Johnstown Dog Photographer · Boomie the Border Collie
Boomie’s Johnstown, PA Dog PhotoSHOOT.
Oh, Boomie — you sweet, sweet little panda bear pup! Those ears! That laser-focused Border Collie stare…how absolutely perfect are you?!
Let me confess: If I seem obsessed with this fluffball, it’s because he’s my furbaby, my adventure buddy, and the reason I’ve mastered the art of shooting action shots at 6:00 AM 🥰
Meet Boomie (aka BOOMZ when he’s turbocharged).
He’s the kind of dog who’d sprint up a mountain at 4:00 AM if you let him — and yes, he’s tried.
Picture this: It’s the crack of dawn, and I’m jolted awake by the sound of his Kong Wubba being death-shaken in the living room.
Spin. Chomp. Repeat. This is Boomie’s way of saying, “Dad, rise and shine! The trails are calling!”
“Oh, BOOMZ…already?!?!”
Yes, the Saga continues, but before we go on…
Sign Up for the Mailing List for behind-the-scenes chaos like the time I waded through a freezing cold river, camera bag on head, just to get the shot.
Yes, I’m THAT committed.
A Massive Snowstorm Makes for Really Great Photographs.
Let’s rewind to last month. Johnstown got hit with a snowstorm so epic, even PennDOT tapped out…but while everyone else stocked up on hot cocoa, Boomie and I saw opportunity.
Fresh powder? Empty trails? Beautiful light bouncing off the blanket of snow?
This was our moment.
As a Johnstown dog photographer, I live for days like this. Snow isn’t just pretty — it’s a giant reflector that makes your dog’s fur glow. I have grown to love creating all kinds of photographs in the snow!
Gallitzin State Forest Adventures (and Why Snow is a Dog Photographer’s Best Friend).
We headed to the trails in the Gallitzin State Forest — Boomie’s favorite stomping grounds. For a Border Collie, snow isn’t cold; it’s a challenge.
He herded snowflakes falling from the sky, dug trenches deeper than my boots while trying to get fallen tree branches, and paused just long enough to give me that iconic “What’s next, Dad?” stare.
Why snow rules for dog photoshoots:
Natural Lighting: Snow bounces light, which is really helpful for opening those eyes up!
Personality on Display: Dogs go full derp-mode in snow (see: Boomie derping next).
Johnstown’s Hidden Gems: Fresh snow transforms familiar trails into Narnia.
How to Photograph a Dog Who’s 100% Chaos, 100% of the Time.
Want the truth? Most dogs are not naturally photogenic. One minute, they’re a majestic floof posing like they’re on a Dog Monthly cover; the next, they’re goblin side-eyeing the camera.
Trust me, Boomie is no different!
I’ve talked with so many people who say things like:
“I would love for you to take photographs of my dog, but they never sit still.”
“We tried using another photographer, and none of them turned out any better than the photographs I take with my iPhone.”
My goal when creating photographs of dogs is to show off the pup's personality: the obsessed stick-chewing, never-sits-still dog who will look absolutely amazing until you pull out a camera, haha.
What Makes a Great Dog Photo:
Action > Perfection: My all-time favorite photographs of dogs are the ones that were created in the moment. Yeah, I’m a sucker for those wild sunset photographs I create too…but there is nothing like seeing your best friend running through the forest or a field.
Patience: Let them be weird. The magic happens when they forget the camera exists.
A Love for Dogs: You know when someone has a party and there are a bunch of people making small talk about whatever it is that normal people talk about but then there is that one person who is sitting on the floor ignoring everyone else and is deep in conversation with a dog about how much of a good dog they are? Yep, that person is me, haha.
Ready to Freeze Your Dog’s Zoomies in Time?
If Boomie’s snow-day shenanigans convinced you it’s time to book a Johnstown dog photoshoot, let’s chat!
Whether your pup is a couch potato or a trail-trampling maniac, I’ll capture their “Oh BOOMZ” energy — but no snowstorm required!
Thanks for reading! Have a great day!
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