I’ve said it before: One of my favorite types of sessions to photograph is one person with one dog — some call it a “mommy and me” or “daddy and me” session. Without the challenges of wrangling a whole pack or family, I’m able to focus deeply on the nuances of a particular bond between canine and human. Don’t get me wrong — I think pack photos are very important and I’m so grateful I’ve made images that capture every grouping of dogs I’ve had in the last 12 years. But when you allow the space and time to let a story unfold, that’s when magic can happen. Especially when the dog is an elegant senior.
This was the case with my session with Lyn and her lovely soulmate True, a 14-year-old border collie. True couldn’t be a better name for this long-devoted family member and agility star, now retired. True is in amazing shape but nonetheless definitely a senior, so Lyn felt an urgency to document True while she’s still fully herself. True is normally camera shy but on this beautiful day she seemed to know she was being celebrated and she smiled brightly in every image.
Colliers Mills in Ocean County New Jersey, a favorite spot of Lyn’s pack and near her home, was the perfect backdrop to showcase this special relationship.
We had a corner of this vast wildlife refuge to ourselves and wandered among the pines, making photos along the way and taking advantage of the lake for some reflection shots and of the setting sun for silhouettes. Part of the draw of this Pine Barrens location is that its beauty is evergreen and available year-round.
With such a nice variety of images, I’ll be making a small album so True can be held in Lyn’s hands and cherished always — like the true love she is.
If you have a special pet you want to celebrate or a pack you’d like captured in the studio or outdoors, hit the Contact link and tell me who do you love: Contact