A 14 Dog Photo-shoot: The Laughs, The Process, And The Fun!

Bonilla Pet Studio has done many portrait sessions and as of recently, one of our most remarkable showcases the personalities of 14 whippets…at the same time! Dr. Ken Latimer brought his fur babies in, and it was an experience everyone who got to witness it will remember fondly.
By Abigail Brown
Getting To Know Dr. Latimer And His Whippets
It was a pleasure getting to meet Dr. Latimer, his quick wit was a joy and his happiness was infectious. We had the opportunity to talk to him about all of his pups, whom he loves dearly, and everything he wanted to see within his artwork. As his relationship with each dog is something he prioritizes, he decided that he would like his portrait to show real-life moments they share– and that is where his vision of a portrait in which he is reading his pups their favorite book, began the process of coming to life. Dedicated to getting into our studio and making this portrait session possible, Dr. Latimer brought his whippets in with 2 separate trips and 7 dogs at a time. All the way from the Toano area of Virginia, to Chesapeake Virginia! In my conversations with Dr. Latimer, he said he had anticipated a good amount of chaos would take place during any photoshoot that involves all his whippets but was pleasantly surprised with how smoothly and quickly this process went.
The Execution
To ease the process of this shoot Erin Bonilla planned from start to finish, to ensure it went off without a hitch. Starting with her initial sketch, Erin planned exactly where each dog would be before bringing them in for their session. Erin and Meghan brought the dogs in one by one and spent some time getting to know them. They posed the pups and took a perfect photograph of each pup in their strategically placed spot. Their dad had his photo taken separately as well, and with expert skill– all 15 portraits were beautifully placed into one awe-inspiring composite.
See Erin’s Initial Sketch Below
Handling The Anticipated “Chaos”
One of our photographers spent time playing with all the dogs not currently being photographed, in another room; they were loved up to no end and given treats galore. This kept them all happy as can be and helped whichever pup was currently being photographed, stay focused and calm. Major props go out to Dr. Latimer’s doggos, as they are retired show dogs with stupendous listening skills. Many laughs were shared and eventually, the photoshoot came to an end. From there Erin moved onto the production process–and this masterpiece was perfected!
Watch This Beautiful Composite Come To Life!
If you would like to capture the bond you and your pet share in a way you can cherish forever— Click the button below to look into our artwork options.