We wanted to give you some good news, after what has been such a tough couple of years for so many. On a personal note, I don’t know how I would have got through the pandemic without the love of my life, little Jet Jackson by my side.
Let’s hope 2022 gives us the opportunity to address the inequities that the pandemic has so clearly shown us, to help the voiceless in society and to love and celebrate at every opportunity the best thing that ever existed - dogs - cheers to that!
A pandemic silver lining for me is that the lockdowns have afforded me more time to invest in both my dog photography and the Don’t You Want Me project which brings me swiftly to the very reason for this blog - DOGGYDATESTORONTOISGOINGONTOURBABY!
Thanks to the generous support of Pet Valu, I will be exhibiting the Don’t You Want Me project at their various stores across Canada, and whilst I’m in each city I’ll also going to have the opportunity to offer my dog photography.
I will be offering my outdoor doggo sunrise photo shoot sessions in the following cities:- Bradford, Ontario - 12-13th March Vancouver - 29th March - 4th April Winnipeg - 14th -19th April Halifax - 11th-16th May Calgary - 2nd - 7th June
For any of my followers across Canada, NOW is the time to book your doggo photoshoot session! I will only be in each city for a week, so spots are limited. Any session deposits made will be refunded if there are any covid related cancellations. Please note, this does not apply to non emergency related cancellations.
MOREGOODNEWSTHANKSTOYOU!
A big thank you to all who have supported, championed and nominated both Doggy Dates Toronto and the Don’t You Want Me Project for our work this year - I feel so lucky to be able to do work that I love. It took me over 2O years to find my passion and I’m committed to learning more and being the best I can be as both an artist and a person. Finally the biggest thank you goes out to the bravery and vulnerability of the queer and trans community and their rescue dogs who have shared their stories for the Don’t You Want Me Project that will be exhibited across Canada!
If you’ve invested the time and money to have your dog(s) photographed by a professional, the quality is such that these images can be printed and displayed in your home where you get to appreciate them every day. They’re no longer a social media post or file on your computer that is forgotten in a few days, instead they last a lifetime.
Things to consider when printing
You’ll want to consider which room you plan to hang your wall art so that you best match the product with the decor and space. For example, I would advise against hanging a metal print in a room with floor to ceiling windows as they are very reflective - instead I would suggest a floatmount or canvas. Similarly you’ll want to consider where to hang your print - is it a goofy fun loving image guaranteed to make you smile - then maybe it’s best placed in the hallway so that it’s the first thing that you see when you come home after a long day at work.
Perhaps you have a more sophisticated or classic pose - this might be best suited in the dining room.
Thinking of something for your bedroom, perhaps go for something that speaks pure love and adoration.
Getting the right size for your space is an important consideration too - you want to make sure the image is proportionate to the area. One of the benefits of hiring a professional photographer is that the quality of their equipment allows for your images to be printed at large sizes, and they can also advise you on what image and product would suit your space.
Products and pricing
We work with GTA Imaging the go-to printing house in Ontario for professional photographers. Check out our video overview of our wall art products - we also have sample products that we can show you either via zoom or in person.
Floatmount
Floatmounts give the illusion of being suspended in mid air once displayed. They have a matt finish so are a good option in areas of the house that have lots of reflective surfaces. 16x24 inch $300 20x30 inch $350 24x36 inch $400
High Gloss Flushmount
A truly versatile product with a high gloss finish. 16x24 inch $325 20x30 inch $375 24x36 inch $425
Metal
Metal prints are of very high quality and have a cast coated display. The images offer a clear, luscious and vibrant effect. This product can exert a magical luminescence effect similar to 3 dimensional.
16x24 inch $350 20x30 inch $400 24x36 inch $450
Canvas
We offer the ultimate statement piece premium matte canvas in just one size. The canvas can be either purchased separately as an add on or is included as part of the ‘Movie Star’ package. 40x60 inch $800
Have any questions about printing your wall art - get in touch - we love to chat about all things photography!
Exciting things have been happening on the Don’t You Want Me photography project that we sponsor! Recently Jack was approached by Pet Valu after they saw the Toronto star article to ask how they could support the project!!
With Pride just around the corner we decided to amplify our existing stories from the project through video. Pet Valu immediately got to work hiring the best of the best for the job. I couldn’t believe my luck when I found out that Westside Studio’s Angie Bird was to direct the videos. For anyone that doesn’t know Birdie, she’s a hugely respected award-winning director, part of the LGBTQ community and has a rescue dog! Check out one of her award winning groundbreaking videos here.
Fast forward a week and the participants for the videos had been chosen, Birdie had held zoom interviews with all of them, the outfits had been decided upon, and even the dogs had all had a little makeover and manicure!. Everyone was getting excited for the big day. I’ve never actually been to a proper film set but it was seriously impressive.
Pet Valu had provided a dog handler, a craft table just for the dogs (obviously), all the refreshments we needed and Birdie had the washroom signs changed to gender-neutral. Everything was done to make our participants (both doggo and human) feel as comfortable as possible. I got a really heartwarming text from one of the project’s participants at the end of the day saying it was the first time in a long while that they had not felt ‘othered’ be that through race, sexuality or gender. I distinctly remember the first time when I was in a group of people and just blended in (it was at an awesome dog photography workshop!). I wasn’t ‘other’ and I wasn’t visibly queer and I felt a calmness that I’d never felt in a group setting before. Let’s hope as a society, we reach a place where visible minorities no longer carry with them such underlying fear and anxiety.
We couldn’t have been happier with the final videos, the one below having received well over 2 million hits to date. Yes you heard that correctly!
Huge thanks To Pet Valu, Angie Bird and her team and of course all of the Don’t You Want Me participants and their dogs, without whom we wouldn’t have this project. If only these once abandoned unwanted dogs knew how instrumental they had been in changing the course of our lives.
How can you help?
If you believe in the power of storytelling and dogs as much as we do please share this blog on your social media. The project is looking for more people to sit for photography sessions. To be eligible to be part of the project you must identify as LGBTQ, have a rescue dog and have a story of transformation that you are willing to share. This could be anything from the arrival of your dog being the catalyst for a major life change, to your dog dramatically transforming your mental health or to an exciting new adventure instigated by the arrival of your rescue dog.
Finally the project has a very big announcement to share with you in the lead up to Trans Awareness Week on 13 November so if you, someone you know or your employer wants to be part of this timely social impact initiative the time to come on board is now! Let’s start a conversationabout how we can help each other and let’s save some lives in the process.
