A heartwarming gift of pet photos for a loved one

Last year, I received an email about organizing a pet photography session as a combined Mother’s Day and birthday gift. What a heartwarming idea! Despite the challenges of heat and busy schedules, we finally managed to schedule the session this spring.

When I met Paczki’s mom, I discovered that her children had given her some truly unique gifts over the years. Photography sessions can be very personal; while many cherish photos, they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. So, whenever I get inquiries about gifting a pet photography session, I always take care to ensure that the recipient will truly appreciate it. It’s a bit like buying wall art as a gift—you need to consider the recipient’s home decor style, color preferences, and available space. What appeals to me may not align with what the recipient would choose. 

In this instance, it was clear that this was the perfect gift for this mother of four. Her home was filled with family photos in the entryway, so we chose a spot for another canvas and decided on the best orientation—horizontal or vertical.

Understanding these details beforehand helps us create artwork that will be treasured and displayed for years.

My subject was Paczki, a duck tolling retriever mix. Pronounced "POONCH-key," Paczki is named after a Polish filled doughnut—deep-fried and covered in powdered sugar, glaze, or dried orange zest. Though I haven’t tried one yet, I’m planning to visit a Polish bakery soon. It sounds delicious!

We met at Koreshan State Park in Estero, an ideal location for a photo session. Paczki’s mom wanted to be included in some of the photos, which was wonderful given their close bond. While the name Paczki is endearing and reflects their Polish heritage, Shadow would also be a fitting name. Paczki stayed close to her mom, which made it challenging to capture photos of just Paczki. I needed her mom to stand behind me to get Paczki’s attention, but our persistence paid off. The blooming azaleas added a lovely touch to the photos.

My favorite shot was an unscripted moment of them walking across a bridge to our next location. This spontaneous photo perfectly captures their special bond. No matter how many photos you take of your dog, moments like these are irreplaceable and are impossible to capture on your own.