It’s time for part two of my Tails of Sydney outtakes. (Part one is here if you missed it.)

I had a hard time choosing Bella and Tilly’s outtake, because their shoot consisted mostly of outtakes! These dear little old ladies would have much preferred to be at home curled up in a lap than standing on the steps of St John’s Cathedral in Parramatta, and at 15 years of age I think that’s completely fair enough.

Two little old dogs standing on church step at St John’s Cathedral in Paramatta

Apparently the book will have 99 spreads featuring dogs and one featuring a drowned rat! I was lucky to get any photos of Edie the Griffon, she had us laughing so much. Her session was in Hyde Park where she had a ball doing forbidden zoomies through the water feature.

grifon running through fountain in hyde park sydney

I already blogged Jake and Mack’s session but you can never have too much of these two, so here’s their outtake from their shoot in Woolwich

two brindle staffys sitting in front of sydney skyline at Woolwich ferry wharf

Photographing Aurora the Samoyed at Luna Park was one of my favourite shoots so far. All of those bright colours and a really well behaved dog were the stuff of pet photographer’s dreams! Much as I love this photo it won’t be in the book because not long after I took it, just as we had finished packing up and were about to head home, they switched on the lights at the entrance and it was just magical. We re-assumed position, at the spot marked by Aurora’s drool, and took a bunch more photos of the prettiness. I smiled all the way home. Big thanks to Luna Park for giving me permission to shoot there.

samoyed lying in front of luna park entrance big clown face

Being a senior Max got to have his Tails of Sydney session early on in the project. This chipper looking Jack Russell is almost 16. He’s mostly deaf, going blind, lost half his liver to cancer four years ago but there ain’t a thing wrong with his sense of smell! To get to the lighthouse at Cremorne Point we had to climb down a rusty old ladder. If that’s the scariest thing I have to do during this whole process I’ll be more than happy.

Very old Jack Russell dog at Cremorne Point Lighthouse

Morris and Blue’s shoot got off to a pretty rocky start with the youngest star wanting to be anywhere other than in front of my camera. Luckily I carry a very big bag of tricks and I eventually found some things that he felt were fair payment for his cooperation. I even managed to get him to crack a few smiles! They had their shoot at the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability in Waverton. It’s usually very quiet but I managed to book the session on the same evening as an Earth Hour event being held there. Thankfully I’d already found the best toy in the world by the time the crowds started arriving so these two were putty in my slobber covered hands.

A Groodle and a Border Collie smiling at Waverton Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability

Unlike all the other outtakes I’ve been posting I can’t confidently say that this photo won’t be in the book because Cosmo (on the left) was … how should I put this … a little less than cooperative that day! While Bindi was flashing her winning smile from one end of the shoot to the other, her mate was making frequent breaks for the border. In his defence though, like the nursery rhyme, when he was good he was very very good 😉

Two senior pit bull type dogs at Gladesville Bridge in Drummoyne

You already met Frank in my before and after post last week. Him and his people got up very early for their shoot at Mackenzies Bay on Easter Saturday. When I was there I learned that the bay, a little nook between Bondi and Tamarama, turns into Mackenzies Beach every seven years. I love how much this project is teaching me about Sydney – I might become a tour guide when it’s over!

Blue roan Cocker Spaniel posing on rocks at Tamarama

When I contacted The Grounds of Alexandria to ask if I could do a Tails of Sydney shoot there I didn’t have high hopes, so when they came back with “we’d love that, WE LOVE DOGS” I was overjoyed! Tom the Boston Terrier is a local and according to his questionnaire he’s a quick learner and loves food, so he got the gig. You all know by now how much I love squishy faced dogs and their clown antics, Tom didn’t disappoint. He kept us entertained for the whole shoot and did everything asked of him, and a few laps of honour that no one asked for!

Brindle boston terrier lying on bench at The Grounds of Alexandria

Louie was one of the first applications I received for my #tailsofsydney project and I remember sending the photo to my friend with a giant “LOOK AT THAT FACE”! Louie is a flyball dog that’s constantly on the move. Putting the life ring down didn’t only help paint a picture of where we were (Chowder Bay), it also provided a slight barrier to keep the fidget in the one spot, even if it was only for brief moments at a time.

Louie posed for me on a stand up paddle board earlier in the shoot. You’ll have to wait for the book to see that one though.

Pug mix with underbite standing in life ring on wharf at Chowder Bay

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for the next block of ten outtakes in a month’s time!

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