Winter is (almost) here and the snowy season has begun! If you love the unique beauty of winter and your dog loves playing in the snow, this is a very special time of year to plan your dog’s outdoor session. I only take a limited number of snow sessions per year, so get on the wait list now!

How do snow sessions work?

Due to the unique nature of snowstorms, I create a SNOW SESSION WAIT LIST on a first come first served basis. Contact me to book your Snow Session, and your Session Fee payment will hold your place on the Wait List. Then when there's snow in the forecast, I'll go down the list and contact you to see if you’re available during the upcoming snowstorm.

Sessions will be scheduled based on your order on the Wait List. They will be made available during snowstorms (if conditions are safe for driving) and the following day if possible. Please Contact Me for more details or to book your Snow Session today!

SESSION FEE | $250

What’s Included:

• 40-60 minute Snow Session

• 1-2 dogs

• Location of your choosing, or your own home! (Up to 30 minutes of driving from Haddam, CT)

• Minimum 15 images to choose from

• Pre-Session Consultation

• Viewing & Ordering Session

• Personalized and easy art and album ordering

Customized art, albums, prints and digital files are available for purchase at the Viewing Session and are not included in the session price. Additional chargeswill apply for additional pets and travel outside of my local area.

*In the event that we don't have snow, your session fee will be refunded or can be applied to a spring session!

WINTER ARTWORK | From $350

At your Viewing & Ordering Session, you’ll see all your fun snow images, choose your favorites, and I’ll assist you in designing a wall collection (specifically fitted to your wall), creating a stunning album, or even planning out holiday cards for next year! (Too soon? Never!)

Click here to learn more about heirloom artwork and albums.

Both outdoor and studio sessions are held year round, but this a great time of year to schedule your session if your dog loves the snow and you’d like some unique winter artwork. Not sure if you’d prefer an outdoor session or a studio session? Contact me today and let’s chat! I would love to learn more about your dog and figure out what’s right for you.

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Hi friends! Oats and I have decided to do something fun to hopefully bring an extra smile to your face this holiday season. We will send a (very cute) Oatsy holiday card to anyone who would love one this year! All you have to do is tell us where to send it!

Simply email me at jennifer@withloveandoats.com with your name and address (and your pet’s names if you have pets!) by this Friday, December 13, 2019, and we will get some Oatsy goodness coming your way. You can also check us out on Instagram or Facebook and send me a message in either of those places.

In return, we ask that you do one random act of kindness for someone this holiday season. Let’s keep spreading love!

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Join me for a luxury holiday pet portrait experience in a beautiful barn!
Together we'll make fun memories and gifts of your pets to cherish for many holiday seasons.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2019

KILLINGWORTH, CT

Limited sessions available! Book now to secure your spot.

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY STUDIO SESSION

New Form

Join me in the country in a beautiful barn studio for a fun, private, classic and professional holiday photo session for your pets. Featuring two beautiful sets, tons of props (including hats, scarves, blankets, headbands and an awesome letterboard sign!) and YOUR PET as the center of it all!

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INTRODUCING THE LIMITED EDITION HOLIDAY 2019 SETS:

CLASSIC RED

Choose from simple red or red with snowflakes. Add any variety of adorable props, blankets or even a funny sign!

WINTER WONDERLAND

Simple and classic with a twinkly tree, wreath and cozy floor coverings. Add any props or a fun sign!

Use one or both sets during your session!

the studio space

Join me at my beautiful studio space in a gorgeous barn in the country. You’ll have the space reserved just for you during our session.

Location:
Connecticut Photography Studio
294 Route 81
Killingworth CT

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THE DETAILS:

SESSION FEE | $125

What’s Included:

• 20 Minute Photo Session (for 1-2 dogs or cats per family)

• 20 Minute Viewing Session (immediately after)

• 2 Beautiful Sets - Classic Red (with or without snowflakes) and Winter Wonderland

• Tons of awesome props (hats, scarves, blankets, headbands)

• Letterboard sign with 2 cute sayings to choose from

• A fun, private studio session with my undivided attention

• Delicious, healthy treats to get your pet’s attention!

PRODUCT OPTIONS:

Immediately following your pet’s photo session, we’ll view your images and choose your favorites. Then you can pick one or more of my awesome product options to turn YOUR PET INTO ART. Perfect for holiday decor and gifts for family!

• Set of 25 Holiday Cards | $60

• Three (3) 5x7 or two (2) 8x10 mounted prints | $70

• NEW! 8x8 Image Block (perfect for holiday decorating) | $80

All product purchases include 2 digital images for social media sharing. Additional digitals available for add-on purchase for $30 each. Digitals will be printable up to an 8x10 print size.

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I’ll help you design a beautiful holiday card for friends and family, and I’ll take care of ordering it and shipping it to you. I can even have the return addresses added to save you time. Here’s a couple examples of designs we can create:

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

When will I get to see my images?
Right away! After your professional photo session, you can take a break for a few minutes with your pet and I’ll get your images loaded onto my computer. Then we’ll look through them together and choose your favorites!

What can I do with my images?
Choose from awesome product options like holiday cards, mounted prints and a great new product: an 8x8 image block. Prints and image blocks make awesome holiday decor and gifts for family members, and don’t forget to send out some gorgeous holiday cards as well! I’ll design everything for you and handle the ordering and shipping. My standard products are also available if you’d love to have a classic piece of large wall art - available in a canvas gallery wrap or a metal print. You’ll be able to see and touch samples of everything right in the studio during your ordering session.

When will my products be delivered?
Expect product deliveries between 1-3 weeks after our session, depending on your order. Everything will be ordered immediately and you will have all gifts in time for Christmas and holiday cards no later than the second week of December, but most likely sooner!

What if my pet won’t cooperate?
To ensure the best possible outcome, try to exercise your pet before arriving at the studio. We don’t want them exhausted, but calm is always helpful when we have a short window. Brush up on commands prior to the session, especially “sit,” “stay,” and “lay down.” Make sure they go to the bathroom before coming into the studio so they’re not restless. But don’t stress! I have lots of tricks up my sleeve for working with animals and we’ll be able to get some fun images that show their unique personality.

Can I be in some photos with my pet?
Of course! We can include 1-2 human family members in the images due to the size of the sets.

I have more than 2 pets. Can I still participate?
Yes! Each additional pet is $25 extra. Due to timing restraints (because these are quick sessions), if you’d like an image with all the pets together or several of each pet, please speak with me about booking a full, longer session so we will have time to really capture all of your pets and create a beautiful group image.

What should I bring?
I will have lots of props for you to choose from, including hats, headbands, scarves, blankets and an awesome letterboard sign. However, if you have something specific you’d like your pet to wear, or a special toy you’d like included, please bring it along! Make sure your pet is dressed how you’d like (aka remove dog tags if desired, no harnesses, etc). Since I’ll be editing images and ordering products very quickly for you, I will not be removing collars, harnesses and tags in these images.

My dog gets nervous around other dogs.
No problem! Your reserved time is all yours with me in the studio and there will not be any other pets besides yours during that window.

How early should I be?
Please arrive a few minutes early to let your pet go to the bathroom outside and please clean up after your pet. Dogs should ALWAYS be leashed or cats crated until you arrive inside the studio space. You can come into the studio at your reserved time and we’ll get started right away!

I want to do this with my pet! How do I book my session?
Yay! I’m so excited to work with you! All you have to do to get started is click the green button below to contact me. Once you contact me I’ll send you a quote with a questionnaire, contract and payment screen and we’ll discuss the available times you can choose from on that day. Completion of the questionnaire, contract, and payment will secure your time slot. Sessions will be booked on a first come, first serve basis, so don’t wait!

I can’t wait to work with you and your sweet pets to bring you these fun and festive images for the holidays. I’m thrilled to be offering these unique studio sets to my clients this year, and I hope you’ll join us! If you have any questions please click the green button and simply add your question into the message section, or feel free to email me at jennifer@withloveandoats.com. Happy Holidays and I hope to see you in the studio!!

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY STUDIO SESSION

Holiday Studio Session Contact Form

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing one of my two winners from my Studio Session Contest. I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to enter and expressed excitement about my studio announcement and my passion project.

If you’re new here, you can read my announcement here and learn more about the project:

Blog Post: Now Booking! Studio Dog Photography Sessions!

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I received almost 60 applications for the contest, and I loved reading through all of your stories and learning about your dogs and why you were excited about the With Love & Dogs Project.

So many of your stories touched my heart and I hope I have the chance to meet all of you and work with all of your dogs someday. Today, I’m introducing sweet Mia the miniature pinscher, who was one of two winners of a free studio session. She was such a sweet girl and I loved getting to know her and cuddle with her. She was awesome during her studio session and I had so much fun working with her and her dad!

MEET MIA

Mia was adopted by a couple in their 60s in the summer of 2012, after they had lost their beloved yellow lab Zeke the previous fall. Her mom came home with her as a puppy, to the complete surprise of her dad, who was still heartbroken over the loss of Zeke. It didn’t take long for her to win not only her new dad over, but also their entire family with her sweet and sassy personality. Sadly, Mia lost her mom less than two years later when cancer took her only 5 days after being diagnosed. Mia couldn’t figure out where her mom had gone, and she and her dad helped each other through the difficult times after she passed. She became the best thing in her dad’s life, and he’d always say “everything happens for a reason and I don’t know what I would do without Mia.”

About a year later her dad also found out that his kidney cancer, that he had battled years prior, had returned. Every day Mia was by his side, giving him a reason to get out of bed and keeping him laughing with her minpin highjinks. He passed away only a few months later, and Mia was once again left without her companion.

A few months before he passed, Mia’s dad had told his son that Mia was a “once in a lifetime dog” and made him promise to take care of her when he was gone. He had never had a doubt that he would take her, and promised to give her an amazing life. So their son Bob took Mia into his home after losing both his parents (and Mia’s) and they were able to comfort each other through such a tough time. Her new dad says she’s the brightest spot in his life, and while she didn’t sign up for it, she’s been one heck of a therapy dog!

She was so much fun during her session and was a star in front of the camera. Congratulations to Mia and her dad for winning the Studio Giveaway!

This little girl can jump! She was so cute jumping for her dad and got some good air, which makes for awesome studio images.

This left photo is so goofy and cute and Mia’s dad thought it would be great for a meme…like what is she thinking?? What would you put in a doggy thought bubble in this image?

We used Mia’s favorite blanket from home that she always sleeps with, and it matches her fur perfectly. It ended up being the perfect addition for her studio session with the gray backdrop and her beautiful coloring. Plus it made her feel more at home :)

Sweet Mia got so relaxed that she laid down and I was able to capture her *almost* sleeping on her favorite blanket. And I always try to capture an image of doggy paws in my sessions, because I really think it’s something nice to have in an image collection. Doggy paws are so sweet and they’re something not often captured. Am I the only one obsessed with paws? Haha maybe. If you’re like me comment below so I know I’m not the only one!

This is Mia’s favorite toy - her “monster.” I told her Dad to bring anything she really loves, as I tell all my clients for studio and outdoor sessions. It can be really fun to capture dogs playing around like they do at home and it gives me a chance to capture their true personality. Mia was quite happy to hang out on her blanket in the studio and play tug with her monster with her dad.

And of course….here’s Mia’s special image for the With Love & Dogs Project! During our Pre-Session Consultation, her dad and I worked together to choose the perfect quote for her. This is one of the quotes I’ve been dying to use, and when I realized it was from the book “The Minpins” I knew it was meant to be for Mia, a minpin herself :) I made a little cape for her and created a simple magician set to have some fun with this image. What do you think?? I loved the way it turned out and it was her dad’s favorite image from our session!

At the end of our session Mia ran over to the other side of the studio space to look outside, and I was just quick enough to change all my camera settings to grab this adorable image. The studio is a beautiful renovated barn that’s full of bright light and provided an interesting contrast to the darker studio photos. Isn’t she so cute looking out at the pond out back?

Congratulations to Bob and Mia on winning my studio session contest! I had so much fun with you both and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to work together and create fun images for you to cherish forever. Plus we created a really awesome image for the With Love & Dogs Project that I’m thrilled to have in the collection. Thank you again to everyone that entered and I’ll be sharing our other winner very soon!

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Interested in booking your own studio session and being part of the With Love & Dogs Project? Contact me today and let’s chat about your dogs and how I can help you capture them in photographs that you can cherish forever.

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Last week for my birthday, I took off for a few days of (mostly) unplugged relaxing at the wonderful dog-friendly Getaway House with Oats. Getaway is a company that has created communities of tiny homes that are off the beaten path, located about an hour outside of major cities across the country. We chose the one that’s outside of Boston, which ended up being in southern New Hampshire, a little over 3 hours from where we live in Connecticut. It was a lovely drive and easy to find.

My only goals were to relax, hike, read and take a few photos. And of course, do all of that with Oats by my side. I love that Getaways are all dog-friendly, and they even welcomed us both with little surprises - a smores kit for me and adorable little bag of “Mutt Mallows” for Oats. They also had two dog bowls and a roll of poop bags available for us in the cabin. On top of the doggy items, there was a tiny kitchen with basic amenities and pretty much everything I needed to cook for a couple days. There was a two burner stovetop, a sink with fresh running water, biodegradable soap, and a mini fridge. There were also books, playing cards, a little activity book and a cell phone lock box, if you decided to go completely off the grid.

One of the things the Getaway cabins are known for is the giant window on each house. Next to the bed there is a big gorgeous window facing the forest (or in some locations - the mountains). Since booking this little adventure was somewhat of a last minute decision for me ( in part because I like to do things spontaneously, but also because I was making sure I wouldn’t have any work obligations that required me to be home for those 3 days), the only cabins that were still available were those with two beds. It was still a very cute little tiny house, but it would also have been fun to have the giant window view without the extra bed above me. But this gives us something to look forward to next time!

The beds are all queen size and come with pillows and linens - and are VERY cozy. The giant window doesn’t open, but there’s another smaller window at the end of the bed that can be opened to let the fresh air in, which was lovely at night since we were fortunate enough to have great weather. There’s also three other windows in addition to those two, so it’s very airy and well lit.

On the first evening there we did a short hike around the Getaway property and out to a nearby town forest, then came back to have dinner and relax for the night. The next morning, I fed Oats and cooked breakfast while reading and enjoying the light pouring in the cabin, and then we headed out for a bigger hike at the nearby Northwood Meadow State Park. It was a beautiful hike that circled a lake, so Oats was thrilled that she could swim at several different spots off the trail.

The trail we took was 2.8 miles and I would highly recommend it to anyone who stays at Getaway Boston (or just lives close by). The cabin had a little booklet of information and suggested local hikes, but I don’t believe this one was listed. It was really stunning, easy but beautiful, dog-friendly and only 13 minutes from the cabin. Oats was thrilled to be able to swim, and we both really enjoyed the hike. Also - does anyone know what kind of caterpillar that is on the tree in the middle photo here? We saw them everywhere and they were so furry and cute.

I asked Oats to stand on this rock for a photo, and since she didn’t want to take her eyes off the lake, I captured her looking out at it. I immediately loved this image because reminds me of the Lion King. Everything the light touches Oatsy…

Here’s a few cell phone photos from our hike (to check out all my “quick snaps” during the trip with commentary from Oats, check out my Instagram page (@withloveandoats) or by clicking HERE, where I’ve added a story highlight for this trip titled “Getaway Trip.” There’s some videos there and some more details and photos of the cabin and our hikes - including the bizarre cabin toilet.

After our hike it was still early in the day, and I wanted to do something fun and dog-friendly before returning to the cabin for the evening. There is a dog-friendly brewery near the cabins, but it’s unfortunately only open from Friday-Sunday and we were there mid-week. So when I started looking up other dog-friendly activities nearby, I kept seeing places in Portsmouth NH. As it turns out, Portsmouth was only 30 minutes from the state park where we were, so we headed there for the afternoon. We walked around, visited some cute shops, posed for a few quick photos, and Oats got love from (and gave kisses to) lots of nice strangers. It was a perfect late summer afternoon for a few miles of walking through a cute little seaside city. (More cell pics below)

Then we got to come back to this adorable tiny house and relax for the rest of the evening. The outdoor area of the cabin had a picnic table, adirondack chairs and a bin with firewood and kindling kits if you wanted to build a campfire. You just take what you need and they charge it to your card later.

In 2 of the 3 images below you can see sweet Oatsy in the big back window. The bottom one cracks me up :)

Seriously this place made for some fun photo opportunities.

I tried to do a bit of relaxing each morning and enjoy drinking my tea, reading, having breakfast and snuggling with Oats. It was nice to be mostly unplugged, with no computer or TV and just a lovely view of the forest.

We did another local hike before heading home on the final morning. I didn’t break out my camera for a lot of photos but I did see this cute little patch of baby pine trees and thought Oats would look pretty surrounded by the green, so I had her pose for a few minutes. Clearly she was having a good time. Christmas card maybe?? :)

This hike was at Bear Brook State Park. We took both the Little Bear Trail and the Big Bear Trail. Still didn’t see any bears :(

Notice the difference between the cell phone images (below) and camera ones (above). Even though it’s not ideal to bring my real camera on hikes (and I typically don’t), sometimes it’s nice to capture a couple pretty photographs in the forest. I took only a couple and then put my camera away to enjoy the rest of the hike.

Oats and I really enjoyed our trip up to New Hampshire and our stay at a Getaway tiny house. There was no noise and no traffic. We were alone but there were also plenty of other people around. There was electricity and water but no Wifi or TV. According to my sleep app, I got better sleep both nights of our trip than I have in weeks. We just got to be outside and breath for a couple days, but also had the comforts of home in a tiny cabin. I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anyone traveling with dogs who wants to just “get away” for a couple days.

What adventures have you taken with your dog lately? Did you enjoy learning more about this little excursion? Have questions? Let me know if there’s something else awesome in New England that I should check out. I’m always looking for fun places that allow me to bring Oats along, and I’m happy to share those with you so you can bring your dogs too. Happy travels!

To learn more about Getaway cabins and to save $25 off your next booking, click here. This post was not sponsored - just sharing a genuine review of a fun, dog-friendly adventure. I hope you’ll check it out and bring your dogs!

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