Pet Session at Ocean Beach and GGP
This past Sunday I spent a few hours with a sweet pooch named Monkey. He was a shelter dog lovingly adopted by shelter volunteer and mommy of two cats, Pam. He’s a brown and white mix between a pit bull and a Staffordshire bull terrier with brown patches around his big brown eyes.
Pam used to live right by Ocean Beach so it was a very logical place for us to meet to photograph Monkey (even though he doesn’t care much for the water).
He’s just a sweetheart with little ears that flap in the wind. And he was so funny – Monkey would dart off, then coming running back over to us and swoop right past the camera as I would crouch down to get him.
He’s a really curious dog and he’ll go over to shyly investigate other dogs or kids but he always makes sure to stay close to mom.
We went into Golden Gate Park near the Dutch windmills to capture him against a green backdrop and to give him another environment to explore.
And I loved all of his cute little puppy parts. Check out his furrowed brow – those wrinkles are so cute!
I had a great time with Pam and Monkey. Thanks so much, you two!
The average dog has one request to all humankind. Love me.
Helen Exley
p.s. Pam introduced me to Virtual Pet Adoptions, a website connecting people with animal shelters and rescue organizations in the Bay Area for a very thorough offering of pets that would love to be given a great home.
p.p.s. If anyone knows of a shelter or rescue organization needing great photographs (completely without charge) of their shelter pets for websites and marketing purposes, please connect me with them!
According to Match.com*, “members with photos get up to 15 times more attention than those without one” and I can only imagine it applies to cat and dog profiles as well.
*I also photograph people for online dating sites and I definitely can’t knock Match.com. I found my honey on there 3 years ago, we moved across the country together, and we’re still going strong. And the picture thing is so true. When looking through all those profiles, the pictureless ones aren’t worth the time and a great picture can get you the attention you deserve.