This year I introduced holiday mini sessions in the studio and it was a huge success! I had 8 dogs in the studio and we had so much fun creating fun and festive holiday images for holiday cards, Christmas ornaments, holiday decorations and prints. I only offered a limited number of time slots and they all filled up within three days, so I can’t wait to offer even more next year.

Thank you to everyone who came to the studio to be a part of my first ever Holiday Session Day. It was such a pleasure working with all of you and your sweet pups. Check out some of the cutie patootie photos of these sweet dogs and their families.

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This handsome boy is Enzo - he’s only 1 year old but he did amazing posing with a Santa hat and with his sweet parents for a lovely family photo - perfect for Christmas cards. This was my first time working with Enzo and I can’t wait to work with him again for a future outdoor session because he is the sweetest!!

I was so honored to have three former clients (with five awesome doggos) attend my Holiday Mini Session Day. Here’s the adorable George and Gracie, who you may remember from this summer and their fun session that was featured on my blog. Click here to check it out! George is a total goofball while Gracie is much more sophisticated and serious, so these photos capture their personalities perfectly.

Honey and Baby are sweet sisters who did so great modeling for the camera, and their family got in on the action too! Baby is very tiny and has some medical conditions that make being around other dogs tough, so we put her in a little blanket filled basket so she wouldn’t be at risk. I think it fit her perfectly and looked adorable!

Champ and Carrie were 2018 With Love & Oats clients and they were just as wonderful as always! Carrie wasn’t a big fan of wearing any of the props but she definitely wowed with some beautiful smiles. Her big brother Champ rocked the Christmas wreath though! I always love working with these two pups and their dad.

Sweet little Mia also came back for her second studio session of the year! She was one of two winners of my Studio Session Giveaway and she’s also on the blog! Click here to check out her last studio session and her image for the With Love & Dogs Project. She was very fashionable in a number of outfits, including adorable Burberry and Santa coats and a tiny Santa hat!

Everybody did a wonderful job with their photo sessions and I loved having all these sweet pups and their families in the studio for my first Holiday Mini Session Day. I can’t wait for next year’s holiday sessions, and I may be announcing more themed mini session days in 2020! If you’re interested in being a part of the holiday ones or other themed session days, click the button to join my email list and be the first to know about what’s new!

I hope everyone has a joyful and peaceful holiday - however you celebrate - and a Happy New Year! Thank you all for an amazing 2019.

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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

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

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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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