Seattle Art Walk is Going to the Dogs!!!

Well friends I am pleased to announce that CityDog Magazine is hosting the first ever "dog-centric" Art Walk event in Pioneer Square!

Along with the wonderful work of our pet artist colleagues you will find the work of Dane & Dane Photography featured at this one-night-only exhibition, and that's not all!

We will be featuring our ever-popular "event portraits" - snapping priceless shots of you and your pooch for low-low prices in a cool cool space!

Also, some our dog friendly beverage compadres Dry Soda will be on hand quenching our thirst and Pooper Trooper (someone's gotta do the dirty work) will be on hand keeping things clean!

Below you can view the ad that ran in CityDog and HERE you can RSVP to the event on Yelp!

We are excited to be involved and not only make our Seattle gallery debut, but also premier our new book "All You Need is Dog"

Hope to see you there!!

Where: The old "Fenix" - 109 S. Washington in Pioneer Square, Seattle

When: March 6th, 5-9pm

Who: Hosted by CityDog Magazine and featuring local pet artists including Dane & Dane Photography!

How: Why in Doggy Style of course! Bring your dog, bring your thirst, and bring your wallet! :)

All You Need is Dog

Well today is officially the "day of love"... so I thought it appropriate to announce the first book, created BY Dane & Dane Photography FEATURING Dane & Dane Photography with a theme we all know a little something about...

LOVE.

Introducing All You Need is Dog verses from your favorite love songs in the key of D-O-G

"All You Need is Dog" is collection of our most prized and admired photographs, matched with love song moments that we all can relate to, celebrating the wonderful bond we have with our canine compadres. You will giggle, you smile, you might even get a little teary-eyed... These photographs are overwhelmingly compelling and reflect some of the best words of love ever written.

Don't take our word for it... Come see it for yourself!

This book will premier and signed copies will be available at our Art Walk debut in early March (details to come) and will also be available at the Seattle Kennel Club Show.

After that, the book will be available on our website (which will also be new by then) along with an itunes playlist of songs featured in the book! How cool is that!?

I am not going to show you the cover, or sample pages yet because I want them to be a surprise... But, in honor of my "an Olivia blog a day" - share one of the song/photo combos that may or may not be in the book *wink*

"NO ONE LIKE YOU" john denver

I like your eyes.
I like your nose.
I like your mouth.
Your ears, your hands [paws], your toes.

I like your face.
It's really you.
I like the things you say and do.
There's not a single soul
Who sees the skies
The way you see them.
Through your eyes.
And aren't you glad.
You should be glad.
There's no one, no one
Exactly like you.

Valentine's Day "MuttMixer" Tonight!

Well, while keeping with the Olivia theme and also pitching our party tonight, here is a photograph from last year's CityDog "Dog is Love" party -- my darling girl posing in the rose petals...

*sigh* the best valentine a girl could have!




Event Details:

WHO
CityDog Magazine, you and the furry, four-legged love of your life.

WHAT
Join CityDog Magazine and fellow dog lovers to mix and mingle, sip cocktails and swap doggy tails. Are you single? Even better! Puppy love will be in the air, so whoknows...you might just meet that special two-legged someone to add to your pack.

Photographer extraordinaire J. Nichole Smith of Dane & Dane Photography will be on hand to snap portraits of your furry friend (available for purchase).

WHEN
Tonight! February 13, 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM

WHERE
W Seattle, W Bar and Living Room
1112 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Click here for directions

WHY
Why for the love of dog, of course!

RSVP
rsvp@citydogmagazine.com

Party Animal Rules: Dogs must remain on-leash and be under your control at all times. Dogs (and people for that matter) must also play well with others. Thank you for your understanding!

OR YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT IN NW SOURCE...

Here's a great post on NW Source from Seattle writer Lisa Wogan: "Where do single Seattle dog lovers mix and mingle?" that includes CityDog's upcoming Puppy Love MuttMixer, February 13th at the W Hotel Seattle.

Click here to read the full article.

my sweet sweet lady: revisited.

One day Olivia and I ventured into work like any other day...
My hands were overwhelmed with the routine leash, yerba-mate latte, purse, laptop, key combination, and our entrance to the studio was grand as ever; I fumbled with the lock while trying to balance my lava-filled Tulley's cup between my chin and whatever it was resting on... PRAYING that Olivia didn't spot the Shi Tzu downstairs that she continually has a desperate need to bark at with the conviction of any creature whose life is clearly on the line.

*sigh* But this time no toy dog downstairs, no boiling liquid all over myself or the floor or *dog forbid* the LAPTOP... We made it inside (all the while I am thinking, like I do every morning, "Why don't I just make two trips?")

Anyhow, so we're inside, safe and sound, bark and spill-free.

On this particular day the seamless paper backdrop that I stretch out and tape down was set-up for a client I had arriving later. Olivia, who is familiar with this sight, as well as the smells that usually surround it, bee-lined for the temporary white stage and began inhaling at ground level on, around, behind and beside it.

When I walked towards my office I looked back, noticing she had stopped sniffing and was standing smack-dab in the middle of the paper, staring at me. I ignored her gaze and assumed she would be at my side in no time for her epic "circle-circle-collapse" routine on her bed near my desk.

Ten minutes passes... No Olivia.

So I peek back around the corner, and there she is. Not sitting, not laying... But standing, right where I had left her, in the middle of the seamless.

Clearly this was a not-so-subtle hint.

So what's a pet photographer to do but concede to the demands of her spoiled models right?



So I grabbed my camera, turned on that warm soft-box and got to work... Olivia was especially spunky and I finally captured (with a camera other than my phone in a location other than my living room floor) the position we like to call the "Dinosaur-Bunny-Rabbit" -- the on the back with back legs spread and front legs curled, ears up and floppy-cheeks upset by gravity. It doesn't get better than this.



And then of course we got the obligatory pink nose shots and sleeping "dead dog" shots - and she stood and she layed and she rolled and begged... And literally just soaked up the warm warm light and mama's keen attention.

At the very end of our time that morning, both our heads were laying on the floor, she looked right at me and handed me her paw... Then turned her head and promptly fell asleep.

I haven't ever loved her as much as I did in that moment... more than words, or photos, or blogs can express. It's days like that one that make me wonder how I ever got so lucky.

My baby girl turns 4!

Well in honor of my little Great Dane lady's birthday (February 8th, same as her momma) I dug up some clips from her first days in my company...

Keep in mind that at this time I was still a student, I was still driving a tiny, loud VW Golf (and Olivia actually FIT in the passenger seat) and I hadn't yet been struck with the inspiration that was to become"Dane & Dane Photography"

To continue to honor the greatest muse of my life, I am going to olivia-blog every day this week. She is a big old four years now, and I treasure her all the more every day...

This week you get to too :)

Olivia Clip #1



Olivia Clip #2



Olivia Clip #3



Olivia Clip #4



Olivia Clip #5

best birthday card EVER...

This year I received the best, most clever and sneaky birthday card ever...

It is still a mystery who ACTUALLY sent this card, because it arrived with no return-address, and although I have my suspicions, I prefer to just assume that Olivia is as clever and thoughtful as I've always known...

I laughed for days... Hope it makes you smile too :)