializes in pets, I'm a dog mom. I've been so blessed to have a sweet Sheltie girl in my life, "Ladybug". She's going to be turning 4 years old soon. My little tomboy loves to run like wild and her fluffy double coat was looking a kinda rough. So I brought her to my friend and pet groomer, Rachel, owner of the Poodle Shop. In less than an hour, my scrappy baby got a thorough bath, a blow dry, a light trim and she was good to go. Now a pampered princess, she smells wonderful, is soft and plush and is ready to take on the world.
I have to chuckle when I take her on long walks along a favorite destination, Cherry Creek Trail. I've seen drivers, cyclers and fellow walkers smile and excitedly call out "Sheltie!" as they pass by. Yup, she does turn heads. Ladybug brings so much joy to my life, I can't help but smile. So I thought it would be fun to share more of our moments together via what I do best, photography. "Sheltie Selfie", on Instagram, will now feature candid photos of my loyal companion and our life together. I hope she puts a smile on your face and warms your heart, as she does mine.
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Denver and the surrounding towns are host to many great pet supply & service businesses. I've loved the opportunity to get to know them and share what they do with my clients. Top quality grooming shops, pet food suppliers, veterinarians, and others have hosted some of my favorite artwork, introducing DelaFoto to their customers.
Past exhibits have included: Woof in Boots, The Bark Bar, and Overland Animal Hospital. I also have work currently on display at Heavenly Dog, The Poodle Shop & Urban Sophisticats.
This month, I'm excited to have just added new displays at Petzlove Food and Lucky Dog Grooming. My displays typically exhibit for 6 months to a year. I make the presentations a variety of images, that best compliment the business' decor. It's also a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the range of animals I photograph and the type of print mediums I work with. Also, I usually host my photo specials at these same venues to help clients easily experience my photography at locations already convenient and familiar to them. A win-win for everyone!
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Cozy pictures of clients and their pups are a favorite of mine. This sweetie pie is 9 1/2 year old "Murphy" with his family, Margie & Rob. He's a rescued Wheaton Airedale/Irish Wolf Hound mix.
Sweet and a bit timid, he had a great session. We took extra care to make him as comfortable as possible. Sitting up on furniture was not his thing, so we set the family down on a rug, at his level.
Margie and Rob were wearing beautiful orange and reds to compliment Murphy's gold fur and the charcoal set. With shoes off and everyone snuggled closely on the floor, it was like being at home. This image of everyone "connecting" is a highlight for me.
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Amazingly, I haven't seen many Siberian Huskies in my Colorado studio. Perhaps it's because their families think of them as outdoorsy, free spirits and don't expect an indoor portrait to capture their personality.
Fortunately, last week my clients, John & Dawn brought their stunning boy, "Tuyok" in for his first photo session. A lean 3 year old, they thought that he may be a bit indifferent and have "selective hearing" during our time together. As it turned out, he was extremely cooperative and engaged.
First image, a jaw dropper! Laying perpendicular to the camera with his head turned straight to me with such intensity. I knew this was going to be a great session. We went thorough a wide range of poses and at the end rewarded him with something fun to do, a rawhide for him to work his choppers on.
Simple, classic black and grey backdrops set off his silvery coat and gorgeous brown eyes. Before we knew it, we were all done with a generous selection of images capturing this Husky's splendor. I'm excited to see the Print Wrap & Portrait Folio are that are on order. Their leathery appearance will showcase Tuyok's portraits perfectly.
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It's always fun to get a pair of animals in the studio. Capturing their portraits individually as well as their relationship with each other is a great gift for a family. In this session, we had a two wonderful German Shorthaired Pointers, 9 month old Omar and his sibling, 3 month old Onyx.
​These dogs were such a joy to photograph, not only because they are adorable puppies, but because young dogs often react very favorably to the newness of a photo session. Their natural curiosity and innocence make for beautiful expressions of alertness and wonder. These two beauties were no exception. Well into their obedience training, they did their sits like champs.
After some freeform playtime and lots of joyful mouthing with each other, we got out the dog bed and prepped for the coveted image of them together. While getting a pretty pose of them on the bed was tricky (all they wanted to do was play), we stuck to it. The result, an adorable image the babies together that mom will be able to enjoy long after they've grown up.
The final collection included an array of 8x10s and 8x8 prints along with a beautiful Canvas Wall Art. A sweet celebration of these new family members.
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This little fellow is "Tripper", a 7 year old Yorkie that loves to travel with his dad, hence his name.
The theme for his photo shoot was the four seasons. We started with autumn, where Tripper sported his tweed jacket, amongst leaves, very cute! ​Winter was accented with a poinsettia scarf and red blanket, perfect for Christmas.
Spring was subtle with another scarf in pastel colors. Followed by summer, where and Tripper wore a Rockies collar set next to a colorful Colorado baseball.
Tripper did great and his dad got to enjoy many different images from his session. This collage is just a sampling of the variety of images and poses. The final collection included a canvas, folio book, collages and gift prints for the family to enjoy.
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This dapper little fellow is "Allistair", a 9 year old Brussels Griffon. He was the first of this adorable breed to visit my studio. Rescued from a dog mill, he's a very fortunate boy, who's mom just adores him.
She was so happy to receive a gift certificate for a pet portrait session from her family. As it is with many of my clients this was a completely new experience.
You would've thought this little guy was a professional model, he just loved the camera! While most of the pictures were taken with him "in the buff", the family did bring a charming scarf adorned with some pins of sentimental value, to personalize the portraits.
Allistair took everything in stride and gave us the best expressions a photographer could ask for. What a face! The thoughtful gaze, adorable head tilts and even some paw tricks, made for an elegant session packed with great poses and memorable moments. You could just caption the photos, "I got this".
Thank you Allistair for showing us how the biggest of hearts can come in small packages.
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Studio pet photo sessions can be as natural and spontaneous as outdoors, without all the distractions. With a spacious room, I am fortunate that I can do both formal family portraits and playful photos with toys and exuberant romping. Of course, the playfulness does have something to do with the personality of our subjects.
Meet "Haven", rescued by Bernard & Cheryl through Freedom Service Dogs. While she didn't "make the cut" as a service dog, her mom and dad sure don't mind. She's a fun loving Boxer/Great Dane mix and an absolute beauty to photograph!
While Haven is not one to do formal tricks, she is a disciplined girl who followed commands well and posed perfectly for the camera. Not at all shy, she snuck in some smooches for one of the family portraits. Such a precious moment! We thanked her for all the love and finished up the group poses.
Then we cut loose and started to play! She adores balls and gleefully caught them. It's the intense look as the ball heads toward a pup that I so enjoy capturing.
After several great rounds of ball tossing, we moved onto tug games. Bernard got a bit of a workout and we got some sweet pictures of Haven doing what she loves, playing with her family.
The final image collection truly showed Haven's personality: smart, athletic, fun, loving and loyal. What a great girl and lucky family.
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When I'm photographing people and their beautiful animal companions, I love learning about the inspiring things they are up to. In this case, it is lovely Kristin and her Newfoundland, Bruno.
Several years ago, Kristin was struggling with the impending loss of her mother in NJ who had Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. It would bring her mom such joy to receive puppy pictures of Bruno. Through that experience, Kristin started to take Bruno to Highlands Behavioral Health System, to help their patients heal. She also started to take yoga on a regular basis and noticed that the yoga helped with her own grief process.
Kristin soon realized that she wanted to combine animal assisted therapy and yoga with patients. Kristin created, Downward Dog Upward Spirits to do just that. She now offers yoga programs designed exclusively for behavioral health hospitals and treatment centers, and Bruno is certified to do animal assisted therapy through Denver Pet Partners.
The other day, Kristin and a patient were talking about rescue dogs, and a patient got down on his knee to hug Bruno and said, “Bruno, today, you rescued me!” If you'd like to learn more about Kristin and her great work, you can email her at [email protected]
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Yellow Labrador Retrievers, Bella, Gracie & Jack came to DelaFoto for their first ever studio session. Spanning an age range of nearly 12 years, Jack is the youngest at 8 months and his sisters are 7 & 12.
Their range in color tones, differences in personality and age made for a fun series of group shots. Their mom and dad, helped get them into position, lining up 3 labs into nice sits is no small task. We used a neutral, grey backdrop to set off their creamy/gold colors and a chocolate brown rug to prevent slipping & sliding for the older gals.
The first image shows their curiosity and concern, looking to mom & dad for treats. The second image, we start to settle in but happen to capture young Jack as he springs up and heads for the strange photographer lady, making those weird sounds!
The final image is after a minor readjustment, we put Jack on the left so that Gracie can sit more comfortably. We have all butts down and heads pointing forward, tricky since each dog reacts differently to each attention getting sound I make.
When all is said and done the image that wins mom and dad's heart is the first one, since it displays the 3 dogs' personalities well, and it's just darn cute. I personally get a kick out of the second image, with the 2 girls sitting calmly as Jack takes charge!
Something for everyone here, plus a series of fun head shots of each pup. A super way to showcase their personalities with simple, elegant portraits. Thank you to Kristin & Keith for bringing in your wonderful family members, lots of Lab love here!
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While many of my sessions with a pair of dogs involve a matching pair, Roxy & Tank were quite the opposite! The combination of Roxy, the Black Lab and Tank (American Bulldog), were challenging on several levels.
First, there's the technical aspect of lighting. You do not want overexpose the white fur or underexpose the black. Second, their personalities were just as opposing. Roxy is a quiet, shy, gentle soul. Newcomer to the family, Tank is a rambunctious boy who could hardly sit still.
Their patient mom had gotten the photo session as a surprise gift for her husband. The main goal was to get a great portrait of these pups together. Being large and strong, positioning them and gaging their very different reactions to my photo taking cues was a challenge. We did get this winning shot, among others that I think capture their personalities perfectly in the DelaFoto style.
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After wrapping up DelaFoto business for 2015, I headed off for a relaxing 2 week trip to visit my family in Southern France. We were blessed with mild sunny days during most of our visit to the french countryside.
While vacations can be a chance to put my camera down and take a break from photography, not on this trip! Who could pass up the chance to capture the gorgeous scenery and potential portraits in a place so rich in natural beauty and character.
While I did use my iphone for the day to day photo ops, I could not skip over my Canon for portraits of the beautiful french cats I encountered. There are always cats at my father's home and we often see cats lounging outside other country homes and in the rustic villages we visited.
These are extremely affectionate, resilient cats and were a joy to get to know (while we missed our dogs back home). Shown here are 6 month old kitten "Jojo" and my sister's fluffy furbaby "Fauve". Finally, a portrait of my sister with a super grumpy, striking stray Persian we met while out exploring.
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When I photograph children and pets, I like to keep it simple. The keys to success are some good planning, rolling with everyone's personality, and lots of patience.
In this case, adorable pictures for mom's holiday cards were created with a blue & white theme. The boys had coordinated outfits (I was sent photos in advance so I knew what to expect). The set was bright, cheerful and comfortable.
Starting with just the kids, we let them be silly and make funny faces. Meanwhile, the pups got to roam the studio, sniff and check things out. Everyone got their natural tendencies and curiosity out of their system.
Then came the photos of all four of them. Fortunately, dogs often enjoy all the attention and they give children a purpose: to hold them for the pictures!
Mom stayed behind the camera with me and helped with directing the boys while I got the attention of the pups. After some wiggling, twisting, sliding around we get what we're looking for. The one shot where everyone is smiling, looking forward, not blinking and woo hoo! they look great!
With that goal met, we broke into individual photos of each boy, with each dog, and even some great portraits of the dogs alone. All in a half hour. I'm a big fan of keeping it quick too, before we lose everyone's patience. Photographing kids and pets, not easy, but well worth the results. Thanks to the determined parents that go for it, they make for some real treasures!
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A pair of adorable Puggies came in for portraits recently, and oh my goodness look at those faces! It's been a while since I had Pugs in the studio, so what a treat to meet these girls, Susie & Bonnie.
Both are rescues from Colorado Pug Rescue. Susie is the white faced senior at 14 years old. Bonnie is the new girl at 2 years old. Mom and dad expected Bonnie to be a handful and Susie to be a bit stubborn. But instead, they seemed to love the camera and were very cooperative. Allowing me to even get some great pictures of them together. So fun!
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Once in a while I get to capture elegant portraits of a pet with their person. In this case, it was 15 year old Italian Greyhound "Rocky" and his lovely mom, Cindy.
An impressive senior, Rocky is still curious and spunky even though his sight and hearing aren't what they used to be. He and his mom have been through a lot together, so the chance to capture elegant portraits of the two of them were meaningful.
Arms crossed and safely nestled in his mom's arms you see an alert, loving and loyal boy in this photo. Cindy's calm and caring gaze and warm, plush sweater present a sense of ease and comfort. A beautiful pose, a compelling image. It speaks of what DelaFoto is all about.
An inspiring duo, it was such a pleasure to create these portraits together. A lovely Print Wrap and a variety of linen textured prints will commemorate this heart felt photo session.
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I don't often get the chance to photograph English Bulldogs, so when 8 year old "Daisy" was scheduled for her first ever photo session, I was excited to capture her unique style. I heard that she loves belly rubs and to give kisses, playing tug-of-war with pillows and especially enjoys peanut butter.
Snuggly and playful, Daisy is a fun girl to pose for photos. We took it slow since she is a bit arthritic, and provided comfy beds and blankets to make her right at home. She was agreeable to whatever we suited her up in, and curious enough about toys and my crazy sounds to make some great bulldog faces!
By request from momma, I got out the big daisy flower and took this adorable portrait with Daisy, so perfect!
Luxurious metallic prints were created for an elegant presentation. A Standout Wall Art print of the "daisies" will now be a centerpiece in her mom's home. A wonderful tribute to the friendship and loyalty between Daisy and her mom.
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Meet 5 year olds Rusty & Sammie, two gorgeous (red) Goldens, adopted from Golden Retrievers Rescue of the Rockies or GRRR. Thanks to the great work of this rescue, these babies are in a loving home together and adored by their family. Sweet and gentle, they truly love each other and we were lucky enough to catch them in some cuddly moments in the studio.
We started off with some lovely family portraits including mom & dad, and then moved to photos of these best buddies together. The studio dog bed, happens to be the exact same one they have at home. What luck! So they made themselves very comfortable and looked great.
Finally, we captured each pup's personal style with some close-up individual portraits. Both formal and fun (with tongues hanging, licking and more) the collection was an overwhelming array of warmth, sweetness and charm.
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Little Papillon "Bella" has been coming to DelaFoto for Christmas photos for 4 years now! It all started with my first photo special, at Parkside Animal Hospital. Quickie sessions (just 10 minutes), the backdrop was green with white dots and the feather christmas tree was a nice accent for this tiny girl!
The 2nd year, we were back at the vet's office again for slightly longer sessions (15 mins) and Bella seemed to be more at ease with a gold blanket and red gift boxes.
The 3rd year, I switched things up and had the session at my studio, with lots of space and more privacy. The theme was simple and white, Bella seemed pretty comfortable on the plush red pillow.
This year was Bella's 4th and I think she was more at ease than ever. Back at the studio, we adorned her with green beads and she posed sweetly. Spunky and adorable, she's a senior but you'd never know it. I can't believe four years have passed already. Can't wait to see her and her family for more holiday seasons to come!
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Meet marvelous Bernese Mountain Dog "Little", he was the winner of Mile High Dog Magazine's "Holiday Cover Contest" this year! It was quite a showdown with Facebook fans making the final decision with an online vote.
Once the decision was made it was time to get outside and get some beautiful portraits in Colorado's natural scenery. We dodged the season's first ice/sleet storm by hours and while it was a bit grey and drizzly, that didn't faze this fun loving 2 year old one bit.
Set among autumn's gold grasses and flowers, Little sat patiently with big smiles and tail wagging. Silly and happy, we came back with lots of great images for his family to enjoy. Not to mention, a tough decision for the which image would make the cover of the magazine!
The final choice has been set and I won't spoil the surprise. It's not one of these featured images, but it is perfectly adorable. So look for Little on the new magazine cover for Dec/Jan, it'll be here so soon. I can't wait!
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Holiday Pet Photo sittings are under way! While I usually don't share the images until the the "Specials" for November are all done, I couldn't resist sharing a few of our first participants.
I'm going with the clean, modern, white approach again this year because it was so successful last year. A bright departure from my darker jewel-toned images through the year, these are festive yet versatile enough to enjoy all winter.
I find myself just loving the pups in warm comfy scarfs, formal attire and other simple human inspired embellishments. They are family, after all! Terriers, Archie & Ruby look fabulous sporting DelaFoto's signature holiday accents. Pomeranian, Roxi is a all smiles in her santa dress. My sheltie, Ladybug modeled a tube scarf for me and is often skeptical when I point the camera at her, but I still think she's adorable.
This weekend wraps up my special 15 minute sessions for the year, but there are still plenty of "Mini" sessions and other options for getting unique holiday cards, gifts and other wintery photos. Fun!
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During this past weekend's kick off for my Holiday Photo Special, I had some extra time to get pictures of a new adoption hopeful for Cayleb Senior Rescue. They have a sweet and shy little Alaskan Klee Kai. At 11years old, "Little Girl" has bounced between breeders in Colorado, Texas, and Colorado again, before ending up in a county shelter. Luckily, she is now in foster care and has had a painfully injured leg amputated, giving her a new lease on life.
With her three legs, Little Girl was energetic and nimble. While timid in new surroundings, we were able to make her comfortable and capture some great adoption portraits. She'll need a patient, loving family that can give her a permanent home to live out her senior years safely and happily.
I hope this image and others will help. I'll always have a sweet spot for the senior animals and the great work rescues like these do for them. Wishing you a new home for Christmas Little Girl!
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Halloween this year couldn't have been more fun! The weather was amazing and I was back on Gaylord Street raising funds with a photo booth for Misha May Foundation. Hosted by Lil Angel Pet Boutique, there was a Pet Costume Parade & Contest that brought out many pet lovers and creative outfits.
Our cozy booth decked out in red & black with young assistant, Maria (shown upper left) kept busy for 2 hours, photographing about 30 folks and pets. We raised $115 for the pet training and rescue work of Lorraine May (shown right) and her foundation. See all the photos now online at: Halloween2015!
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This little honey is "Peanut"and she is an 11 year old Puggle. Prior to our session her mom, Nicole described Peanut as a goofy girl, very food motivated and potentially very smiley. Well my goodness, she was spot on.
We had a lot of fun in the studio with Peanut. Her love of carrots was a big motivator and generated fun poses, tons of facial expressions and that winning grin! Wearing her flowery, pink "Walkewoo" collar, she did her signature bow, cute head tilts and lots of tail wagging for us. At the end of the session, I brought out my big daisy as a cheerful prop, and that made for the sweetest photo of all.
Prints, a collage and a metal wall art piece are on order to showcase this fun loving girl at her home, can't wait to deliver them to the family.
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The dynamic when photographing cats in the studio is completely different from dogs. In this session with Smoochie (13 year old, Domestic Shorthair) and Zorg (2 years old, Domestic Mediumhair), the right preparations made the session both entertaining and yielded amazing images.
Jaclyn came in with a friend (to help wrangle), toys, a fun outfit to match her tuxedo kitties and a great attitude. With cats you roll with what mood their in, take your time and make them comfy any way you can. One of Jackie's goals was to get images of her babies mid meows. I'm happy to say, mission accomplished!
That along with family shots for her Christmas cards, made for a great cat session. Thank you Jaclyn for sharing your bright smile and adorable kitties with all of us!
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This adorable fellow is adoption hopeful "Socrates". He's the latest addition at Cayleb's Kindred Senior Dog Rescue after being surrendered to a local animal shelter. Roughly 2 to 3 years old, Socrates' favorite things to do are: eat, explore, cuddle, and hoard food.
He came into the studio for his DelaFoto debut to help get interest for his adoption or even fostering. It can be hard for a rat to get noticed in the rescue world, so I these photos should help.
He was particularly fun to photograph being easily lured by his favorite treat, chocolate chips! While he's visually impaired (typical of albino rats), you wouldn't know it. He got around just fine, following his keen nose and using his ample whiskers. I'm happy with the resulting photos, it was tough to just to share 4, he's so photogenic!
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Over the past few weeks, a rare gem has occurred, completely by chance. All my clients brought in black pets for photos! It was decidedly a great opportunity to demonstrate how beautiful it can be to create "black on black" images for them.
The variety was magnificent too. We had Ollie come back with his new little adopted pal, Belletrix, for a kitty duo that was adorable. Then I had the over the top handsome Vader, a 9 month old Great Dane that demonstrated both intensity and goofiness for his first photo session. Rare and wonderful Sage is a black German Shepherd, a strong protector and gentle giant. Sweet old Labs Murphy & Frasier tested the minimalistic studio lighting to the limit.
Gleaming eyes, highlighted textures, and explored form serve to accentuate the power of these images. I had such a great time creating these photos and surprising the families with what is possible in dramatic shades of black. Two of the prints area already completed on Metal, a stunning medium for this style. Can't wait for more black animals to come my way!
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Now that Autumn is here, it is a great time for outdoor photos of pets. Cooler temps, clear skies, golden landscapes make for beautiful settings for so many pups.
Meet "Big Ben III", a 2 year Black Labrador Retriever and the pride of his breeder/dad, Don. We met up in a quite preserve in Golden, a perfect setting for a hunting dog. Set amongst late season, tall grasses Ben was in his element and we were able to get images that reflected both his youthfulness and intensity.
A "Standout" art print with metallic paper is the medium on which the display piece will be made. It will be a bold and luxurious way to enjoy Ben's thoughtful stare (lower left image) for years to come. Can't wait!
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When young Boxer, "Jax" came to the studio recently, it was a perfect opportunity to explore a wide range of poses and styles. Such a cooperative boy and just look at that face!
With just a simple black backdrop, we started with his own colorful collar and moved to our red bowtie (always a favorite). Then to we went on to more patriotic themes like a Colorado neck band, which fit him perfectly. Then draped him in an American flag. That was perfect for this boy, who's birthday is the 4th of July!
No matter what we tried, Jax looked so handsome and regal. What a photographer's delight! The final product was an elegant 16 x 20 Collage in linen print that just captured his personality so well. The clients were thrilled and I have some wonderful new additions for my ever growing Studio portfolio to inspire future clients. Fun!
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Had a family portrait session with Pam & Pat and their sweet Huskies, Aife & Cairan. The 8 year old dogs couldn't look more different, yet they are rescued litter mates!
Loving and cooperative, they made for great portraits. The studio was the perfect setting to avoid distractions and achieve elegant, modern images for the family home.
We started with more formal poses and gently moved into relaxed, lifestyle images with hugs, tricks and treats. The final collection of prints & digital files will be fun daily reminders of the family's loving bond.
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If you adore Australian Shepherds, how can you not love this awesome pair? Meet Madison & Gibbs. Blue merle, Maddie is the elder in this duo at 7 years old. Tri-color, Gibbs is her buddy at nearly 2 years old. They just adore each other and were such a pleasure in the studio.
Both pups are well trained at obedience and agility, making for a super fun and relaxed session. It was a perfect opportunity to play with poses, and do some indoor action shots too. In the end, their thoughtful expressions and desire to please made me just melt. I love this image and the many others captured in our session. Individual head shots on acrylic were the chosen medium for a stunning showcase of these beautiful babies.
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As the official photographer for the Denver Pet Expo for the 3rd year in a row, it has been a fun, educational and visually rich experience. The 2015 Pet Expo offered interactions with a wide range of companion animals, from our beloved cats & dogs to the more exotic reptiles, birds, ferrets, fish and more.
The annual event continues to showcase great pet products and services as well as local rescues and charities. There's a healthy balance of educational presentations and fun activities for families and their pets including the talent show, agility course, flyball demos, and a costume contest.
It was a lot of ground to cover for the day, but I'm pleased with the photos and the many engaging moments between people and animals. You can visit the full gallery of event images here: Denver Pet Expo 2015. Enjoy!
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With the hundreds of magnificent pets that I've met as a pet photographer, there have been some some special individuals that I'd like to share this week. Those are the therapy dogs who dedicate time and love to medical patients.
Of course they don't do this alone, their awesome families make it all possible, along with trainers, hospital staff and others. They are fun to photograph. Their big hearts just beam, and you know they are the epitome of unconditional love.
Meet "Cormac", shown here from a recent studio session. He is a superstar at Children's Hospital Prescription Pet Program. He sports a doggie shirt, specially made to limit pet dander exposure to patients. Like some of my other amazing clients, "Sam" the Poodle, and "Shadow" the Black Lab Mix, these dogs are ready to do their work with big smiles and gentle demeanors. They have to meet age and obedience requirements, and be checked by their vets regularly. When those criteria are met, they are ready to bring joy and healing. Thank goodness for therapy dogs and the awesome people willing to share their love!
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When a sweet, ailing senior like "Tag" cannot come out to my studio, I can come out for a "Sanctuary Session" at their home. We didn't want to put any strain on him, so the session was designed to be brief and gentle.
Tag has enjoyed a happy life and spent much of his time in the safety and comfort of his front porch and yard. Due to his now limited mobility, we set out his comfy dog bed and captured touching moments there, with his loving family.
Basking in the morning sun, he got lots of hugs, kisses and treats. Moments of sunny snoozes were mixed with curious head turns, sniffs, and occasional smiles. It was an emotional session, knowing Tag won't be with his family much longer. They can take some comfort in the special images created to remember him by.
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Just had a sporty session with a clever boy that doesn't know he's a dog. His dad Scott, describes him as a "human dog", because he is so obedient and a great listener. Our half hour session was fun filled, as I got to learn all the things Kobi could do!
He sported his Broncos colors for our ball playing. Kobi showed his immense patience and manners as we posed him crossed pawed on a tennis ball -a first for me.
Then we played studio frisbee, capturing his intensity and dexterity with high flying action! The session led to a wonderful collection of images showing the many aspects of Kobi's personality. Aluminum metal will be the media for the art prints that will be in his family's home, a perfect choice for this stunning boy.
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A couple of weeks ago, I got to spend a marvelous summer evening with adorable little Oliver and his family. He is part Dachshund, Bichon & Shih Tzu. His home is atop a hill in Golden with an impressive western view of the foothills & Rockies. We fully utilized the entire back yard to get some sunny, warm photos of Oliver.
We started on the patio, perched on a boulder with a trickling stone fountain as a backdrop. Then we moved out onto the lawn, I got down low to his level and Colorado's purple mountains made for the ultimate backdrop!
As storm clouds brushed by us and the sun started to set, we had what every photographer loves: golden light. It illuminated Oliver's fur and the colorful flower beds that we posed him in.
This sweet honey loves his people so much and they adore him. The session was a fun family effort and Oliver enjoyed all the attention. A collection of Canvas & Metal art prints are on order, as well as fun photo pillows that are sure to be a big hit!
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Denver is a great place to be a Pet Photographer. There are many families with dogs in need of professional photography and a number of talented pet photographers ready and happy to meet their needs. Within this niche market there are even smaller niches. I personally love being a specialist in studio portraits of pets. While I do get commissioned to do outdoor sessions, they are generally done in my signature style: relaxed, soft and stoic.
Being part of an ever growing and inspiring network of Denver pet business owners, I've had the opportunity to get better acquainted with some of the other pet photographers in our area. One of which is Brenda Halverson of Paws in Motion Photography. Brenda specializes in action/sport photography for dogs. We use different camera gear and have completely independent styles, so we thought it would be fun to do a photo swap with our own dogs so we can demonstrate our unique styles to our audiences.
The swap started with a studio session of Brenda's beloved 10 year old lab "Riley". He's a sweet boy and I went with a soft cream on cream look that would emphasize his beautiful eyes and gentle demeanor. His mom has taken many fun photos of him in the field. Now she has these DelaFoto portraits, in a clean modern style, both posed and playful, as timeless portraits of her special boy.
Several days after our studio session, my 3 year old sheltie "Ladybug" participated in an early morning outdoor session at Cherry Creek State Park, a favorite spot of ours. Brenda joined us as we explored the expansive terrain and set excited ladybug into action with a red rubber toy. My fluffy little girl is pretty to pose in the studio, but she turns into a whole other creature out in nature! Brenda got action packed pictures of my baby girl in mid flight and full of spunk.
Both of us walked away with fun new pictures and a better appreciation of how each other work.
This summer, both Brenda and I are offering photo specials where clients can sample our signature styles. DelaFoto is hosting "Bubbles & Balls" July 25th & 26th at the studio, with themed sittings just $50 for 15 mins. Paws in Motion will be offering "Dog Days of Summer" with $50 off their session fee, for appointments booked by August 11th. We hope you'll join us for some great pet photography soon!
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Colorado rescues got a great gift last Friday. Thanks to the generosity of Redbarn Premium Pet Products & the amazing efforts of Colorado Pet Pantry, over a 1000 of Colorado dogs and cats will be fed for a month!
Starting early in the morning $130,000 worth of canned pet food was delivered to their warehouse and quickly distributed to local rescues and other pet food banks. All in ONE day!
It was a tremendous success thanks to a great team effort. DelaFoto was happy to pitch in a helping hand and capture some photo highlights of the impressive exchange.
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Had the pleasure of a unique equine photo session with a beauty named "Dixie". When her mom, Kelly scheduled her photo session for a Sunday morning, we knew we lucked out on the weather. We hit one of the rare rain free days and flowers were blooming throughout the unusually green Colorado pastures.
Kelly wore the perfect country dress for the occasion. We started Dixie with quiet strolls, stopping for tender moments between the girls. Husband Joel, joined in for some great family portraits. Kelly
then switched to jeans and rode Dixie bare back for more playful shots.
A highlight of the morning was when Kelly led Dixie up the hill and removed her reins. Fully expecting her to run down the valley of pastureland (as she usually does on her home turf), she instead headed right for me. I had a long lens ready for full zoom and instead found myself hustling backwards as Dixie ran right past me.
Despite the excitement, I got winning shot the day, showing Dixie's true personality: strong and sassy runner! The sun glimmered on her beautiful coat, showing off her strength. Her facial expression says it all. Prints and standouts are in production, this will surely be unique portrait collection to enjoy for years to come. Thank you to Kelly & Joel for arranging this outing and the chance to work with you on this amazing photo session!
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I'm currently hosting Misha May Foundation's training course: "Understanding Dogs" at my Denver studio. It's a 4 week course that hosts four participants and their dogs, as well as observers. Each week a participating dog is featured as they work through their specific behavior issues and training needs.
As the host, I had the opportunity to enjoy the course with instructor, Rebecca Shattuck, while working through the anxiety issues my sheltie "Ladybug" has with new people. My little girl is clever and I knew we could both learn some great new techniques for calming her down and having her feel more comfortable approaching strangers. In the hour that we worked with her, she practiced "calming ovals" and got lots of positive reinforcement while approaching our classmates, on her terms. At the end of the class, she was tuckered from all the mental stimulation, yet was calm and comfortable. Not bad for 1 hour of learning!
It's been a pleasure participating in the class, getting customized training and meeting the other students. We've learned a lot about each other's dog challenges and solutions. I highly recommend the course and look forward to improving my Ladybug's social skills and more with Misha May Foundation.
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A getaway to New Mexico, turned into a wonderful introduction to a dear little puppy named "Rosie". At the tail end of a midweek trip to Albuquerque (with 3 doggies already in tow) I saw that My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue posted for urgent help on Facebook. While I typically "unplug" while on road trips, I happened to see the call for anyone available to transport a puppy from Albuquerque to Denver. How I could I say no?
I've never done rescue transporting before, but it was easy. Baby Rosie was dropped off to us on the day we were heading back to Denver. She is a gorgeous Blood Hound/Red Tick Coon Hound mix. While I won't get into the details of her past hardships, I can say she is now as happy and sweet as could be. She's a smart, confident, loving and very well mannered hound. She didn't even need a crate for the day long, scenic ride home. She loved the adventure and was a genuine joy to share the ride with. Our 3 other furry family members tolerated our little guest as well as could be expected.
Winning hearts all along the way, she is now in one of her new foster homes where she will continue to get lots of love. We wish her the best, and can't wait to see who the lucky adoption family will be!
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Seven years old vs. seven months old, can you tell which German Shepherd is which? The tongue pretty much gives it away. Happy go lucky, silly young Bane and his wiser counterpart Val came out to the studio for their "Mini Session".
I sure love photographing shepherds! A sweet pair, they adore each other. High energy and strong, it was a good thing that they had obedience skills and a patient mom. It took some minor wrangling, but they did great, their expressions say it all. It was a good day!
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If you love Newfies, then you'll love "Lucie". This 9 year old gentle giant recently came in for her first professional photos. She has such a puppy face and relaxed temperament, you'd never guess her age. Extremely sweet and cooperative, she made herself right at home. Freshly groomed and less drooly than most big breeds, she was an absolute pleasure to work with.
Photographing black dogs can be tough without the right equipment, but in the studio setting, black is no problem. Lucie's mom & dad were overjoyed with the final results. "We can see her eyes!" they exclaimed, at their presentation.
The photos were better than they ever expected, which is so nice to hear. Don't you just want to give Lucie a big hug?
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Having just finished my spring photo special/fundraiser and looking ahead to my summer special, I needed some doggie models. I'm about to announce a new theme, "Bubbles & Balls", a variation of my more playful "Romping Rovers" special from last year. It's a beautiful and fun idea and I needed to create some fresh, new promotional images.
In prepping for our "official" models (four rescue pups that were scheduled to come in to the studio) we had clever and intense Catahoula mix, "Hula" on hand to help test the new lighting, bubble making and props. She was both intrigued and subdued in her reaction to the colorful play things and many bubbles. Hula is a confident and obedient girl with big brown eyes making for some soulful, stoic images that I'm excited to share.
With the bubble making tested and the lights performing beautifully, we were all ready for some great shots of the rest of our model dogs. The images are all done and the new special is ready to be announced, yay!
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When you hear photographers talk about "Seniors", the first thought that often comes to mind is High School students. But in Pet Photography, seniors are a special kind of client. These are the sweet old souls, nearing the end of a life well lived.
In recent weeks, I had the joy of working with two amazing old ladies, "Britney" (an American Bulldog) and "Shiva" (a Brindle Boxer Mix). They are both 12 years old and their moms wanted studio sessions that would capture their beauty and spirit.
These sessions involve creating a quiet, comfortable, serene setting. While the hearing and eyesight of the elegant ladies were diminished, they made up for it in grace and dedication to their moms. They seemed to enjoy the pampering and patiently obliged as we gently directed them into each pose. Senior sessions are a wonderful way to celebrate a magnificent bond and create images that will be cherished long after our pets' time with us has passed. I am honored to be part of that process.
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Had my first sitting with a pair of American Eskimos: Avy & Coco. They are around 2yrs old and were understandably excited.
Their mom has a long history with this breed and was looking for both fun and confirmation style photos. The winning shot of the day was a seemingly calm pose of the rambunctious duo, together. With concealed hands firmly holding their furry fannies in place, we got this sweet image.
Mom will be getting a full range of print products including a Collage & Folio book, as both keepsakes and gifts of this stunning pair.
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As the days grow longer and Colorado becomes more colorful, I have more opportunities to do my "Outdoor Action" sessions. On a breezy morning in Westminster, I met up with a client visiting from Wyoming. We planned an early session for his gorgeous Golden Retrievers.
"Maximus" & Sparticus", are two handsome fellows and best buddies. Maximus is a Grand Champion show dog at 6 years old. Sparticus is his senior at 10 years old. The expansive setting offered magnificent views and ample space to beautiful textures, colors and perspectives for my photos.
The goal was to create both informal family photos to cherish in their home, as well as commercial images for Maximus' new website. Max gleamed in the sun and struck his show moves. Sparticus was friendly, patient and demonstrated the wisdom of his years. They were pure joy and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to meet this family and capture these precious moments.
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DelaFoto's signature special "Glamour Shots" has become big springtime tradition that I look forward to all year. This year's two day event was fully sold out and brought in a gorgeous array of dogs and one lovely kitty cat.
The event was a fundraiser for local rescue, My Fairy Dawg Mother. This is a rescue that I have been partnering with since DelaFoto's humble beginnings. With the great turnout, we were able to raise $525 for the rescue.
Shown here is sweet Red Tick Coon Hound "Lemon", one of the lucky girls to be rescued through the loving foster care this rescue provides. Today she lives in a happy home with her furbuddy Agnes. In this image, she looks so elegant in her pink pearls, provided by Joyful Bling Dog Gear (our event's Product Sponsor). Done up in pink toenail polish and set in a classy black backdrop, she is one glamorous hound.
Thank you to our event's Saturday Venue Sponsor as well! We hosted 8 dogs at Balistreri Vineyards, where dogs and their owners not only got to enjoy stylish photo sessions, but also we had a wine tour, tastings and delicious lunch at the winery afterwards.
When all was said and done, we had 21 animals participate in the special. I have lots of photos to edit, and can't wait to present them to all the families. Everyone will receive a 5x7 metal print as a gift for participating, and I am excited to show off the new images in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
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Two lovely Yorkies recently came to the studio for their first professional photos at DelaFoto. "Spike's" dad, was curious to see what kind of photos I could get of his little guy. At 9 years old, he was both stoic and playful. His poses were thoughtful and charming, his playing confident and controlled. He did splendidly.
Sweet little "Mitzy" is six years old and full of quirky expressions, smiles, and adorable in her lavender bow. She loves her mama so much, it was tricky to get her comfortable enough to be on her own during the session. But I gave her cozy baskets and faux furs to lounge on, which often helps.
Finally, the seemingly impossible shot, the two yorkies together! I pulled out my silver trunk for the task, and got the photo fast. One adorable shot captures both their personalities and their friendship. Among the variety of beautiful prints on order, the families will be getting Folios of each dog. An elegant memento of their pups' big day!
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Had a super fun session last weekend, with an adorable Beagle mix named "Niko". His family brought him in for studio photos since he's 7 years old and heading into his senior years. Niko was friendly and very cooperative as we let him explore the studio and it's furnishings!
DelaFoto's signature red chaise was a hit. I couldn't resist sharing this image of Niko making himself comfortable in his unique style. Apparently, this is how he sits on the couch at home. With his curious smirk and cozy straddle, I can't help but love this image!
We went on to more traditional poses on the plush red velvet, followed by monochrome portraits accented with a red bowtie. After the "formals", we had a romping session with a ball getting many fun photos with lots of hopping, howling and ears flopping. Overall, Niko had a great time and so did all of us. I'll be sharing this image and many more with his family tomorrow, can't wait to see their reaction to their photogenic boy!
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I met Monica & Pete at a fundraiser event for Colorado Puppy Rescue. We soon scheduled a studio photo session for their family of furbabies, all rescues.
Their oldest is 9 year old Golden, "Lucca" (upper left), followed by 7 year old "Karma" (lower left), and 4 year old Shepherd mix, "Gracey" (lower right). Their youngest family member is 9 month old "Nikki" (upper right).
The goal was to create an art collection that could be displayed in their living room. These four portraits were the final selections created in 16 x 16" vibrant metal prints. Each pup has a compelling and sweet expression that together tell the story of purpose, dedication and family.
I'm planning to display additional prints of these beautiful girls at Aurora's Hopeful Hound. This is where puppy adoptions and other animals services take place, and Monica & Pete are actively involved in helping other puppies find their forever families.
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Meet beautiful Australian Cattle Dog "Lucy Blu" and her new little brother "Bodhi". Lucy Blu came to my studio almost 3 years ago and was a standout representative of her breed. She just beamed in front of the camera and has been among my most treasured pet portraits.
I was so pleased to hear that she has a new family member, spunky little Bodhi. He is an 8 month old Snorkie and a total delight. We had such a fun time dressing him up in bowties and letting him play with a pretty blue tennis ball.
Bodhi posed like a pro and those ears! Well, we all just couldn't stop smiling and laughing, what a fun session. It's always great to see clients come back for additional portraits of their growing family of furbabies.
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When a rescue in need reaches out to DelaFoto for professional photos to assist in adoptions, I encourage them to bring as many animals as they can for the session. It's more efficient for me and gets them a lot of new photos to share on social media.
I never know what to expect at a rescue shoot. So when a new rescue, Trin's Place said they needed to bring cats as well as dogs, I said of course, the more the merrier!
So there we were, at the studio on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, with carriers full of mewing little ones. Oh my goodness, so adorable, such a handful. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, kittens can be tricky. You have to get the winning shot right away, while they're a bit confused and can react together -to a distinct distraction. This was that shot! Oober cute and the ONLY one with them all looking one way. After this winning moment, it was kitty mania.
The rest of the photos can be viewed on their new gallery on my website: Trin's Place Animal Rescue Gallery. See more playful moments with this bunch, and meet another cat family where mom is loving up her babies. If you'd like to meet some awesome dogs, you'll see two handsome adoptable pups too. All these photos will getting posted on Facebook "Adopt Me!" Gallery as well, so feel free to "Share" so these cuties can get the attention they need and deserve.
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Had a presidential pair in the studio, two adorable beagles named Jackson & Truman! I love working with beagles, they are such an expressive and charming breed. These boys cover the spectrum, Jackson (on the right) is regal and stoic. Speckled Truman, on the other hand, is silly and fun loving.
The goal for the session was to capture their true personalities and to get a "presidential" portrait of them together. Working with mom & dad, using cozy materials, low key lighting, and a serene studio setting, our mission was accomplished!
We were able to gently ease them into the session getting elegant images that captured the boys' unique personalities, all without breaking a sweat. Fun!
A beautiful collection of prints are on order, I can't wait to see them and see their families' faces at delivery.
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In dog loving Denver, we are lucky to have an extensive community of quality pet professionals. These kind and caring business owners provide goods and services of all types to Denver area residents and beyond.
While we may see each other at local pet events, we small business owners are often so busy doing our own jobs that we usually have little time to get acquainted. Now thanks to the initiative of Dina Tibbs of Wild at Heart Dog Massage, I am part of a quickly growing Pet Biz Network that collaborates online and meets monthly.
Online, the group has 140 members and growing. In person, our monthly meetings often have a healthy mix of 10-15 attendees. The 1-2 hour meetings offer ample time to share what we are up to, offer support and develop opportunities for creative project partnerships.
This month's meeting was yesterday morning at The Denver Cat Company. The coffee was good, the space comfortable, and the resident cats didn't mind hanging out with us. These meetings have been a big help in growing DelaFoto. It's helped me in planning great events, as well as featuring local/relevant content on my website, eNewsletter and Facebook. I can provide my clients with referrals on great pet resources, that I know personally and trust. If you'd like to learn more about some of these participating business and others, visit my DelaFoto Resource Page and please help support these wonderful businesses.
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Last Saturday I had the pleasure of participating in a Valentine themed fundraiser at Bonacquisti Wine for Colorado Puppy Rescue and Denver Holistic Center & Pets 4People. They were honoring Dr. Garcia, Denver's "Patron Saint of Pets", who has devoted 55 years to veterinary care. He's provided high-quality, low-cost care for the pets of people who can't otherwise afford veterinary services, and donated countless services for homeless pets.
The evening was filled with tasty food, wine, silent auction items, live music by Marco Di Ferreira and great conversations about people helping animals and each other. I met the devoted folks at Colorado Puppy Rescue & Hopeful Hound who are doing tremendous work in the Denver area for dogs in need.
It was great meeting everyone and a fun Saturday evening, hope to see these wonderful people again soon.
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A mild winter weekend in Denver's City Park was the perfect setting for a family pet photo session. Jill & Kristin's beautiful crew were treated to over an hour of pampering in the park.
As the sun set over the city skyline, we had a serene session, for senior Lab "Sugar Bear". We didn't have to go far for Denver's best views along with cozy family moments in the trees. Shepherd mix "Cali" and Chow mix "Layla" had a great time too, as all the girls got quality time to shine in front of the camera.
As required by the park, and for their safety, all the dogs stayed on leash. In many cases the leashes were edited out for the final images. The dogs sat pretty, played with toys, got lots of hugs and kisses and learned that photo time is fun time with their moms.
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A great way to start off the year. My first big fundraiser for 2015 was a huge success with two days of "Show the LOVE" portraits this past weekend. We had over 20 dogs come in for portraits and raised $450 for Cayleb's Kindred Senior Dog Rescue.
This was a real team effort so I want to take this chance to thank everyone that helped make this event possible:
Bosley Beds: Provided special 12" gift Photo Pillows that all our participants will receive.
Lil' Angel Boutique: Hosted us on Saturday at their shop.
To those who shared our event to support senior rescue, we are so grateful: Colorado Pet Pantry, Misha May Foundation, My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue, Mile High Dog Magazine & Bark! Doggie Daycare. Big thanks to my friends at the Denver Metro Pet Biz Network who also helped spread the word. It takes a community to help these pups in need, so please say thanks by supporting these great businesses and causes too!
The featured photos in this post are rescued family members of our event team: Molly (Black Lab/Dane mix), Bosley (Aussie/Great Pyrenees mix), Annie (senior Pomeranian) and Nakita (Cattle Dog Mix, often seen at Lil' Angel).
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A little warm spell is upon us and I've been overdue for a nice outing with my Ladybug. An energetic little 2 1/2 year old, it's hard to watch her sit at home bored while I labor on the computer for long hours.
No, being a pet photographer doesn't mean I get to hang out and play with pets all day. Most of my time is spent editing, emailing and being social online along with a myriad of mundane business activities. Ladybug is such a good sport about it.
It was good to treat her to a fun outing last Friday at one our favorite places, Cherry Creek State Park. Along with her big buddy E.K., they get to run unleashed for miles and enjoy splashing around in the creek with other elated canines.
It was late in the day, and I hadn't even thought to bring my Canon, so these images were taken with my always-on-hand iphone. The setting sun shining on Ladybug's white & orange sheltie coat was so pretty, I couldn't resist a few snapshots. Getting her to sit still and not bark for even a few moments was tricky, with the rest of the images being rapid fire shots of a crazy girl, in constant motion. Not the highest quality of pics, but happy memories for mom. As they say, the best camera is the one you have with you!
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In the world of animal rescue, I have been honored to be able to provide donated studio photography to assist in the adoption process of many pets in need. However, I've noticed that the beautiful people that provide temporary and crucially needed temporary homes are often unknown or unseen in professional portraiture.
That's why I've been working on a personal project to capture the loving bond between the brave people who take pets of all ages and needs into their home. They give them love, comfort and rehabilitation only to have the eventual heart wrenching phase of letting go (if things go well).
I really admire what foster families do, since their sacrifice makes it possible for more animals to be pulled from tragic situations and keep the process of saving lives moving forward. In this image, I met beautiful and clever puppy "Luna" during her final hours with Aly & Danny who foster through My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue. They were dangerously close to keeping her for their own. It would be a tearful goodbye, but they knew she was going to a loving home. They would soon be opening up their arms and home to another pup and continuing the cycle of generosity and compassion.
It was a special shoot to be able to capture their final hours together and honor their love. I hope it inspires others who foster or are thinking about doing so.
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This season has been super for snow in the Rocky Mountains. Just the right balance of the white fluffy stuff and sunny temperate days for snowshoeing and cross country skiing with four legged buddies.
I have been taking my Fridays to venture out and snowshoe with friends. While I haven't been carrying my pro Canon with me, my iphone6 has done a nice job at capturing lots of great scenery as well as wagging tails along the trails.
We've met all kinds of pups, who were living it up with their people. One older Black Lab liked to carry a stuffed penguin toy for her outing. A very red Golden spent most of his time diving into deep snow drifts chasing anything that moved. A beautiful pair of Bernese Mountain Dogs were skeptical of our snowshoes, as were a few other canines we came across. Aside from a few snow booties, for dogs special gear wasn't needed to enjoy the wintery weather. Wish I could say the same for us!
Always in pet photography mode, I was glad I could easily whip out my iphone and capture some of these sweet candids of dogs doing what they live for, enjoying quality time with their families. Of course if anyone wants to hire me to come out and get pro shots for them in these spectacular settings, I would be happy to!
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It's hard to say goodbye. Despite its immense popularity, The Bark Bar's bold and unique concept of a bar/dog park was forced to close its doors in Denver last week.
While heartbreaking for the bar owners, employees and their many happy patrons, they did go out with a bang! Their final night was jam packed and lots of fun. The cool winter evening did not deter the huge crowds and their dogs. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the last minute deals, doggie playtime and fundraising efforts to help The Bark Bar move forward with plans to re-open in a new location.
I have loved partnering with The Bark Bar by supplying their pet photo art displays since their opening. They have also been host to DelaFoto's anniversary party and a wide range of pet charity events that I've participated in. I'm so sorry to see them go, but I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
If you'd like to learn more about the Bark Bar and support them in their plans to start anew, please visit them at: "Bite Back! Save the Bark Bar!"
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If you haven't heard, my studio and home are now harboring plush Photo Pillows made by Colorado's Bosley Beds. Co-creating these one-of-a-kind pillows for my clients with owner, Lisa Syverson has been such a joy!
Both Lisa and I love helping local pet charities, so my photo pillow samples feature images of animals that have been available for adoption at local rescues including: My Fairy Dawg Mother Hound Rescue, Community Cat Coaltion and Cayleb's Kindred Senior Rescue. These samples have been winning over clients and resulting in a steady flow of custom pillow orders. For example, this post features a recent photo pillow of cheerful Corgie "Thanda" that is going to make a young client, Sophie so happy!
Lisa and I are now partnering to create an upcoming product giveaway for DelaFoto's "Show the LOVE" special on Valentine's weekend. With every sitting booked, clients will get a cuddly "mini" pillow of their furbaby as a timeless keepsake. I can't wait to see everyone's face light up when they get their special gift, all while contributing to Cayleb Senior Rescue!
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These adorable Shih Tzus are Bodie & Desi, another sweet duo to visit the studio at the end of 2014.
They were adopted together at 18 months old and raised as brothers. They bring their mom and dad tremendous joy. Capturing their distinct personalities and loving bond during the session was such a pleasure and the resulting prints, irresistible.
I've added a canvas of this image to the studio collection for visitors to enjoy and be inspired. Photos of furry best pals together is well worth any extra effort. I look forward to many more pairs in 2015!
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If you love Australian Shepherds and Shetland Sheepdogs, then you'll adore "Chimmie". He is an 11 year old Aussie mix, adopted at Dumb Friends League by a wonderful family that knows they "hit the jackpot" when he came to live with them. You may recognize this handsome boy, he's currently featured in the DFL's winter issue of "Pet Tales".
Chimmie has such joie de vivre, with adorable facial expressions, good manners and patience. We explored a variety of poses and color schemes during his studio session leading to a wonderful collection of art prints -a Christmas surprise for dad.
I've kept a copy of one of the big prints for exhibit at DelaFoto's studio, a beautiful addition to our growing client art gallery.
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While November/December were busy with holiday themed photos, there were also some signature DelaFoto sessions in the mix. I loved having this elegant pair of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, Heidi & Hauns. They were the first of their breed to visit my studio.
Their mom had expected Hauns to be the ham and Heidi to be more shy. It turned out to be the opposite. Hauns was a bit slow to get comfortable, but did eventually settled into some amazing poses. Heidi, to our surprise was completely content and loved the camera from the start!
Such big sweeties, their mom and dad sure have so much to be proud of.
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The holiday season started in early November for DelaFoto. Months of preparations and a big cooperative effort with local pet businesses, helped bring my festive "2014 Holiday Pet Photo Tour" to families all around the Denver area.
This year's style was simple and bright, making for beautiful holiday cards, metal prints, collages and more. I had 33 families participate, presented over edited 500 images and delivered 150+ print and digital products in the past few weeks.
The pets and their families were amazing and I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing our returning clients as well as meeting so many new faces. With the tour wrapped up, I had fun creating a compilation video looking back at the many pets that participated. It's sure to put a smile on your face and get you in the holiday mood.
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Have you heard? There's a new cafe & art gallery opening up in Denver. One of the first of it's kind in the U.S., Denver Cat Company is a cat cafe located on Tennyson. Doors open Friday, December 12th.
Denver Cat Company will feature 8 adoptable cats from Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue. The cats roam freely and there are plenty of plush seats for them to cozy up in. The space offers books and local artwork to enjoy while sipping cafe offerings and meeting the friendly felines.
I stopped by to visit the owner, Sana Hamelin during their preview party last week and took a few impromptu photos with my iphone. The kitties were adorable and the budding business is already a big hit with Denver cat lovers. Visit them soon and help keep animal friendly businesses like this going!
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Just before Thanksgiving, I was back at The Bark Bar for another great evening of fundraising. Colorado Pet Pantry was having their Holiday Yappy Hour that included a pet food drive, holiday Fair Trade shopping and fun giveaways.
As always, I met great people while helping out with the event photography. DelaFoto will be donating $25 to CO Pet Pantry for every Holiday Session booked at our Studio on December 7th, as I wrap up this year's big Holiday Tour. Hope we get a nice turnout for them, its a great cause!
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DelaFoto was born from a class project at Illuminate Workshops here in Denver. My first black & white images depicting friends with their dogs outdoors, were the inspiration for me jump into the pet photography profession.
Over two years later, DelaFoto has been going strong and currently very busy with holiday themed photography. This is when I was challenged by Facebook friends (local photographers) to partake in a popular online challenge, the "5 Day Black & White Photo Challenge".
I had the chance to revisit my monochrome portraits with a new twist, the studio setting. I selected Rocky, Mario, Kimber, Hudson & kitty Hoss (from top left to bottom right). The project been a great excuse to showcase my love for black & white images. I plan to continue featuring more of these in my studio space and online to help inspire clients about this beautiful option for their pet artwork.
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When a family wants to get some special photos of somewhat reluctant teens, just bring the family dog and see a whole new attitude emerge.
Handsome Akita "Bear", just 15 months old, was like an old pro in front of the camera. Kids, when uncomfortable posing for photos, can turn their attention to their furry family member. It helps everyone relax in the studio and I can capture tender moments parents will cherish. All I had to say was "put your hand on Bear's heart" and this is what we got. Pure love.
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Visited a local farm about a week ago, on a beautiful Indian Summer day. This wasn't just an ordinary farm, this was the Center for Animal Assisted Therapy. Nestled in Lakewood, it's the largest of its kind in North America. They are home to 10 rescued animals including horses, goats, cats, dogs and more who participate in their non-traditional, yet highly effective counseling and therapies.
I met and photographed their goats, ponies and horses and toured the facility with friend and therapist Sarah, who just joined their team of experts. These cutie pies were beautiful to capture portraits of, though it required some extra patience and some running around. A good experience and another great reason to love Colorado!
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When I was a kid, I never would have thought that dogs would be as fun to trick or treat with as they are today. The costumes keep getting better every year and more families are enjoying Halloween with their furbabies than ever.
This year I spent Halloween on Gaylord Street for the first time. DelaFoto was invited to have an outdoor photo booth as part of Lil Angel's Halloween Pet Parade & Costume Contest, benefitting Misha May Foundation. Our $5 Sittings were being donated to my friends at My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue who were on hand offering up Athena's Puppy Cakes for "Trick or Treating" pups.
Participating dogs, kids and their families had quality themed photos to remember the day. Two great rescues got funds to help more dogs for days to come. Check out our video and photos here on Facebook!
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Denver has had record breaking fall color this season and last week's temperatures made for some amazing outdoor pet photo sessions. During the golden hour at Wash Park, I had a wonderful session with Sam and his mom, Monika. The setting sun and golden trees offered so many opportunities for warm, timeless photos showcasing their special bond.
Sam is a nine year old Standard Poodle and therapy dog. He is part of a hospital and hospice Pet Therapy team, bringing happiness to the severely ill. He's a natural at making you smile with his calm, gentle personality and expressive face.
Monika and Sam have a great blog, "Tails Around the Ranch", check it out for fun and inspiring stories, healthy dog food recipes and more!
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Last week Mercedes-Benz of Littleton was host to the 3rd Annual "Diamonds in the Ruff" event for Freedom Service Dogs. Such a beautiful evening for the fun and glamorous gathering of service men and their amazing dogs, the people that do the training and the many caring people that help make it all happen.
It was my second time photographing the event, and I just loved it. The evening started with red carpet photos at the front door. I set up the studio lights and everyone showed up dressed to the nines. This year they had Denver sports mascots on hand to get everyone loosened up for lots of fun portraits.
After the red carpet, I got to capture the elegant party, with champagne flowing, presentations, auction excitement and lots of big winners. The dogs were decked out in rhinestone collars and seemed to enjoy all the attention. This year I compiled the event photos into an elegant video and all the images are available on DelaFoto's website gallery: Diamonds in the Ruff III.
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Have an furry crew at home and think getting a group photo may be out of the question? Well don't give up all hope, there are ways to get those high energy or sometimes nervous pups to pose together for the camera. Not saying it's easy, but with some extra helping hands, it can be done.
Meet Rily (7yr old Coon Hound /Pointer mix), Jude (5 yr old Akita/Lab Mix) and Marley (7yr old Aussie mix). When their mom brought them into the studio, I photographed each one individually to learn their quirks. Then when everyone was more familiar with the process, we went for the group shot. Being a bit of a squirmy bunch, we went with leashes held high and I edited the evidence out.
This is one of my favorites from the session, they are a beautiful doggie family.
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Some exciting news! A recent photo of mine was selected to be part of a small exhibit of images to be displayed at the Davis Art Center in Davis, CA.
I was one of five HeArts Speak members chosen to represent HeARTs Speak’s section of an exhibit in conjunction with the Sheltered Art Exhibit. It's an art benefit for animals at risk. The exhibit will run for 5 weeks from October 10 to November 14, seeking to raise awareness of the staggering number of homeless animals who may never find shelter.
I'm thrilled to be included among these wonderful artists. My image of little Chihuahua, "Comet" was photographed at Denver Animal Shelter as part of a monthly campaign to create quality portraits of their adoptable animals. This sweet pea had the most heartfelt pose and expression of the many I've met at the shelter. I thought he would make the ultimate poster child for the shelter and luckily he was adopted within days of this photo.
Now a 16x24 print of Comet will be touching hearts in California and helping represent shelter animals from around the world.
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Spent Saturday enjoying quality time with my little girl, Ladybug. We had a big day of socializing by attending two big pet events.
First stop, Dachtoberfest! Surrounded by adorable dachshunds at DeKoevend Park in Centennial, Ladybug was winning hearts in her new Joyful Bling bandana. We visited friends working at the event and many dachshunds and their people enjoying the autumn festivities.
Afterwards, we headed over to Colorado Sheltie Rescue's Annual Picnic at Camp Bow Wow. It was ladybug's first party among her own and there were lots of friendly shelties for her to meet. She was digging the Athena's Puppy Cakes (hence the intense look on her face in this photo) and I snapped a few pics of some of her new friends.
It was just a year ago that I fostered and adopted my sweet baby girl from this rescue. I am so grateful for having her in my life, what a way to celebrate!
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DelaFoto and Mile High Dog Magazine teamed up for a great day of fundraising for Denver's Dumb Friends League. It was a gorgeous morning in Castle Rock at the Wag 'N Trail event this past weekend, with lots of attendees.
We had 80 beautiful dogs visit the photo booth in our tent, 20 dogs per hour! Each contest entry was $5 and the winner will receive a DelaFoto "Outdoor Action Session". The best image will be selected by the publisher for the cover of Mile High Dog Magazine's holiday issue.
Everyone was super excited to enter the contest, and we raised $400 for Dumb Friends League. For the folks who couldn't make it out to the Wag 'N Trail event, we've created an additional entry day at DelaFoto's studio on October 11th starting at 2:00, by appointment. Details on my event page. In the meantime, please enjoy the current entries at our Contest Gallery!
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Two years have gone by so fast! Taking a break to celebrate DelaFoto with friends, associates and clients is something I've looked forward to for months.
We had a super time at The Bark Bar, a fun venue for guests & their pups.
Thank you to all who participated and those who couldn't attend but showed so much support.
A gallery of pics is on Facebook. The evening went so quickly. Now back to work!
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The 3rd Annual "Battle of the Vet Hospital Stars" was last weekend and DelaFoto was the official event photographer for the day!
It was my first time at this exciting and highly entertaining fundraiser event. It was an impressive show of creativity in costumes, teammanship and stamina. I was exhausted just watching them!
The "Battle" was all for a great cause. An amazing 51 veterinarian hospitals participated this year, nearly $18,000 for PetAid Colorado's Disaster Relief Program. Team photos, competition highlights and the awards ceremony photos are all online and ready for viewing at Battle of the Vet Stars Gallery on check out the fun video on DelaFoto's YouTube Channel!
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It's when a photo session can tell an inspiring story about special relationships that I'm my happiest. Last week, I had the pleasure of capturing the powerful bond between Eric and his awesome Australian Cattle Dog, Angelyne.
Their communication system is mostly visual since Angelyne is completely deaf. Eric speaks to her with hand signals and she responds quicker and more accurately than most hearing dogs.
Beyond the fun and awe inspiring tricks, these two have an obvious love and respect for each other that goes way beyond dog and trainer. They uplift and inspire everywhere they go, touring the country with appearances and demonstrations. In doing so, they bring joy and purpose into each other's lives and have a beautiful family bond that I was honored to memorialize with photography. Want to learn more? Visit their website: www.amazingangelyne.com and their Facebook page for recent posts of our photo session together.
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When Community Cat Coalition of Colorado scheduled a kitten rescue shoot recently, I was so pleased to meet this adorable family!
Meet Tofu, Yeti, Sesame, Waffles, Viggo & Ninja (left to right), found in an old school bus. Couldn't resist getting the ultimate pet photography shot, six kittens in our traveling trunk! Had to be quick though, once they caught on to what we were up to they were off and running. Very happy with this best pick. Individual shots of this crew and others at our Rescue Gallery.
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Expos can be humongous events with tons of products, games and educational presentations. Pet expos are particularly fun for animal lovers and the businesses that cater to them.
The Denver Pet Expo, an annual August event (by Amazing Pet Expos) does a great job at showcasing local animal charities & rescues. Huge areas all around the Denver Merchandise Mart feature adoption opportunities and lots of information about animal care and welfare.
Sure there's plenty free stuff and deals to be had, but mostly I come away with an overwhelming presence for everyone's love of animals. There's a desire from so many to contribute to animals of all types in great need.
DelaFoto was the event photographer for the 2nd year in a row, and has been invited to come back next year. I look forward to continuing in this exciting Denver event. This year's pics are viewable at our Pet Event Gallery: Denver Pet Expo 2014. Enjoy and please share!
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What could be more lovely than a sweet girl and her fluffy little Cavachon puppy? Last week my studio was graced with the presence of beautiful Sydney and her new 3 month old puppy "Ella". Her grandmother brought them in for a "Mini" photo session.
A half hour was plenty of time to get an adorable collection of images with both models being so agreeable! Ella was relaxed with every pose and was probably wondering what all the fuss was about. Syndey was gleaming with her long golden locks, bright eyes and cheerful pink and blue outfits. Such innocence! Just so pleased with the results, couldn't wait to share.
Portraits are a great way to commemorate a new addition to the family.
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Just look at this happy face! This is "Winston", a puppy pug winning hearts a Overland Animal Hospital for our first "Doggies of the Rockies" pet photo special! He was right at home with our Colorado flag theme as well as rugged bandanas and more. The theme was a hit and I really enjoyed playing with these unique props and sets showing off some Rocky Mountain pride.
Dogs of all shapes, sizes and colors showed up and got bold and colorful pics for their families to enjoy. Now that the photos from these sessions are done, I just completed my latest video compilation to share online.
Of course, for anyone who wants this look at their standard & mini pet sessions, I'd be happy to set them up. This style is a great option all year round.
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Happiness is: Dogs playing off leash in a shaded outdoor playground outfitted with of K9 grass, slides, pools, doggie cupcakes, and lots dog loving people! That's what Denver area pups got to enjoy this past weekend at Unleashed's 2nd "Yappy Hour" at Bark! Doggie Daycare & Spa.
This fundraising event benefitted Colorado Pet Pantry and was big hit. Just look at all these smiling faces! DelaFoto was the official event photographer and along with the many fun photo ops, it was a chance to get acquainted with the great staff at Bark! (just down the street from our photography studio). I also got to chat with folks from a variety of pet organizations and businesses that were there supporting the cause.
I have plenty more images to share, check them out in this fun video and photo gallery!
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All my pet photography starts out as a color digital file, but some dogs just look so good in classic black & white. This was the case for "Bobby Orr" an impressive chocolate colored standard poodle.
His coat was perfectly coiffed, and his gaze so compelling. I had fun converting his image to a striking monochrome, showing off his fine details and elegant pose. It's a timeless look and perhaps a future metal print will be added to my studio sample collection.
This look may not be appropriate for all pets, but it sure worked great for this awesome boy!
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Like people, some dogs are natural born superstars drawing attention where ever they go. This is Harley, a mill dog rescue and now beloved spokesman for National Mill Dog Rescue. He is a public figure with over 50,000 fans on Facebook and just won the cover contest for Modern Dog Magazine. His public appearances draw big crowds, touch hearts, raise awareness for the plight of mill dogs and help generate funds for rescues.
I met Harley and his wonderful family for the first time last week at Denver's Bark Bar. He's sweet, confident and loves hugs, not to mention giving kisses! The "Meet Harley" event was a big success and had a great crowd of caring folks. Click the pic to see more event photos of Harley & friends!
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In Colorado, the 4th of July is a great time to embark on more ambitious getaways in the back country.
This year we celebrated our country's best with a big off leash hike with our dogs. We had a great book to help guide the way: "Canine Colorado, Where to Go and What to Do with Your Dog" by Cindy Hirschfeld. We found a perfect off leash hike in nearby Summit county. The 8 mile round trip was a bit of a workout, but the big view at our destination, Boulder Lake, was so worth it! The swimming was very much approved by aussie, EK, and sheltie, Ladybug enjoyed her first Rocky mountain adventure. See more about our outing on Facebook!
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With the summer heating things up, I love living in Denver where there's lots of fun things to do with dogs! Last weekend I attended a new fundraising event, "Battle of the Breeds", hosted by loveanimals.org on The Bridge over Cherry Creek. While folks were out enjoying a downtown scavenger hunt with their dogs, I took a quick walk down the creek to Confluence Park to find the South Platte RiverFest.
It was great to see all the dogs enjoying the creek and river. The dogs cooled off, watched kayakers, paddle boarders, splashing kids and more. Some got to do some swimming of their own.
There was so much to see, I can only show a sampling here. My Facebook Gallery: "Fun Canine Outings" has these and more outdoor pet photos. I hope they'll inspire visits to some of these places & events with your pup!
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Another great session in the beautiful Colorado outdoors! This session was with "Torque" a boxer mix adopted from the Dumb Friends League. His mom received a DelaFoto "Outdoor Action" session from her sons as a unique gift idea for her Birthday & Mother's Day.
The one hour session was early in the morning, for best light and cooler conditions. The setting was Cherry Creek State Park. It's a great place for pet photos, since its a huge off-leash oasis with lots for dogs to do. It was Torque's 1st time there. He ran, played with his toys, splashed in the creek and made new friends. Everyone had a great time and we have lots of fun photos to remember the day with.
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A special session last weekend! Dachsie, Vincent celebrated his 16th birthday at Wash Park on a beautiful June morning. The photo outing was fun filled, starting with portraits at the flowering gardens, ending at a shady oasis by Smith lake.
Vincent's pal, Max another adorable dachshund was there to help celebrate, as well as their people. The park offered a variety of fun settings and the festivities wrapped up with special birthday biscuits from Quality Paws and cute birthday hats. Vincent was a happy and spry little guy trotting around like 16 was no big deal. Loved it!
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Did a little math the other day and realized a great milestone. I started donating pet portraits to rescues & shelters early last year, as a HeArt Speak member, and the current head count is exactly 100!
The good news is that many of the cats & dogs I've photographed are now in their forever homes. If you'd like learn about the non-profits I've partnered with and see the many beautiful faces of animals that touched my heart, I have a variety of sources for you to visit.
Our Facebook "Hearts Speak Adopt Me" is where I do the best I can to link back to available pet profiles and provide updates on their adoption status. I also have galleries on DelaFoto's Pinterest page and our home site: "Rescues & Shelters" that make sharing photos online easy. I'm happy to shine the spotlight on all these sweet souls, but sharing their info is key. Please check them out and share when you can. I'm starting a new partnership with Denver Animal Shelter on a monthly basis, and continuing to work with local rescues throughout the year, so I'm sure I will be well beyond 100 portraits in the coming months!
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Over the weekend, I had a sweet little honey come visit for a full hour "Classic" studio session. "Chloe" is a charming 5 year old maltese with a sparkling personality and lots of great expressions. Her mom and dad participated in the posing process (as most parents do), for Chloe's first ever studio portraits.
A full hour is plenty of time for to me to play with a variety of backdrops, props and surfaces for posing. The session produced 50 fun images for her family to choose from, perfect for photo books and future holiday cards.
Chloe's cheerful face is enough to brighten anyone's day. She enjoyed all the attention and I'm told was completely tuckered that evening from all the excitement. I'm glad she appreciated her session and her family will soon be enjoying the images in their home.
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This is a feature I've been meaning to do for a while. Many of my clients and friends have seen and heard the story of little Ladybug and her impressive weight loss over a span of 6 months. But I thought it would be fun to show the striking contrast with portraits that I've done in the studio. After all who doesn't love "Before & After" images?
It's inspiring to see how this little sheltie lost over 10lbs. She started at a hefty 29lbs when we adopted her from Colorado Sheltie Rescue at the age of 15 months. On a gentle and healthy diet of "Deserving Dog" food (made locally and delivered to our home) she enjoyed carefully measured portions of tasty chicken & seafood meals.
Now at a prime 18lbs, she's enjoying more of this yummy food while maintaing her weight. Her energy level has skyrocketed and she can now be an active 2 year old with no health worries. It's good to see where she came from and remember what's at stake every time we feed her. If you have a pup about to embark on a new health regimen, bring don't forget to get some Before and After pics of your own!
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I feel grateful to know the amazing people giving so much to help animals in need. From shelter & rescue efforts to rehab, medical care and healthy diet options and more. Coloradans love their animals and many innovative ideas are developing to promote changes in attitude and provide workable solutions to current pet issues.
This past week I had the honor of hanging out with some awesome ladies at a bowling fundraiser for Demi's Animal Rescue, demonstrating that giving not only helps animals, but is hugely fun! The event had a great turnout and raised bigtime funds for the rescue.
My good friend Jeff Sutherland, of Deserving Dog is also launching a new initiative regarding diet programs to make canine cancer treatments significantly more effective. This effort is groundbreaking and as more people chip in to provide the needed development funding, the sooner and better the diet program can launch. Visit the Facebook page to see informative videos and learn more!
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Last week I visited Denver Animal Shelter to create some signature DelaFoto portraits for their animals in need of adoption.
It's been a while since I've taken the studio setup to a shelter. We're hoping this will mark the beginning of a monthly volunteer program with DelaFoto as their new community partner and representative of HeArtsSpeak.
The volunteers at DAS were enthusiastic and helpful. We focused the day's effort on a cat and small dogs, many of which were chihuahuas.
The look of the photos are bright, cheery and perfect for springtime. I hope to share them online soon. They're all ready to go, just waiting on some necessary paperwork and then the social media campaign can get underway!
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What could be cuter than photos of a cuddly chow puppy and her loving brother & sister? Last week we had a special day in the studio, where I had the pleasure of capturing this youthful crew at their best. Cailey, the ever smiling and sooo fluffy chow looked terrific with William & Olivia in their matching blue overalls.
We played with lots of fun poses, the sweetest of which was this threesome where we all got on the floor together!
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Last week I had a new client "Charlie" visit our studio. He's an 8 year old Blue Merle Collie, a rare treat. True to his breed's reputation, he is a very personable boy who offers comfort to patients as a hospital therapy dog.
We had a full hour together to capture his friendly, yet mellow personality in portraiture. Charlie seemed to enjoy the pampering and I thoroughly enjoyed photographing his captivating good looks!
While I have many wonderful expressions from the session, I'm sharing this image emphasizing his long face as he looks lovingly at his mom.
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Working with pets in the home setting opens up many possibilities for elegant portraits. Since some animals are too uncomfortable or unable to leave their home, going to their safe haven can be a better option.
A pre-session home visit is needed to scout the location for great light, favorite rest spots, props, etc. It's a chance to meet the pet on their turf and style a session that best tells the story of their home life.
These photos are of our siamese "Youjik". He's been to the studio and we took amazing photos of him there, but I thought it would be fun to photograph him at home too. Using natural light and some fill flash, I followed him around the house. Dodging visual distractions, adjusting to changing light conditions, and climbing and crawling to get the most flattering angles as he meandered about the house, was a workout. It was well worth it. I look forward to offering these types of sessions to my clients, starting this spring.
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This past weekend was DelaFoto's first cat show appearance. Never having attended one before, and I signed up to participate with an on-site photo booth. It was a great chance to expand my knowledge of pure breed cats, by seeing so many in person, and get some amazing portraits!
I showcased my studio artwork, mostly on canvas, and offered sessions for cat fanciers and show attendees. The response was very positive. While my style is different from photographers specializing in cat show photography, I felt like I fit in just fine.
The little angel featured here is "Muriel", she's a Devon Rex. I LOVE my job!
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Yesterday was a special photo day at Denver's Zoom Room. I had my first "Romping Rover" themed event, where doggies got to show their stuff in action!
Capturing canines bounding around a studio setup (at our coaxing) is a bit challenging, but all the participating families were a big help.
Throughout the event, there were plenty of laughs and priceless moments to photograph. In this image, 3 year old "Prunelle" rocked her toy liked nobody's business! Her and her aussie sister "Ilka", along with a beautiful array of other dogs were pure joy to photograph -in motion!
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Last week I had the pleasure of capturing some fun and stylish photos of a beautiful pair of persian kitties. I also had the chance to photograph their mom (and talented groomer) Rachel, of Urban Sophisticats.
Little "Faith" is an adorable, fun loving and expressive persian. It was such a joy to photograph her and her sister "Lola" at our studio. Posing kitties with their people is a perfect way to capture tender moments. Cats are often very comfortable being photographed in the loving arms of their family members.
We also had some time to "play" with props and a variety of themes. DelaFoto's Facebook page just had a field day with a our 1st "Caption Contest" featuring feathery Faith and in a priceless moment.
Many of the finished portraits will be online and in the press for Urban Sophisticats. I also have a new "Cat" photo book and collection of canvases soon to be on display at Rachel's Littleton shop and the upcoming Cat Club Show on April 12-13. Thanks Rachel for coming out to get portraits of you and your awesome girls!
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Over the weekend, we enjoyed a special outing with our little Ladybug. She's just shy of 2 years old, and lost nearly 10 pounds since joining our family last October.
Now that she's her prime weight and feeling great, we thought it was time to celebrate with some fun, exercise and learning. The Zoom Room was perfect. Only a few blocks from our studio, we booked a half hour private romp in their gym.
I had done agility in the past, so I had a rough idea of what to do, but no idea what to expect from Ladybug. We were so pleased! She learned really fast (the deluge of treats didn't hurt) and she just loved playing with us in the fun, safe and quiet environment. Want to see more of how Ladybug did? Check out the video I couldn't resist making. Yup, I'm a proud momma!
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After several snowy weekends, we finally got a break in the weather to enjoy a much anticipated outing with 4 month old yellow lab, Ollie. We met up at Wash Park in the early morning to avoid crowds and get beautiful light by the lake. The scene offered rich colors, a scenic backdrop and plenty of space.
Preparedness makes all the difference, especially with outdoor sessions. We had 2 of us from DelaFoto, Ollie's dad and his trainer, Drew from Good Dog Training & Consulting. All hands were on deck to get great photos. A well trained pup does make for awesome portraits!
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Last weekend mother nature smiled on the dog world and provided a beautiful day to share with canine pals! Mile High Mutts provided a spacious venue for Unleashed and the organizations they support. Denver Animal Shelter and Colorado Pet Pantry were the recipients of the day's generosity.
Dogs of all sizes, ages and breeds/mixes were ecstatic about playing both indoors and outside. With so much going on there were many wonderful photo ops. My final collection of images highlight many joyous moments.
These photos are viewable online at DelaFoto's Facebook Gallery, where they're easy to access and share. Looking forward to the next Unleashed event!
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This past week fans of DelaFoto's Facebook page have seeing many new postings of kitty cats. That's partly because I just hosted my first All-Cat Rescue Photo Shoot at our studio.
Nine beautiful cats came in from two local rescues, Demi's Animal Rescue & Community Cat Coalition of Colorado. Featured here are kitten sisters Dory & Nemo. So cute!!!
Canvas art prints of recent cats photos are also on exhibit at Urban Sophisticats, a stylish cat grooming shop in Littleton, with much more to come. If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and say hi to Rachel Diller, owner, groomer and fellow cat lover. I'll be photographing her 2 persians soon, can't wait!
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Denver dogs and their people had a big day strutting their stuff at the inaugural "Worst in Show" fundraiser for Freedom Service Dogs this past weekend. Located at the impressive Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Lowry, the event had a big turnout.
There was so much to see and enjoy in the massive hanger, including tasty food and silent auction items set among impressive aircraft, rockets & space exhibits.
The main event included a wide variety of adorable dogs participating in the light hearted competition. Categories included: "Cutest" doggie, best "Look-a-Like", "Hair Cut", "Most Drool" and "Special Talent" with singing dogs and more. Lucky raffle winners got fun gifts, the grand prize being an all paid trip to the Westminster Dog Show in 2015.
I was only going to watch the show, but quickly found myself unable to resist photographing some of the event highlights. Check them out on DelaFoto's Facebook "Worst in Show" Gallery and tell us who you would've voted for!
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On Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun to go check out Denver's biggest annual dog show. The Denver Dog Show hosted by the Colorado Kennel Club, Plum Creek Kennel Club & Peak to Peak Working Dog Group.
The 5 day event features an impressive gathering of gorgeous dogs, dedicated breeders and handlers and much more. I only had a few hours to visit, but enjoyed meeting vendors and participants in the competition. I even ran into client, Michelle Ruark, who had the good news that her yellow lab "Murphy" won 2nd place in his competition, congratulations Michelle! See more event photos on DelaFoto's Facebook page and let us know if you visited the show too.
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Coming up with fun and affordable things to do with athletic dogs can be challenging enough. Add the cold snap we've had this past week and it can be outright daunting.
Last week we took a ride to CRCG in Englewood for our first try at indoor swimming for E.K., our Aussie. We learned that even an experienced swimmer like our girl can be intimidated by the weirdness of swimming indoors.
With the qualified coaching and patience of CRCG staff, we had the pleasure of seeing our determined doggie overcome her hesitance in the pool. Within 1 hour E.K became a big fan of indoor swimming and got a to do one of her favorite activities in a safe & clean environment. We got so much joy from treating her to this outing and recording it in this video. I hope sharing this story will inspire more families to try this for their dogs. Seeing our girl so happy made our whole week!
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Last saturday I had a fun afternoon hosting a new special: "Show the Love", offering family & group photo sessions at the studio. It turned out to be an opportunity to shoot three beautiful labrador retrievers together, in their full range of colors.
With the help of extra hands on deck, they sat pretty for their mom, smiling and eager for treats. In the pet photography world, a challenge we often hear about is photographing white & black dogs. It's a difficult lighting scenario, especially with both in one composition. The chocolate lab with our "mocha" setting gleamed along side her "creamy" & "espresso" colored siblings. I'm very happy with the results of the sitting. This blog photo is a preview of the full image gallery the lab loving Ruark family will be seeing soon.
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As a full time photographer, it's not unusual to find me glued to the computer for countless hours editing and working on DelaFoto. Our dogs have not been impressed, so we've made a resolution to take a full day off a week to enjoy dog friendly outings. We're in Denver after all, there are so many options!
This past weekend we kicked things off with a super fun outing to a local park for Geocaching. If you're not familiar with this activity, it's an outdoor form of recreation that's like treasure hunting, with the guidance of phone apps and/or GPS units. Caches are all over the world and luckily many are very close by.
A local park, like Horseshoe Park in Aurora, proved to be a great place for us newbies. Big open fields, long winding pathways made the outing fun for the dogs and easy for us to navigate. When searching for caches, you don't want anyone to see what your up to and spoil the hidden locations. A bonus to having your happy dog(s), with you is that it made our bizarre rummaging through bushes, etc. look pretty normal. Kidding aside, the dogs loved it, we were outside for hours, found 6 caches, logged our entries and are already planning our next outing!
Enjoy more photos of our happy dogs, EK & Ladybug at our Facebook "Fun Canine Outings" gallery.
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Family portraiture is a great opportunity to go beyond capturing the beauty and spirit of our animal companions, by featuring the relationship of the whole family.
Last year, I photographed some lovely families, often with 2 or more pets. These sessions are fun but do offer their own unique challenges. Coordinating wardrobes, posing everyone, keeping them in position and getting them all to look at the camera at the same time (while looking relaxed and happy) can be a workout! I love the challenge and endless creative opportunities, and clients have enjoyed the unique experience and final results.
That's why I'm kicking off 2014 with showcasing these family images on Facebook to inspire. I'm also offering my very special event "Show the Love" on February 1st. These will be very affordable family sessions to encourage clients to take a leap of faith and try a family portraits! I can't wait to see the results.
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Today marks the end of DelaFoto's "Holiday Portrait Extravaganza!" With the last 15 minute session wrapped up today, whew, I'm tuckered! I've been touring around Denver for several weeks and had sessions at our studio as well. This year was a lot of fun with a respectable turnout. I photographed 31 pets (and often their people) in an array of fun, festive backdrops & holiday props. 400+ delivered images to date, with a handful more to go to wrap this all up by Thanksgiving!
No rest for the weary here, though. Now I'll be assisting folks with their online orders of holiday cards and more. Of course, we're still doing holiday portraits with half hour & full hour studio sessions for the weeks to come, for anyone who may have missed the specials.
Meanwhile, I'm glad this series of events raised funds for a variety of local pet charities, thanks to everyone for your contribution!
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It has just occurred to me that I have not blogged about my Feline Photography yet. Such an oversight. While I haven't had nearly as many cat photo sessions as dogs, the ones I have done have generated some my favorite all time images!
No doubt getting those great shots with our elusive little friends can test the patience. With some practice and a little extra time given, it is very rewarding for both myself and the families that participate. Many times it's the first time someone has tried professional photography of their cat and they are sure it won't go well. What they don't realize is that bringing their cat to the studio is usually not as stressful as it seems. The environment is safe and secluded and I provide cozy materials to help kitties get comfy. Skeptical and curious cats usually settle in nicely and with the help of their moms & dads we get to capture their playful, mystical and all around magnificent beauty in lasting photo portraiture. I look forward to many more cat clients!
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When the Mid America Boston Terrier Rescue group came to me requesting a Holiday Portrait Fundraiser with Santa, I couldn't resist. They've been a terrific group to partner with. They have many fun activities for their loyal fans & supporters all year round and I love photographing Bostons.
We set up the whole studio with wintery themes and rich holiday colors for our guests. Christmas music played in the background and the dogs nestled into Santa's beard for some sweet poses that had everyone melting.
Santa's visit was brief but fun and we raised good money for the cause. I'm looking forward to a whole month of Holiday Specials in the Denver area benefiting more Colorado Rescues & Shelters. Please visit our Special Events Page for details!
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Fun was had by all at Woof in Boots last Friday night. They hosted their annual Halloween Pet Costume Party & Contest to a crowd of happy pups and their families. Folks came out in creatively themed costumes and the place was filled with smiles. The dogs got to romp and we all had a chance to make new friends and get a good laugh. I enjoyed photographing the festivities and sharing them on Facebook. Big hits included: Miss Piggy & Kermit, the Garden Gnomes and the Wizard of Oz's Dorothy & her not so cowardly Lion. The top winner for the night? Flo form Progressive with her accident victim and his gecko from Geico!
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This past weekend, I had the extreme pleasure participating in the celebration of a very special Doggie Birthday Party! It was for a sweet girl named Dee, a golden retriever that just beams joy and love. Her mom made the day special with a home full of friends surrounded with pretty balloons, flowers, cakes and lots of treats. Dee's 9th Birthday was a big hit, she looked great in her pink party hat and thoroughly enjoyed all the attention. Her daughter and sheltie neighbor also came over for the unique festivities.
The whole party was photographed by DelaFoto, so Dee's mom can cherish the smiles and share the beauty of the day with friends and family. What a great way to celebrate the joy Dee brings to all the lives she touches!
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Took a little trip last weekend! When I'm not photographing pets, I often shoot landscape photography. Joined Illuminate Workshops on a weekend outing to Crested Butte for a fall color workshop. We saw everything from majestic peaks of yellow aspens, dusted with fresh snow to rolling ranchlands with babbling brooks & beaver ponds. One of many highlights of the trip were the horse farms. As an animal photographer I couldn't resist getting some fun candid images of our hooved friends.
Next stop? Southern France! Leaving this week to enjoy a long overdue trip to see family. My sister raises horses, so I hope to get more elegant images of her magnificent steeds.
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To celebrate DelaFoto's 1-Year Anniversary in business, I had a challenging, yet fun time transforming a vacant retail space (formerly the Gap at Belmar) into an upscale pet business showcase! Sure, I could have celebrated anywhere, but the chance to be part of the innovative "Pop Shops" trend was too hard to resist! Our spacious yellow room (for two consecutive September weekends) would be the perfect place to create an exhibit and throw a party! We brought in our studio furniture, artwork, music, food, mimosas and more to create a stylish art scene set within the adjacent clothing & furniture venues and amidst the busy Italiano Festival!
All were welcome to our party, including pets, and the event was success. Thanks to everyone that participated, assisted and supported our celebration. I couldn't have pulled it off without you! If you missed the party, you can still come out for the Exhibit/Showcase: "Pop Shops & Tails" on September 14th & 15th. Visit our Special Events page to learn more.
Photo by Efrain Cruz
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August has had some great outdoor activities for our dogs! The much anticipated 5K Run for Big Dogs & LabFest were BIG hits with the pups and their families.
As the official photographer at both events, it was a lot of fun capturing the high speed action and energy with my Canon. While I'm often seen with my 24-70 lens, these occasions called for the big gun! The 5D MII with a 70-200mm L lens did not disappoint. Assisted with fill flash, I was able to stop the motion, catch the details and make the sun glare & harsh shadows more photo friendly.
I'm pleased with the results and hope our fans enjoy them too. All the final images are online on our Facebook. Check them out and let me know what you think. Looking forward to more outdoor action shots, it's been a refreshing change of pace!
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As DelaFoto's One Year Anniversary quickly approaches, I'm getting super excited about our upcoming plans to celebrate! I've partnered with 3 local pet businesses and Belmar's Pop Shops to create a one of a kind 4-legged business showcase. Look for "Pop Shops & Tails", a gallery style exhibit of pet businesses for two weekends in September. The exhibit will feature our newest & biggest photography yet, including the work of Gail DeMonet and fashions by Barking Bitches. On Sunday, September 8th, we'll be serving up food, sparkling wine, gourmet dog food samples from Deserving Dog, a photo booth and more for DelaFoto's Anniversary Party.
Some folks got a sneak peek at what the upcoming exhibit will have to offer at DelaFoto's booth at last weekend's Denver Pet Expo. Visitors, their pets, and especially their huskies admired our nearly life size print of "Jack" on display. Additional information to come on the exhibit, in the meantime I hope you will enjoy more images from our Expo Gallery, where DelaFoto was this year's official event photographer.
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Last week DelaFoto was invited to participate in a fundraiser extravaganza with friend, Jeff Sutherland of Deserving Dog. It was for the SaddleUp! Foundation and it was their annual "Suitcase Party" at an airplane hanger in Centennial Airport.
With about 500 attendees, jets, luxury sports cars, Pan Am dancers, country singers, photo booths, cheerleaders, Mrs. Colorado, tasty food & drinks, a caricature artist and many awesome auction items - it was an evening to remember! Big winners of the night's raffles were jetted off for amazing weekend vacations, bags already packed.
I'm just finishing up the photo galleries from the evening and hope our contribution was helpful in raising awareness and funds for the work this organization does. Learn more about their programs for children with disabilities through equine facilitated activities and therapy at www.saddleupfoundation.org. Thanks to Jeff for inviting Efrain & I, lets do it again next year!
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I recently got some sad news regarding the passing of some wonderful dogs that I've photographed. It's so difficult to learn that these beautiful souls are gone.
It hits home when I think about my wonderful companion Casey Jones, who just passed away 3 months ago at the age of 15. I've missed him so much. The photos and video clips I've taken over the years are a touching reminder of his unconditional love and commitment. I'm grateful to have them so I can cherish some of our special moments together.
My heart goes out to our clients and friends who've lost their furry loved ones. I created a special photo gallery to share the images I've taken and celebrate their lives. I hope it helps with the healing and reminds us all that we are not alone when feeling such loss.
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Luckily for me combining work and play as a professional pet photographer is easy to do. It often consists of going to fun pet activities and meeting great people. While Denver is host to many pet related events, the ones I've enjoyed most are gatherings where I can relax, have time to talk to people and get to know them.
I've started hosting events myself and got involved with two local pet Meetup groups. Meetup.com is a fun way to set up pet related activities and invite pet lovers. Just last week, we enjoyed two great events. One for pet owners and one for pet business professionals. Yappy Hour got a solid turnout and was a big hit. Playtime for Pet Professionals is newer and smaller but we had wonderful time exchanging ideas and finding new ways to help each other as small business owners.
Check them out and join us for some of our upcoming events. I often share the event photos on our Facebook Gallery.
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Photographing pets in our Denver studio has been a fun exploration of technical know how and furry style. Every time I get to shoot our themed specials, it's a treat to play with new design ideas for our guests. Last month's "Shaggy Chic" was a hit, featuring vintage accents including flowers, pearls, plush backdrops and even an old fashioned trunk. Why not? The dogs looked great and their families loved it.
This month's theme is "Christmas in July", I wanted something new and bold. I found a beautiful suede chaise, perfect for posing families with their pets. It's super comfy, curvy and oh yes, RED! After some wrangling it's all set up and I can't wait to see the elegant portraits we'll get to create. Stay tuned!
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Before I even conceived of DelaFoto I had seen a compelling news story about how professional portraits of shelter dogs got them adopted faster. I was very moved and wanted to help out in that way. So when I launched DelaFoto last summer, it was a priority for me to join HeArts Speak and find local rescues & shelters that had long term residents in need of a boost. It started with a few photo sessions at our studio and expanded to destination a shoot at shelters & local businesses, photographing over 30 dogs in need.
With the busy routine of running a new business it can be hard to keep up on the latest news on the pups I photographed over 6 months ago. But this week I heard the best news of all! All of the shelter dogs and many of the rescue dogs have been adopted to wonderful homes, often due to the increased visibility and appeal the photos we took provided. It warms my heart and makes me anxious to photograph more. I post our new dog portraits on Facebook, I hope you'll tune in and help spread the word on their availability by sharing these images online. Thank you to the Shelters & Rescues and all their hard work to find homes for these sweet hearts, I look forward to more success stories together!
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Did you hear? There's a new up and coming pet event in town, The DachsiePalooza! It's a party for the Dachshunds benefiting Coast to Coast Dachshund Rescue headed up by Beth Parker Humphrey. An indoor event at Jefferson County Fairgrounds, it offered happy wieners and friends lots of fun activities including the ever popular Doxie Dash!
DelaFoto was pleased to participate last weekend as a vendor, silent auction contributor & event photographer. Check out the many images of the festivities on our Facebook Gallery and spread the word for this great cause!
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June 1st was a fun, sunny day for all who participated in the 2nd Annual "Pub Crawl for Pups" benefiting My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue, based in Denver. DelaFoto has been a supporter of this rapidly growing local rescue group throughout the year. Headed by Nikiki Gwin and her loyal following of passionate dog lovers, they have found homes for so many dogs, especially hounds, in great need. It has been a pleasure to provide photo portraits for their adoption hopefuls, as well as shoot their lively events.
This unique fundraiser had nearly 100 attendees traveling from bar patio to patio enjoying drinks and raffles on Broadway. "Dawgs" dreaming of caring forever homes came too, warming hearts all along the way. Visit our Event Photo Gallery and be ready to be inspired!
*If you would like to offer help through donations, fostering or adopting, check out MFDM at: www.dogrescuecolorado.org
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One of my favorite activities as a photographer, besides shooting pet portraits, is photographing pet events. Not only parties & festivals, but fundraisers for the charity groups and nonprofits that benefit the lives of pets throughout the year.
This past weekend DelaFoto was the official photography sponsor for Pet Aid Colorado's Mutts & Models with over 500 attendees enjoying the "Mardi Growl" theme. There were fun costumes, great food, exciting auctions and of course glamorous models walking the runway with the dogs. What a night! We were honored to be part of it and have many fun pictures to share. Check them out along with other pet event galleries on our Facebook Photo page.
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DelaFoto's pet expo and fundraiser "Tour" has made this May a busy and exciting month! Last weekend we participated in Maxfund's "Lucky Mutt Strut" at Cheeseman Park. It was a perfect day for the morning's activities. We had the unique chance to not only be a supporting vendor showcasing our pet prints, but we were also able to capture photos of the many fun activities surrounding our booth.
Please take a moment to browse and share our Facebook Gallery for the event. There are many smiling faces, some sweet adoption hopefuls and touching moments to enjoy!
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What a great way to spend a Saturday morning. The Dumb Friends League event "Furry Scurry" was a a huge success! This was their 20th annual event and it was impressive. DelaFoto participated as a vendor for the first time and we loved every minute of it. The volunteers were terrific, the setting beautiful and the activities a blast! We especially loved the parade of dogs passing by our tent.
Thanks to everyone that visited our photo filled tent including Woof in Boots' big furry dog! Look for our fun event pics on our Facebook page.
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After weeks of preparation, we finally enjoyed our first but not last Pet Expo here in Denver. The Rocky Mountain Pet Expo (at the National Western Stock Show Complex) hosted their 3rd annual event to a fun crowd of vendors, rescues and visitors.
We enjoyed meeting people with their dogs, cats, and even a pig! It was great to see people's reaction to our photography and demonstrate first hand how the materials we offer (canvas, metal & glass) can bring life to their pet portraits.
Also, we met other participants in the show that inspired us: Talented artists like Equestrian Photographer, Glenn Weissel, Watch dog groups like Colorado Citizens for Canine Welfare, and even suppliers of doggie "bling" & stylish hats (for our upcoming "Glamour Shots" event) -to name a few. Thanks to everyone for making it a successful day! Check out some of our event pics as part of our ongoing collection of "Fun Canine Outings".
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Denver will be host to great pet fundraisers & expos throughout the year and DelaFoto will be at many of them! To help you stay on top of this exciting calendar of activities, we've created a new Page on our website: Special Events. It will offer a quick reference list of upcoming activities with links & info on how to participate.
It will also feature our DelaFoto Special Photo Sessions, unique themed photo shoots at discounted prices. If you know of an event not on this page that you think will be a good fit for DelaFoto, contact us and let us know. We'd love to hear from you and hope to see you at some fun events soon!
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DelaFoto's first art exhibit is now on display at in the Santa Fe Art District! The unique large scale Metal prints of local Denver dogs are being featured (and availble for purchase) all month at the ARK Gallery. We are excited to be included among the talented local pet artists (painters & photographers) featured at this unique space.
Visitors can bring their dogs with them to view the art anytime. You're invited to join DelaFoto as we celebrate with our friends and clients at First Friday (April 5th) 6-7:00pm. Ark Gallery: 719 W. 8th Avenue, Denver.
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Today marks the first day of Spring and while there still may be a few chilly days ahead, no doubt the feeling is here!
DelaFoto had the pleasure of photographing the cover for the March/April issue of Paws & Read Magazine with the cheerful innocence of a pretty girl and her young bunnies. We also created this video: "Magazine Cover Shoot"
Check out this sunny issue for more of our images, great articles and info on local pet businesses & upcoming events to get you in the mood for Springtime.
True Spring
by: Arthur Guiterman (1871-1943)
What, spring, because a day is fair,
Because a brook is flowing,
Because a maple here and there
A flash of red is showing,
Because the frost has lost a tooth,
And ice-packs jar and splinter?
You call it "spring" because, forsooth,
It simply isn't winter!
No, spring has gladder signs than these;
I'll know that spring is coming
When lilacs blow, when velvet bees
In apple-boughs are humming,
When softer shadows fall aslant
The fragrant meadow mazes:
I'll call it spring when I can plant
One foot on seven daisies.
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After an uneventful winter for snow accumulations, this week has finally brought the Denver area bountiful and beautiful snow. While DelaFoto didn't have any outdoor client shoots scheduled for this snowfall, it was a great chance to play with gear as our family dogs played in the sun filled, chilly air!
Whether we're shooting video with our new GoPro camera or chasing down gorgeous snapshots with the Canons, the dogs don't mind the attention or the great locations. Check out our young Aussie, E.K. and Senior Sheltie, Casey Jones as they they relax, play and take in the wonderful wintery day on Facebook!
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DelaFoto kicked off 2013 with a variety of fun portraits of furry loved ones. To start, DelaFoto's family member, E.K. posed for some studio shots, helping us prep for an upcoming charity shoot. The event was in January and canines came out for donated Valentine portrait sessions at CRCG's "Canine Health Fair". Families got a variety of lovable portraits to choose from and a portion of print proceeds will help local groups (Stymie Canine Cancer & Nakio Rescue).
Visit our Valentine Gallery to see some of these images and check out our heart warming Video Compilation.
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DelaFoto was approached by an animal shelter in Fort Lupton, CO about creating portraits of their long term canine residents. As a member of the HeArts Speak network, we were happy to arrange a special visit to their facility for a photo shoot. We had been taking pictures of rescue dogs at events and our studio up to this point, so we weren't sure what to expect at the shelter.
The dogs we photographed were long term residents at Every Creature Counts, but not because they had health or behavior issues. They just weren't getting noticed. It was a simple styled shoot and the dogs were full of energy! We got some great pics and have posted them on our Facebook Page. Look for the BLUE backgrounds in our HeArts Speak Gallery and please share these images so these wonderful dogs can find homes soon!
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For many animal artists who want to help abandoned and abused animals in need, HeArts Speak is a wonderful international resource making a difference on the local level. By connecting skilled volunteers to rescues & shelters seeking help, they're goal is to educate the public about adoption, increase adoption rates and reduce euthanizing dramatically.
DelaFoto is proud to have been accepted into this amazing network of talent. In 2013 we've already started donating professional pet portraits for a wonderful array of Colorado adoption hopefuls. From an adorable Frenchie named "Hamlet" to a whole host of magnificent hounds from "My Fairy Dawg Mother" Rescue, January was an exciting month.
Check out our latest photos and videos on DelaFoto's Facebook Page, and please help spread the word. Share images and let us know if there are animals in need that we can help!
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If you've been following our features about Jack, the Siberian Husky who won Paws & Read Magazine's cover model contest, then look for this elegant image on the Jan/Feb issue at stores near you! Comfortably nestled with his lovely mom, Jennifer in our Denver studio, you'd think Jack was a pro.
Jenn, her husband Ken and other pup Sierra all participated in the shoot as well, for a fun collection of family portraits.
Look for copies of this issue in local stores as well as online at Barnes & Noble's "Nook".
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Among the many portraits I have done in the Denver area I've found that shooting rescued pets have been among my favorite subjects. Promoting local charities by shooting their fundraiser events and photographing dogs up for adoption to help them find homes are causes I believe in and cornerstones of my work.
I've produced this high quality 2013 Calendar "Rescued Hearts" featuring my recent images of local rescued pets. This premium 13.5" x 19" Calendar is full of fun portraits and brief stories about each pet. I hope to raise awareness about animal shelters & rescues as well as inspire volunteering for pets in need.
Each Calendar is digitally printed per order, so feel free to preview the images and order yours soon!
Yesterday was a glamorous day for dogs at DelaFoto's Denver studio! "Barking Bitches" brought in elegant dog models dawning their last fashions: classy coats, hoodies, sporty vests and more. They are a local family owned business offering a wide range of affordable, high quality dog apparel and accessories created by retirees and seniors. Beautiful and beneficial!
Our Diva of the day was Italian Greyhound, "Ginger" who loved dressing up for her dad, Ken who just recently launched Barking Bitches online store. Shown here in the ultimate luxury, Ginger ends the day in their signature Pet Robe, for that spa look and feel. Cozy!
Look for DelaFoto's images of these pampered pups online soon!
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Holiday cheer was had by all at Parkside Animal Health Center last weekend! So many beautiful dogs and one brave cat joined DelaFoto for a free holiday photo sitting last Saturday. Our miniature studio in a Parkside examination room, offered a variety of festive scenes & props leading to a wide range of fun images.
Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out on the event, and for those who participated in the shoot, thanks for bringing your big smiles!
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The Holiday Season is officially begun and DelaFoto has some festive ideas for Pet Lovers!
Join us for a FREE Holiday Portrait Sitting at Parkside Animal Hospital Dec. 1st at 1:00 - 4:00
Can't make it to our Free Holiday Sitting or have someone on your holiday list that would enjoy a private sitting for their treasured companion(s) at a location of their choice? Elegant Gift Certificates are Available for all our Studio Sessions.
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The search for a new Cover Model for Paws & Read Magazine's upcoming Jan/Feb issue is over! With 44 Contestants (Photographed at the 2012 Puppy Up! Denver event), it was a tough choice for the judges. Congratulations to Jennifer Bealer and family for their elegant dog "Jack" making top pick!
Thanks to feedback from many online photo viewers, the list of gorgeous canines was quickly narrowed down to a "Top Seven" list. The huskies with their white gleaming coats and shining blue eyes proved irresistible. Now Jack and his family will experience a new one hour photo session at DelaFoto's Denver Studio to create the signature image for publication.
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Meet Nikki, she's a local lady with a huge heart! Nikki started her cause "My Fairy Dawg Mother Hound Rescue" in Denver to rehabilitate and find forever homes for dogs in need. She has built a strong support network of dedicated volunteers and is working towards becoming an official non-profit. This weekend was a hugely successful fundraising "Pub Crawl" that helped generate the funds needed to take that bold step! Congratulations on a great job done and thank you for the lives you've saved Nikki!
Click Here to See DelaFoto's Images from this Unique Event!
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Paws & Read Magazine featured this fun holiday image on their Nov/Dec magazine cover! We shot this adorable boy in winter attire and the bright eyed kitty in our Denver studio. Look for this FREE, jam packed issue in local stores as well as online at Barnes & Noble's "Nook".
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DelaFoto participated in our first "Puppy Up! Denver" in partnership with Paws & Read Magazine. It was a magnificent November day at Stapleton Central Park with many inspiring activities planned by Hope Parker of 2 Million Dogs Foundation. They are a non-profit committed to discovering the common links between canine and human cancers through comparative oncology research through empowerment and mobilization.
For this event DelaFoto set up an on site studio portrait session for any dog that attended the event. We photographed 42 magnificent canines and have made the images available on Facebook.
Paws & Read will be selecting one of these pups to be on the cover of their 2013 magazine, so visit our Facebook page to see all the contenders and let us know which you think should be the next cover model!
DelaFoto was the event photographer for this year's first "Boston Boo" in Denver! It was a fun filled day for all at the Perl Mack Community Center. If you've never heard of this national event before, it is the Mid America Boston Terrier Rescue fundraiser. It was a Halloween party with music, games, vendors offering services & dog products. DelaFoto was invited to return next year, it will be a pleasure!
Check out our colorful pics on Facebook.
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"Pugs in the Park" is the largest annual pug celebration in Denver and helps support Colorado Pug Rescue. This fundraiser was packed with fun games, vendors, auction items and more. So many pugs, costumes, and smiles. DelaFoto was there for the day, donating photography and a Gift Certificate for their silent auction. Learn more about the event at Colorado Pug Rescue and see the many images captured on this fine day at our Facebook page:
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DelaFoto attended "Dachtober Fest" in Centennial this weekend for the first time. It was a fun, dachshund filled, autumn day with so many great people and dogs! The "Doxie Races" were adorable and full of laughs and cheers. Met many vendors from local magazine publishers to local business owners of home made doggie treats, fashions, care giving and more. Check out our event pics from our DelaFoto Facebook Album: Dachtober Fest 2012.
Learn more about this event and other dachshund activities at Dachschunds Rescue.
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DelaFoto attended the "Fun Run with Big Dogs 5K" hosted by Big Dogs Huge Paws at Clement Park in Littleton. We enjoyed meeting folks at our booth and getting around to meet visitors and other participants. A beautiful, fun day for a great cause!
Visit our Delafoto Facebook album for plenty of pictures of smiling faces:
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