I’ll be away until the end of October and I’ll be traveling to Canada, USA, Europe and Asia. I’ll be blog posting every now and then about where I am and my experiences accompanied with photos of course!

Our first stop is Canada where we arrived in Vancouver on Sunday and caught a coach up to Whistler. Whistler is just beautiful, it’s a little ski and outdoor sports resort type village based at the bottom of the Fitzsimmons Range Mountains. We were lucky enough to see a wild bear on the roadside, the Black Bears are very common here and you have to keep an eye out for them as well as Cougars (not as common though). Unfortunately our timing here isn’t quite the best as we are between it’s peak season’s, so the gondola and peak to peak aren’t quite operating yet, it would be ideal during winter when it’s covered in snow. Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains provide a mountain biking park with many downhill trails and then of course there’s skiing and plenty of hiking options. Its been fairly cold here, we caught the chair lift up the mountain and to my joy it was snowing! This has been a great relaxed start to our trip.

First impressions: It’s very clean and beautifully kept, so so so many trees, really pretty. Weird to be driving on the other side of the road, I have to keep reminding myself to look the right way (which is left not right) when crossing the road!

I photographed these two around the Kings Domain park grounds in central Melbourne one sunny afternoon (while trying to avoid the permission police).

I’m looking forward to photographing their wedding on the Mornington Peninsula coming up on Easter weekend.  They will be my last wedding before I head off overseas on my big trip!

Helen contacted me to have a photo session with their Dachshund, Floella and her pups before they were all sent off to their new homes.

I think I spent the first 30 mins of this session just cuddling these babies.  I wasn’t expecting them to be so small and just so so gorgeous, they were like little mini slinkies.  When I saw them I squealed like a little girl, dropped my camera bag and almost jumped up and down for joy.  I just sat amongst them and had them crawling all over me, chewing my shoes and shoelaces, biting tiny holes in my tee-shirt and licking my face. Lucky they all already had their homes to go to, otherwise I would have been packing one into my bag to take home with me.

Because Helen and Radek don’t yet have children, Floella is like their baby (I can definitely relate to this) and it’s nice to now see her now a mother herself with 7 week old puppies that will soon go to new homes.

Floella is a real hugger a very affectionate dog, maybe a little too humanised from all the special love she receives. She is also a a great mother to her pups.

When I was a child we had a longhaired Dachshund, Jessie, who was the loveliest dog.  Sadly she was victim to our neighbours car, that day Dad came and picked up my brother and I from school with Jessie’s body in the car (I think bringing her to us, was the only way he could tell us). When I picked her up, she made a squeak and I was so excited to think she was still alive.  We all buried her together in the back yard of our family home, where Dad still lives today. I always remember how she would howl/sing with me. I will always miss her.

PJ and Shaun had always planned on getting a dog, and after doing a bunch of research, decided that a Westie would be the best suit for their lifestyle and personalities.  As you tend to do when your looking to get a new family member, they popped into pet shops quite often and on one day they had two little Daxies in.  They got one out for a bit of a cuddle and as she was having a nice little snuggle with Shaun she looked up and gave him a kiss on the chin.  That was the moment they fell in love with Elle and took her home to be with them. Shaun and PJ are now smitten and Elle couldn’t have asked for a better couple who would love her as much as they do.

I know this story all too well as this was how I met Peanut.  After numerous visits to see her in the pet store, I just had to have her.  Having since met Peanut’s breeder I found out that she was only sent to the pet store as she was the runt of the litter that no one wanted having found homes for all her brothers and sisters except her.

More often these days buying puppies from pet stores is shunned upon, especially in Australia as this is what keeps puppy factories operating.  I definitely don’t think it’s the same situation in NZ and puppies in pet stores do still need a loving home to go to as well.

HeARTs Speak’s mission is to unite the individual efforts of animal artists and animal rescues into collective action for social change.  It is an online community of artists who are dedicated to using their art to help animals, assisting and educating the community on the importance of animal adoptions.

I’ve worked with both Pet’s Haven and Oscar’s Law and just recently I’ve started working with the Melbourne Pet Ambulance, photographing the pets they have rescued who need adoption. It is very rewarding to be able to use my skill as a photographer to help animals in need in the hope that they can find their furever home and as a way to support and contribute to these pet rescue organisations.

If you are looking for a new pet, there is nothing more rewarding than adopting a rescue and giving a needy pet a loving home.

You can find details of the pets available for adoption currently through my facebook page here and also check out the Melbourne Pet Ambulance and their facebook page here.  They have regular posts about animals who need new homes.

These are some of the dogs currently needing adopting, please contact the Melbourne Pet Ambulance if you or someone you know might be interested in taking these pups home.

This is Thor, he is currently up for adoption. You can read all about his story here

The Awards provide an opportunity for all those involved in any activity or service with dogs to be acknowledged for their achievements and commitments to canine well being. It is about standards of service and ethics to clients, but most importantly, what makes these awards unique is that the focus is on the people and what they do and not on the achievements of the dogs.

To win this award would mean so much as these nominations come via my clients and peers for the work I have done with them. They are designed to put the focus on those who do positive things for the dog world and who provide a great client and customer service experience.

So I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people I have worked with including my clients and animal organisations/rescue groups that I have been able to provide pet photography for.  Especially a big thanks to those people who took the time to nominate me for this award.  I have loved meeting everyone and their pets and getting the opportunity to share in your relationships with your pets and tell your stories through the beautiful photography we create together.

Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart!

The winner will be announced in March so cross your fingers for me, I havent seen who the other nominees are yet, but I’m sure I’ll be up against some stiff competition.

In celebration, having adopted your pet from Pets Haven, your pet and their story can star in this beautiful, artistic coffee table book.   This beautiful coffee table book will celebrate the work of Pets Haven with interviews, stories, quotes and photographs of your pet by some of the most well known names in Australian Pet Photography!

All this for only a $70 participation fee to take part in a mini photo session on location. Half of the fee goes directly to Pets Haven, to assist in publishing the book and to continue to support the vital work they do rescuing and re-homing our companion animals.

The books will be available for purchase through Pet’s Haven with 100% of the purchase price donated back to the foundation.

The sessions will include:
•  $70 participation fee for a mini photo session on location.
•  Great fundraising opportunity with 50% donated directly to Pet’s Haven.
•  Participation in the coffee table book.
•  A complimentary 5×7” print for you to take home with you.

There is limited availability for session bookings and booking applications close on 1st March.
Sessions will take place throughout March only.

On location within a 30km radius of Melbourne CBD, but please let me know if you live further out and we will arrange a suitable location.  Session availability for Tuesdays/Thursdays and Weekend bookings.

Please fill out the booking form below to send your booking request through to me and I will contact you to confirm your booking time, location and arrange payment.

Melbourne’s Pet & Animal Expo is one of Australia’s largest Pet Expos, with over 180 exhibitors, there is plenty to keep even the fussiest pet lover satisfied. Hundreds of popular pet products and services will be displayed to help owners give their pets the best kind of care available.
The Pet & Animal Expos are designed to be a celebration of pets and animals and the positive role they play in society.  There will be special features, attractions, entertainment, different dog and cat breeds and demonstrations which all make for a great doggy day out.

I’ll be offering some expo specials for booking on the day including discounted session and product collections. Make sure you pop down and check it out and come and see me, Chris and Peanut at stall 120 to take advantage of my pet photography deals.

Hope to see you there.

And here’s some extra info about what to expect from the show:

Venue: Melbourne Showgrounds with free on site parking available

Saturday Feb 2nd & Sunday Feb 3rd
10am-5pm
Adults $16, Children $10, Seniors $12, Family $45

Expo attractions include:

Non-stop stage presentations

Australia ‘s largest dog breed showcases featuring up to 60 different dog breeds including rare breeds

Cat breed showcases including cat judging

Massive family farmyard nurseries including patting pens, native and farm animals, sheep shearing and cow milking displays

Dog demonstration arena

Children’s amusement rides

Another regular to this cafe is Tanya & dog Merrick the Boxer.  Unfortunately 2 years ago Merrick was diagnosed with cancer and had a tumor removed from his mouth, but recently it has grown back meaning that he may not have much longer to live as it is now inoperable.  Glenn the owner of Jellystone has taken a huge liking to Merrick (he even made him a FB page), that he decided the cafe and staff would all pitch in for a photo shoot of Merrick with the intention to also display a large image of Merrick inside on the cafe wall.  I am honored that I could do this shoot to create some lasting memories of Merrick as the happy, soft natured dog he is, and to soon see my image of Merrick gracing the walls of Jellystone.