Because We Love Our Pets...

If you have a pet, you know that the kind of love shared between a pet and it's owner is unparalleled. Animals love big and unconditionally. They know when you are feeling down, or need to cuddle. And on your very worst day, when it feels like the sky is falling, they know just how to comfort you.

I've had horses, hamsters, and dogs. I tried having cats (twice) but both my son and I are allergic. We gave our first cat to my brother and his wife, and he is now eight years old. Two years later, we tried again, hoping that we could adjust, but my son ended up on an inhaler and those two perfect kittens, Darth Vader and Diego, were returned. Our hearts broke.

Now, my neighbor's cat is a visiting friend of the family. Bella is a dog in cat's clothing. Seriously. It's so funny. She's a tiny thing but she hunts squirrels, snakes, and chipmunks, and has left me a handful of kills, including a blue jay. We used to let her into the house for five minutes at a clip, but it did start to have an effect on our allergies, so we can't let her in anymore. It's so hard. Today, she tried to get in anyhow, and ended up clinging to the screen in my bathroom as if to scream, "Let me IN!"

My iPhone shot of Bella, trying to climb her way in through the bathroom screen.

Animals have a way of getting deep into our hearts.

For the holidays, I get tons of holiday cards (and please, add me to your mailing list: PO Box 243, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046). Many are family shots, or photos of the children, but only a few of them feature people's pets, which is really a shame since they are such a big part of our lives.

I got the idea to have Ward do pet portraits, after a recent family shoot at the Cove went wild. A dear friend of ours had us do a portrait of her kids for her husband's birthday. Her dog (who is like a fourth daughter) kept jumping into the shot. It was so cute that it got me wondering why people don't put their pets in their holiday cards. Of all the shots, some of the best are the ones that include their dog.

After a big brainstorming session, Ward and I have decided to offer pet portraits at a local spot. We have designated shooting dates, and booking people in thirty minute increments. Some people are booking their dogs (without humans), as a cute second family card (sending out one from the whole family, and one from the dogs; tres chic) while others included their dogs in their own family portraits. We've also had people who are dog families (sans kids) dress their dogs up for fun photos, and added cute sentiments to the cards like, Don't let your holiday go to the dogs. Relax and enjoy!

We've even been booked to visit a barn in Mendham to photograph a woman with her horse. It's been amazing.

For information on having your pet's portrait done, please contact us at wardvogtdesigns@yahoo.com or by calling (973) 784-3030. We are booking up fast so call or email today.