This week I was set on capturing the irresistible charm of puppies. I put out a call for local litters and struck gold when I got in touch with Mosaic Goldens in beautiful Boulder, CO. They had not one, but TWO litters of eight week old golden retrievers. 🤗 Breeder Uli, though totally occupied with vet visits and puppy preparations, graciously agreed to accommodate a morning session. With her only available time at 10 am the following day, I eagerly seized the opportunity to capture that canine chaos! Typically, 10 am to 3 pm isn't the ideal timeframe due to harsh shadows cast by the high sun, but armed with determination and creativity, we forged ahead. (And yeah, I was a bit out of my mind with excitement! 🤣)
When my son Aiden, a student at CU Boulder (#skobuffs!!), found out what I’d be doing in the area, he volunteered to lend a hand (and revel in some puppy playtime, of course!). Together, we embarked on a paw-some adventure to capture these furry bundles of joy.
Initially, I envisioned a grand group shot, a "coming at ya" moment featuring all 16 puppies. However, upon assessing the sun-drenched yard, I quickly pivoted. Instead, I opted for a more intimate approach, capturing each puppy individually against a simple backdrop of shade provided by the house. With my camera on a tripod, and a remote trigger in my hand, Uli brought out two pups at a time and we encouraged them to interact with my “puppy stump”. Invariably they wandered my way, which I didn’t hate 😂, and then we reset the scene. Rinse and repeat! Once that “chore” of photographing all 64 paws was accomplished, the puppies were given the green light and they alllllllll tumbled out into the yard. (Video of that cuteness below 🥰.) It was fuzzy madness, and next to impossible to focus! My head was on a swivel trying to take it all in, there were adorable puppies everyyyyyywhere! Amidst the chaos, one moment stood out - a brief gathering orchestrated by Uli, corralling the puppies into an xpen connected to an agility tunnel. It was a squishy furry delightful sight to behold and a perfect opportunity to capture a few adorable frames, I mean, how cute is that little one… “Pick me!”.
“Cozy Chaos”
Moments after that photo was taken, this was the scene:
Lemme tell ya, it was ruff shooting conditions, but I am a consummate professional, so I dug deep and kept working. 😅
Upon returning home, my heart brimming with warmth and my clothes infused with the delightful scent of puppies, and after enduring a VERY thorough "sniffspection" by my dog Queso, I set about crafting a single portrait featuring all 16 adorable pups. My goal was to create a cohesive and captivating final product, and meticulous attention was paid to ensure every puppy was represented. I intended to include all 16 puppies in a single frame, but that draft felt overwhelming to me - paws and tails and stumps galore! Ultimately, I decided to focus on completing the first litter, capturing their unique personalities and charm.
“Organized Chaos”
Here’s the behind the scenes (BTS) look of the portrait setup:
“Release the Hounds!”
Additional (unedited) images from the session:
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Mosaic Goldens for entrusting me with the task of capturing their precious puppies.
Stay tuned for more tales from behind the lens as we continue to celebrate the boundless joy and charm of our four-legged friends.
This is true puppy therapy. If you are feeling down this is the action you need...delightful!