Every pet photoshoot is a completely different animal.
Hi! I’m Darlene.
Let’s talk about our dogs for a moment. I’ll start.
My first glimpse of Kota was in the scratched and bitten arms of the volunteer who drove her from Arkansas. He handed her over and said, “Good luck.”
Kota had been found as a stray and transported into my life. I had spent the 16 years prior as a flight attendant, a spontaneous on-the-go lifestyle that might see me flying with friends to New York City just to go to dinner. I wasn’t too fond of making plans.
When Kota came to me, everything had to be planned. She had a bad start in life, and it showed in her aggression. She was the sort of puppy who would have been euthanized, but I decided to fight for her. And she changed me.
When trainers we worked with seemed to punish more than help, I certified as a positive dog trainer myself. When she needed lots of movement, we became the best marathon, hiking, and snowshoeing buddies. I learned to love staying closer to home.
Training led to professional dog walking, which turned into taking pictures of dogs while we walked. Which turned into me becoming a voracious consumer of photography courses. I’ve now photographed hundreds of dogs over the past 6 years.
And that brings me here, to you.
Photographing dogs like yours. The ones who have stolen your heart, altered your life, and impacted your journey in ways you couldn’t have predicted when you first scratched behind their ears.
Your life revolves around your dog. You might even have to be careful about who you introduce your dog to. I get it. I’ve lived it. (More on how I work with reactive dogs here.)
Kota has now passed on, and I cling to the images I made while we were together. She’s still here inspiring me to give that gift to you.
Please get in touch and tell me about your dog. That cute thing they do when they hear you get out their leash. The way they interact (or don’t) with new people – we accept it all. Let’s stop waiting and get images of them on your wall that make your heart burst.
In Memory of My Best Friend
April 23rd, 2011 – August 11th, 2022
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.” (A.A. Milne)
Founding Member of One Last Network
An organization of photographers dedicated to connecting pet guardians to services and support as they say good-bye to their best fur friends.
Professional Memberships
Awards
Giving Back
My dogs and all the pets who have appeared in front of my lens have given me everything I ever wanted out of a job, a business, a career. It’s a core part of my being to want to give back to the pet community by helping shelters and rescues throughout New England, taking photos of adoptable dogs and initiating fundraising projects to help with their events.
