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A Dream Decades in the Making

Black and white photo of a man and woman in vintage attire on steps with two Doberman statues. They stand by a large arched wooden door.

There are sessions that stop you in your tracks before they even begin.


Niles reached out asking about a session for his two Dobermans, Kage and Karma. Their boy Kage had recently been diagnosed with terminal lymphoma and was undergoing chemotherapy. He wanted professional photos to remember their small family before things changed.


On our call, he shared something else that completely shaped the direction of the session. As a kid, he had seen a vintage Macy's ad showing Dobermans working as security dogs in a mall. That image never left him, and it's where his love of the breed started. What he wanted was to recreate that feeling with Kage and Karma.


That's when I started thinking about vintage stores.


Making It Happen


Two stylish individuals with two dogs stand outside a vintage store. Neon "Open" sign and racks of clothes in view. Black and white.

I reached out to a couple of local shops to see if they'd be open to letting us photograph two Dobermans inside. It was an unusual ask, but when I shared Niles' story, two incredible businesses, Second Wonder and Modern Love, were touched by it and said yes.


Because this style was a little outside my usual work, I brought my own dog, Isla, in first to test the concept and make sure the results would actually match the vision Niles had in his head. Once we were both happy with the direction, we picked a date. We didn't want to wait long, but we wanted to make sure Kage was having a strong day when we did.


The Session


A stylish couple with sunglasses and hats stand with two Dobermans in an archway. The image is black and white, evoking sophistication.

Niles and Sarah showed up with outfit changes that fit the aesthetic perfectly, and the energy throughout the day was genuinely collaborative. We moved through both stores bouncing ideas off each other, and afterward took a walk through downtown Wilmington to keep shooting outside.


Kage was affectionate and dignified the entire time. He's the kind of dog who carries himself with a quiet confidence. Karma was our comedian, bringing moments of levity throughout the day that kept all of us smiling. The two of them together were a really beautiful balance.


When I got home and started going through the images, I knew we had gotten it. The photos matched the experience, and when Niles and Sarah saw them at their reveal, the feeling was the same.


What I Didn't Expect


Woman in hat stands confidently on steps with two large dogs. Ornate building entrance in the background. Black and white image.

I want to share something, because I think it's part of this story too.


The week of their reveal, my dog Isla was hospitalized for four days. Niles and Sarah encouraged me to move our appointment so I could be with her, checked in on us, and when we finally sat down for their ordering appointment, they shared their own experience with everything they were navigating with Kage's diagnosis.


They were going through something really hard and still showed up with so much kindness. That meant more to me than they probably know.


Isla is stable and doing well now. But that week was a lot, and I'm grateful they were a part of it.


The Keepsake Box

For their order, Niles and Sarah chose a Keepsake Box, which holds all of their matted prints from the session and has room to store collars, tags, and other mementos over time. It's one of my favorite products I offer, and I'm really glad it's going home with them.


Two people with dogs walk in a crosswalk near a historic brick building and fountain. The scene is calm, black and white.

If you've been sitting on a session idea, I hope this encourages you to reach out. You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to know it matters to you.




 
 
 

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