Charlotte Reeves Photography

For my second last Melbourne session I was due to meet with Kim and her best friend, Buddy the three and a half year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, first thing in the morning. The day was to offer me a taste of what Melbourne can dish up weather-wise when it feels like it. I awoke to oppressive heat, drove through a thunderstorm – thunder, lightning and bucketing rain – and arrived to clearing cloud and then finally sunshine, before a cool change rolled in accompanied by heavy cloud! Wow, what a morning! Despite this, we managed to work around the weather to get some stunning shots of both Kim and Buddy.

When I arrived we packed into the car and headed to a lovely and huge grassy park on the foreshore. There was also a great little boardwalk winding it’s way through the adjoining swamp, so we took a stroll along that to begin with.

Buddy was great, never going too far, just strolling along checking out the sights and sounds. Kim’s done some training with him so he was quite easy to plonk somewhere and give the ’stay’ command to. This bench provided a good pedestal to display his handsome self!

Kim and Buddy are obviously quite devoted to each other. It actually proved a bit of a challenge to separate them at times, with Buddy always wanting to be within a few metres of his Mum.

There were lots of opportunities for quiet time, cuddles and kisses though, so cute.

How gorgeous is this boy in his studly new collar?

There was time for a bit of posing with his Mum before we headed back to the house.

Buddy is your typical Staffy – though perhaps a bit more calm and well behaved than most I’ve met! Such a good boy.

He’s certainly got the hang of that intense Staffy stare!

The deck provided some nice soft light and cool eye reflections.

Buddy gets to spend his days while his Mum is at work, hanging out at his ‘grandparents’ place – it’s like his second home! Here is is staking his claim on the deck.

And posing it up among the flowers along the garden path.

Kim and her baby boy are just the perfect match for each other, don’t you agree?

Kim owns and runs the website www.mystaffy.com.au – which sells plush staffy toys of her own design. Kim has also donated her time and expertise to establish a website for Stafford Rescue – a rescue and rehoming service run by The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Victoria Inc. If you are an enthusiast of this wonderful breed, make sure you check out these great sites!

Note to future clients – early starts are most definitely worth doing! This was another very early session – we kicked off at 4.45am to catch that gorgeous first light.

Molly the Staffy is a gorgeous, well behaved little girl who is lucky enough to have a totally devoted owner who obviously loves her to bits.

She gets regular early morning walks to her favourite park where she can run and sniff and cruise around spreading that famous Staffy smile and cheer everywhere she goes. And what an amazing tongue!

And very cute ears.

After we’d finished our walk through the park, we headed back to Molly’s house and chilled out in her backyard. The patio was nice and cool, a good place to stretch out on a hot morning.

It wasn’t long though, and her energy was back again, ready for a game of tug!

I somehow convinced her that modelling was a career path she should seriously consider.

This is probably my favourite shot of the session.

With this one running a close second. I’m so stoked that Molly’s dad is getting this one as a nice big gallery wrap canvas,  I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

These two lovelies live on waterfront on the gorgeous Gold Coast, what a great life they lead!

They have a big deck and a fantastic garden to while away the hours.

Baileys is a 10 year old Staffy with a such a laid back and cruisy attitude.

Her best mate Billy the 7 year old Fox Terrier is a serious boy but very attentive and was constantly trying to steal food out of my treat pouch, very sneaky!

But very cute as well, posing here on the garden path for me.

The little beach and jetty was a great spot for photos.

Couldn’t resist a shot of the two of them, when they paused for a second to check out a boat.

Gotta love those wise old staffy eyes.

I had a great afternoon chilling with this gorgeous pair and we managed to wrap up the session just as the rain came and it bucketed down! Thanks for a lovely afternoon guys.

In the words of April’s owner, this is April’s story:

April came to me about four years ago as a rescue dog. She is an English Staffordshire Terrier, I think she is about five years old. We decided to have her join our family officially on the 1st of April – our own ‘April fool’. She was found abandoned in an industrial site and was extremely persistent in her quest to be taken home as she sat with her rescuer all day while he worked all the while with her little paw on his back.

It was evident that she had had some puppies herself and was very timid – especially around men. With lot’s of TLC and good nourishing food and a fearless leader she could look up too (her big sister Jess – a fellow Pitbull who is now chasing rainbows on the other side) there was no stopping her rehabilitation. She is the most sweetest, cuddly and affectionate little girl and those chocolate drop eyes have a way of placing a permanent stamp on everyones heart.

April is a darling little girl, such a sweet face and so cuddly and affectionate, even when she didn’t really know me!

Doesn’t she have the coolest ears? One black, and one spotty.

Those eyes definitely melt your heart.

Of course I couldn’t resist some delightful head wrinkles.

But it was gorgeous spotty pink and white belly that got me every time. All recovered now from the litters she had, she just loves to show it off.