Custom Wall Art for your Pets | Sydney Pet Photography

No matter how much I get wooed by the newest, latest range of print products, good old fashioned custom framing prints are almost certainly always the most popular choice (for customers. Check out these high-quality custom frames by the professional framer I partnered with.

(1) a standard frame in classic dark wood (also comes in creme/neutral and black) - proudly modeled by Mr Big;

^ Standard Frame

^ Standard Frame in classic dark wood

(2) art deco classics (my signature frame) featuring Napoleon; and

^ Art Deco Classics (signature frame)

^ Art Deco Classics (signature frame)

(3) baroque gothic (my other signature frame) - proudly modelled by PF.

^ Baroque Gothic (signature frame)

^ Baroque Gothic (signature frame)

They now hang proud at twoguinepaigs HQ home base and tag along with me to Client visits.

Nothing beats hand-picked, framed to size wall art to present the love and dedication towards your pets, fur babies, and life-long companions - making a statement of it!

Why custom framing?

Professionally framed prints or fine art prints not only look good and present well, they also protect and help preserve your prints for a very long time to come. A professional framer understands the printing process enough to know what is best to preserve the prints; not like DYI framing where you find your print slipping from its position and stuck to the frame/glass after 2 Summers (did you know that prints sweat in Summer too?)

Custom framing will inevitably cost you more than say frames from Ikea or any retail shops but it’s worth it.

If you can’t decide which frames to use or don’t have the time to pick them yourself, let me do the work for you! This is all part of twoguineapigs’ friendly service. I look forward to helping you decorate your place with wall art featuring your pets!

Gift custom wall art this Christmas?

For those who wants to gift this as Christmas present, they are included as part of my gift card package!

Behind-the-scenes notes
Shots of Mr Big and PF were made at twoguineapigs HQ with available light. In case you’re wondering whether these can be made on location, yes they can!

New Fine Art Album | Sydney Professional Pet Photography

Presenting twoguineapigs’ newest product - a fine art album for those who prefer to display their beautiful images on printed matte pages.

I am excited about this product because it offers you a variety of layouts on the page; a single image on a page (or across the 2 pages), or a good few images.

So if you are looking for that perfect heirloom piece to display at home or as a present this Christmas or Summer, order one now when you book your photoshoot with twoguineapigs - introductory price @$600 (10x10”, 30 pages, chocolate leather cover).

Custom Gallery Album for Napoleon | Custom Photography

Once upon a time I photographed a dog called Napoleon - and that experience became a visual story book for his owners.

Napoleon is no longer on this world, so this book has become a book of memories for his owners to treasure.

I was so proud to have been able to make this album — as I was to meet Napoleon — who was a sweet tempered lovely personality. And honoured to share and photograph these very special moments.

Speaking of sweet, my husband kindly agreed to model with the book - get that guy to a catwalk!

In case you didn’t know, I love books (and my husband).

These classic Custom Gallery Albums are available as part of a commissioned photoshoot. For bookings or details, contact us.

Custom Albums | Sydney Pet Photography

Who says books are dead? Custom made books are special and that is a really important part of my feelings about doing albums for customers. I want these albums to be precious - to be like heirlooms - and to celebrate the photos that I am presenting.

I love the beauty of books themselves, so this is one of my favourite ways of presenting photos to my clients.

This one I did for the incomparable Dobie - a dog with true inner city personality.

2011 Australian Working Dog Calendar for fundraising | Giving back

Time flies - before you know it Christmas is around the corner and 2011 is just next door! Where did 2010 go?

For those of you who have been following my blog, facebook etc, you will remember the little guys from the Australian Working Dog Rescue Inc (AWDRI)  that I have photographed this year for their adoption profiles.

The working dogs starring in this calender were rescued from the most desperate circumstances and undesirable situations – some could not work on a farm, risked being put to sleep or have lived in a pound for a long time. For dogs rescued in NSW and around Sydney, the AWDRI boards them at the Solar Lodge Kennels and Catery until they find a new home or a foster to go to.

Working dogs (for instance dogs that work on farms, at the army, police force etc) occupy a position in society that is outside the social space known as “pet ownership”. If these dogs fall out of this position, or never get to occupy it at all, there are very few options open for them. The chance of “re-employment” is not high, leaving only the hope of pet ownership as an alternative to a very uncertain future.

There is in this the very real threat of death (known as being "put down"), unless such dogs are ‘rescued’ by shelter groups and put in temporary accommodation in a series of kennels or foster homes.

Working dogs have no say in any of this - in pounds they are similar to objects in a “lost and found” department, with disposal a very real possibility if they are not claimed. Their destinies are entirely at the mercy of the narrow options given to them by humans.

Related to this, but at the other extreme, are pet shops where dogs are sold because of attractive coat markings and colours, features etc. I often wonder how many of these former glamour pets also end up in pounds and rescue groups each year.

I have compiled a calendar for the AWDRI with some portrait images from these shoots, focusing on the hopeful expressions of these working dogs ‘in transit’ - dogs awaiting adoption or fostering - a subtle way to examine the situation of working dogs in our modern society, how their identities are constructed, their dignities, and how this process is a life and death situation for them, reliant on the structures of pet ownership, its fashions and its rules. Most importantly, the hope and trust these working dogs still show towards us.

Proceeds from sales of the calendar go to AWDRI to help these working dogs find a new home.

You too can do your part in helping these dogs find a new home - grab a couple of these calendars as Christmas presents now!

Motivation

I got Stephen to drop these off at Chew Chew's this afternoon — photographs I took for the patrons a while back.

Prints, originally uploaded by twoguineapigs pet photography.

Prints, originally uploaded by twoguineapigs pet photography.

Amongst them, a retired working dog called Knuckles, an Australian Cattle Dog who worked on a farm all his life until he was too old to work anymore. Poor Knuckles has arthritis and has to see the vet every fortnight for his medication, and he is partially deaf. Despite that, he has found a good home and now lives with MS, an elderly gentleman, who adopted him the time when he retired from being a working dog.

Knuckles, originally uploaded by twoguineapigs pet photography.

There is so much love, respect and trust Knuckles shows towards MS — the bond between the two is hard to describe. I dread to think where Knuckles would have ended up if not for MS.

Relaxed, originally uploaded by twoguineapigs pet photography.

Good men (and women) like MS and good dogs like Knuckles keep me motivated in my work.

Red Bubble goodies

I came home to this this evening!

I hope to find some time to take individual snapshots of each of the products ordered. So this will do for now.

In the post today, originally uploaded by twoguineapigs pet photography.

For those who probably noticed, I have listed few artworks for sale on Red Bubble.

I tested out Red Bubble's shopping experience and placed an order last Wednesday for a number of items: a framed print, mounted print, canvas print, gift cards and post cards.

It didn't take them too long to arrive.

They came in nicely packed, each of the larger items in its own individual protective plastic and bubble wrap. The gift cards and post cards were transported in a tough bag (one that you can get from most branches of Australian Post ).

I must say I'm impressed with Red Bubble's shopping experience and as well as the quality they produced — I'm happy to know that when someone places an order for my artwork they will get quality finished products.

Prints and packaging

I must say I'm very happy with Bronco's 8x12" print and softcover album. I haven't got my monitor calibrator yet so I had to test-run the prints first to make sure what was printed was what I saw on my screen. The technician at the professional photo lab was very helpful in getting the colours right.

It pays to get someone to print your photos accurately - it's what professional photographers do: solve your colour and printing problems.

I am a perfectionist; I can't sleep unless I get it right!

To do justice to these beautiful prints, I decided to give DIY packaging a go - when I was growing up, I used to package gifts, cards and what-not for family and friends. I very much enjoy matching colours and materials.

For this project I chose an orange/tan, brown and olive green theme to compliment the colours of my business logo.

Bronco's owner is happy with the end-result. I'd be thrilled if someone gifted me these.

Softcover album + 8x12" print.

Softcover album - inside.

Softcover album - back.

Softcover album + 8x12" print.