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

Sarah first contacted me sometime in October ’08, when I was just starting out my pet photography business and was looking for some canine volunteers to fill my scant portfolio. She and her fiance live in Providence, and had just gotten Simone, a Lab mix rescue puppy who was then almost 5 months old. But due to a very bad case of email accounts mismanagement, I didn’t end up seeing Sarah’s email until February. Gah!

But we emailed back and forth during the ensuing months, and worked out a deal. It was a really good deal. Because Sarah had something I wanted, something I needed really, really badly. She has a custom stationery business. She has paper, lots of pretty, pretty paper. And she has a letterpress. Maybe you’re not aware of this, but paper + letterpress = the perfect couple.

So I asked her if we could do a crafty swap – I photograph her Simone in exchange for some letterpressed Thank You cards for my business. This past weekend we finally met to exchange our goods. First, I’ll show you what I gave Sarah. Then tomorrow I’ll show you what Sarah gave me. I totally think I got the better end of the deal!

Here now is Simone, at 11 months, technically an adult now but still bursting with puppy energy and personality.

I’d just like the viewers to know that while the photos below are displayed in the order they were taken, they do not follow any linear sort of order whatsoever, in that you begin with a dog who is full of energy, uses the energy, and as time passes, eventually spends that energy so that the dog has to stop to replenish that energy. Simone did not work that way. She had internal buzzers that told her to lounge…then bzzz! get crazy and roll over…then bzzz! fall asleep…bzzz!!! look out the window…bzzz! run around in circles…you get the idea.

“Now I’m calm…”

“NOW I’M NAWT!!!”

Simone has the head of a Lab, the body of a whippet, and the legs of a supermodel.

“I know. I am part dog, part Gisele Bundchen.”

After the world’s quickest open-eyed nap, Simone headed outside to show off her amazing athletic abilities.

“Now I’m in the air! Now I’m on the ground!”

I have so many photos of her in this pose.

Here is when Simone decided that chasing sticks all afternoon long was not going to save the world; however, digging a hole would.

After a quick break and some finishing touches, Simone gives her handiwork a full inspection before she calls it a day.

“Yup. Yup. Mmhmm yup.”

“TADA I has dugs you a hole and eaten summuvit!!”

Now we come to the more posed shots of the session. I would say a photoshoot with me generally comprises 80% candids: me following the dog around and capturing whatever it is she decides to do. The remaining 20% are posed shots: me telling the owner to tell the dog to do something in front, on top, behind, or next to something else, and major bonus points if the dog smiles in the right direction.

I do these kinds of shots to give some variety in the shoot. And also to test my or the owner’s or the dog’s patience, I think! Sometimes the more you want it, the more likely you won’t get it, the more you want it…begin vicious cycle. In this case, it was Simone’s patience that was being tried. I think she was like, Dude! Enough of all the sitting. The yard has but just ONE HOLE.

But she did so good while we roamed around College Hill and the waterfront.

BYE BYE now! Thanks for visiting!
xoxo, Simone

Next up: The FOCStudio letterpress notecards from Sarah’s Things Are Better with a Parrott design studio. Her stuff is exquisite. Y’aller gonna be so jealous.

Hey! Here is a little local news clip that aired after the Pawsh party from earlier this month. You get to see the back of my head in action, oooo.

The camera man conveniently caught me actually not taking a photo. I was trying to shoot Penny (shown below with her bff Marta) by herself.  And she was all yeahkaynothxbai.

I get the brush-off more often than not, truth be told…

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HARRIET is an English Pointer/carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting who would not look at the camera.

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SIMON is a German Shorthaired Pointer/chocolate cupcake with butterceam frosting who was not aware of the camera.

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MADISON is a Labrador/vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting who couldn’t get enough of the camera.

Harriet, Simon and Madison are already well-known in the area, each having their own cupcake alter egos at the South End Buttery, my favorite neighborhood coffee shop. When we sold our house in the burbs and moved here nearly 2 years ago, we spent our first weekend as city dwellers hanging out at the Buttery, drinking iced coffee, eating cupcakes and reading the last installment of Harry Potter. It was a perfect, PERFECT summer’s afternoon. The bakery sits at the end of Union Park, with its English layout of 1860 bow-front row houses enclosing a small park gurgling with water fountains. I sat there that summer pinching myself between mouthfuls of cupcake (the Simon is Dan’s favorite, Madison is mine). Because after we were done eating, all we’d have to do to get home was to walk. No cars, no traffic, no rushing to catch the commuter train. Just a short, leisurely walk past the fountains, the brick row house after brick house, the front steps of which are each flanked by lovely wrought-iron curliques.

I love living here.

FYI here is a short NY Times piece from 2006 about the South End. There’s a fly-by mention of the Buttery, with Simon  misidentified as a chocolate Lab. I did the same thing, oops! It’s just short of a glowing article because of the unnecessary snark. But whatever. The author’s secretly jealous that she doesn’t live here ;)

Last night’s party at Pawsh Dog Boutique in the Back Bay was a roaring (growling? snarling?) success. I really wanted to peek my head into one of the psychic readings that was going on downstairs, but I was busy photographing pretty much the whole time, and before I knew it, the party was over. I unfused my hand, now misshapen into permanent claw, from the camera. OW. Mike and Nancy did an awesome job with the PR (the local news and a photog from the Herald was at hand, taking photos of me taking photos. She had a 70-200mm, recorded voiceover notes into her digital camera, and wore a pair of yellow Wellies. It was pretty hot) that the place was pretty much packed from start to finish.

This blog post is about to packed with photos. Not at all web-optimized. Are. You. Ready.

First up is Balki, who puts the “paw” in Pawsh, kindly modeling me some test shots before the party. They got this awesome RED! pillow just for the photoshoot. It worked great.

A black chair was another option, which I didn’t end up using very much.

Balki looks like he’s about to go marry a stranger after this photoshoot is done. Or go panning for gold.

First customer is Remy! (Pardon me if I don’t spell your names correctly.)

Here’s Ricky:

Charlie!

Look at those anime eyes, all quivering like jelly in the light!

Here is Beana. I was meowing at her to get her attention.

She’s looking particular sharp against that red pillow:

Gus and his silly tongue:

Kepler, taking a little breather after all that dancing:

Meg, who still isn’t sure about that raincoat her mom bought her last month. But I know I like to party!

Bugsy! Those big Cavalier eyes KILL me.

Marta: YAAAH!

With her BFF Penny:

Hee heeee!

Langston here, feeling at least 5 months younger after a nice massage:

Henry, slightly concerned that the flash will wash him out:

Isla, knowing she looks good in any lighting:

Two is better than one. And so, Paco and Ping Ping:

Abby, who is not ready to go home yet:

Cody, most fashion-forward of the evening:

Yeah uh huh that’s right. Shake that groove thing.

And last but not least, Jade, who responded very well to the word “pizza.”

And that’s a wrap! Hope everyone enjoyed their photos (hi CALL ME if you want more, a-wink wink), and thanks Mike, Nancy and Balki for throwing such a great party!

Next up: three lovely dogs from the South End. But first, the parents are visiting. Seems like a good time to finally scrape that cat vomit off the floor…

The 2nd grand opening party at Pawsh Dog Boutique, which I first mentioned about in here, is happening this Thursday, April 2 from 5:00-8:00pm. Boston-area dogs should stop by and get their haunches massaged, then their paws read, and finally their mugs photographed! And not necessarily in that order, although it would help you relax in front of the camera if you got your massage first. Heh.

And maybe if you’re extra good,  you’ll go home with one of these fabulous t-shirts.

iPood. I am Fartacus. Bahaha.

And Pawsh is displaying 6 of my prints in their store! I’m all pink from being tickled! Only 5 are showing because I made a clerical error and had to reprint the 6th one. All of them are 16×20.

3 prints (and soon a 4th) above the entrance.

From L-R we have Daisy in the snow, Lola in the South End, and Sadie and her snout. On the very right is their owners’ own photo of their Balki as a puppy. Cuuuute.

2 more prints above the staircase to the lower level. Beijing dog on the left, Margo on the right.

Hee hee! Thanks Mike and Nancy for displaying my prints!

Boston dog owners, see you Thursday!