Let's get to know each other!

I'm a photographer servicing New Hampshire and surrounding areas. My "specialty" is pet photography - with an emphasis on terminally ill and senior pets. I was drawn to this path after losing my own dog on March 4, 2021 and needed an outlet to express my grief. I realized that helping others going through the same difficult situation would not only be healing for me, but I loved the idea of offering comfort and helping others at the same time. I consider these sessions to be very humbling and such an honor.

About

I'm not  just a photographer... I'm a dog mom, too!

One thing that I find interesting about dog owners is that many of us seem to have a "breed" that we call our own. For me, it's the boxer! I've been a boxer mom since 2002. 

Pictured above are selfies of me along with Logan, Abby, and Finley. Unfortunately, I wasn't into pet photography as much when I had my first two boxers. I don't have any photos of us together which is something that I regret immensely! Please take it from me... you'll want photos of yourself with your pups! They are so, so important!

My photography journey began in 2004 when I purchased my first "real" camera. At the time I was just discovering the amazing world of whales in the wild and was spending every spare minute that I had out at sea watching them in their natural habitat. Whale watching remains a passion of mine today and I've met some of the most amazing people and made some of my closest friends throughout our mutual love for the sea and marine wildlife. I enjoy photographing a wide variety of wildlife and anything nature related.

My start in photography

I never saw myself pursuing pet photography in any way shape or form. I took candids of my own pets, but that was about it. In 2021, all of that changed when I was preparing to say goodbye to my boy Logan. I had no idea that pet photography was even really a thing - nevermind that there were even pet photographers out there who even offered end of life sessions.

When deciding to let my boy go, I called an at home euthanasia service to come to my home. We were still dealing with the effects of Covid and most vets still weren't allowing people in with their pets. There was no way I could hand his leash over in the parking lot and let him pass without me being there. So, I called Lap of Love (who I highly recommend) Monday morning and set up his appointment for that Thursday afternoon. That gave me nearly a week to photograph everything. I basically ended up doing my own end of life session.

After losing Logan, I was in very rough shape. I knew it would hurt to lose him. I knew it would be difficult, but the immense grief I felt was almost crippling. I was struggling with losing him and knew I needed to find an outlet to channel my grief. That's when I decided to start offering these sessions to other families who were preparing to say their goodbyes. My hope was that the photos would offer them comfort as they healed from their loss. I was also hoping that doing this would help mend my own broken heart. It did!

In early 2024, I was hit with another devastating loss when I lost my Abby girl to the same disease that I lost Logan to. It's a horrible disease known as Degenerative Myelopathy and if you're unfamiliar with it, it's very similar to ALS in humans. It paralyzes their hind legs and gradually moves towards their front legs. Their internal organs can also be negatively impacted. Mentally these dogs are still here and very aware of what's going on around them. Physically, they cannot play like they used to or like they want to. They suffer emotionally as well as they can develop anxiety and even depression. It's a very difficult progression to watch.

Just like with Logan, I did my own photos for Abby's end of life session. Also, just like with Logan, I opted to have Lap of Love come to my home to set her free. Losing Abby hit me just as hard as losing Logan. I lost all motivation for everything, including photography. I took a months long break to try to cope. I hated turning other people away in their time of need, but I knew that if I wasn't emotionally and mentally present, their photos would not be up to par and I wanted them to have photos they could always cherish. They deserved that.

I'm happy to say that today, my motivation and drive for pet photography has returned. I'm still a boxer mom to my crazy  boy Finley! He's my 5th boxer, my 1st white one. He's my wild child! He's also my "reactive" boy so if you have concerns about having a dog with reactivity issues, believe me... I understand the struggle and am happy to work with you!

Why pet photography?

Logan

Abby

Finley

As a photographer, it should go without saying that I'm a believer in the importance of having photos. When it comes to our loved ones, I feel that they're that much more important. When I look back at Logan and Abby's photos, it provides me with a sense of comfort and healing. I cherish them and am beyond grateful that I have them.

I take my job very seriously. Not only because my clients are paying for a service, but because I want you to feel the same sense of comfort and healing when you look back at the photos that we're able to capture together. I do a lot of end of life sessions and knowing that I'm capturing some final memories for the families I'm working for is incredibly humbling. I consider it to be such an honor.

My philosophy

Photography is a huge part of my life. Between photographing whales in the wild, nature and other types of wildlife, and of course my pet photography it's not too often I don't have a camera in my hand. So what am I doing in those instances?

Well... let's see.

I enjoy being out in nature. Walking the beach. Another favorite spot of mine is Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield, MA where the songbirds will literally eat right out of your hand! I enjoy baking - not he the clean up. I enjoy relaxing to a good movie or TV show (huge Yellowstone fan). I enjoy making little sculptures out of polymer clay. Of course, I also enjoy quiet nights in just hanging out with my pup too! Who doesn't love that?

White-breasted Nuthatch eating out of hand at the Ipswich River Sanctuary.

Outside of Photography