Dogs in Art

On my recent trip to the MFA in Boston, MA I again noticed the central aspect of dogs. Such as on ladies laps, a sign of love and affection, hunting dogs, loyal dogs by their masters and dog as the focal point such as the master piece by Gerrit Dou “Dog at Rest” 1650.

The dog has appeared in paintings as far back as 4500 BC when canines appeared on cave walls. As the dog’s relationship with the human evolved, so did the way he is represented in art. In the 18th century, dog portraits became popular amongst the wealthy British.

Spanish painter, Diego Velasquez (1599-1660) painted the dog in the company of children. In this image “Maids of Honor”, we see a large dog in the foreground tolerating an ornery child.

In 1866 artist Edouard Manet created “A King Charles Spaniel”

Another famous artist Pablo Picasso created a pastel and gouache on cardboard called “Boy With Dog” 1905

And one of my childhood favorites is Norman Rockwell (1894-1978). He frequently used puppies ans dogs in his paintings, some as the main subject, and some as the sidekick, or partner in crime as in “No Swimming”

What era would you dog fit into? Do you have your dog in a piece of Art?

Easter Egg Hunts, For Dogs?

Yes! It’s a thing! Your dog can join in the Easter egg hunt! In fact, dog-friendly egg hunts are growing in popularity around the country.
Your dog can eat the boiled eggs, too. Real eggs are good for a dog’s health—including the shell, as it turns out. Cooking them reduces the risk of salmonella, though some dog owners swear by raw eggs for their dogs. Check with your vet if in doubt.

Alternatively, you can stuff plastic eggs with stinky, yummy dog treats, which provide a great opportunity for teaching scent work. (Just make sure you don’t let them crack the plastic with their jaws; instead, open the eggs for them. See more on safety considerations below.)

Easter Egg Safety for Dogs

• Supervise your dog carefully, as plastic eggs can crack and be dangerous if swallowed.
• Keep your dog on leash while hunting, so you can make sure they don’t eat anything they shouldn’t—or get a little too excited when competing with a human child for treats.
• Plastic eggs filled with dog treats should be large enough that they can’t be swallowed whole.
• Don’t let your dog eat chocolate, of course. And while you’re at it, watch out for the little foil wrappers that might get dropped in the candy-eating frenzy.
• Any eggshells for consumption should be dyed with non-toxic colors.

If this all seems like a bit more work than you’re up for, never fear. Give your pooch an Easter-themed dog toy, and she’ll feel included.

 

Will your dog have an Easter Egg Hunt this year? If so, Send me pictures!

10 Signs You Have a Dog Crush

Everyone one knows how much their dog loves them. It’s easy to see in their wag, smile and loving eyes.

So if your looking for the very best Valentine’s day, why not show your dog how much you love them and take them out for a beautiful walk and treat them to a lovey meal! It could be the best Valentine’s day ever!

You Might Have a Dog Crush if:

1. You Gush: You gush about how your dog is cute, smart, cheeky and does all these things to make you smile. Congratulations, you have a dog crush!
2. Photos: Your mobile, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are full of photos of your dog.
3. You Get Excited: Just as much as your dog does when you greet each other at the door
4. When you are away from your dog: You find yourself thinking about what your dog might be doing right now, and got a monitor and app to see how they are doing…you have a dog crush.
5. Shopping!: When you find yourself shopping for clothes and thinking, “I wonder if I should pick up something nice for my pup,” you have a dog crush
6. Favorite Night In: Great movie, sofa and a dog snuggled up next to you is the best night of the week.
7. Bedtime:  You subconsciously move to the edge of the bed so that dog has enough room.
8. Vacation Time: You start checking local trails, dog friendly beaches and hotels before booking your holiday.
9. Gazing: You catch your self gazing at your dog while it snoozes in a cute and adorable position. ummm…..dog crush!
10. Kisses!  :There is nothing better in your day that a snuggle and a kiss with your dog. It actually makes your day all that more rewarding.

 

100th Photo-Shoot with Canine Commitment New England Dog Rescue

I have had a fantastic time working with Canine Commitment of New England over the past 6 months or so. I have had many beautiful dogs come through the studio doors. My goal has always been to help rescue dogs get re-homed. Well, that has happened, and more! I have made wonderful friends with Ross and Melissa the owners of Canine Commitment of NE. They are smart, giving and a joy to “work” with. I can’t really call it work when it is with them. I have met many amazing volunteers that work with CCNE each one loving and supporting the work they do.

Well, in true KSP fashion I could not let this milestone go with out a bit of a photographic celebration. What to do…? Celebration=100th Dog plus nine of his friends=Party Hats=Cake! The let fun begin! All 10 of these beautiful dogs are up for adoption with Canine Commitment of NE, please visit the page to adopt or make a donation to help them continue with the wonderful work they do.

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography 100th

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography Cake Smash

Kimberly Sarah Photography 100th

 

My next Blog will be about how these puppies got their start.

 

 

Guest Blogger – Ross Norwood from Canine Commitment of NE – Dog Rescue

Dear KSP Followers,

It is my pleasure to have Ross Norwood as a guest blogger today.

Ross began her non-profit in December, 2010. There are two locations that are licensed shelter facilities in the state of NH. In Manchester, Melissa houses pups in her home while awaiting adoption. In New Boston, the pups have their own building on Ross’ property. Between the two locations, and a wonderful group of volunteers that help us care for the dogs, advertise the dogs, and process applications, Canine Commitment is saving hundreds of lives each year – and they continue to grow each year!

Ross grew up primarily in Texas, and attended the University of Texas in Austin where she graduated with an honors interdisciplinary liberal arts degree. Professionally, she spent her career in marketing and PR in both Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts. She became a stay-at-home mother in March of 2003 with the birth of her first daughter, Jamison. Annelise followed in November of 2006. In 2008 Ross and her family adopted a dog through Canine Commitment in Maine, where she met the director and told her “if you ever need someone to pick up a dog or anything, you should give me a call.” The rest is history. Ross and her family eventually moved from their home in Bedford, NH, to a home in New Boston on 22 acres, where the rescue pups could have their own building. Ross raises her two daughters with her husband, Scott Setzler, while managing the day-to-day activities of Canine Commitment. As a full-on ADD sufferer, Ross’ favorite saying is: Rescue is a lot of things, but it is never, ever boring. She has not been bored one day since starting this rescue journey. It provides the highest highs and lowest lows, but she knows she could never go back to not being a part, no matter how small, of a solution to our country’s overpopulation and killing. In the future, Ross hopes to work on educational programs to help teach children that animals deserve our respect and kindness. Perhaps, if we start with kids, we can all achieve a day where there will be no more dogs killed in our country for lack of a home.

I personally have had the privileged to work with both Ross and Melissa. When I tell you these ladies work hard it is an understatement. These ladies care for sick, injured, scared and abused animals all day every day. There’s is not a 9-5 job!  As much as Ross compliments me, she and Melissa are the ones doing the real work. I hope you enjoy Ross’ post and please consider adopting from or donating to Canine Commitment.

http://caninecommit.org/

If you are lucky enough to know Kimberly Sarah Photography and you follow them on social media, you likely have seen Kim’s gorgeous photos of Canine Commitment’s dogs.

It was our lucky day, truly, when Kim reached out to us and offered her amazing talents to help us showcase our pups and help find their homes. Kim asked me to share a little bit about Canine Commitment, and I’m happy to do that!

Canine Commitment is an all-breed dog rescue based in New Boston and Manchester, New Hampshire. We have been around as Canine Commitment of New England since 2010, and since then thousands of dogs – and even a few hundred kittens – have come through our doors. “We” is two of us who are licensed as shelters out of our personal homes. We are set-up a bit differently than most rescues in that we work hands-on with each and every dog that comes through our rescue, and also work with the potential adopters. We utilize a handful of foster homes when needed, but primarily keep the dogs with us so that we know them well, can answer questions, and have them ready to meet potential adopters.

But “we” is also dozens of dedicated volunteers and a few employees who care for the dogs daily, assist with medical records and adoption packets, and keep two crazy rescuers sane! Over the years, the rescue has grown in wonderful ways and brought so many amazing dogs and fantastic people to us. We are so grateful that the thing we hear the most from applicants is that they know several people who have adopted from us, or even that they have adopted from us in the past and want to work with us again! It is incredible to us that we find great homes for not only the cute fluffy puppies, but also the senior dogs with medical issues, and the three legged pups and the deaf pups … all because so many people in our area open their homes and hearts to rescue dogs.

New England is unique from many parts of our country in that we do not have overflowing shelters and puppies in boxes for sale at every flea market. That, and much, much more, is what our rescue partners in the south are dealing with each and every day. Through our wonderful partnerships with Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, Southern Magnolia Boxer Rescue, and several independent rescuers, we are able to help move dogs into New England that otherwise would have no hope of finding a loving home. Whether you are looking for a puppy to grow up with your family, or a calm, older dog who didn’t get the best start in life, or a fun-loving, ready-for-adventure goofball, you can find what you are looking for through rescues like Canine Commitment and many other wonderful, dedicated groups across New England. And if you are really, really lucky … it might be one who has a glamour shot done by Kimberly Sarah Photography!

~Ross

NH Magazine Cover Image

I was on my way home from a very needed week off in December, sitting in the airport in the Jet Blue terminal when my phone rang. Well as you know, my first reaction was “another sales call” or “Hi! This is Susan from Google and I can help you get more visitors to your website”…blah. blah. blah. For some reason I answered it anyway. It was a nice gentleman on the other end, he said he was from NH Magazine. I thought, so here it comes, they want me to buy advertising. Nope!

He said he was on my website and loved my images. He was in search of a Cover Image for the February edition called “Pets”. He fell in love with the Out-Take image I had of a sweet little French Bulldog called Fiona. Fiona belongs to a good friend and SOPHA member Sue and her adorable daughter Emma.

It didn’t really hit me at the time what he was saying and on top of that they were boarding the plane! I had to quickly excuse myself from our conversation and ask that we catch up on Monday to talk again. What I really wanted was to make sure I heard him correctly. My image on the cover of NH Magazine!? Really?

As you can guess, Yes, my image on the cover. I was flattered. It was an incredible feeling.

By the end of January I started to look on the news stands and in Barnes and Noble for the magazine, it was not out at those times. In fact I had some what forgotten about it, until one day standing in line at Market Basket with Bud. Out of the blue I had remembered the magazine may be out. As I said to Bud, we should look for the magazine, I turned and there it was. He said I squealed but I don’t think so. I was kind of awesome to see on the checkout stands.

It was an unforgettable moment! So much fun!

Here is the finished cover.

NH Magazine is a great read, a great way to get to know what the people around you are doing. There are some wonderful artists, business people, restaurants etc. in our area.

A Piece of My Heart – Sessions One, Two and Three

This past week I have had the honor of completing three Piece of My Heart (POMH) sessions. I must tell you these are the most difficult sessions for me and it may not be the reason one might think.

What goes into a typical session?

I often get inquires from folks wanting more information about my “regular” sessions or for my Four Legged Newborn sessions.  These inquires lead ultimately to a phone call, booking a time for the studio.  It is after this call that I can start my creative process – setting my brain to work on how to make each shoot unique while capturing my style and the customer’s desires.   I truly love this process.  And I love hearing from such proud pet parents! I get excited for each and every pup walking through my door!

All of those things happen for the POMH sessions as well. However, there is more to it, I hear about how much this ill or senior dog is loved, how this dog became such a part of their lives. I hear about the illness that is wreaking havoc over their beloved pet’s body. I hear about all the things they used to do and cannot enjoy any longer. I hear about the choices they have to make for their dogs. I hear about the stories of when they first met – true love stories.  All of this is very heartbreaking, as many of you reading this, I too have lost my best friend and am staring down the barrel of another: my Winston is 10.

But again, in the above sentences those are not reasons I have difficulty with these sessions. I am more than okay with talking to folks about their ailing dogs. Do I cry? Yes. Do I feel for them? Of course I do.I would not be in this business if I didn’t have a wide open heart for dogs and people. They hurt; I hurt.

The reason for my difficulty is making the session “good enough”. I want these sessions to be enjoyable and memorable. I want my customers feel that this experience is long lasting.  And above all I want these images to hang on their walls and not heavy in their hearts. I want people to look at these photos and smile even just for one second as they grieve their loss.  I want theses photos to help in the sorrow that they are feeling. I want people to feel close to their dog. Living or past, dogs fill our hearts with love. That is what I want my photos to do. That’s a tall order.

I choose not to show the images I create in our Piece of My Heart sessions.  These images are private – a moment between the lens and the dog.  These moments, captured forever in these images, represent the memories between the owner and their loved pet.  Those moments are private and in the deepest way personal.  If the owner chooses to share an image publicly, I may, with their permission do so too.  But I won’t post images, however poignant or vital, that might objectify these amazing four-legged members of my customer’s family.

The images I create in these sessions capture the silliness, tenderness, and love of the relationship between two living creatures sharing a journey together. May peace be at their side.

 

If you’d like more information on these sessions, please feel free to email or call me and ask any questions you’d like.

Kim@KimberlySarahPhotography.com

781-504-9404

Working My Buns Off With 9 Wieners!

When I put out a “4 Legged Model Call” I didn’t realize what fun I was in for. I had 5 Dachshund puppies come into the studio with 2 sets of parents. 9 dogs in total!

When Sarah arrived with the dogs, she was more than prepared, She came with 2 “playpens” to keep them wrangled. One for the puppies and one for the parents.

She was so organized, it was great.

But now, I had five puppies in front of me, one cuter than the other. I can’t even explain.

I wanted to do my popular Puppy Bowl, I chose Tucker, and he was perfect. With no effort on my part, we got a fantastic image.

As time went on we were able to get some amazing photos, these dogs were so adaptable, Sarah took very good care of them all, they were so well adjusted, puppies and adults.

 

It was time for the adults, we were hoping for a “Family” picture…well, that didn’t happen but we did get these.

I had a few helping hands, Sarah, her son, my Mom, Bud and myself. We had a blast through out it all. These pups have all gone to good homes and I hope to see them again some time soon.

 

You can follow Sarah here on Facebook @Power Dog Sports

 

Would you like to be featured in The Dog Blog? Call or email me for more information.

Kim@KimberlySarahPhotography.com

Being a Dog Photographer means helping other Dog Lovers!

Being a Dog Photographer means helping other Dog Lovers!

As I find myself with what feels like less free time than when I was working 50+ hours for a large hospital, I still feel the need to help. Help other humans and especially help dogs. As a Dog Photographer I have led a class called Sit. Stay. Smile here at the studio, we worked in conjunction with ARLNH- Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire. We had 8 puppies that day, a class full of eager photographers and a check for ARLNH! I will be running this class again in November. (sign up here to join me)What a treat! But I wanted to do more…

I scoured the net to find smaller Shelters or Rescues; I came across Mary’s Dogs. They are located in Northwood, NH just outside of Deerfield. Please read about Mary’s Dogs here. They re-home dogs and puppies from shelters in North Carolina and South Carolina. It’s not that we don’t have homeless dogs from NH or New England, we are lucky it is not the problem that the south has. Mary’s likes to point out the larger goal is to educate and support the spay/neuter movement in the south. This is a very large problem for dogs and puppies. People don’t love their pets any more or less because they live in one geographic region or another. But kill rates spike in high poverty areas with limited access to affordable veterinary services for spaying and neutering. In the rural South, unsterilized dogs are often allowed to roam outdoors. Many counties have weak or unenforced leash laws. Shelters in such areas are overrun, with kill rates ranging from 50 to 95 percent. Even where adoptions are encouraged, low population density makes them rare. Here are a few articles you can read if you were unaware of the issues:

The Bark

The American Humane Association

The Animal Mission

On the day I was to photograph a transport of puppies, 22 pups were scheduled to arrive! Yes, 22! That means 88 Paws, 44 silky ears, 22 wagging tails and a load of cuteness! Well, I was not disappointed.

I arrived at 9:00am, what seemed like a small house quickly became clear at how organized and accommodating the space was. The counter was lined up with dog food bowls, Allyson was hard at work checking and rechecking her list to make sure all went well. An amazing aroma filled the room, it was a large Tupperware tub, Allyson was scooping spoons full into the dog bowls, I asked, what is that??

Mary made homemade chicken soup! Yes you read that right! HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP!  Funny, it was just like my mom makes, real chicken, carrots, rice and potatoes! Wow! I knew these puppies were going to get a great welcome to NH!

 

9:30 the Howl on Wheels transport van arrived, run by Kelly Ivory. She had a great team with her!

The pups were unloaded one by one they were in such good shape, I wasn’t sure what to expect since they came all the way from Forgotten Tails in SC. They were all beautiful!

Happy to be out of the van, the pups got to run around in the play area, have some water and do their business before heading inside for lunch. I have to remark on the orderly fashion this team from Mary’s was working. A fast pace but nothing went unnoticed, each pup got individual attention, all their needs were met. Ears cleaned, eyes cleaned, fed and watered. I loved seeing a room full of happy dogs. Most of the dogs at this point were already adopted. I believe there were 4 puppies without a new home when I left that day. Of course it was difficult for me to leave a pup behind, but the care and love they were getting filled my heart. Yes it wasn’t even noon and my day was complete! I spent 3 hours with puppies and dogs also with great people, people who care and give of themselves. This team was just amazing and I cannot say enough good things about them. I was so happy to be a part of it. My little part in all of this was to get Mary some nice photos for her to post on social media to get the word out. So please if you feel like doing a small part as well, like Mary’s page on Facebook and help spread the word about spay/neuter movement in the south.

On a side note, I totally fell in love with Noah. Good Luck Noah, where ever you are! Enjoy your new family!

You can find more pictures from the day on my Facebook page. Kimberly Sarah Photography

Three Great Dane Puppies, One Darn Good Dog Photographer

July 30, 2016

Ok, all kidding aside, I do not boast about my work or talents.

As a Dog Photographer we meet all kinds of people and dogs. This particular day I was about to meet three 4 1/2 week old Great Dane Puppies. Oh. My. Goodness! I could not wait! As you may have seen Wilson was in a few days before for his fine art dog portrait. He was to be the first of our newly announced 4 Legged Newborn Sessions. Wilson as you may recall was 8 weeks old, well these amazing Great Danes walk in at 4 1/2 weeks and are the same size as Wilson! A Dog Photographers dream challenge.

For me, I form a concept (thank you Bud Thorpe for driving this home) before the shoot. My concept was for these three puppies all sleeping nicely in a dresser draw I brought to the studio from home. It was silver so I knew it would work well with their coloring. It helps to get a picture of your subject before they are in your studio.

I started, one puppy at a time. They were wiggly, squirmy and full of life! A challenge indeed. Sit, Stay, recite the Battle Hymn of the Republic all meant the same to them, remember they were 4 1/2 week old puppies. Not much time to lean anything, they just opened their eyes 3 weeks ago. But it was great fun. Their human mom’s were fantastic to work with. We made some adorable photos in the first concept I had. Here is Spree in here pink basket.

Now comes the challenge – Three sleeping dogs…

It took time, talent and lots of hugging and whispering to each puppy. First JuJu, just the sweetest, blue eyed puppy. She was on her way to tired so that seemed easy. Next was Pixie, the runt of the litter and most curious. She took a bit longer to get to sleep, holding her like a newborn baby, she eventually feel asleep too. Phew! Ok, now for Spree, she was all the way awake. Was not at all interested in slowing down. However, time and talent was at play and asleep she went. Each puppy, one by one was placed in the draw. One waking while the others sleep. On and on it went. Until, our serendipitous moment….

All three sleeping like the adorable puppies they are! Oh the joy!

You can see more images on my website or Facebook page

Learn more about SOPHA! The Studio of Photographic Arts