Professional dachshund portraits, do it!

Showcasing some of my favorite professional portraits of my hounds | September 2012. Photo by: Johnny Ortez-Tibbels ©

Hello friends. Let me impart some words of wisdom and experience. Between 2005 and 2009, I had Rufus‘ portrait taken by some of the best pet photographers LA has to offer. We had his photo taken by 6 professional photographers in the span of four years, and his likeness captured in paintings and other illustrations by 6 other artists. I can tell you without a doubt it was some the best money I spent. I have personally never known anyone ever to say, I have too many photos or sweet keepsakes of my beloved canine companion. It just doesn’t happen. How could it?!?

Listen, I could probably change the oil in my car if I was really committed to the task. But, you know, I feel like it is a better use of my time to pay a professional to do it. They have specialized knowledge and equipment to do it easier, faster and in all honesty better. Today nearly everyone owns some sort of digital camera and happily captures lots of precious images of their dogs, which is fantastic. But I do assert that it’s worth the money and effort to have your dog’s portrait taken by a professional at least a few different times in their life.

Do you remember growing up and attending 12 years of schooling and taking those school pictures each year!?? At the time we probably didn’t give it much consideration, and being frank, we probably thought these silly posed portraits were lame. However, cut to several years later as adults, and it is nice to look back at those pictures and remember what we looked like, what we felt and have that rush of many other memories that a nostalgic picture can cause. These photos are nice to share with family and friends who perhaps didn’t know us back then. I’m a huge advocate of printed and framed pictures on the walls and in photo albums. Don’t let the age of digital media rob of you of those mementos.

I consider myself a dachshund artist and not a pet photographer, because I specialize in the dachshund breed and temperament. I also do a lot of painting these days in my images during the editing process in photoshop. I work hard to create a special and lasting image for my clients. I’m not the cheapest photographer nor am I readily available to all. I’m very selective about which clients I accept because for me, it’s a very personal relationship. And although I’d love to photograph every dachshund in the world, and I have photographed a lot, the truth of the matter is I simply can’t shoot them all.

If you cannot have me because of price or geography, please do find another photographer that you can. I really believe it’s a great investment to hire a professional photographer(s) to capture images of you and yours – if not annually then every few years, whatever your budget will allow. The pictures you’ll have afterwards will yield many happy memories in the present and future. Do it friends! I promise, you won’t regret it. One of my favorite modern illustrations of this point is Dog Years: Faithful Friends, Then & Now.