Last weekend, magic happened! It snowed in Nashville and it was beautiful! Benny is absolutely crazy about the snow - he thinks it is mighty tasty. We spent a lot of time in snowball fights, sledding and just playing. I couldn’t resist but to photograph him enjoying the snow. Have a great weekend!

Staying warm in his blue sweater. Dog collar by the fabulous Earthdog! We have a couple of their collars, but this is our favorite - blue is Benny’s color! Earthdog is great - be sure to check them out.

I love the photos that actually show the falling snow.

Here he is enjoying the delectable snow.

Benny is so funny when it comes to sticks. He loves for me to throw them, but once he retrieves it he remains very protective of it. Anyone experience the same with your dog?

The last photo is Benny and me together. I can’t tell you how much this photograph means to me. I have countless photos of him and a handful of Benny and my husband together, but not really any of just he and I. I’m in love.

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

Last weekend I read two New York Times stories about the relationships between people and their dogs. I (this is Laura) do not have a dog yet, but I was both touched and entertained by these glances into the world of dog ownership.

The first story, “Dogs’ Life (and Death) Is a Poignant Tale” celebrates the lives of Harry and Bix, two “virtual centenarians” who lived in the same building on the Upper West Side in New York City. The second, a personal essay titled “The Dog Who Hates Me,” is a humorous account of a father finally agreeing to adopt a dog–a Yorkshire terrier–that ends up, well, hating him. Both stories capture how dogs can become part of and contribute to a community, both immediate family and the neighborhood, whether that is a residential block or a 84-unit condo building.

These articles reminded me of a Seinfeld episode when Jerry is on a plane and by chance (of course) he is asked to take care of Farfel, the dog belonging to his seat partner who suffers from a medical problem. Jerry unenthusiastically agrees to take Farfel home and chaos ensues - chewing shoes, barking, etc. - as Jerry is not equipped to have a dog. Elaine and George visit, surprised to find Jerry in a tug-o-war battle with Farfel, and after a long attempt to convince Jerry to attend an event with them, he declines, blaming it on Farfel. Jerry ends the scene talking to Farfel and his closing line highlights one perspective of the human-dog relationship:

Jerry: Well, thank you very much. I’m telling you, one more day stinkbreath!

On my block, a lot of people walk their dogs, and I always see them walking along with their little poop bags, which to me is just the lowest function of human life. If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they’re gonna think the dogs are the leaders. If you see two life forms, one of them’s making a poop, the other one’s carrying it for him, who would you assume was in charge?

If your interested, you can read the entire scene here, along with several other episodes. Please note that the dog above is not from the episode. It is the original Farfel the Dog who was a brown hound dog puppet featured on Nestle’s commercials from 1953 to 1965.

Enjoy and feel free to share your stories and thoughts with us too!

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

Happy Wednesday!

I realize some people are a bit weary of Twitter, but it is a great way to customize your news updates. When you follow people, organizations, and businesses you are interested in, you’ll get news that interests you!

Does that look familiar? Well, Adrian did update the background with some recent photos, but we’re curious to know how many of the blog readers follow Adrian on Twitter? If not, it is a great way to know when new blog posts are up, learn about dog and photography businesses and resources, find out about events in Nashville and keep up on Benny! You can also get these updates on Adrian Hitt Photography’s facebook page, and we encourage everyone to become a fan!

Finally, each month Adrian Hitt Photography sends out a monthly e-newsletter. Check out the most recent e-newsletter to read how Adrian Hitt Photography is donating to Haiti and how you can contribute too.

P.S. If you really want to get your fill of social media, check out YouTwitFace. At least you’ll get a laugh of it!

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

You may recognize this great dog family from a session last fall. I’m back to share more favorites from my time with them. Max and Princess are both so well behaved -  and loved might I add! German Shepherds have such strong features and I always enjoy watching them. They seem to be intently tuned to the world ready to respond at a moment’s notice. These two were no exception. T and J, I had the best time with you - thank you for entrusting me with your memories.

Max resting on the front porch.

A couple of my favorites of these four!

Love silhouettes.

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

Last week, we posted a dog photo call on the blog for a shoot I’ve been wanting to execute. Thanks to those who responded! I went with a previous wedding client that I knew would kill this shoot. Jeff and Sarah are head over heels for each other and they have a beautiful Golden Retriever, Lady Blue. I first met Lady when I met Jeff and Sarah for their wedding consultation. I knew we would along great since she accompanied them! Anyway, they agreed to this shoot and I’m absolutely ecstatic with the results. We had an absolute blast playing in the snow. They were all three such troopers. As you can imagine, it was quite cold and it was an early Saturday morning which also happened to be Sarah’s birthday, but Lady LOVED the snow and kept all of us going. Here are a few favorites … Are they seriously not the cutest dog family you’ve seen?

Meet Lady, a 3.5 year old Golden Retriever.

Golden Retrievers are such gorgeous dogs and Lady has the heart to match it!

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

Autumn and Aaron are getting married this summer and I can’t wait! They flew in from North Carolina for our engagement session and I loved meeting them. Autumn has such a bright personality and she complements Aaron perfectly. They are simply wonderful. I look forward to meeting all of their families and friends at the wedding - I’m sure they’re all equally wonderful. Enjoy a few favorites from our afternoon together!

Have a nice white weekend! Around here, we’re so excited about the snow - the world becomes so magical for a couple of days. I feel like a kid all over again.

Lifestyle Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its position on bisphenol-A (or BPA), an additive used in plastic products that it originally declared safe in 2008. Environmental and health activists have been fighting to ban the use of BPA for years, especially in children’s products. Many manufacturers have discontinued the use of BPA in their products (remember the Nalgene scare?) and the government announced that it will allocate $30 million to research BPA in humans and animals over the next two years. Check out this New York Times article for more info.

In the meantime, I would highly recommend purchasing products without BPA, including the toys for your dogs and cats. In my research, I found products that are toxic-free and fully recyclable. West Paw Design, located in Montana, makes eco-friendly products ranging from chew toys to recycled doggie sweaters to organic cotton dog beds. All chew toys are made of Zogoflex, a toxic-free and durable material made in the US. The company welcomes questions because they want you (and your dog) to feel confident about the safety of their products.

Another great product from West Paw Design are ReKnitz sweaters which are made from reclaimed cotton fibers. Reusing these fibers reduces waste because manufacturing cotton uses a lot of energy and chemicals. Find out more and view additional patterns here.

Chewber is another company that makes a BPA-free product called the Chewber. It is a rubber frisbee-esque toy that can also serve as a water bowl. There are three styles: Mini-Chew, All-in-One, and Tug N’ Toss and all are made from non-toxic rubber and pigments.

I’m sure there are several other companies making BPA-free products - if you’ve got any to share, please let us know!

Dog Photographer - Nashville, TN
Adrian Hitt Photography
www.adrianhitt.com
615•715•4655