Roo + Chester, The Odd Couple: Fine Art Dog Photographer Jesse Freidin

Meet Roo and Chester, two unlikely siblings I photographed recently in beautiful Lafayette, CA. As a fine art dog photographer, I am very familiar with California dappled light and how it adds character a good portrait. The old California-style homes tucked away into the dense woods of the East Bay make for my favorite kind of dappled, magical light and I had such a wonderful time getting to know these two characters. As to be expected- Chester (the Golden Retriever) was more than welcoming to me from the moment I stepped in the door. But Roo (the Standard Poodle) was another story. Her human had warned me that Roo was very stand-off-ish, and that she did not expect me to be able to win Roo over at all. If I got zero photos of Roo, that would be alright with her.

Of course, that would certainly NOT be alright with me. Roo is a crucial part of the family unit, and I assured her that Roo and I would be fast friends. It only took about 10 minutes before Roo was gently eating treats out of my hand and snuggling up to me. Patience is one of my most important and frequently used tools for any fine art dog photographer. And I'm glad, because Roo was a very special creature- so loving and soft and charismatic.

This was a wonderful Lafayette fine art dog photography session, and as I was packing up my camera bag I noticed Roo and Chester taking a little rest at the top of the stairs (by their favorite Ansel Adams posters). The last roll of film is typically the best, and I love this final image of the siblings settling in for their afternoon nap, bathed in a soft warm window light.

BlogJesse FreidinJanuary 17, 2014Comment