Happy Dog Mom Day to all you dog moms! Hope you have a great weekend!

This year's Pawsitivity fundraiser raised $1880 for the Veterans Community Village being constructed in Sioux Falls! Sheets and bedding will be purchased with the money once the village tiny homes are completed.

I admit I went a little nuts with the props this year,ack! (and, trust me that will not happen again), but I felt like it was fitting for our purpose. I did love that we were able to let the humans be more involved this time. ;O)

There are always so many great images that come from these fundraisers and I wanted to share a few of my favorites from this time around with you.

You can see more in the Pawsitivity Sessions gallery.

Thank you to all who participated this year and I hope it makes you feel just a bit more pride when you watch the village come to life.

Are you interested in participating in upcoming Pawsitivty Fundraiser Sessions? You can join the list at the bottom of the website homepage, making sure you're one of the first to be notified.

The Pawsitivity fundraiser sessions are just around the corner!

This year we'll be raising money for sheets and bedding for the VCP Village that will be constructed here in Sioux Falls! I've been waiting almost 2 years and it's finally in the works!

I encourage you to take 11 minutes to watch this video about Veterans Community Project. It's the best video I've seen telling exactly what VCP does and why. 

If you were on the VIP list for the Pawsitivity Sessions then I hope you were able to sign up to be a part of this year's fundraiser. If you'd like to make sure you're on the list for future Pawsitivity Sessions you can sign up at the bottom of the home page.

Hermes and Dash have been helping me work on the perfect set-up. ;O)

Like a lot of dogs, these three are very happy and love being with their humans. They love being part of the family and they like doing things together, but their personalities are still all their own.

Oliver is energetic and smart. He's one of those dogs who has taught himself to open doors. Only in emergencies please, Oliver. Not just when you're trying to impress the ladies.

Like most human kids, Odin wants your attention as soon as you get on the phone, but he's the most caring dog in the world. He loves everyone, and he doesn't even have a favorite between mom and dad!

Then there's Opie. Oh, Opie you're so dang cute! He runs around like a little rabbit with a huge smile on his face, and he has his favorite toy that he plays with before bed every night.

Kelsey said she wanted her images to show the "organized chaos" that is their family. So, we found a place out of the way where these three could play and be themselves.

They played and played, (and Opie barked a bit, ha) and then they played some more. But, we did manage to get them to stop for family pictures along the way.

Between all the running, jumping, chasing and posing I think it's fair to say they had a pretty good afternoon.

As a side note, I'd like to comment on how so very happy these dogs are. Kelsey and Donald adopted these pups one at a time and welcomed them into their family with patience and grace. They have found activities that let their dogs be their best doggie selves. Odin runs with mom, and Oliver and his dog dad are an amazing dock diving team. I love it when people are able to find something that their dog loves to do and then embraces it, letting their dog live their best life.

 The following is a guideline for how to dress for your winter session:

First of all, think layers.

Dressing in layers will not only keep you warm, but will add visual contrast and fun to your images.

Visible layers look great in photographs!
- Think about a collared shirt or blouse under a cozy sweater.
- Winter vests, coats, scarves and boots are so fun visually, and they add a sense of warmth and coziness to your images.
- Ladies, when wearing a coat over bulky clothing, make sure it has a belt or seam line that accentuates your waist, and as an added note, coats with large furry hoods are striking in close-up images.

Hidden layers are pretty much a given during winter outdoor activities in SD.
- Layered socks add extra warmth in the snow.
- Cuddle Duds and Under Armour won't bulk up your outfit.
- Hand and foot warmers in your shoes, your pockets, or your mittens can be just what you need to stay comfortable.

Winter snow sessions are scheduled a little differently due to the fact that, well... it's cold and we need snow.

For snow sessions to be safe for our dogs as well as ourselves we need conditions as follows:
​
- Snow ;O)
- Temps in the double digits
- Wind chill (feels like temp) must be above 15

At this time of year I have a running list specifically for snow sessions. When the conditions are right I contact those on the list starting with the first person who signed up. If they can't do the session at that time then I go to the next on the list. If someone has to pass on a session for whatever reason, they don't loose their place, as I start at the top each time conditions are right.

If you've always wanted to do a snow session and you're able to make a short notice session work in your schedule, just call and I'll get you on the list. :O)

It was a freezing cold day with wind gusts up to 50 mph and she said, "I'll just put my hair in a braid." I love adventurous clients!

So, off I went to a farm in Iowa. That's where I met my clients and a VERY happy dog named Tucker. 

Tucker is a lot like other two year old labs I've met, but he was having such fun playing my face was starting to hurt from smiling so much!  He's a bit derpy, he loves to play hide and seek, and when he gets excited about something he tends to jump straight up in the air. 

There's nothing better than watching a dog when they're having so much fun. Or at least I thought there wasn't... When the guns came out and his humans put his hunting vest on, Tucker was all business. I mean he was still very excited, but now it was all about the birds.

There was such a sense of respect for his job even when he was just practicing. Tucker knew he was part of a team and he was doing his part while his humans did theirs. If I'm being honest it was really quite emotional to watch. I could feel the pride that Tucker felt just watching him.

I love watching working dogs. But, at the end of the day the best part is that they're still the same derpy and fun loving dog.

Enjoy the hunt, Tucker! You've got a great team.

What a way to end the season! October is always a crazy time for photographers. The parks are full of family sessions often with photographers standing just feet from each other doing their best to stay out the background of other photographers' aim. Because of all the activity, it's a carefully choreographed dance trying to find just the right location for dogs during this time of the year, but somehow things always seem to work out.

​So...

Say hello to Mya! Her dog mom, Kelcey won a session from a silent auction put on by Wings of Valor. These sessions are always a win-win for me with the money going to a great cause AND me getting to meet great people and their pups. :O)

Despite her age Mya can be quite the clown skipping and jumping when her inner puppy comes out. She's also one of those dogs who talks with her ears which makes her even more adorable.

Kelcey told me that Mya is her shadow and protector.  Mya goes everywhere with her - walks, car rides, dog friendly places like Lowes and Hobby Lobby, camping... she said she'd even sit in an airplane seat if mom was there.

Mya's brindle coat looked beautiful with the reds of Fall, but the lucky girl looks just as good in gold don't you think?!

Remember I said that things always seem to work out?  Well, not only did we find a great place that suited Mya's personality away from the crowds, at the end of our session this happened. The sky put on a show... so we played a little longer.

Thanks for a wonderful end to October, Mya. I hope Winter is just as good to you.

If you're looking for a fun, professional photographer for your business needs, head shots, branding, real estate, as well as senior and wedding photography, check out Kelcey's website at Kelcey Schroder Photography.

What do you get when you take three Frenchies to a photo shoot? A whole lot of fun followed by 3 very pooped pups. I don't know... something about having shorter legs.

Meet Henri, the big brother who considers himself a prince in more ways than just looking very handsome...

Jacques, the sassy one who's life goal is to get as many pets and belly rubs as possible...

and Louie, the newest edition who wants to be just like his brothers.

These three were happy to go anywhere and everywhere and around every corner was a new adventure. Louie had never seen a bicycle before and he stopped and turned every time one went past. I swear I could hear his little mind saying, "Did you see that??!!" He was so excited!

They ran, they played, they snuggled, and...well someone even grabbed a quick snooze.

In the end, all three were ready to nap, but they were all still smiling. At the first sign of the session's end, Henri took things into his own paws and led everyone back to the car. (Yes, he knew which one was his.) ;O)

Three dogs can be a challenge, but when they look after each other like these three do you can't help but smile. They adore their humans and they are very much loved in return.

Now, here's a dog who knows what it means to enjoy the life of a dog. Lambeau is fun, lovable, and most of all knows how to play. In fact, when talking with his dog dad at our consultation I found that I had written the word, play (or some form of it) 9 times! Can you see the smile on my face??

Lambeau is playful, Lambeau loves to play, Lambeau's job is playing, Lambeau is happiest during playtime, and one of the personality traits that Lambeau's dog dad likes about him is his playfulness.... you get the idea. ;O)

I was told that this dog will show people his goofy smile that shows his teeth. I was also told that when he runs he does the same thing. I didn't get the "say cheese" grin from him, but he did show me his toothy run. ha!

At the end of our session, Lambeau made his way back to the car like he was about to go on an adventure. I tell my clients that their dog will most likely sleep all the way home after a session, but I have to say I may have fallen a bit short on this promise when it comes to Lambeau. I think he could have gone another round... and smiled all the way through.

Keep smiling, Lambeau. It looks good on you. :O)

Luna's dog mom describes her as a dog who is gentle, goofy, a cuddle bug, and she likes attention from her humans. And, then she adds that she can be a bit dramatic. For example, when it's time to go to her kennel, she'll make a big effort to sloooowly stretch with added audible sighs. lol  

Luna, likes to be the center of attention, but then what dog wouldn't when it comes with giggles and butt scratches! She likes to make people laugh and if there's something in it for her, too then I say it's a win-win.

When Luna can hang out with her mom hiking, playing or just going for a walk, there's no place she'd rather be.  Her dog mom is her happy place and it shows from the shine in Luna's big brown eyes to the wag of her stubby boxer tail. 

Enjoy all the hikes, walks and car rides  you can with your dog mom, Luna. Soon it will be sweater weather and the two of you can snuggle by the fire re-living all of your adventure stories.