More Cover Shoots for DOGS

I love heading to Germany for a few days to create Cover images for DOGS Magazine. I have had the pleasure to work with some gorgeous dogs, all are the adored pets of subscribers to the Magazine.... it is wonderful that Thomas, the Editor in Chief of DOGS, has given readers the opportunity to have their own pets as the Cover Stars. So Thomas and I head off on road trips around Germany to capture a variety of breeds, pure and not so pure, so the cover of each Magazine graces a different character and look for every edition.

ANGA

A stunning Black Great Dane

Anga was a little nervous to start, but soon settled into the role with ease, she was beautiful, rather tall but very regal.

AMY & OLE

A couple of gorgeous crossbreeds

Amy was sceptical, Ole was happy go lucky; both totally adorable and great fun to photograph for the first cover shot out in the environment.

FREIDA

An angelic petite Jack Russell

Ball crazy and full of beans, but an absolute angel to photograph, exceptional manners and a character that continuously makes you smile, secretly I think she thinks she is a Kangaroo!

HERR MOPS & ELF

A cute cheeky little Pug and an extremely energetic Weimaraner

An interesting combination of breeds, but these two are great mates. Elf has to be the most well behaved Weimaraner I have ever met and Herr Mops idolizes her, therefore follows suit in all aspects of character; plays hard, runs hard and steps into heel at the drop of a hat... a wonderful couple of dogs to capture through the lens.

NZ Life & Leisure

A few months ago I was approached by Kate Coughlan the Editor of NZ Life & Leisure Magazine asking if I would be interested in being interviewed and creating some images of 'Our Life in France' to be featured in the Magazine. I was thrilled, Life & Leisure is one of my favorite magazines, so to be included in a publication would be fantastic.

Along with the feature I was also asked to create the cover for the issue, so with a borrowed Egyptian Donkey, a friends dog, my wonderful husband, our gorgeous daughter and our new little kitten Oscar; our back garden became the stage for the Life & Leisure Cover.

Thank you so much Kate and Yolanta from Life & Leisure for creating this wonderful feature which I am extremely proud to be able to share with my friends and family back home in 

New Zealand.

  

DOGS - A gorgeous German Magazine

DOGS is a beautiful magazine produced by a small dedicated team of people in Hamburg, Germany. In my opinion DOGS is one of, if not THE best Dog Magazine in the world!!! I just wish it was also published in English, as my German is worse than my French, therefore pretty much non existent!


Last year while I was working in Provence I was visited and interviewed by the editor of DOGS magazine Germany, Thomas Niederste-Werbeck. A wonderful feature on my work as a photographer was not the only outcome of this visit, I now have a great friendship and working relationship with Thomas and the team at DOGS. Over the past 6 months I have visited Germany to create a number of cover images for the Magazine as well as a couple of feature articles......

This image was chosen from my collection of images, an image I have always loved but it has never been used, it was great to see it used on the cover of the 5th Anniversary issue.

Lotte, a gorgeous Kelpie Cross from just outside Dusseldorf.

The first of the 'readers' dogs I photographed for a cover.

Lulu, a fun loving Boston Terrier from Hamburg

Indira & Charlie, two beautiful cuddly and affectionate Newfoundlands from another little village near Dusseldorf.

Charlie reminded me so much of my old boy Henry, who was the love of my life for 7 and a half years.

I also photographed an article on 'Small Dogs' which was a lot of fun; Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Boston Terriers, Papillons, Coton du Tulears, a Miniature Poodle and a Miniature Pinscher....some of the dogs were photographed in France and the others were photographed in Germany.

Lulu & Georgina, Boston Terriers from Germany

Alice, a Chihuahua from France

Chipie, a Miniature Pinscher from France

Lulu & Georgina at play

In late December 2011, Andy and I flew to Orlando, Florida to photograph the Eukanuba World Challenge Dog Show. This is a unique show where winning Dogs from Countries Worldwide meet to compete for the ultimate position of Champion World Dog. It was a challenging but fun project to shoot, very different to what I have photographed before, but DOGS were pleased, so I was happy :)

The Overall Winner 'Reckon' an Australian Shepherd from the USA

The stunning Afghan 'Colin' from Germany

'Suni' a beautiful Saluki representing Switzerland

A Dobermann from Argentina struts his stuff

A last minute groom for 'Reckon'

Opening Ceremony

A final groom before entering the ring

The handsome Staffordshire Bull Terrier representing New Zealand

'Colin' strides around the ring

I'm loving working with the team at DOGS, and look forward to sharing more images created for the magazine with you in the future.

So proud!!

I'm really proud of the blog which was posted by Amy Azzarito (thank you Amy) on designsponge.com
I just want to thank everyone who has supported me and for all the lovely comments that are arriving on the blog, I hope you enjoy the books?

Merci Beaucoup x

http://www.designsponge.com/2012/04/the-french-dog-the-french-cat.html

An update on my latest book projects!

There are no excuses for the lack of Blogging other than it really has been an incredibly busy past 6 months! 

My latest Book 'The French Cat' was released Worldwide in October, I am humbled at how well the book has been received and would like to offer a HUGE thank you to all you wonderful people out there that have posted such kind feedback on Facebook and to me personally. It was such a fantastic project to create, a much more personal journey than any of my previous books and it is very exciting to see it finally in print.


'The French Dog' a companion Book to 'The French Cat' has now also been completed and will be released in certain territories in May this year but some of you will have to wait until an October release! Like the Cat Book, I have traveled France and befriended many adorable canines, but unlike the tranquility and sereneness of the Cat Book, the Dog Book is a lot more Boisterous and full of life; a bit like our furry canine companions! If you liked 'The French Cat' you won't be disappointed with 'The French Dog'.

Aslan strides along the banks of the Loire

Duke and Elvis pose outside a door at Château de Beauregard

Simba at play in front of the Louvre

Andy takes Kizzie for a stroll through our little village

Flash strikes a pose at the fountain on Place de la Concorde

Napoleon and Mistral wait patiently while their owners visits the local Boulangerie

Bailey retrieves her ball on the Champs de Mars

Tchipie waits to greet guests at Château de Varenne

Along with working on the French Dog images over the past few months I have also been completing the imagery for 'Lunch in Provence' which is due for release worldwide in October, though some territories may get it a bit earlier, so kept a look out. 'Lunch in Provence' is a Lifestyle book that gives the viewer a taste of Life in Provence and the flavours that can be experienced when visiting this exquisite part of France. I am thrilled with the final design of this book and can't wait to see it printed and on the shelves. It has been a wonderful and exciting new subject for me to capture; it was quite daunting to start with but by the time I finished I was a lot more comfortable with approaching people in the streets of Provence and asking if they minded me taking their photograph...... working with people is definitely more nerve racking than working with animals, but I loved every minute of creating the images for 'Lunch in Provence' and I really hope the book is well received, especially due to the labour of love involved to create it.

Villefranche sur Mer

Lunch with Friends, Aix en Provence

A traveling couple of New Zealand enjoy a picnic with a view

Dinner at Château des Alpilles, St Remy de Provence

Café la Place, Eygalieré

Looking across the vines up to Les Baux de Provence

Jean-André Charial, the wonderfully talented Chef behind the exquisite dishes I photographed for 'Lunch in Provence' and owner of Maisons des Baumanière.

http://www.maisonsdebaumaniere.com/

Lunch at Oustau de Baumanierè, Les Baux de Provence

None of my Book projects would come about if it wasn't for the support and encouragement of my longtime publishers PQ Blackwell. Andy and I were lucky to be able to share some of our special time at Oustau de Baumanierè with Geoff Blackwell and Ruth Hobday, we all left with very satisfied taste buds and many happy memories of a wonderful couple of days.

A Work Lunch at Oustau de Baumanierè

Geoff Blackwell, Andy McKenna (my gorgeous Husband), Ruth Hobday and Me!

Followed by Dinner!!!

Charlize, Andy and my daughter, gives instructions to one of my 'French Dog' subjects when we took a stroll up to the village of Les Baux de Provence to walk off Lunch.

Charlize enjoying her own delicacies at Oustau!