About A Dog Photography | St. Cloud MN Dog Photographer

Meet the Sessions: Digital Dog Session

February 21, 2024 / 6 Comments

Welcome to the meet and greet series of the sessions at About A Dog Photography!

You’ll get to meet each of the sessions – Digital Dog, Short & Sweet, Teenie Weenie, Shitty Weather and Puppy Series – and learn what makes each session unique.

The first in the series is the Digital Dog Session!

What is the Digital Dog Session?

Featuring the longest amount of photography time (up to an hour and half) the Digital Dog Session is a causal paced, fun and long enough for ample portraits of your dog (or multiple dogs) plus family portraits without feeling like we are chaotically trying to squash them into the session.

The session goes like this:

We meet at the picked location (you get to pick where we go! Can’t choose? We can sort it out together!)
I meet your dog / dogs, giving him or her the appropriate amount of time and space to take me in.
Then we stroll! It may seem like I’m distracted as we walk – I’m actually scanning for the best places to ask your dog to “pose” in.
We pause, ask for a sit, a lay, a stand in place and look at the lady making mega goofy sounds.
Lots of treats, then we meander to the next spot – a clutch of grass, a wondering fence, a pathway of brick, piles of leaves, peeling paint on old barns, or any other point of color, light, texture that catches my eye and will make for EPIC portraits.
This process repeats for the duration of the session. Low key, fun and chill as we stroll.
Around the hour mark your dog might want to snuggle in for the evening – totally ok and normal! If your dog is showing that he or she is done with all the “posing”, walking, sniffing and action shots, then we will end your session and head back to the car.
We depart ways – me to start curating your gallery, you and your dog to head home and snooze the evening away.

In regards to “posing” – it will always be an ask. Do you think your dog will sit/stand here? Put their feet up? Lay on the lumpy bumpy ground? If the answer is yes or probably then we will direct your dog to what we would like them to do. If it results in a stand vs or a lay vs stand, no worries we will work with it! We will ask once or twice and if we get a nope from your dog, we’ll adapt and carry on.

The aim is FUN! If the ask doesn’t mean fun for your dog, we won’t push them.

What kind of images will be captured during your session?

Headshots

– Shoulders and up of your dog’s head (classic like any portrait you have had done in your school days).

Full body portraits

– Portraits with your dog’s full body, in a sit, lay or stand.

Action shots

– Your dog walking with you away and towards me, your dog running away and towards me (if you can hit me with a ball you get bonus points haha!), swimming, shaking off, carrying a stick – all ways your dog is in motion!

Details

– Whiskers, toes, noses, eyes, ears, tails, butt swirls, all the details that make your dog who they are!

Your bond

– From family portraits to your hand on their head, your hand and their paws, your dog at your feet and any other ways we can capture the bond you share with your dog.

What makes this a DIGITAL dog session? My dog isn’t a robot or techy dog!

The session is called Digital Dog due to the fact that the session INCLUDES digital images! In fact there are 5 digital images included in the Digital Dog Session! (Plus… you get a percentage off of any a la cart pieces of artwork you want to create – from acrylic blocks to canvases to prints on epic paper and more!)

The digital images included in your session are GINORMOUS! They can be used in any way you see fit, aside from selling them or saying you created it. Want your dog as a screensaver? Holiday cards? A blanket? Socks? Go for it!

Some other things you might be wondering:

Do we have to stick to one location?

Not at all! We can incorporate two locations into Digital Dog Session, though keep in mind the farther apart they are the shorter time we will have to stroll as drive time will eat up session time.

Can we do the session in our backyard?

We sure can! If we do, please pick up poo and assorted random dismembered toys around your yard. Fences will become part of the backdrop as well (which means if you don’t love your chain link you may want to consider a different location than your yard). Your own yard is a great place for a session with older dogs who are less mobile or really young puppies.

Why can’t we do pictures in the middle of the day?

We could…. if you want hard dark shadows, overly bright whites, crispy contrast and possible squinting dogs (people for sure squint in middle of the day light!). Backgrounds can be overly bright, and shade can be dappled, just not the ideal for stunning portraits of your dog.

Instead if you want the dreamiest, warm, happy light then the timeframe of two hours before sunset is when the light will be the best. (It’s called golden hour due to this lovely golden light!). I favor evening golden hour as the light wanes into sunset vs the golden hour of the morning due to the color of the light and geez that sunrise can be EARLY!!!

Though…. depending on what we want to achieve we may have to consider different times of the day.

Looking to head to the lake, get a still stunning reflection and some lifting fog? Then we are going to need to be at the lake at sunrise (lakes in MN are typically calmest in the morning). The same rule applies for frost, dew and morning fog. If we want to experience it, we will need to arrive at sunrise. For sunrise golden hour will have 2 hours after the sun rises for the best light.

Wanting to do epic hiking through the woods and forests for your session? We will need to bump our time earlier in the evening especially the deeper we go inward. Trees tend to block a fair amount of light the deeper we go into the depths.

And if you have the power to… order us up a cloudy day that breaks at sunset into puffy clouds that a bathed in stunning colors… shucks I can’t order that up either!

Does my dog need to be leashed?

Yes! If we are somewhere other than your yard and your house, your dog will need to be leashed during the session. Leashes will always be edited out of your final images so your dog will look like an off leash superstar!

When is the best time to do a Digital Dog Session?

Today! Tomorrow!!! Anytime! The current time is always a great time to do a Digital Dog Session. If you want to wait, you have multiple seasons to consider.

Winter: crisp white snow, powdery snow for faces and kicking up with action. Can be cold for some dogs.
Later winter / early spring: browns, possibly snow, mud. Brown landscapes have loads of texture or we head to urban areas.
Spring: mud to spring greens, comfortable temps that aren’t too hot (great for smoosh faced dogs).
Summer: greens, flowers, great temps though can be hot. Beaches & lakes are warm & inviting. Don’t forget bugs!
Fall: cooler temps & fall leaf colors (until early/mid October)
Late fall/early winter pre snow: brown landscape full of textures, cool temps, earlier golden hour

I can create stunning images of your dog no matter the season and amount of mud and browns that may be available.

How do I book a Digital Dog Session?

Head to the online booking to see the available dates from April to November! Book your session online! This is the fastest way to book!

Texting or calling is the second fastest way to book a session – 320.428.0135 – while emailing () can be slower for response times. Skip sending pigeons – Blue will either chase or eat them…

Let’s capture your dog with playful, vibrant and classic images in a Digital Dog Session!

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Dog Friendly Pizza for National Pizza Day!

February 10, 2024 / Leave a Comment

February 9th is National Pizza Day! What better way to celebrate than with a pizza pie as big as the SKY!

Though, pizza isn’t the best food for dogs to have (a snack of a bit of crust here and there is ok!) so we need to create a dog friendly pizza!

The ingredients for the crust:

Oat flour
Yeast
Eggs
Baking powder
Olive Oil

ALL of which are ok for dogs to eat! BUT… DO NOT feed you dog any of the raw, uncooked dough! The raw yeast creates carbon dioxide when it rises – which is not good in a dog’s tummy!

Now for toppings:

Pizza sauce – no, but tomatoes yes (see below)
Onions – TOXIC to dogs
Pepperoni – too much sodium, AVOID!
Sausage – the unseasoned kind a little in moderation, can be quite salty otherwise!
Olives – yes, good for dogs!
Mushrooms – yes, dogs can eat, store bought only!
Bacon – skip, too salty and too fatty!
Canadian Bacon – skip, too salty!
Ham – also skip as it is too salty
Green Pepper – good for dogs!
Cheese – yes!

Skip the pizza sauce as most contain added sugars, salt, and different spices. Instead you can use ripe tomatoes, tomato puree or crushed tomatoes as long as they don’t contain any additional spices. Avoid tomato sauce as it typically contains onion powder and garlic powder – both are BAD for dogs!

If you give your dog ripe tomatoes as a treat, avoid giving any of the leaves, stem and an unripe or green tomatoes as these are toxic to dogs! (Tomatoes are in the nightshade family as are eggplant, potatoes and peppers!).

While processed meats typically found on pizza are out, unseasoned cooked meats like chicken, turkey, beef and steak are totally ok! You can also add tuna, salmon, shrimp or crab! Ample options for a robust pup friendly pizza! Make a simple cheese or cheese + meat pizza or go for a fully loaded dog friendly supreme pizza!

Onward to the recipe!

Dog Friendly Pizza

Celebrate National Pizza Day (February 9th) with a pizza for your dog!

For the crust:

2-3 cups oat flour
2 tbsp warm water
1 pkg instant yeast
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:

unseasoned tomato puree or crushed tomatoes

For the toppings, add as many as you desire!

cheese – cheddar or mozzarella
meat – chicken, turkey, beef, steak, pork
seafood – shrimp, crab, fish, salmon
veggies – green peppers, olives, mushrooms

Making the pizza crust:

Add flour to bowl.
Activate the yeast per the packet instructions.
Once activated add the yeast to the flour.
Add eggs, baking powder and salt.
Use spatula to combine, knead for 2 minutes or until dough is formed. The ideal consistency of the dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
** Add more water if needed (oat flour does tend to soak up moisture).
** Add more flour if needed, dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Dust rolling surface with oat flour. Divide dough in half and roll out dough to desired shape and size.
Transfer to pan for cooking. You can use a pan, pizza stone or cast iron pan.
Brush with olive oil, let rest again before adding toppings.
** If you'd like, you can blink bake the crust without toppings for 5 minutes.

Add the toppings:

The ideal is to NOT overload the crust otherwise it will become soggy!
Smear on some sauce (this will be dependent on the size of your pizza – more for a larger pie, less for a smaller pie). Add the toppings of your dog's liking.
Put into the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown and get crispy.
** Cooking time might be longer depending on the size and depth of your pizza. Start at 10 minutes and check. The ideal is melty cheese that is browning.

Let cool to room temp, cut into slices or squares and give to your dog!

We opted for a cast iron pan for cooking to make a delightful single serve pizza for Blue.

Rub the cast iron skillet with olive oil being sure to coat the sides and bottom. Press the dough to cover the bottom of the skillets. Bake until cheese is melted and is golden brown (we landed at 20 minutes).

Main Course

Dog

dog friendly pizza, dog pizza, pizza for dogs

I totally forgot to put olive oil on the crust before the ingredients, whoops!

The crust didn’t really brown and had a dense, cracker like consistency. Not sure if it was a boo boo on my end with the yeast or if that’s what an oat flour is going to produce.

The dough def needed more water – the 2 tablespoons didn’t go very far, nor did the 2 eggs for moisture. I think I added roughly 3/4 cup of water (using a dry measuring cup… bwhahahaha!) to get the dough to the proper consistency as noted in the recipe.

I made a 2nd pizza that was for me. It required more time (25 minutes for cheese starting to brown). It didn’t rest as long as Blue’s pizza and when I un-panned it the crust was rather soggy and smelt a little like a wet dog treat. I ate the cheesy toppings and tossed the crust. (This was also a heavier loaded pizza than the one for Blue which could have also made a difference.)

I’ll stick to regular flour for my crust haha!

Blue was quite excited to eat a piece of pizza all of his own!

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Dogs can’t see red! Plus 5 facts about red you didn’t know!

February 7, 2024 / 5 Comments

Did you know that dogs can’t see red? It’s true!

Dogs are dichromatic, meaning they only have two kinds of cones in their eyes (humans are trichromatic which means 3 kinds of cones!). The red cone is missing from dogs’ eyes which means they can’t see the color red, but instead they see grays or dark browns.

The red cone is missing meaning that dogs can’t see red, nor tell it apart from green. Instead they can see in blue and yellow tones as well as muddy browns, blacks and greys. Though, in their red color trade off dogs gained a broader peripheral vision and ability to see better in the dark than humans.

Crazy that dogs can’t see red!

Here are 5 facts about red you didn’t know!

Due to its long wavelength, red is one of the most visible colors (second only to yellow) in the color spectrum!
Red was the first color humans fabricated, reproduced and turned into different shades!
The Middle Ages held red in religious significance – the blood of Christ & the fires of hell.
Red amplifies feelings of attraction, passion, romance and can increase heart rate.
In comparison with other colors, red provokes the most potent emotions – from power and dominance to anger to excitement, passion and love.

And speaking of love, we are a week from Valentines Day! Ah Valentine’s Day! The holiday celebrating all things love, desire and passion.

The holiday harks from ancient pagan lineage – either as the festival Februalis or Lupercalia – and was a day of sacrifice, passion and drawing partners for the year to come (hoping they would result in marriage). Evolution was pushed by the Church in the early days (though not fully adapted), then as trends and civilization evolved further change arrived for Valentine’s Day. Letters sent to loved ones were one of the first traditions, evolving into Valentine’s cards of ornateness (and de-evolving into mass produced hand out to classmates cards.)

The second tradition was giving a gift to a person you loved and adored, along with the Valentine’s card. Now there are bunches of flowers, stuffed animals of ginormous proportions, prepackaged cards and candies of every heart shaped variety! All in various shades of … RED!

We had a friend stop by – Wendell! He’s Blue’s friend, smaller, floofy and very sweet! He was eager to pose as long as there were snacks (though sitting next to things was weird haha!).

Isn’t he MEGA cute???? Thanks Wendell for helping out with the red backdrop!

And… did you know these epic backdrop images are set up… in my garage? Heck yes! The little heater gets turned on, the trio of lights setup and the backdrop gaff taped to the floor and viola!

Below are more images featuring the red backdrop! Check out those EPIC Blue catching treats images!

So even though this red backdrop is rather bold to us, dogs like Blue and Wendell, aren’t able to see the vibrant red like we do!

Dogs can’t see red! Plus 5 facts about red you didn’t know! Read More »

Celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day with dog friendly hot chocolate!

January 31, 2024 / Leave a Comment

Today is National Hot Chocolate Day (January 31st)! Normally hot chocolate (or hot cocoa) isn’t something you can share with your dog because… CHOCOLATE!

Did you know that there is a non chocolate faux chocolate you can use to make your dog a toast, tasty mug of hot chocolate? Its.. CAROB!

First things first: Hot chocolate is not hot cocoa!

Harking to our childhood, we could have a mug of hot chocolate or a mug of cocoa. Both of which would have been whipped up with a package of powdered cocoa, give or take mini marshmallows. Turns out hot chocolate and hot cocoa are two DIFFERENT things! I didn’t know either!

(Google searches add to the fluidity of hot chocolate and hot cocoa being interchanged with one another – a hot chocolate search lands on recipes for powder, packages of cocoa powder and recipes with chocolate chunks.)

Despite the name swapping, there is a marked difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa – is the CHOCOLATE!

If the chocolate added is a powder it is… hot cocoa!
If the chocolate added is melted from a hunk, chips or ground chocolate it is… hot chocolate!

How do we celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day if dogs can’t have chocolate?

We use CAROB instead!

Carob comes from the dark brown pea pod fruit of the carob tree. It can be ground into powder, made into chips or even found as syrup. It has a taste similar to chocolate, though less bitter, naturally sweet and slightly nutty.

Why is carob safer for dogs than chocolate?

The lack of theobromine & caffeine. Two similar toxic components both found within the cacao bean. And from the cacoa bean comes chocolate!

While we as people can easily digest and pass the theobromines and caffeine found in chocolate, our dogs absorb the theobromines slower before excreting them via urine (a half life of about 18 hours!). This slow metabolism means the theobromines builds into a toxic level before dogs can clear it out of their systems!

Theobromines primarily affect the central nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems as well as having a diuretic effect. Which can lead to tummy upset, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, increased thirst, hyperactivity, and increased heart rate. Severe toxic levels can lead to heart arrhythmias, heart failure, tremors, seizures or coma.

EEEEEK! That’s terrifying! Even more reason not to let our dogs get into chocolate! Yes, the degree of symptoms depends on the type of chocolate (the darker & more bitter the chocolate the higher the theobromines are!), the amount of chocolate and the size of the dog that nommed it. Let us just have a no chocolate for dogs rule!

Which brings us back to carob. Unlike chocolate, carob has NEITHER theobromines or caffeine! Which makes it safer for dogs to eat!

Onward to the recipe!

Hot Chocolate for Dogs

Hot chocolate for dogs made with carob chips and oat milk! A great way to celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day (January 31st!)

1 cup oat milk *
3 tbsp carob chips ((we used Missy J's Carob Chips))
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup, optional

To make:

Put milk into saucepan.
Warm to just under boiling.
Add the carob chips (and optional honey or maple syrup).
Stir until the carob chips are melted.
Remove from heat and cool to room temp.
Serve in a dog friendly mug or bowl.

Get fancy!

Froth in a blender and sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon. You can add a dollop of whipped cream, dust with carob powder or 1 or 2 small marshmallows (more than that will lead to an upset tummy!).

No carob chips on hand? Sub the carob chips for 2 tbsp of carob powder and mix into warmed milk.

Most dogs can’t process lactose in milk very well. And with this recipe being very milk focused, it may be best to use a non dairy option instead. Oat milk and coconut milk are great options!

For our version we did a bigger version (as the mug is a soup cup haha!). Milk we did 2 cups, 3 tbl of carob chips & 1 tbl of honey. Add or subtract milk or carob chips as you need for more or less amount to ratio of flavor.

Drinks

Dog

dog hot chocolate, dog hot cocoa

Even though we modified the recipe to fit the mug, Blue didn’t get to drink the whole thing. Yes he’s 118 lbs, but oat milk and carob aren’t in his everyday foods and I didn’t want him to get a super upset tummy or have the runs. We also recommend that you bring your hot chocolate (or cocoa) to a place that is easy to clean, as mugs and bowls tend to have a sloshy effect when drunk with a tongue!

Celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day with dog friendly hot chocolate! Read More »

Fluffy blueberry pancakes for dogs!

January 28, 2024 / Leave a Comment

Today (January 28th) is National Blueberry Pancake Day! What better way than to celebrate with fluffy blueberry pancakes? (Aside from waffles haha) There is no better way to celebrate! And why not craft some fluffy blueberry pancakes for your dog too!

Ok, your first question is… can dogs have pancakes?

Heck yes they can! Moderation is key to pancakes along with any bakery style treat like cupcakes, cakes, breads, doughnuts and waffles. The more sugar and fats in the treat, the less dogs should eat. With pancakes, small dogs can have a small pancake or two (quarter to half dollar size) while bigger dogs can have a bigger portion. Big dogs like Blue can have a couple of “regular” human sized pancakes, I’d say no more than 2 or 3.

The ingredients – what dogs can and can’t have!!

This recipe is modified from the 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook (our current favorite for human pancakes).

We will need: egg, buttermilk, baking soda, flour, sugar, soft shortening, baking powder and salt. For the modification, the flour will be oat flour, the buttermilk will be a sour oat milk, and the sugar will be omitted.

Baking soda & baking powder aren’t good for your dog if they just eat them in their powdered form or get ahold of the box or container. Luckily since we are baking/cooking the batter the baking soda & baking powder become inert and non active. (Baking soda & baking powder are a main reason why these pancakes end up rather fluffy!)

Shortening is… margarine, lard or vegetable shortening (or any fat that is a solid at room temperature). Butter and coconut oil aren’t shortening though they can be used interchangeably with shortening. Butter melts when baked/cooked and gives the final product a buttery taste. Coconut oil will add coconut flavor to the finished product.

When it comes to shortening, dogs can have it though is best to NOT allow your dog to dip right out of the Crisco tub. Fatty shortenings can cause tummy upset and pancreatitis in dogs, so moderation is key! Used in a baked/cooked item like pancakes the shortening will be less tummy upsetting as it is combined with other ingredients and cooked. If you’re solidly worried about it, opt for coconut oil. We will be using shortening.

Why oat flour?

All purpose flour is… basic. Typically bleached, this flour is usually a staple in the kitchen, though nutritionally they are quite low. If that’s all you have on hand, go ahead and use it! Otherwise you can use almond flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, coconut flour, oat flour or whole wheat flour.

I opted for oat flour because Blue’s favorite limited ingredient treats use… oat flour! Bocce’s Bakery makes unique flavored, limited ingredient dog treats – either crunchy or soft – and Blue LOVES them! Plus they are limited ingredient, which means I don’t feel bad feeding Blue an ample amount of them. Find them at Petsmart, Petco, Home Goods, Target or online!

Oat flour is relatively healthy as well! It has ample dietary fiber, protein, healthy fats and low in carbohydrates compare to other flours!

Onward to the recipe!

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes for Dogs

Adapted from the recipe "Favorite Pancakes" in the 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook (pg 73 if you're curious!). These make a multitude of fluffy, dog friendly pancakes. Make small ones for small dogs and big ones for bigger dogs. Leftovers freeze well, freeze up to 3 months!

Remember, these are a decadent treat and should be fed in moderation!

Heat Griddle slowly while mixing batter.

Beat well:

1 egg, room temp

Beat in:

1 1/4 cups oat milk, soured *
1/2 tsp baking soda

Then beat in:

1 1/3 + 3/4 of 1/3 cups oat flour (we used Quaker oat flour) *
2 tbsp soft shortening *
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Lastly, fold in carefully:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Beat with a rotary beater until smooth.

To "bake":

Heat griddle while mixing batter. To test, sprinkle with drops of water. If bubbles "skitter around" heat is just right, and cakes with brown immediately.
Pour batter from tip of a large spoon or from pitcher, in pools a little apart (for perfectly round cakes). If it is necessary, grease griddle very lightly.
Turn pancakes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles, but BEFORE they break… important for light cakes. Turn and brown the other side.
FYI: A thick batter makes thick cakes and a thin batter makes thin cakes.

The original recipe calls for buttermilk or sour milk. You can use them in the recipe, though many dogs can’t tolerate lactose very well. We opted for oat milk.

For sour milk, add 1 TBL vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk (works with non dairy milk as well!). Let it sit a minimum of 5 minutes (oat milk takes a little longer to thicken and “sour”).
Sub milk with:
- oat milk
- coconut milk
- almond milk

The original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of sifted flour. Since we swapped for oat flour, the conversion is 1 1/3 cup oat flour to 1 cup of flour. It lands us at the weird measurement of 1 1/3 cup + 3/4 of 1/3 cup. (I eyeballed roughly 3/4 of a 1/3 cup measurement.) In general a little more flour will make your batter thicker, a little less flour will make your batter thinner.

We used vegetable shortening (Crisco) but you can use butter or coconut oil in a 1:1 swap out ratio.

If you want to make them for yourself you may want to add a bit of sweetness – the original recipe calls for 1 tsp sugar. Or add sweetness with honey, maple or blueberry syrup or whipped cream! (I nommed on a “spare” pancake with maple syrup and it was quite tasty!)

For toppings for your dog, you can do a small dollop of whipped cream or a handful of fresh blueberries scattered on the top or even a smear of peanut butter. If you want to drizzle maple syrup, you can just use moderation. Same goes for honey!

NOTE: let the blueberry pancakes cool well before you give them to your dog! Those little blueberries turn into molten lava when cooked which could burn or irritate your dog’s tongue!

Breakfast

Dog

blueberry dog pancakes, blueberry pancakes, dog pancakes

Ooooo soooo yummy!

Blue rather enjoyed his fluffy blueberry pancakes! No, he’s not sitting on a chair or stool, he’s table height! He’s just tall enough that he can put his head on the table and let his tongue attempt to snack off plates. He tries to be sneaky, but he’s typically thwarted quickly. Usually he just watches and drools while we eat haha!

Celebrate National Blueberry Pancake Day by making these fluffy blueberry pancakes for your dog!

Fluffy blueberry pancakes for dogs! Read More »