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The Funks

 

David and Anne invited me to their home in Arlington to capture a bit of the beautiful life they are creating together.  Their home also happens to be the house Dave grew up in, which they have just recently moved into.  Dave is overseeing a remodeling project to customize the home to their wishes.   We conferenced beforehand about their desire to have their much beloved pets photographed to create unique portraits in their home.  

 

 

Dave and Anne wanted Dobby, Pumpkin, Pearl, Kazoo and Lulu to be the focus of the shoot.  Their love for their animals is second only to their love for one another.  Unfortunately though, Lulu went missing a few weeks prior to the shoot.  Thankfully she turned up about a week after the session, thanks to Anne’s persistent search efforts!   Maybe Lulu was camera shy?! 

 

 

Dave and Anne are travelers so we discussed ways to bring their love of travel and Dave’s love of cars into the portrait session.   The chandelier Kazoo is sitting beneath brings back sweet memories of a shared trip to Venice.  They commissioned Signoretti to create it for them after visiting Murano, an island location for major design studios for glass work.    Based on the sweet and natural affection these two have for one another, I have a feeling it was a very romantic water taxi ride to Murano! 

 

 

After receiving the chandelier, Anne loved it so much she wanted to add wall sconces to compliment it the next time travels took them back to Venice.  Dave had a Ferrari winter driving experience in the Italian Alps last winter (last photo in previous block), so they took advantage of the opportunity to stop in Venice again to visit Signoretti.   There’s a good possibility we will see Dobby in Dave’s Ferrari this spring when house renovation is done and I am back!   Shhh, don’t tell Dobby, it’s a surprise! 

 

 

Dave & Anne scheduled time with their artist in Murano to fine tune Anne’s concept after much initial design consultation.   Anne is also an artist, so her creative vision was an important part of the creative process for the sconces.  While there, they added the vase and large circular tray which were created by regional artists as well.   Kazoo, Dobby and Pumpkin were happy to oblige portraits with the sentimental pieces! 

 

 

 

Dave wore a Scottish kilt from his travels to represent their family heritage.  This portrait session was the perfect opportunity to preserve more of the memories Dave & Anne have made together through their travels and time at home with their pets.  (I was getting Braveheart flashbacks in my head while I photographed him solo!  Not sure what Dave would storm in down town Arlington, but I’m sure we could think of something given a little time!) 

 

 

You may notice how regal Kazoo looks below.  Kazoo is a Savannah, which is a cross between a domestic cat and a serval, a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat.   Savannahs are much more social than typical domestic cats, and they are often compared to dogs in their loyalty.  They can be trained to walk on a leash and to play fetch.  They are a relatively new breed and were bred with the traits of snuggability, furriness, and whisker length in mind.  The goal in the breed was also to create the most majestic cat breed there ever was.  Kazoo is doing his share to make that happen! 

 

 

 

Kazoo is still just a kitten and is expected to reach about 30 pounds when full grown.  This winter he gave Dave and Anne a horrible scare when he escaped into a tree and got his leash caught in the tree branches.  In his frantic attempt to get free, he ended up hanging himself from his harness and was dangling high above the ground.   Anne, with little thought of her own safety, scaled a ladder in an attempt to rescue Kazoo.  

 

 

Dave saw this ending badly in 1000 different ways and coaxed Anne down and called in the professionals.  So began a massive rescue operation involving a tree service’s bucket truck, the towing of a vacationing neighbor’s car to make room for the rescue vehicle, and Animal Control to oversee the rescue.   (And I thought it was exciting when my brother got his head caught in the banister spindles on our front porch as kids!  My mom called 911 and fire trucks showed up, but this probably caused much more of a stir on their street!)

 

 

I wish you all the best as your home renovation is completed and look forward to our time together this coming spring!  If I happen to see you while flipping through tv channels, I hope it’s in a crowd on a travel show and not on “Most Amazing Pet Rescues!” 

 

 

 

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