When you have the ability to photograph a dog one to two times a year, sometimes you have to get creative and think outside the box with your session to keep them fun, new and interactive. Dexter’s owner and I decided to try a new location for this canine photoshoot this fall and we had so much fun!

I got a call on our way to meeting for the session and his owner forgot to bring a toy. I mean sometimes early mornings do that to you! They did stop to pick up a toy on their way, but it proved not needed once we got into our session because Dexter fell in love with the smallest toy attached to my bag. His enthusiasm and pure joy over this toy gave us time to decompress and reset and also capture amazing playful photos!

We had a great time exploring the architecture of the Felt Mansion in Holland, Michigan. His owner wanted to capture not only her beloved Welsh Springer Spaniel but the unique backgrounds throughout the estate. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow up from a young 10 week old puppy at our first photo session (click here to see his puppy photos!) to a now young adult. I hope we can continue capture his growth and development throughout his life and even into his older years.

Below are some of my and his owner’s favorite photos from this session. I hope they bring you as much joy as they do us!