Dog Photography Blog

Location Spotlight: Theodore Wirth Regional Park | Golden Valley MN

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One of my favorite locations to visit for sessions in the Twin Cities metro: Theodore Wirth Regional Park. 

Nestled minutes from downtown Minneapolis, Theo Wirth is a massive 740 acre park that ambles around Wirth Lake & the golf course. There is a big sandy beach, a playground, and ample trails looped throughout. Pair with big fields, wooded paths and an adorable bridge, this park has a MEGA ton of diversity in backdrops. 

I was introduced to this park in 2017 with a session with Suzi & Elli. Fluffy dandelions in golden hour, many textures of walking paths, a sandy beach and a calm pond, what more to love? Inspired, Theodore Wirth became a go to for the park setting while only being 16 mins from Minneapolis. 

Each time I visit, there are familiar spots to traipse: the beach & the bridge. 

The beach has a lovely beach house (the playground is here too) and this is the best place to find parking and coordinate. If we’re doing a session, we won’t be doing the beach right off the bat! Instead we’ll stroll around the park and leave the sand & water to the end of the evening when the light settles in to a brilliant sunset. 

Directly across from the park the paths start. Heading right the path is mown and it makes a giant loop around the park. If you continue on the path it passes Birch Pond and then leads you towards the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (dogs are NOT allowed in the garden area). I’ve never followed the loop that far to know how scenic it is. 

If instead of going right at the first path fork you’ll be on a broad paved path with multiple paths jogging off to the right. Saying on the paved path will loop you up the hill to the Theodore Wirth Pavilion. Dogs aren’t allowed in, but the building is rather quaint. 

Following the path that leads from in front of the pavilion, you’ll head downhill to a smaller parking lot for the park. There’s a mega cute wooden fence that makes a lovely backdrop. You can head into the woods that flank the path to the right. The paths in the woods meet and make the same loops & connections to the main paved path – you can traverse them in either direction!

If you decide to turn left instead of right, you’ll cross a relatively busy road and head towards the water access. Go down the canoe launch for pretty views of the lake, or head up into the trees and hilly area. There is ample open space to explore plus the wide openness of the area is awesome for some running action shots! This is where you’ll find fluffy backlit dandelions in the early summer. There is one tree that actively turns orange well before the others, so if you’d like some color in your fall images find that tree!

If you pick up the paved path it heads towards the farthest edge of the park crossing Basset Creek as it does. Be mindful, this is a bike path! Make sure to move over or off the path to allow bike traffic to travel safely. 

Crossing Basset Creek is an adorable bridge, a must visit even if you’re just strolling. If you’re feeling surefooted you can explore the creek by traipsing down big rocks to the water’s edge. 

Continuing the path brings you to Highway 55. This busy road serves as intersection between the park area and the golf course. It looks like there is a trail that might loop around the golf course and turn into a mountain bike path (via Google maps) though I haven’t yet adventured that direction. 

After you visit the bridge, backtrack to beach and let the sun work its magic as it departs the sky. 

There is a trail that loops around the west side of the lake, but I haven’t yet travelled it to see how scenic it is. If you do, let me know if its pretty enough for a session! 

(Once you wrap up for the day, head into the north loop of Minneapolis and get some ice cream for you and your pup! MN Nice Cream has dairy free pup cups & is only 14 mins from Theodore Wirth Regional park!)

We’re in a blog ring with awesome pet photographers around the world! Next up Abby Moreno of Paws Fur Joy Photography shares one of her favorite spots for pet photography, Raleigh Little Theater Rose Garden. 

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Outdoor Adventures at Mississippi River County Park | Rice MN

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Outdoor adventures and scouting a new location? Heck yes!

Those in central Minnesota may be familiar with Bend in the River Park with its charming barn, old house, various textures of outbuildings and prairie area with ample grasses and flowers found throughout the seasons.  HEAVILY popular with photographers – stop out in the fall and you’ll find rather coordinated packs of photographers and families swarming the park. 

No we didn’t adventure to Bend in the River. Instead we headed directly across the river to Mississippi River County Park. 

Acquired in 1973, Mississippi River County Park follows the flow of the Mississippi River for 1.3 miles, while the overall park covers 230 acres. There is an archery area adjacent to the park, ample walking trails that move along the river, though the woods, pass a grassy area, through the floodplains area and around the entirety of the park. Plus there’s a disk golf course that weaves throughout the park. 

I met up with Jack (IG: mr_jack_the_lab / FB: Mr. Jack the Lab) and his people and we headed towards the path. 

If I may add a notion: Minnesota has 11,000+ lakes, many areas of ponds, streams, creeks and ample woods which means: MOSQUITOS. Millions of MOSQUITOS! And those bloodsuckers were ravenous and aiming to drain us dry as soon as we entered the woods. 

The paths we first took wound into the woods and followed the edge of the river. We found a cool stand of logs, some lovely ferns and cool, very swampy, gnarly mosquitoed pond. The paths were WIDE and very mown. Great for strolling on esp in a group of people, though the area felt rather open in comparison to “classic” hiking trails. 

The river path was equally as wide and was bushy along the water’s edge. Way less mosquitos! 

 

Hiked out, then headed to the split in the road and went right instead of left. (Left & left brings you to the main parking lot). Right heads towards the public water access with a slight right that leads to the parking lot for the floodplains. Huge trees around the parking lot lending the feeling of being deep within the woods. We headed down the path, instantly assaulted by the mosquitos as we took in the view (quite lovely!). Paused for a moment for pictures, then continued down the trail that transitioned into a mud path (thanks rain in the AM & the midday shower). Had the mosquitos not been so aggressive I would have considered the mud, but the pair were lending towards an impasse, so we turned tail and headed back to the cars. 

The road winds a bit then plops into the public water access area. No docks, but the boat launch was rather pretty with tall banks & ample foliage / brush. Jack took to the water like a classic Labrador. He pursued a stick, drifting slightly in the current of the river once he caught it(be aware that the water gets deep quickly and moves at a good clip if your dog decides to go for a dip). The stick was chomped to bits, then a MONSTER stick found (Jack is notorious for fetching tree size sticks…). 

Monster stick was tossed aside and Jack enjoyed splashing in the river. Mom Lindsey says Jack will dunk his whole head in the water and even lays down in it! He didn’t show off his dunking skills, but he did enjoy the water. He’s a majestic water beast! We did lose light briefly when a cloud shimmied over the sun, giving the images a new serene vibe. Luckily the sun returned swiftly to brighten the vibe & the landscape. 

Out of the water for a few more woodsy images, then we wrapped up for the day. A lovely way to spend an evening! A HUGE thank you to Jack & his parents for helping out with this blog theme!

You may have noticed a unique plane of focus in many of the images. If not, look closely. Some of the planes of focus are very narrow & horizontal, while others are narrow and VERTICAL! Wait what? Vertical plane of focus? 

Yes! And yes this effect is done in camera!
Wait what? That’s voodoo magic! How?
– With a tilt shift lens! 

Tilt shift lenses feature multiple knobs to adjust the shift, tilt or both of the elements within a lens. 

 Originally designed to be used with architecture to correct tipping backward buildings & keeping parallel lines parallel. When only the tilt function is used, the tilted elements inside the lens manipulate the focal plane (ie what’s in focus). When done right it can make a scene look as though it was a miniature model (this works best when viewing from above – cityscapes & landscapes look pretty epic!).

Left shows how buildings lean backwards (as do trees) with nearly all lenses, esp the wider the lens.  Right shows the image corrected with a tilt shift lens. See how the lines are closer to proper vertical? And the trees & signs too! This is what a tilt shift (or perspective control / PC)  lens was designed for!

Left is original, how a classic lens would capture the image. Aperture at f5.6. Right shows the “miniaturized” look when tilt is artistically employed. Note the blur in the background & foreground. Same settings as the image at left with f5.6 

Another property of using the tilt: manipulating the focal plane to something other than horizontal. 

WHAT???

Your focal plane is a line, found in all lenses, that will always be horizontal from left to right no matter if the image is vertical or horizontal. The depth of field in your image is how narrow or wide the area of focus is and it falls on your focal plane – or where you are focusing. A tilt shift lens can SHIFT the focal plane into something other than horizontal. Enter the voodoo magic! 

Imagine a horizontal image, focal plane running from left to right. Now imagine the same horizontal image but now the focal plane is going up and down. Narrow depth of field has the left & right side blurred but now your subject and what is below & above them in a vertical line is in focus. Things on multiple planes are now in focus together! (The picture of Jack with the boat in it is a great example.) 

Plus depending on the lens you can also manipulate your focal plane to be DIAGONAL! That’s some crazy voodoo magic! 

Can you spot the tilt shift images above? (Hint: there are 16 of them – not including the non-dog ones!)

I LOVE this lens, but man was it an expensive hobby lens that only sees the world a few times a year. I’m thinking of incorporating it into sessions though the main drawback is… it’s manual focus. (Tilt shifts are ALWAYS manual focus.) Which means active dogs are hard to nail down for focus. But when it works, the effect is one of a kind!

(And since we’re talking lenses, the two others employed for the day: Sigma 135 f1.8 & Tamron 17-35mm f2.8-4. The tilt shift was 85mm f2.8. All lenses mounted on a Nikon D5.)

We’re in a blog ring! Head through the other posts from fellow dog & pet photographers across the globe and when you land here you’ve made the full circle! Next up Las Vegas photographer, Nicole of Pawtraits by Nicole, shares her recent adventure at Lake Mead!

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5 Tips to Make the Best of 4th of July with Your Dog

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The ooos and ahhhs of firework watching is just around the corner as we celebrate with the 4th of July. As much as we fancy those showy displays of light, many dogs are not fond of the booms that accompany fireworks. Each dog is different – Icey my rottie didn’t mind fireworks, Mick ran away once & hid under a deck, Bender didn’t care but most frequently was in the house so he didn’t get nommed on by mosquitos and Axle didn’t get much exposure to them (he may not have liked them). 

Here are 5 tips to make the best of this 4th of July:

  • Get your walks in before the booms begin.
    Walk in the morning and in the evening before dusk rolls around. The walks will maintain your dog’s routine, help lower anxiety level and expel extra energy your pup may have. A tired dog is a dog will will quiet easier and snooze deeper making those booms pretty minimal.  
    ** Too hot to walk? Play fetch or tug in the yard or bring your dog out for a swim (or put your tootsies in the kiddie pool & “fish” for toys). 
  • Stay home with your dog. (Unless your dog is groovy with the fireworks, then bring them with!)
    If all the fizzes and pops from the little neighborhood shows and booms from the big show will rattle your dog, opt for staying home with them. You are your dog’s comfort and protector and being home will help them understand not to be too worried about the noises outside. Pop in a favorite movie, snuggle into the couch and share a bowl of popcorn. 
    ** Instead of a movie, cue up videos featuring fireworks. Start with a low volume and each time the sound of the fireworks is heard, give your dog a piece of popcorn. Up the volume, repeat. Bonus popcorn if anyone in the neighborhood shoots off fireworks. The ideal is fireworks = yummy treat = no so bad!
  • Give your dog some space & respect their fear.
    If you dog is super rattled and wants to hide in their crate or under a giant pile of blankets, let them. Dogs need to have an option to “escape” a situation if they feel overwhelmed. This is part of puppy training too. Scary things should invoke curiosity, but if they are too much the puppy needs to have the option to opt out. Let your dog have that too. Make sure their crate or safe spot is cozy – toss a blanket over their crate to make it even more den-like – and check in on them throughout the evening. 
  • Make sure your dog has the updated identification, just in case.
    It’s as simple as making sure your dog has tags on their collar. Rabies tags will have a notation of the vet who did them + ID #, city dog license will have an ID # and if anyone finds your pup, they can call and let them know your pup was found. Make sure your dog’s main ID take has updated phone numbers – don’t forget to make sure your dog’s microchip has an updated phone number & address too!
  • If it’s really really bad, talk to your vet about meds.
    Meds can help your dog chill so they can zonk into a solid sleep and put the noises of the day at bay. If the fireworks are long winded into July from neighborhood activities, talk to your vet and see what the best plan for comfort for your dog will be. 

If your dog is groovy with the fireworks, bring them with for the activities. Make sure they have up to date identification in case they get startled. And remember to have an exit plan if your dog gets overwhelmed and needs to retreat. 

With these 5 tips we hope you and your pup will have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!

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The World of Summer Break

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Summer break has solidly arrived, paired nicely with warm & rising temps, bugs and blooming flowers. Days have grown longer, though oddly have seemed to pass with swift velocity. We are already at the 22nd of June – how?

A pair of garage sale days, then the annual cabin trip up to the Park Rapids area from the 15th to 18th swept away many of the days. The other days have been with ample over-planning for the coming puppy (x-ray tomorrow, puppies arrive the 27th or 28th EEEEEEEEK!) as well as managing the exuberant growth of weeds and the garden. Plants have been added along with future plans for a produce garden (the fencing ought to be up this summer, but planting may not being until next year.)

Wednesdays and Saturdays are plasma donation days, with ever other Saturday spent slinging Atomic Collars at the MPLS Pet Market at Unleashed Hounds and Hops. 

Did I mention the overzealous puppy planning? (This morning I charted out rough age for each of the upcoming holidays starting in September and outlined some guidelines to follow for each holiday – no handouts from the table mom!)

Projects to be completed throughout the summer: the produce garden, a “built in” cabinet that will house the puppy’s crate, another garage sale, basement organization and puppy proofing the house. There’s a monstrous side garden to move and a massive amount of mulch needed to “finish” the gardens along the other fence. And grass removal from the gardens… man my dislike for grass is high!

July marks the 4th with fireworks viewed from our side yard. A few weeks pass and my sister is getting married to a lovely lady on July 16th. I’ll be photographing her wedding! The rest of the month will be spent in lounge or exploring some less frequented areas for new photography locations (if your dog wants to be a model, get in touch with me!). The MPLS Pet Market will continue Saturdays into August with Atomic Collars & other vendors, and plasma will continue to be cranked out on Wednesdays & Saturdays. 

July moves into August with my birthday on the 9th. The puppy arrives at the end of August and school starts back up for my mom at the same time. School starting marks the end of summer but also the beginning of life with the puppy! 

What are your plans for this summer break season?

Summer break has solidly arrived, paired nicely with warm & rising temps, bugs and blooming flowers. Days have grown longer, though oddly have seemed to pass with swift velocity. We are already at the 22nd of June – how?

A pair of garage sale days, then the annual cabin trip up to the Park Rapids area from the 15th to 18th swept away many of the days. The other days have been with ample over-planning for the coming puppy (x-ray tomorrow, puppies arrive the 27th or 28th EEEEEEEEK!) as well as managing the exuberant growth of weeds and the garden. Plants have been added along with future plans for a produce garden (the fencing ought to be up this summer, but planting may not being until next year.)

Wednesdays and Saturdays are plasma donation days, with ever other Saturday spent slinging Atomic Collars at the MPLS Pet Market at Unleashed Hounds and Hops. 

Did I mention the overzealous puppy planning? (This morning I charted out rough age for each of the upcoming holidays starting in September and outlined some guidelines to follow for each holiday – no handouts from the table mom!)

Projects to be completed throughout the summer: the produce garden, a “built in” cabinet that will house the puppy’s crate, another garage sale, basement organization and puppy proofing the house. There’s a monstrous side garden to move and a massive amount of mulch needed to “finish” the gardens along the other fence. And grass removal from the gardens… man my dislike for grass is high!

July marks the 4th with fireworks viewed from our side yard. A few weeks pass and my sister is getting married to a lovely lady on July 16th. I’ll be photographing her wedding! The rest of the month will be spent in lounge or exploring some less frequented areas for new photography locations (if your dog wants to be a model, get in touch with me!). The MPLS Pet Market will continue Saturdays into August with Atomic Collars & other vendors, and plasma will continue to be cranked out on Wednesdays & Saturdays. 

July moves into August with my birthday on the 9th. The puppy arrives at the end of August and school starts back up for my mom at the same time. School starting marks the end of summer but also the beginning of life with the puppy! 

What are your plans for this summer break season?

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Dislike for Doodles

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Doodles. Dogs with a parent of poodle and a parent of other breed – classics include cocker spaniels, labs, golden retrievers, Australian Shepherds &  Bernese Mountain dogs. They are the mecca of hypoallergenic (though no dog truly is!). Rising aggressively in popularity in the modern years, the first labradoodle arrived in the 1980s, while the cockapoo has been in society since the 1960s. 

There are 3 reasons I have a dislike for doodles and wouldn’t own one.

Reason #1 for dislike for doodles: they are homogenized – as in they all look the same! 

Image is a screen capture of Instagram under #doodledog / Stella, Luna, Ruby, Piper, Penny, Arthur (bernedoodle), Chiffon (maltipoo), Ruby (goldendoodle) and Bailey.

Looking at those cute pups above you notice how much uniformity they have. Long hair, moderate grooming, with most of the notation of their founding breeds seen in coat color & size. Sure doodles have a cute, fuzzy bear factor to them, but there isn’t much that makes them stand out from one another.

Would you be able to find the labradoodles? (#1 Stella & #9 Bailey). Could you tell who was a goldendoodle? (#8 Ruby) Can you tell each which mix each of the others are? (#2 aussiedoodle, #3 cockapoo, #4 double doodle, #5 bernedoodle, #6 bernedoodle, #7 maltipoo)

With doodles each mixture tends to look heavily poodle, which means you lose the diversity of the different breeds that are the base parent for each.  Below, each is a different type of doodle. Notice how similar they look overall. 

Also from Instagram: Mister James Hond (labradoodle), Billybow (goldendoodle), Quest (aussiedoodle), Walden (bernedoodle), Anne (sheepadoodle), Maui (cockapoo)

Whereas  look at the diversity from breed to breed from the non poodle parent. Different head shapes, ear shapes, tails shapes & lengths plus lengths of fur. Unique from breed to breed. 

Jack (lab), Maddie (golden retriever), Ollie (Australian shepherd), River (Bernese mountain dog), Noah (cocker spaniel), and Morris (old English sheepdog)

I really prefer the diversity of each different breed. Plus with mutts I love the uniqueness they can gain from their parents. Doodles, a bit too uniform for my taste.

Reason #2 dislike for doodles: they need a TON of grooming. 

Sure they don’t hardly shed, and their dander stays at a low level, but those lovely poodle genetics request that they are groomed  every 6 to 10 weeks (6-8 weeks for longer hair, 8-10 weeks for shorter hair). If not groomed in that timespan a doodles coat can become matted. Sure you could cord it (like doggie dreadlocks) though corded hair may need the same amount of maintenance. (Poodle hair never stops growing!)

In the lifespan of 10 years your doodle will make 52 to 86 trips to the groomer! With an average of $100+ per groom, you’re looking at a solid investment ($5200+ to $8600+) over your dog’s life. And grooms can be a bit intensive – pending size of your doodle, it can take 2-3+ hours for a groom, plus time can be added if your doodle is matted or a wild child (add even more time if both is true!). Don’t forget you need to also brush & comb your doodle frequently throughout the week to prevent mats. 

(This is a great article in regards of doodle grooming from Patriotic Pet Care.)

Whereas many non doodles may not need to visit a groomer as frequently or even at all depending on the dog breed and their coat. A pittie like Bender could bypass the groomer completely. A cocker spaniel and old English sheepdog may need more grooming, while a lab or golden is good weekly brushing. 

Groomers are awesome people, a dog that needs to visit them frequently just isn’t my style. 

Reson #3 dislike for doodles: they are expensive mutts

Mutts??? But…. Yes doodles are mutts. They are a pairing of two breeds but never are purebred as they don’t breed true – which is the characteristic of being able to predict how the puppies will turn out. And occasionally they are a collection of breeds in one parent (ie lab + poodle) that is bred to another doodle (ie lab + poodle) for a “double doodle”. Or its one doodle parent and one purebred parent (in researching I saw a bernadoodle + Australian  shepherd = 3 different breeds in a pup!)

A golden will always look like a golden, a lab a lab, so on and so forth. Doodles will always be variable – perhaps they look a little more poodle, perhaps they look more like the other founding breed. Coat colors are highly variable, with buff, red and black being the most frequently found. Size can vary as well, especially within minis. Health & temperament can vary greatly as well. 

Not only are doodles mutts, but they are expensive in comparison to other mutts found at humane societies and shelters. Sometimes doodles are even more expensive than their founding purebred parents.

Another concern with doodles is they don’t go through the same health standards (eyes, ears, hips & elbows etc) as purebred dogs do which lends to poorly bred doodles at a high price. 

Here are a few comparisons of pricing of doodle & parent breed breeders:
(I don’t know these breeders personally, please do your research if you are planning on adding a puppy to your family.)

Doodle breeders in Minnesota:
Timber Rock Doodles / $3500 per puppy, goldendoodles (they do health & genetic testing)
Brook Marie’s Goldendoodle Love / $2500 goldendoodles & $3500 for bernadoodles
Stone Ridge Doodles / $2800 – $3000 goldendoodles & $3600-4500 for bernadoodles

Poodle breeders in Minnesota: 
Poodles Around / $1250 – $1500 per puppy
Bunne Poodles / $1500 – $2000 per puppy
Prairiestorm Poodles / $2000 per puppy
*if you opt for a poodle, make sure they aren’t breeding doodles too!

Golden Retrievers breeders in Minnesota:
Muddy Goldens / $3250 per puppy
Tails of Gold / $2000 – $3000, pending color, parents & sex
Sharptail Ridge / $3500 per puppy

Pricing for Bernese puppies is very hard to find from Minnesota breeders as well as other breeders in the US (most have very long waiting lists) but they seem to range from $2500 – $3500+. 

Now, I do understand that reputable breeders put a TON into the health & wellness of their females as well as into the puppies so cost is justified. But for a dog that is a mixed breed mutt (sometimes even with 3+ breeds mixed in) the cost seems out of place. 

I’d rather adopt a mutt than opt for a designed expensive mutt like a doodle.  Or opt for a purebred dog at the same cost!

3 dislikes for doodles – they look the same, the need a TON of grooming and they are expensive “mutts”. All reasons why a doodle of any sort would be the “breed” for me. (I’ll still photograph the heck out of your doodle though!)

What are your thoughts on doodles? 

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