Have I ever mentioned I love my job? Well, I do -SO MUCH- especially the photo sessions. From start to finish, a session is incredibly fun: planning, interacting with clients, seeing my ideas come to life and so much more. What makes it even better is that no two sessions are the same. Every one brings a different sense of joy and excitement.

My most recent session was with a cute-as-can-be little puppy named Belle. Belle is an energetic, lovable, and friendly pup. As you can imagine, getting her to sit for photos was a bit of a challenge. But I don't give up easily. Patience is extremely important in photography and I've developed a great deal of it over the years.

When I photograph animals, I really love to get on their level. Sometimes, this requires laying in dirt and grass and snow, but I find that the photos I get are well worth it. For this session, we worked on a deck. We wanted Belle to feel comfortable and behave naturally, so being on a leash wasn't ideal. The deck was fully gated, so Belle could run freely and do her thing without the fear of her running away. She explored a bit, sniffed the camera a bunch, and even made a little bed out of my sweatshirt.

The biggest problem with being on the same level as a puppy? All they want to do is kiss your face and climb all over you. Then again, I hardly see that as a problem. Who doesn't love a little puppy loving?! Anyway, this is where the patience comes in. Belle was running this show, not me. And that's exactly the way I wanted it.

Animals, especially young ones, have such fun and fascinating behaviors and interactions. To try and control that, would be silly, in my opinion. I like to capture their authentic behavior. As a puppy, Belle has a sense of natural curiosity. She was curious of me and my camera, the birds flying around us, and so much more.

Once the playfulness wore off a bit, Belle decided to be the most perfect model. She sat still and looked right at the camera. She even did a few "glance off in the distance shots." Talk about modeling. I can't wait to watch this puppy grow into the sweetest, most beautiful dog.

I am so thrilled with how Belle's photos came out. Really, I would have been happy with just about anything. She's just that cute. Enjoy a few extra photos from Belle's session below.