Since I’ve had dogs, it’s been the holiday tradition to deck the halls, trim the tree, and primp the puppies—Roxy and Peyton—for their annual appearance on the family Christmas card. We started with Roxy seven years ago, when she was just a ball of fur, and have continued ever since.

Roxy isn’t a big fan of this tradition. It seems that every year as soon as the decorations come out and I bring my camera home from the studio, our little pooch mysteriously disappears—a camera-shy photographer’s dog! We’ve tried many looks and accessories over the years—Santa hats, reindeer antlers, red noses, bows & wrapped presents, fireplace backdrops. I’ve always wanted to string them with lights, Christmas tree-style, but I’m not sure we’d ever see them again, and Roxy especially might need some canine therapy after that sort of experience!

This year, we decided to go with a simpler look than usual and give the girls a bit of a break. It was just a few quick shots, nothing too fancy, but nonetheless pretty funny! Photographing dogs—and toddlers, for that matter—is completely driven by their personalities, so funny faces and wiggling out of whatever outfit you’ve put them in is just part of the drill (and a comedy act in and of itself!) and sometimes, just maybe, you’ll even manage to get a few good shots. I especially love the one of Roxy yawning—it’s definitely an accurate representation of how she feels about the whole process!

It’s been a great year, and I’m looking forward to the next! From our family to yours, we wish our friends, family, clients, and blog readers a happy holiday season and New Year—here’s to a great 2010!