We’ve all heard the story of how the cobbler’s children didn’t have any shoes, and I know that applies to every profession, the contractor’s house never gets finished, and the photographer never has time to photograph her dogs. I’m happy to say that my sister, Alice G Patterson, carved out time this winter to get these stunning portraits of her three dogs, Lulu the Pug, mystery breed Franny, and Darla the Pomeranian. Alice just calls them “the girls.” When people meet Alice’s girls, it is always interesting to see which dog they gravitate to. As Alice says, she has “a little something for everyone.”
Lulu is Alice’s first dog since Alice moved away from home. Lulu has been Alice’s copilot for 14 years.
Lulu always calls “shotgun”, but she is willing to share her seat.
Lulu loves to cuddle with anyone and everyone except for cats. (As a puppy, she had a run-in with a feral cat and is still distrustful of all cats.)
After spending years as Alice’s top model and light tester, Lulu has retired for the most part.
I have never really understood the term “bittersweet” as clearly as I do now. It is both sobering and endearing to see Lulu grow old. She’s treasured by all who meet her.
My other two sisters and I have reached a consensus that Franny is the “best dog” which is no small feat, considering there are nine dogs between the four of us.
Beautiful Franny has an interesting past, although we only know a little bit about it. She was rescued by The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association-Rural Area Veterinary Services but gave them the slip. Alice found Franny and another dog walking the streets of LA; Alice was able to locate the vet who originally rescued Franny. Alice loved Franny so much that she and the vet worked out a trade, the vet treated Franny for several life-threatening conditions and Alice photographed the vet’s wedding.
Franny spent some time fending for herself and had puppies in her life before meeting Alice. She is incredibly gentle and loving.
Franny has undoubtedly seen some scary things in her past, but her biggest worry these days is “Are you getting my good side, Alice?”
Looking at Franny, I would expect her to be an adventurous free-spirited dog, but if Franny could talk, she’d tell you “There’s no place like home, and no place I’d rather be.”
Darla, the Pomeranian, is the baby of their family, and I have to say she‘s even more adorable in person.
She just turned eight years old, (which seems impossible for all kinds of reasons), but she’s a puppy at heart. Give that girl a squeaky toy and she’ll play with it for hours!
We joke that Darla’s favorite activity would be shopping in high-end stores.
Although Darla looks like a fashionista, the truth is she LOVES to be outside rolling in the snow or dirt and is fiercely independent.
While Franny and Lulu love to snuggle with each other or a human, Darla demands some attention and then needs her alone time.
Check out Alice’s dog portfolio on her brand new website. You can see more her photography by following Alice G Patterson on Instagram. Alice has partnered with A-List Artistry for an awesome giveaway. I’ve confirmed that the winner may include a dog in the portrait session.
About Alice G Patterson Photography: Based in Syracuse, New York, Alice specializes in dog photography, editorial work, and senior portraits.
I love the girls! So nice to see them featured!
Oh my gosh Beth, I’ve got tears in my eyes! Such sweet words and so happy to have carved the time out this winter for their “blanket” series. 🙂 Thank you so much for the lovely feature!!
Lora writes: beautiful story supported with heart-warming photographs.
A beautiful feature. these are beautiful photos. these girls are just awesome.
So glad they have a wonderdul family
Thanks Nanci, they are treasured beyond measure.
I miss these pups! And Alice and Beth! Lovely photos and post!
We miss seeing you!
I love these photos. I really should get some great photos of my dog like this.
You should!
These photos are amazing! They capture the personality of these dogs. Of course I’m partial to pugs, but they are all just lovely 🙂
That Pug though! My mom would love it! She wants a pug so bad!
There are lots of Pug rescue groups, if you need help finding one, just let me know!
These photos are so beautiful! I love them! You can really see all the personalities shining through! Awesome!
Oh my goodness, these dogs are so precious!!! <3
These are just stunning.
Ahhhh! I love these photos!! They are GREAT! I should totally get professional photos of my Sadie!
I hope you do, you’ll always treasure them!
These dogs are the cutest! That pug is such a good picture taker
So sweet. My Mir girl likes to curl up in blankets too
Such beautiful photos – it’s too hard to pick a favourite, although I’ve always had a soft spot for pugs.
I’ve always loved Pugs too. I used to pet sit one when I was a teenager and I was alway amazed that they paid me, since I was happy to get to spend time with the dog.
Oh my, these are wonderful!
Your photos always put a smile on my face. ♥
Thanks Melissa!
These pictures are so great! The 2nd to last one is my favorite. It’s as if she has a secret.
What a group of sweeties!! I was so amazed to see how clear Lulu’s eyes are!! Stunning photography of absolute beautiful babies!
amazing photos!!!
The girls are precious- beautiful pictures and I love the Pom
These pictures really struck a chord with me. All of a sudden I am wanting to do a photo shoot with my senior girl who will be 13 next month. For whatever reason, the 16-month old puppy and the nine-year old lab seem to make it into more pictures these days and I am realizing that Zora is just hanging in the background and I don’t want to miss this beautiful part of her life. Thank you for the reminder…I need a tissue 😉
I’m glad that Zora is going to get some more camera time!
That was an excellent barter! The girls are lovely.
Thank you!
What a beautiful group of girls! I’m so jealous of how amazing those pictures turned out. Makes me want to hop on amazon and find a better camera asap!
I hope you get some great photos of your dogs!
These are so stunning!
These are all gorgeous! Just stunning
Your sister’s dogs are so beautiful! She did a great job of photographing them & capturing their personalities. Thanks for sharing their stories and giving us a glimpse into their personalities. Darla’s smile is just delightful!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Alice’s pups are gorgeous! Franny has a look similar to a dog I once had. That dog was my best friend as a child, so seeing Franny’s photos brought back some great memories. 🙂 Lulu and Darla are precious too!
I’m glad that Franny’s photos could bring some great memories.
What stunning pictures and wonderful stories of your family and your furry family members! Your shots are simply beautiful!
Your sister’s dogs are adorable and the photos are super. Thanks for sharing their stories.