No one told me when I became a photographer that I would also have to be a Meteorologist! In the days leading up to this dog photo session, I was checking the weather a few times a day. Of course, every single time I checked the forecast, it was changing, but always included rain. Lucky for us, the rain hit Friday evening and we just had to deal with some wetness on Saturday morning.

He may not look like a puppy, but at just 6 months old, Ryder is still just a baby. And if this puppy looks a little familiar, he was the winner of the 2013 Cutest Dog Contest. I was so glad that his pet parents, Rachel and Mike, made the drive to Boardman from Cleveland for his photo session and that the weather cooperated for their trip!

Because of the dampness and chill in the air, Boardman Park was not very busy for a Saturday morning. That made it an even more perfect location for the photo session. This not so little Fox Red English Labrador Retriever was just like any puppy and easily distracted by anything and everything. Since there were not many people at the park, we had even less distractions than expected.

Ryder was great for his photographs! He quickly learned who had the treats and that if he sat for me long enough to capture an image, he would be well rewarded. His photographs lasted over an hour and we could tell by the end that he was exhausted. It was a perfect opportunity for me to create some beautiful photographs of him just laying in the grass and relaxing.

Rachel and Mike emailed me when they arrived home from their trip to Boardman. They said their pup slept the entire ride home and was spent! Between Ryder being exhausted and me covered in grass and dirt, I knew it was a successful photography session!

There are so many fantastic portraits of him, I had a hard time deciding which ones to post on the blog. Here are a few from our chilly and wet morning at the park. I am looking forward to see which image his pet parents pick for the 16×20 wall portrait they won.

Puppies just want to play! I love this image of him ready for takeoff!

This blue building is one of my favorite backdrops at Boardman Park. It is the perfect contrast for Ryder’s fur.

Don’t let this dog fool you – he’s not even close to being tired, he just took a quick break from playing for a minute so I could capture this photograph.