Erin Wallis Photography Blog

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Great Dane puppies are sweet. They are adorable. They are ridiculously cute and incredibly deceiving.
You see them and melt. But puppies grow up, don’t they… And grow Athena has! Athena is already, in her few months in the world… has grown to around 50 pounds!
Now thats crazy! (That is more than our Vizsla Frank weighs NOW at a year old)
However, they are known to be big, beautiful, gentle and loving, and that they are. Somewhere along the way, I’ve become a hopeless dog lover. It hasn’t happened overnight, but its happened! This little one is no exception.

Here are a few images of Athena when she came to visit us in October! Are you kidding me with this face????

You may recall images from a long time ago here of Athenas big sister Vala. (see below image)
Vala is now weighing in at a whopping 135 pounds, and they suspect Athena will be bigger than her big sis!
Wild!

****Remember until December 10th 2009, your comments= cans of food being donated to our local food bank… so be sure to leave a comment! Its an awesome way to give a little blog love and in return, I’ll give a little food bank love. A wonderful thing!****

There are so many thoughts, feelings and emotions that surface when I reflect on this past weekend.

I think back on an entire summer. Every weekend occupied with at least one, if not two weddings. Looking back and realizing that all of my weekends and most of my week days are consumed with stuff. Not in a negative way, in just a full way. Full. Full days. Lists. For both Bryce and I. Every spare second spent on the construction of our new studio and 2 bedroom suite. Every single moment, occupied. Delighting in the small moments of together-ness. The spaces between meetings and emails and Bryce cleaning the kitchen, and calling contractors and setting up appointments and learning to do things we’ve never done. Both of us have been gypsies before. Bryce traveling all over the States and Germany for hockey, myself globe trotting on cruise ships. Both of us, having little ‘real’ responsibilities. Truly. So, for us.. these last two years settling into a ‘normal’ life has had its fair share of ups and downs.

So when we are able to get away. Able to step back from the every day life… I am overwhelmed with how incredibly blessed I am. I can say that now, without fear that it will all come crumbling apart. I know it can. I’ve seen it happen, felt it happening. I know that life is impermanent, and fragile. But isn’t that why, its okay for me, for us… to celebrate when things are really good. I believe so.

This weekend Bryce, Frank and I spent the weekend in Ucluelet, BC. Staying at the beautiful Black Rock Resort. I photographed a wedding (more on that later) there on Sunday. So we decided to take and extra night and make it just about us. It was perfect. I am so lucky, so blessed and so indescribably grateful to have the luxury to walk along the beach hand in hand with my fella. Laugh at our puppy ripping around the magical sands of Long Beach, British Columbia. I could have stayed forever. We’ll be going back soon and staying for longer. What a fabulous way to enjoy each other, and life.

Grateful. So grateful. To step back. To be drawn to what has been drawing me to Bryce for fifteen years. Without dishes, and chores, and fence building and lists. It was also a celebration of Franks first year in the world. (what a wild year it has been for him too) It was really only one day and night for a vacation. But what a necessary and wonderful step back.

P.S… the best part of the Black Rock Resort, it is 100% dog friendly. Who doesn’t want to take their little furry friends to Tofino and Ucluelet? Excellent!

We’ve made it.
We started in March. We are nearly finished.
Last night. We were ready to shoot.
Who should be the first? I asked.
“Us” Bryce said.
Of course.

It was almost flawless, until Franko knocked over the light stand breaking a soft box (code word for big giant light toy). Small details. In any case.
Here we are.

We’ve established that puppies are cute.
I now know that I’m a big fan of puppies. Real big. So much in fact, that when Erin and Oliver contacted me to take photos of their brand new addition to their family… I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not to mention that their brand new pup Barley, is a Vizsla just like our little wild Franko (or Franklin or Frankie depending on your mood or HIS).

Yesterday Erin and and Oliver drove down from Victoria with their little ADORABLE pup. They confessed that while they were waiting for Barley to be delivered to them, they displayed a photo of my little Franko from my blog, as their screen saver… awwww. Everyone loves Frank! (well, maybe not the 8 year old boy in the trail last night that he wouldn’t stop barking at… FRANK!!!) Erin and Oliver have only had him for 6 days! Barley is just 10 weeks old. I can NOT handle the cuteness.. oh and of course, I had to let Frank meet little Barley as that was him not very long ago!

There is something amazing about these images to me, as I not only see their happiness with their little guy, but also a reflection of the love that I feel for Franko, and that Bryce and I share with him as well.

Enjoy these images folks, and I am not responsible if these photos make you rush out and get yourself a puppy….

Vizslas have the BEST and softest ears

Frank still chews his feet, looks like Barley does too

Absolutely loved it when Barley played himself to sleep

Ok one last one of Frank and Barley meeting over a tire…

Those of you dog lovers, or Vizsla lovers out there in cyberspace may be curious to see just how much little Franko is growing. It is amazing to see the changes in not only appearance, but co-ordination, demeanor and quirkiness. His personality is amazing, and Bryce and I find ourselves falling more and more in love with him, daily. Here are a few recent images of the little guy, and our little family.