Photography of Mandy's companion dog mia the Cavoodle
In 2025 I said good bye to my pet dog Chilli after more than fifteen years together. One of the things I regret the most was not getting more photos taken of us together doing the things we enjoyed.
So I decided to create a new dog photography service to help other dog owners not make the same mistake that I did.
Yes everyone has lots of photos of their dog, but nearly every person I speak to doesn’t really have photos with their dog.
I had the pleasure of doing a dog photography session with Mandy and her Cavoodle Mia recently.
What I find fascinating about meeting people before I take photos of them is that, outwardly, everyone seems ‘normal’ in the sense that life is just happily moving along. The reality for many is that this isn’t really the case, but as a society we are quick to make assumptions based on appearances from photos on social media and the like.
Mandy is a perfect example of this, as you can see in the gallery, the photos of her and Mia are beautiful, full of warmth, joy and happiness in each image. Although for more than 20 years Mandy has had to live her life managing the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Much like my own experience I had with Chilli, owning a dog as a companion has helped her beyond what any words can describe. Here is a quote from Mandy and her full story below
“Like Shanti before her, Mia brings me daily laughter, non-judging, doggy friendship plus physical and emotional warmth.” Mandy
What does having a dog like Mia mean to Mandy's life?
This is what Mandy had to say about owning a dog like Mia.
If you asked me what Mia means to me it would be hard to encapsulate her significance in my life and heart without giving you the context in which I met her and became her human: I have a debilitating invisible illness named Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
You have probably never heard of it this name. Most people in Australia call the illness Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and very few people understand how devastating an illness it is.
CFS/ME has rendered me disabled for 24 years. It has caused me to be housebound and primarily bed bound for the last ten years. Due to my inability to work or go out I am very socially isolated. I spend 98% of every day in a quiet, darkened, air conditioned room.
It’s hard for people to believe because I don’t look sick. I used to have a beautiful and much adored companion dog named Shanti. When she passed away four and a half years ago I was bereft. I didn’t think I could love another dog as much as I had loved Shanti, but I was wrong.
As soon as Mia came into my life I realised that her very presence made me happier. I have come to believe that a much loved dog can be a conduit for all the best things in our human relationships. Mia is like a vase holding all the love and friendship that I share with the humans in my life. She somehow represents those relationships with none of the complications involved in being human – she is pure love and loyalty.
Like Shanti before her, Mia brings me daily laughter, non-judging, doggy friendship plus physical and emotional warmth. She enriches the human relationships I have with my mother, with whom I live and with my carers. Having Mia in my life has supported my mental health in immeasurable ways and I am forever grateful for the privilege of having her in my life.
Having some beautiful photos taken of me and my furry best friend has been a wonderful bonding experience and now I have a gorgeous visual reminder of the fun and love I share with Mia. Thanks so much Paul! I highly recommend making the investment of having a photographic session with Paul and your fur baby through La Lente Photography.
Taking photos of Mia the Cavoodle
Mandy and I decided the best place to take photos of her and Mia would be in her back yard. We scheduled a home photography session at around 5 o’clock in the afternoon so that it wasn’t too hot and there would be a nice, warm, shaded light in her backyard.
The location was perfect, it was a little oasis filled with colourful plants and greenery with plenty of space for Mia and Mandy to play while I took photos. We got creative and used a nice chair and an open grassy area to capture different photos of hugging Mia, Mia eating a treat and lots of play time on the grass as well.
No session would be complete without zoomies of course and it was so nice to see the joy on Mandy’s face as Mia ran around and enjoyed her company.
Here is what Mandy had to say about the session
“Wow Paul, you did great! There are some really lovely photos. It was really lovely to have such a fun time with Mia taking these photos! Also she responded so well to you, trusting you straight away. There are so many gorgeous photos! Its hard to pick one favourite.
Thank you for a lovely time with Mia and the beautiful dog photographs!!”
In memory of Chilli
This photography service was created in 2025 in memory of Chilli. Chilli was a rescue dog who spent just over fifteen years with me becoming my companion, best friend and someone I will miss dearly.
He enjoyed a great life and was a constant in my life through thick and thin, lived in many different places and even spent some time on the road experiencing van life. A Maltese Shih Tzu who looked like a teddy bear when his fur was long and a Dalmation when he was clipped short.
He is the reason that I now provide pet photography for dogs in Sydney either at your home, a local park or your chosen location. For senior pets I also offer end of life pet photography sessions as I will always regret not getting more photos taken with him and I together.
