It's All About Me...and It's All About Me - Lark & Koda
Riverstone Park Dog Photography
Some mornings just set the tone before you even pick up your camera.
This was one of them.
I met Tammy and her two huskies, Lark and Koda, on a beautifully crisp spring morning at Riverstone Park... one of their favorite spots and honestly, after spending a morning there with this crew, I completely understand why.
Lark and Koda are both about two years old and according to their mom, their personalities couldn't be more different. Koda is very lovey but (Tammy's words, not mine) has a poor work ethic. Lark is the more focused of the two... unless something more interesting comes along. Which, when you're a husky, is basically always.
What their get to know me form said about them: "It's all about me... and it's all about me."
Honestly, accurate.
Blossoms, belly rubs and a little bit of alchemy
We started among the soft pink blossoming trees, the kind of spring morning that feels like it was specifically designed for photography. And for a moment, these two huskies conspired to give me perfectly posed images... if only for an instant.
That's really most of what I do, and I think it's something of alchemy. I set the shot in motion. But dogs are living, breathing creatures with their own interests and agendas, so it always formulates on its own. My job is just to recognize those perfect moments and preserve them.
Like when I asked Tammy to sit in the grass with Lark and just give her belly rubs. Lark flipped herself over immediately and started nibbling at Tammy's hands playfully. Pure joy. Completely unscripted.
Or when Koda simply leaned into his mom. Just that. A lean. And an entire relationship visible in one quiet moment.
And then there was the moment I holstered my camera and Koda decided that was his cue. He dove in for a full face lick that sent me tumbling backward... and the three of us dissolved into the kind of giggles that are basically toddler level.
It's hard to describe how much fun it is when a dog accepts you like that. Like you belong to them a little bit. That's not something you can manufacture. It just happens when everyone feels safe and relaxed and nobody is trying too hard.
Down to the river
We made our way down to the Riverstone dog park and the Spokane River and these two just opened up completely. They splashed. They wrestled. They played.
When Tammy brought out the flirt pole with a dancing unstuffed toy skittering across the ground, Lark couldn't have been happier. She pounced with everything she had. Full husky energy, completely in her element.
What I want people to know
Sessions like this one remind me why I do this work.
Not because everything went perfectly. But because nothing was forced. Lark wrestled and pounced and initiated play with anyone willing. Koda loved on everyone in his orbit. And somewhere along the way, we made images that are going to matter.
Tammy, thank you for trusting me with these two. I had so much fun.
Thinking about booking a session for your dog? I'd love to hear about them.
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