This is a good face. I love this face. This is Nicholi and he’s definitely a charmer.

Happy Friday Face!!

All images ©Susan Dodd

Kodie.  I photographed Kodie and his wonderful owner, Daphne, in 2004.  Kodie lost his left eye to cancer at a young age, and therefore looked like he was in a perpetual state of “wink!”  I remember when Daphne called me to schedule her sitting.  She told me that Kodie only had one eye.  This was my very first experience with a “one eyed subject”, so I asked her what he looked like.  I’ll never forget her answer.  She said that Kodie looked like a teddy bear who’s eye popped off!  That was the perfect explanation, because  Kodie was a big, cuddly, wonderful teddy bear of a dog.

Although he is no longer with us, his memory lives on in my heart, Daphne’s heart, and this image. 

Kodie is definitely a Cool Pets Classic.

Happy Friday Face!!

While driving my daughter to school the other day, I saw an old dog.  It was a cold, brisk morning….with temperatures in the teens.  My daughter missed the bus, not because we were late, but because sometimes, for no apparent reason, her bus arrives unexpectedly early.  I was a bit annoyed, but in the end grateful for the early morning jaunt, and the heart warming site of the old dog.

We were on a little side street, heading up the steep hill towards the school.  I glanced over to see an elderly woman slowly walking her old dog.  It was as if they were taking baby steps.  They moved at  a snail’s pace, and if you glanced quickly, they seemed not to be moving at all.  It was so cold I could see the woman’s breath floating through the air as she moved ever so calmly up the hill; her lovely old dog right by her side.

In my work photographing dogs and their owners, I am always aware of the strong bonds that form between human and canine.  I have heard so many wonderful stories of how dogs essentially saved their owners lives just by being there.  I wondered about this old woman and her dog.  Is it just the two of them?  Do they walk every morning together, slowly up the hill?  How long have they been together?  Did the woman rescue this dog…or get him as a pup?  Did she save the dog’s life?  Or has the dog saved hers?

Of course, I will probably never know the answers.  But, I do know that the warm feeling I got from the peaceful site of them on their morning walk will stay with me for a very long time.

Old dogs have such charm.  Their lives are short, but the effects of their warmth and unconditional love last forever.

Cocoa is one of those old dogs. She has a face that shows such wisdom and peace. Cocoa is a gentle, beautiful, old soul.

Cocoa loves to fetch. She may be old, but her inner puppy definitely comes out when there is fetching involved.

All images ©Susan Dodd

Not only is this a gorgeous face, but I was playing around with a beautiful texture set by Jessica Drossin, and wow! Some images really lend themselves to textures.

Happy Friday Gorgeous Texture Face!!

All images ©Susan Dodd