Li Ward photographer of pets and weddings. Fat Orange Cat Studio is a fresh and candid boutique photography service in Boston, Massachusetts.

If I had such a beautiful cat with such a snowy coat and such shiny green eyes, I would name him Snowball. His full name would be Snowball Igloo Blizzard the Third as I have had two cats named such before. Luckily this cat dodged this unoriginal if obvious moniker and is known as Eppa. Eppa of the Back Bay.

He’s seriously the whitest cat I’ve ever seen, even with his gray streaks at the top of his head. And he is quite large too, as large and sweet as a baby seal on an ice floe. His face reminds me of Easter with his fluffy baby bunny fur, and his eyes and nose made out of jelly beans.

I love cats.

This is the first time I’ve written in white ink on kraft paper. I tried about 4 different brands of white ink, each less opaque than the last. The one I settled on is extremely opaque, almost too thick that it gooped in some spots. But I bent it to my will.

The envelopes will house save-the-date invites that stationer Sarah Parrott will be creating. The couple is having their wedding this fall on a tiny island off North Carolina (I want to be there!!).

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This is the first time I’ve calligraphed Icelandic characters. I met with the groom, who is from Iceland, to go over how to write some of the glyphs, such as Eth’s and Thorn’s. I learned that all Icelanders surnames are literally “Son of Jon” or “Daughter of Jon” – son or daughter of the father’s given name – and that is how lineage is traced. It is very Lord of the Rings! More than a quarter of the guests will be coming from Iceland. It’s only like a 5 hour flight from Boston…hmmm…

Their wedding is this fall in the bride’s hometown of Philadelphia. To go with the fall theme and the colors they chose for the invites, I used an ink color in “burnt sienna.”

Last fall I photographed Justine’s chihuahua Lita, as well her mother’s senior German Shepherd mixes Dax and Luna. This summer we met up again – sans dogs – for Justine’s marriage to Chris at the Commander’s Mansion in Watertown, MA. The ceremony was to be held outdoors on the grounds, however due to a quick but massive downpour everything was moved inside. Which might have been just as well. It was ridiculously hot out there! Some highlights of the evening: really long, fake lashes (I gotta try those someday), a BFF who officiated the wedding, whoopie pies for dessert, kids as cute as whoopie pies in attendance, and the groom’s son who drilled a giant hole into the floor from all his raging dance moves.

A wonderful wedding! Congratulations to you Justine & Chris.

Venue: Commander’s Mansion, Watertown Massachusetts
Caterer: Season to Taste Catering, Cambridge MA
Flowers: Derby Farm Flowers, Arlington MA
Hair + makeup: Beauty Couture by Jenelle
Calligraphy + illos: Me! (hee hee)
Whoopie pies: Cream and Sugar Bakery, Portland ME
(You know I don’t think I’ve ever had a whoopie pie before. Cake? Pie? Cookie? Sandwich? I forgot to steal one!)

This is Destiny, the tennis ball-obsessed chocolate Labrador. I met her and her owner at their home on the outskirts of Boston on a very humid late afternoon. We’ve been getting a lot of those lately. Nevertheless we kept the session outdoors, first in their pretty, wooded backyard and then in a nearby field where Destiny could chase the tennis ball at will. Her tongue grew longer and longer and longer as the session went on!

If the ball is not in camera, you can be sure that it is very, very nearby.

* With special guest appearance by A Stick *

Meet Plato, the cutest 7 month-old puppy I’ve ever photographed. He’s a Havanese. I met him and his owner at their home Medford, MA, a town where Dan and I bought our first place :) This shoot included Putting the Dog on Top of Things, which while not entirely candid, does add some variety to the portfolio and can really turn out well. So aside from running around and noshing on Greenies and Bully Sticks, Plato got to lounge in a hammock! And sit on the back of a flat-bed truck!

Behind the Scenes

Relaxing on the hammock. Just so you know, I would never myself suggest placing your pet aloft because I don’t know if he’ll sit calmly or freak out and break a leg in the process! But if you the owner want to try something and know your dog will be up for it, then I am too.

Plato plays up his good side and tosses his tresses back.

P.S. These photos were taken with the 24-70mm lens, except for the indoor shots which were taken with the 50mm.
Edited to add: 24-70mm f/2.8 and 50mm f/1.4 Nikon lenses