#serraniapark

This warm weather reminds me of our days in California and the human and canine friends we made there. Every morning, Hux, Meep and I headed to the local park to get some fresh air, walk, and hike. I would carry Hux on my back while Meep ran across the grass, up and down hills, and in and out of bushes. We met other dog owners and parents who also rose early, sometimes before the sun came up. It was a special time in a special place with special people. Hux, Meep and I made some friends there who we will never forget.

When I found out we were moving back to the East Coast, I decided to make environmental portraits of the friends we made from our local park. The context of the park was as important to me as this was the only place I ever saw these people and their dogs, despite their importance in my life. We all continually remarked that the mornings we spent together at the park, with our dogs running circles around us, made our days better.

The first portrait I took was of Winston and his owner, David. I pulled them over to the bottom of a nearby trail and didn’t ask much of them except to stay relatively still. I love this image of David and Winston looking off in different directions, yet totally relaxed in each other’s presence. David and Winston were a little bit like line wolves in the park, keeping to themselves but socializing when invited in. I respected their autonomy and also really enjoyed their company. David and I talked about young kids as his grandson is the same age as Hux.

I was most excited to photograph Sandy and her dogs as she is one of my favorite personalities from the park. Sandy is a rock ‘n roll, fun-loving woman who adores dogs. After we left California, Sandy started her own dog walking and sitting business as well as her own jewelry line named after her dog, Hannah. With Sandy’s strong and bubbly personality, it doesn’t surprise me that she took her career into her own hands.

I remember Jenny as the fellow Bostonian in the group - she is super friendly but also full of vinegar. We used to shoot the breeze about all of Boston’s idiosyncrasies. I’m still waiting for her to come back to her hometown for a visit, but it’s always difficult to pull an Angelino out of the temperate Southern California weather.

Vlad is a true gentleman. A pack of us used to take the dogs on a hike around the park and once, when the trail became a little more difficult than we had anticipated, Vlad ensured I safely made it through. He took such amazing care of his dogs, Lola and Sega, and would take them on the road with him when he had to travel cross country in his truck. I often imagine the happiness they felt in each other’s company on the road.

Finally, for this edit of the Serrania Dog Park Project, I photographed Javoris and his pup Zeus. Javoris had recently moved to LA from Atlanta for work in the medical industry and was still getting his sea legs when I met him. Zeus and Meep immediately hit it off in the park, so Javoris and I would spend time talking (or not talking as was his slower Southern style). Sometimes, it’s nice to be in the company of someone without feeling like you have to say a word.