A DOG A DAY | A date with Sally Muir

I was so excited when I learned that the celebrated dog artist Sally Muir, aka A Dog A Day was planning to offer canine portrait sessions at our local, dog-friendly cafe, Holly & Co. I’ve admired Sally’s work for years.  I love her minimalist stylist, her drawings are never over-worked and she often says of her work that “less is more”.  I’ve always wanted to commission her to draw our dogs, but somehow the timings haven’t worked.  Anyhow this time they did, so we booked a slot and asked her to draw our lurcher Lindy.

Unlike many artists these days, Sally often works from life rather than from photographs.  That seems a very courageous approach when the subject is a dog, and indeed Lindy fidgeted endlessly – quiet sit-and-stays were never her forte.  But somehow Sally managed to conjure the very essence of our little fidget.

With a lovely selection of Sally’s beautiful cards and her new book A Dog A Day on sale, we came away with lots of nice goodies.  Bur you’d all like to see what she made of our little lurcher, wouldn’t you?  Check out a selection of her drawings from the day here.  Any guesses one which is our Lindy?

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CRUFTS 2016 – Hounds and Terriers

One of the best things about being a professional dog photographer is the chance to cover the annual dog show Crufts.  I attended the final day of the show this year – Hounds and Terriers Day – not least because sighthounds are, and always will be, “my breed”.  Away from the bustle of the show rings, the excitement of fly ball and agility, and the mayhem of the shopping areas, in the quiet stalls where competitors and dogs wait, that’s my favourite part of the show.  There the dogs nap, the people catch up on their emails and a sandwich is shared.  A thousand displays of quiet companionship and affection await me there.  A photographers’ paradise.

A full set of images from the day is here, for those who want to see even more.

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Basset hounds at Crufts 2016

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Crufts 2016 hounds and terriers

Discover Dogs 2014

I was so thrilled to get an official pass from the Kennel Club to photograph Discover Dogs 2014.  As a London-based dog photographer, I’ve been coming to the show for several years now and it just seems to get bigger and better every year.  It was very special this year because the show spanned Remembrance Sunday, and I was touched to see so many dogs sporting poppies, and the assistance dogs who work with SSAFA and other charities out in force.  Here is a small selection of my pictures from the day.

This post is also something of a celebration because it is the 100th post I’ve made on this blog.  Many thanks to all of you who have followed me over the years and supported this blog with comments and Likes.

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Discover Dogs 2014

Cruft 2013 – Day 1 – Hounds and Terriers – Surrey Dog Photographer

Crufts 2013 Hounds and Terriers Basset Hounds

For a dog photographer based in Surrey, the Crufts Dog Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham is just a bit outside my usual catchment area.  But I made an exception for Crufts 2013.

I had a great day photographing there yesterday for the Hounds and Terriers day.  What a wonderful sight to see so many beautiful dogs all in one place. A dog photographer’s paradise! I fell in love, first with the Manchester Terriers, then the Borzoi, then the Wolfhounds, then the Bassets,. But at the end of the day a gorgeous dark brindle greyhound girl caught my eye and I realised I am, and always will be, a greyhound-lover first and foremost.

Though there were plenty of other togs using flash guns, I decided against out of kindness to the dogs, who already had plenty of other pressures to contend with.   Thank goodness for the stellar performance of the D3S in low light conditions.

More pictures here for those who are interested.