When Lizzie first reached out to me, she shared a little bit of Slushy’s story that instantly struck a cord. Her sweet Husky, Slushy, is a cancer survivor who had recently celebrated another birthday, a milestone that felt nothing short of miraculous.

Lizzie’s gratitude for his strength and resilience was clear, and I knew this session would be all about capturing the incredible bond they share and the sheer happiness she felt having him by her side after all they had gone through.

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Creating A Photo Experience for Lizzie and Slushy in the Rocky Mountains

With a name like Slushy it probably comes as no surprise that he absolutely loves snow! Before our session Lizzie described how he lights up every time he’s in his wintry element, and it’s something she wanted to make sure we captured. Like most dog moms, she has a ton of photos of Slushy on her phone, but very few with her in them, sharing in their adventures together.

As I prepared for our session, I knew I wanted to create images that would capture both the beauty of Colorado’s snow-covered landscapes and their deep connection. This session was a celebration of Slushy’s strength, his spirit, and the love Lizzie has for him – something that truly deserves to be preserved in photos.

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Embracing the Elements—Turning Challenges into Magic

Once we reached the top of the mountain, we were met with one of Colorado’s more predictably unpredictable elements – the wind. At this elevation, the gusts were strong enough to ruffle Slushy’s fur and cover the ground with swirling snow. It was definitely one of those moments that reminded me how every great photoshoot is a blend of planning and spontaneity.

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Rather than letting the wind hold us back, we found ourselves adapting to it, waiting for the wind to briefly die down in order to create portraits of Lizzie and Slushy together. But then, something unexpected happened – the wind itself became an unplanned source of magic. Each time a gust swept through, it picked up the light, powdery snow and scattered it in the air, spinning it into a flurry of sparkling “fairy dust” swirling all around us. Suddenly, it felt like we were in the midst of a winter wonderland scene, with snow glittering in everywhere we looked.

What could have been a challenge ended up turning into a magical backdrop, adding a new layer beauty to the photos. It’s moments like these that remind me why I love outdoor sessions – nature always has a way of surprising me, and sometimes, it brings an extra bit of magic that you simply can’t plan for.