Oceanside Paws and Pose

Oceanside Paws and Pose Capturing paws and moments in Parksville, Qualicum and Nanaimo | Pets and People | Back in the game after a break | DM for bookings

Last from this set… and it’s harder than I thought to stop sharing.Every frame felt like a little piece of magic—the gre...
06/13/2025

Last from this set… and it’s harder than I thought to stop sharing.

Every frame felt like a little piece of magic—
the green of the woods, the spring flowers, that golden hush of light,
and the kindest human, making the quiet moments feel full.

I have a feeling this won’t be our last time together.

Cant wait to capture whatever comes next ✨🌿💛

Sometimes we think we’re not ready—like our hearts are still living in the space they left behind.And then, a dog shows ...
06/12/2025

Sometimes we think we’re not ready—
like our hearts are still living in the space they left behind.

And then, a dog shows up.
Not the one we pictured.
Not the one we thought we needed.

But somehow, the right one.
With their own kind of wild,
their own kind of softness.

They don’t replace the last.
They just find us when we need them most—
even if we don’t know it yet.

Some people have a kind of quiet magic. You feel it before they speak, and it stays long after they’re gone.Annika is on...
06/08/2025

Some people have a kind of quiet magic. You feel it before they speak, and it stays long after they’re gone.

Annika is one of those people.

I photographed her last year with her previous dog — the one who cracked her heart wide open. The one who left too soon. And I’ve thought of her often since. Not just because she’s effortlessly beautiful, but because of the way she sees animals. The gentleness in her hands. The way she meets them where they are, without asking them to be anything else.

So when I saw that she’d taken in a foster dog, I watched from afar — quietly cheering her on through the early days. Baz was a lot. He had that untamed spark that comes with uncertainty and survival. And for a while, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to love another dog. But even in those early videos and photos, I could feel it building — that quiet thread weaving between them. That deep, unspoken pull.

And when I saw them together in person, I knew.
This wasn’t just a foster.
This was fate.
A heart dog, arriving in disguise.

There’s something sacred about witnessing someone love again after loss. It’s not easy. It’s layered and brave and messy. But when it’s real, when it’s meant — it shines. It shows up in every little gesture. The way her voice softens when she says his name. The way he looks back at her like he’s home.

I feel lucky beyond words to have captured both her first and second great love. To be trusted again — to be invited back into someone’s story after grief — is not something I take lightly.

Annika and Baz, you two were pure light. Thank you for letting me see it.

🌞 Summer Sessions Update 🌞I’ve been getting lots of messages about summer bookings (thank you! 🐾💛), so I wanted to share...
06/04/2025

🌞 Summer Sessions Update 🌞

I’ve been getting lots of messages about summer bookings (thank you! 🐾💛), so I wanted to share a little reminder about how I operate.

Photography is my passion project—not my full-time job. I’m also a full-time working mom, and this business stays joyful for me because I protect that balance.

I’ll be off for the summer but heading out on a few spontaneous camping trips, which means I don’t book sessions more than 1–2 weeks in advance. I know that’s a little different, but it’s how I keep things flexible and fun—not a job, but a creative outlet that fills me up.

I pour myself into every session: meeting you, connecting with your pet, and spending hours editing with care and intention. This is sacred work to me, and I only take on sessions where there’s a true connection. Sometimes that means I refer people elsewhere.

If you’d love to work together this summer, please reach out closer to your preferred date. I’m very likely to have room—I just can’t promise it too far in advance. 🐶📷

Thank you for understanding and supporting the way I do this work. It means the world. 💛

She brought her two German Shepherds to our session, unsure if it would work. “They can be reactive,” she said. “They ge...
06/03/2025

She brought her two German Shepherds to our session, unsure if it would work. “They can be reactive,” she said. “They get overwhelmed.”

But I told her what I always tell my clients: There isn’t a dog I can’t photograph—as long as I know what they need.

And these two? They showed up. Not just physically, but emotionally. Wild, loving, a little chaotic—like brothers, though not by blood. Just two big-hearted boys who live and love together.

She was calm. Grounded. You could tell she’s done the hard work. Living with large, reactive dogs isn’t always easy—it means adjusting, learning, showing up even when the world misunderstands them. But she chooses them, every day. That’s not just ownership. That’s loyalty.

German Shepherds are intense. Brilliant. Misread. But when they love you, they love you with their whole being. And she meets them there—with patience, structure, and unconditional love.

This is what I live for—photographing the bond, the effort, the beauty in the real moments. If your dog struggles, tell me. I’ll be ready. They don’t need to be perfect—just loved.

I rarely shoot anything but dogs as a focal point but I am obsessed with these 🥹💛
06/03/2025

I rarely shoot anything but dogs as a focal point but I am obsessed with these 🥹💛

Two dogs. Two souls. One nearing the end of a beautiful life, the other still chasing light and laughter like only a Lab...
06/02/2025

Two dogs. Two souls. One nearing the end of a beautiful life, the other still chasing light and laughter like only a Lab can. We spent the morning in the comfort of their own backyard — where the forest breathes quietly around them, where love lingers in the corners of every worn path, every paw print in the moss.

Their senior pup was exactly where she needed to be: home. She rested in the shade of the trees, wrapped in the kind of love you can feel in your chest. The kind of love that has lived through seasons, through storms, through joy. And as I clicked the shutter, I saw it — in every glance, every gentle touch, every unspoken goodbye beginning to form.

Meanwhile, their younger dog danced through the scene like sunshine. Ears flopping, eyes bright, ready to tug the grief into joy — as dogs so instinctively do.

There’s something about photographing people with their dogs that feels sacred. Especially when it's a goodbye. Or almost goodbye.

But even then, love lingers. Even then, another heartbeat stays behind to remind us to play. To be present. To live in the moment — wildly, loyally, without question.

This was more than just a session. It was a memory pressed into the forest air. It was a reminder of how much our dogs carry for us… and how much we carry them with us, long after they're gone.

Some bonds aren’t built on ease.They’re forged in effort, in patience, in choosing to stay—especially when it’s hard.But...
05/31/2025

Some bonds aren’t built on ease.
They’re forged in effort, in patience, in choosing to stay—especially when it’s hard.

But she didn’t try to change him—she learned him.
She didn’t force obedience—she built trust.
Through every challenge, she met him with presence, not perfection. And now, in his twilight years, there’s a rhythm to them that’s rare.
A loyalty that’s been earned.

Watching them together last week and while editing these photos reminded me that the hardest relationships are often the most honest ones. They demand more of us. More patience, more forgiveness, more grace. And sometimes, more letting go of what we thought it was supposed to be.

I’ve had a week where I had to face some of my own shadows too—the kind that whisper “you’re not good enough,” “not strong enough,” “not ready.”
But I kept showing up.
For my clients, for the work, for myself.
Even when my confidence wavered, I leaned in. And I was reminded: sometimes strength is just choosing not to quit.

So here’s to the ones still trying.
Still loving the people (and dogs) who make it hard.
Still adapting, still showing up with tired hands and full hearts.
Still pushing through the thick fog of self-doubt because they know—deep down—it matters.

Not everything beautiful is easy. But it’s always, always worth it.

Mufasa. With a name like that, you'd expect a king—and a king he was.Majestic in presence, grounded in wisdom, but still...
05/29/2025

Mufasa. With a name like that, you'd expect a king—and a king he was.

Majestic in presence, grounded in wisdom, but still carrying that working line spark in his eyes—the kind that tells you, “Just say the word, and I’m ready.” That’s what I love most about dogs like Mufasa. Even in their senior years, they don’t quit. They don’t give up. It’s not in their bones. It’s bred into them, worked into them, and loved into them by people who show up every day.

This session meant a lot. His person—who has dedicated her life to training and working with dogs—knew exactly how to connect with him, even in front of a camera (which isn’t her comfort zone). She didn’t pose. She just was. And because of that, Mufasa just was, too.

We met on a challenging afternoon. The light was daring—strong, defiant, like it had something to prove. Shadows battled with golden beams through the trees. I usually shoot closer to sunset, when things are softer and more forgiving. But sometimes, as a photographer, you have to step into the chaos, find shade, find peace, find the story anyway. That’s what this session taught me: to trust my instincts, push through light that doesn’t “behave,” and follow the connection instead.

Mufasa isn’t just a beautiful dog. He’s the result of years of patience, commitment, and deep love. He wasn’t always easy—but the best ones never are. That edge, that energy—it’s still there. But now it’s balanced with grace. This is the kind of dog that teaches you something just by standing next to you.

Thank you, Mufasa. Thank you for showing up with your quiet strength. And thank you to your person—for being exactly who he needs.

Somewhere between the deadlines and the to-do lists, we forgot how to breathe.We moved in straight lines, watched clocks...
05/27/2025

Somewhere between the deadlines and the to-do lists, we forgot how to breathe.
We moved in straight lines, watched clocks, and measured days by productivity.
Until a dog came along and insisted—
that we pause.

Pause to sniff the wind.
To feel the sun warm our skin.
To watch a leaf drift slowly to the ground like it's the most important moment in the world.
They don’t rush. They don’t worry about being late.
They stop. And because we love them, we stop too.

And in those stops, something softens.
The weight in our shoulders eases.
The rhythm of our breath returns.
There’s a scent of wet earth, distant ocean salt, the rustle of grass under paws.
There’s laughter we didn’t know we needed.
There’s healing.

Walks with dogs aren’t just about fresh air.
They’re about remembering how to exist in the now.
Not in tomorrow’s plans or yesterday’s regrets, but in the joy of a squirrel chase,
in the comfort of a shared silence,
in the wild, simple wonder of it all.

They teach us to notice the little things.
And in doing so, they remind us what it means to be alive.

I showed up expecting a slow, gentle senior girl.What I got was a cannonball in fur.This beautiful pitbull was pure fire...
05/26/2025

I showed up expecting a slow, gentle senior girl.

What I got was a cannonball in fur.

This beautiful pitbull was pure firecracker—bounding, zooming, full of sass and sparkle.

I’d imagined a leisurely session… maybe some sun-drenched stills of a sleepy old girl basking in the grass.

But nope. She had places to be and zoomies to run.

Her mom—laid-back, patient, wise—just smiled.

Because when it comes to photography, trying to force your dog to behave “perfectly” only makes the chaos bigger.

And sometimes the best photos come when you lean in, loosen up, and let your dog be exactly who they are.

This girl gave me energy I didn’t know I needed. She reminded me that just because a dog’s face is grey doesn’t mean their spirit is slowing down.

Especially dogs who’ve had the joy of sports and the kind of deep, trusting bond that lets them stay wild even in their golden years.

Most of my sessions include leash removal in editing, but for dogs with this much pep, sometimes this isn’t possible. And that’s okay.

You don’t need “perfect” conditions for beautiful images.

You just need honesty. Real connection. A little patience.

And a whole lotta love.

This session made me laugh and filled me up.
Her mom loves her exactly as she is—bold, stubborn, fast, and full of joy.

And that kind of love? It shines in every frame.

Here’s to the spirited seniors.

The wild ones.

The ones who still chase butterflies at full speed.

And the humans who love them through every glorious blur.

The sun was soft that day—drifting gently through the trees, touching every tender green leaf of spring like a quiet ble...
05/23/2025

The sun was soft that day—drifting gently through the trees, touching every tender green leaf of spring like a quiet blessing. It felt like the earth had paused for a moment, just long enough for us to step into something beautiful.

She was wonderful. Soft in spirit, kind in every word, with a calmness that settled around us like warmth. Her golden dog, with long, curly locks, leaned into her with ease—happy to nuzzle in, receive all the kisses, and sit sweetly while I clicked away. The kind of quiet bond that needs no direction, just room to be.

We wandered the forest loop together, stopping when the light danced just right or when the moss-covered earth called us to stay. Our chats were slow and easy, weaving between laughter and reflection. There was no rush. Just the gift of time carved out to honour love—in the most everyday, extraordinary form.

It’s not often she steps in front of the camera. Like many of us, she’s used to being the one taking the photos, making the plans, holding the space. But this time, she let herself be seen. And that in itself was beautiful.

Photography with your dog—it’s not just about the photos. It’s a reason to pause. To step into nature. To let yourself be captured as you are: authentic, radiant, deeply connected. It's a chance to make time for yourself in a way that doesn't feel selfish—because it isn’t. It’s sacred. It’s simple. And it’s something you deserve.

So here’s your reminder: you don’t need a milestone. You just need a moment. One golden dog, one kind heart, one forest loop—and the courage to say yes to being seen.

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Parksville, BC

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