Chief is a big dog with a gentle heart. Part American Staffy, part American Bulldog, and a mix of a few other things besides, he’s the kind of dog who looks like he should be unbothered by the world but is actually deeply sensitive to it. The moment something unfamiliar happens, Chief notices, and when he’s unsure, he looks straight to Gemma.
Gemma was moving back to Adelaide, and before she left she wanted photographs of Chief taken that did him justice. Not a quick snap in the backyard, but real portraits in nature, somewhere that felt like him and the adventures they like to go on together. So we made it happen before she went.
I met them at sunrise in Warrandyte, down by the river, on one of those late spring mornings where the moisture in the air and the cool temperatures have left a low fog sitting over the water. It lifted quickly once the sun came up, and from there I had the kind of clear, open light that makes a sunrise session worth the early alarm.
Chief already knew me, which meant we skipped the warm-up phase entirely and got straight into it. One of the first spots was down on the rocks along the riverbank, which turned out to require a bit more negotiating than expected. The rocks were slippery and Chief had to find his footing carefully before he was comfortable, so I held back and gave him the space and time to work it out on his own terms. Once he had it sorted he was happy to move between spots without fuss, and I worked through a few different locations along the river from there.
Toward the end of the session I moved them to the trail for some running photos. It was going well until I heard a shriek from somewhere around the bend, followed shortly by Chief appearing at full pace with an enormous stick clamped proudly in his mouth. He had already taken Gemma clean out through the knees. By the time he came into view she was on the ground laughing, and Chief was absolutely delighted with himself.
Gemma wasn’t particularly keen on being in the photos herself, which is pretty common, but I reminded her she’d want those memories and she got in front of the camera anyway. When I showed her some of the images on the back of the camera during the session, her reaction made it clear the reminder was worth it.
These were the photos she needed before she left.
When Gemma saw her images, she knew exactly what she wanted. A glass Memory Box with around fifteen to twenty prints inside – a fitting choice for someone in the middle of a move. A framed piece needs a wall to go on, and when you’re heading interstate to stay with family while you find your feet, a Memory Box travels with you. The photographs are there whenever she wants them, without needing a permanent home to put them in yet.
She’s since made it back to Adelaide, and when her digitals came through she said she absolutely loves them – and that the memories from the session are full of fun and happiness.
That’s the best outcome. Chief being completely himself, Gemma having the photographs she wanted before a big life change, and a product that fits where life is taking her right now.
I still live in hope she’ll come back wanting one or more photos printed to hang on her walls.
