Allira Fontana Photography, Sydney (2026)

19/06/2026

I am ashamed to admit I use AI a lot in my work, if not for the majority of it. No, not artificial intelligence but ACTUAL intelligence! Also known as my brain. 😜

AI is everywhere now, it's almost impossible to avoid it. From our phones to social media to appliances, it has been woven into our lives. It strikes controversy, and yes I have used and do use it in my work. But, I ONLY use it to help quicken up editing processes for things that I would normally do. Let me explain.

Most of the photos I take of dogs and horses I use slip leads and photo halters that I need to edit out of the image. In the past, it was a bit of a long process to edit out thin leads and ropes, but now with editing tools in Photoshop I am able to edit photos quicker than ever before. I never use AI to add in elements that were never in the photo or alter an animal's body, if it was not captured by me it doesn't appear in my photos. I simply use it to do a task I would have normally done anyway.

I get asked quite a lot if I am worried AI will replace my job. And my answer? Nope not in the slightest. My photo session experience is just that, an experience. It is more than just pressing a button on a camera, it is meeting people and learning about their horses or dogs, capturing their connections, creating memories and showing them the art behind the digital file. I don't think AI can do any of that any time soon. 😉

Here is a photo of Bentlee, Dart, Pickles, Anarchy and Exotic who were all so amazing and posed off lead for this photo.

16/06/2026

The absolute worst thing about owning dogs is when they start showing signs of getting old. 😞

Chico will be 13 next month, and up until his birthday last year was going strong. Granted he is not falling apart and struggling, it's more the signs of his age are starting to really creep in. He is already on Synovan injections for his arthritis which has helped a lot, but I will be taking him to the vet on Friday to discuss a pain management plan for him.

Both boys have been seeing Sacha at the Balanced Canine for years. She has been wonderful throughout both of Archie's cruciate surgeries and IVDD diagnosis, and over the last few appointments we have been keeping an eye on Chico's back and back legs. He is starting to show some signs that he is a bit uncomfortable, so it may be time for some pain relief to see if that helps him along.

I've only even known Chico as an adult dog, he has always been a super chill low energy dog, so him slowing down in his senior years hasn't been a huge shock or scare. But it still stings a bit knowing he is more than likely entering the final years of his life, a life I intend to make as comfortable as possible. For me, quality of life is very important, and, as much as I love both my boys, I want what is best for them even if it breaks my heart.

But until then, we will enjoy each day, week, month and year together filled with treats, adventures and photos. This poor dog spent the first 4 years of his life in a backyard, and I intent to keep making his life one huge adventure.

15/06/2026

I'm FINALLY catching up on a few personal photo projects from earlier this year, and I couldn't help but share this photo of Vincent amongst the pine trees in Belanglo State Forest.

I have been trying really hard to get outside my comfort zone by trying different angles, zooming out to include more of the landscape and experimenting with new editing techniques. It can get tricky when photographing dark dogs with bright backgrounds, but I have devised a way to be able to capture all the details so when I open an image in Lightroom or Photoshop I can even the bright and dark areas to create a perfectly exposed photo.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this photo. One thing I am kicking myself about is getting a little bit too low down and cutting Vinnie's feet off behind the slight rise in the ground, but hey what's the point of experimenting without seeing the errors, learning and growth!

14/06/2026

Did you know that when I arrive at a photo session I ignore the dog or dogs I am photographing? I know, sounds crazy, but let me explain.

One critical thing I have learned from Chico and Archie is how to conduct myself around nervous and anxious dogs. Both boys used to be very wary of strangers. My first two family dogs absolutely loved people, so when Archie first came into my life followed by Chico both with behavioural issues, I learned there is a whole different side to dogs and their behaviour.

I learned with professional dog training how to help them overcome their nervousness of strangers and environments, how I act around them and I now use these skills when photographing client's dogs. Because I know that not every dog is super friendly and happy-go-lucky, and a stranger arriving at a park pointing a huge camera at them can be very off putting.

I approach every session the same way, no matter if the dog is friendly or nervous, and it may sound a little controversial. I actually ignore the dog! I want the dog to become comfortable with me in their space in their own time, and 9 times out of 10 I never actually pat the dog I photograph. Because my job isn't to cuddle dogs and make them feel nervous, which does show in images, but to just capture them as they are in the location and with their owner/s.

There is definitely more to pet photography than just using a camera. From dog behaviour to knowing the location to reading the light, it's not just a simple click of a button. 😉

Photo of the stunning Maple who is the goodest girl even when dealing with my barking boys. 😅

13/06/2026

Halo was born to model, and you can't change my mind 😍

Look at her posing there on the tree like she was born to do it, just stunning! But my question for you is, can you tell whether she is a Border Collie or an Aussie Shepherd?

11/06/2026

The votes are in and counted, and the winner of the 2026 Winter edition of the Dog of the Season is Vada! It was close between Vada and Eula, with Vada coming in with 62 votes and Eula with 50, and a total of 168 votes overall making this edition one of the biggest ever.

Thank you to everyone who voted for their favourite dog or dogs, I will be going through the entries and reaching out to those who scored their own photo session experience tomorrow. Keep an eye on your emails.

10/06/2026

There is only one day left to vote for the Winter Dog of the Season. And just by voting you can go into the draw to win your own $400 portrait experience!

Vote here: https://allirafontana.com/dog-of-the-season/

The winner with the most votes will get their choice of $200 cash OR $400 of product credit to use towards products or at a future photo session, and by voting you will go into the draw to win a photo session with yours truly and $225 of product credit yourself.

Voting will close tomorrow at 5pm, with the winner announced that same evening. So get your votes in and I could be seeing you at a photo session soon!

09/06/2026

This gorgeous little guy is , and he has the most expressive ears and happiest face of a puppy I have ever met! We had our session at Fagan Park last month and were blessed with a perfect afternoon of sunshine.

Fagan Park is an on leash park, so Henry was safe on a long lead the whole time during our session. The best thing about Fagan Park is that you can frequently see the ranger working in and roaming the park, so the majority of people do actually stick to the leash rule. Plus, with the opening of a fenced off leash area in the park recently, people just take their dogs there for an off lead run. It's the best park.

For such a young pup Henry was a star to pose, sitting when asked by his owner, running around having a blast with his favourite toy, laying in the Autumn leaves and always keen for a treat. I can't wait to see him grow into his tail, it was so long!

08/06/2026

The coldest months of the year may be here, but the heat is turning up for the Winter edition of my Dog of the Season competition. Vote for your chance to win your own $400 portrait experience!

Vote here: https://allirafontana.com/dog-of-the-season/

For the Winter edition we have (in no particular order) Eula the Shiba Inu, Zadie the Labrador, Vada the Border Collie, Murphy the French Bulldog, the Hyped Up Dogs Border Collie pack and Aki and Hiei the Shiba Inu's.

So how does this all work? The winner with the most votes will get their choice of $200 cash OR $400 of product credit to use towards products or at a future photo session, and by voting YOU will go into the draw to win a photo session with yours truly and $325 of product credit to turn the images we capture into stunning works of art.

Voting will close on the 11th of June at 5pm, with the winner announced that same evening. So get your votes in and I could be seeing you at a photo session soon!

07/06/2026

The only thought getting me through Winter is Spring photo sessions at Paramatta Park in September. I swear I am cold blooded, I am forever cold in Winter and it takes me ages to defrost once I am cold.

Now that I have example images ahead of time, I can release these session dates 6 weeks out. I am only going to do a select number of sessions and afternoons, and unless completely necessary WILL NOT be doing weekend sessions. The park is just way too busy with people to make a photo session viable.

If you'd like to be one of the first to know when these sessions go live, comment "blossom" below and I'll pop you on the pre-register list so you can book in before they open to the public.

Allira Fontana Photography

19/06/2026

16/06/2026

15/06/2026

14/06/2026

13/06/2026

11/06/2026

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09/06/2026

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