I just LOVE shooting Flatcoats! Okay, call me biased. I do get attached to all my clients by the end of the sessions, but Clipper and Eilin belong to my good friend and hunting partner, so when he said he was coming out to Telluride so that I could photograph his dogs, I was very excited! We had hoped to get some photos the second day in a different location, but the sky had started filling with smoke from the California fires, and I decided the river trail had provided enough variety (along with the hundreds of hunting photos I’ve taken of his dogs over the years). Meet Clipper (he’s in the back, looking at the river), CH Windfalls Masters Mate MH CDX WCX — and Eilin, Crossraguel Quite Fetching SH WCX. We had to get the “beauty shots” out of the way ASAP, because both of them, like typical Flatcoats, wanted to head right into the water. Good thing they both have good obedience backgrounds, since the first shot was ten feet from water.
Although I always insist on a few posed shots, my main focus during sessions is to capture the dog’s personality. I just let them do what they love to do best, behave naturally, and with any luck, I am able to capture those moments. With these two maniacs, I did have my work cut out for me though.
Eilin…well, she was a tad crazed about her bumpers. Some people don’t want toys of any kind in the photos, but Don didn’t care if they had bumpers, since that is what they train with, and it is second nature for them to be holding one. He might have regretted that just a tiny bit? Or considering the intensity I caught on camera, maybe not!
I do admit, I laughed REALLY hard when I edited those. Eilin is a fun, intense girl who is usually on the move. But she can be pretty, too!
Even when she is holding a bumper!
I love shooting dogs in water! Catching the water swirls in this photograph of Clipper was so fun to see when I uploaded the images.
Telluride got a lot of rain this summer, which meant tons of flowers mid-summer, and literally towers of green through September! This path was a pretty spot to photograph the dogs, although we did have to put Clipper in a sit/stay, since he kept veering off to the river. Mind you, he IS the one with an advanced obedience title…or maybe we need to remind him! Clipper is ten years old though, so he can get away with a bit more. Hey handsome….
Flaps up and ready for takeoff! I have learned over the years (with a lot of frustration), that Eilin is very hard to photograph since she has only one speed, and that is warp speed. I don’t know very many dogs as fast as she is.
Just keep on swimming…..that is Clipper in the back, Eilin in the front.
Clipper returning to dad with his bumper, already hoping for another throw.
Eilin, keeping her eyes on that bumper. Careful sweetie, if you blink, it might disappear!
Such a fun visit with friends, and one that I hope is repeated! Ending with happy smiles from both the dogs. Perhaps a winter session, they ask?
Juno mostly likes to fish. Or look for fish. Or just walk around in the water and retrieve sheets of ice if she can’t find fish. She has never caught a fish, so who knows how she can be so patient for something she doesn’t even know if she likes.
Thank you Juno, for licking the drool off your face. 
When a fish can’t be found, a twig will do the trick. 
Still looking….
Hey Jen, there are no fish!!!
Perhaps the sheet of ice is worth retrieving….
No asking to pose necessary…the great thing about Juno is that she knows she is a rock star.
AND…..We even got the elusive running Newfie! 🙂 What a happy girl.
Do you think Juno’s mom has cookies???
Welcome to the world, Tug! Tug is Juno’s new little brother. Unfortunately, Tug arrived in Telluride during our off-season, or what is known as “mud season”. No snow, no grass….just mud. Everywhere. I searched and we found one of the first patches of grass to get some baby photos of Tug while he was (relatively) small. He was like a bear cub!
Thanks Eliza for the opportunity to photograph your dogs, and your patience with multiple rescheduling!
Oops! Don’t take your eye off the ball Zooey!
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