Mandy Houston Photography

10/15/2026

Hi everyone! I just wanted to post an update and see how all of you are doing? I hope you're all well!

The past year has been a challenging one with losing my dad and other issues that I had going on. As of right now, things are going pretty well considering and with the beautiful fall colors out there right now I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling the itch to be out there shooting! Time just really isn't on my side at the moment though.

A couple of months ago my position at my full time job changed. I was moved from one department to another which brought much more work and responsibility to my desk. I'm not at all complaining as I do enjoy what I do, but with all of the learning and training along with the increased workload, by the time I clock out for the day my eyes are fried and I'm mentally too tired to do any sessions or photo editing. Finding time for editing right now is just too much of a challenge so my hiatus is continuing. I'm HOPING that come spring, I'll be much more settled into my work and will be able to find time to get back into photography and editing.

I truly do miss being out there shooting and seeing all of you who've come to me time and time again for photos. I hope to see you all again soon and I hope that you're all doing well - humans and pups alike!

With that said, last weekend my boyfriend and I went on a little getaway up to the White Mountains. We had a great time and even made a trip up to the summit of Mount Washington! This was my first time venturing up there and I was expecting it to be on the cold side, but it was much colder than I expected! Only 21°F with winds in the 40-50mph range. It was numbing cold, but the view? It was so beautiful! We took the Cog Railway up and the conductor told us that we had 130 miles of visibility based on what they could see for the mountains in the distance. Apparently, this kind of visibility rarely happens so despite the freezing cold temps, we picked the best day to go! If you've never been, definitely look into it!

So that's about all I have for now. Again, I hope you're all well!

07/21/2026

I have an update to share and unfortunately it may be a disappointment to some of you. After a lot of thought I've decided that I'm no longer going to be offering indoor/studio photo sessions. This includes the holiday themed mini sessions which I know are so popular and enjoyable for many of you. There are a handful of reasons why I made this decision and it wasn't an easy choice to make but at the end of the day I need to make decisions that are right for me.

As for other (outdoor) sessions, I'm not completely ruling out returning to do them but as of right now I have no plans of jumping back into them. Chances are high that when and if I do make a return it'll be strictly for end of life sessions, but again no definite decision has been made on this and I'm currently still not taking sessions on.

That's about it for now. I know it's only July, but I wanted to let you all know sooner rather than later that there will be no Halloween or Christmas minis this year. I deeply apologize for those of you who will be saddened to hear this news. I truly enjoyed offering these sessions and am grateful for the many of you who returned season after season to take part.

07/11/2026

Hi everyone! I still don't have a timeline as to when I'll be back out shooting again, but I will admit that I'm going a little stir crazy. I've decided to shift my focus to one of my other hobbies to get out of the funk I'm in.

For those who don't know, I also make sculptures out of polymer clay. I create mostly humpback whales, but I do create other pieces as well. I'm actually HOPING to expand to do custom dog sculptures, but that's going to take some practice and time. We'll see if I get there.

I just started a new page for my clay art if you're interested in following feel free! Here's the link... https://www.facebook.com/mandyhoustonclay

Also, if any of you are into art (of any type) and have a page, feel free to drop your link in the comments! :)

I'm a polymer clay artist from New Hampshire (USA). Every piece created is hand sculpted, painted, and truly one of a kind.

06/16/2026

I haven't really touched my camera for over two months now. Today is a special occasion though and I had to take it out to grab a birthday photo of my boy Finley. Today he turns the big 0-5! I cannot believe he's 5 years old already. Time really needs to slow down.

06/12/2026

Just wanted to check in and say hello. It's been a while and I apologize for the quiet. I'm still going through some things and don't know when, or even if to be honest, I'll be back out shooting again. I'm just taking things one day at a time as it's all I can really do at the moment.

With that said, I've been thinking of offering photo editing services to my fellow photographers who may be backlogged in their sessions, need a break, or maybe just don't enjoy the editing process. I'm willing to do this for pet owners as well provided the photos you're asking me to edit were taken by you and not another photographer as I cannot edit someone else's photos without their written consent. So, if anyone has a need for this kind of thing, feel free to shoot me a message and we can discuss it. I'm still in the researching phase of this to see how to make it all work.

With that said, I hope you're all doing well and staying somewhat cool during this hot weather!

04/10/2026

Life is constantly throwing curve balls and keeping us on our toes. I was just getting back into the swing of things with my photography and I'm finding myself having to take another hiatus.

I'm not sure when I'll be back, but as soon as I figure things out I'll be sure to share. Unfortunately, this includes end of life sessions as well. If you're in need of an end of life photographer, I highly recommend looking at The Tilly Project's directory.

04/08/2026

03/29/2026

A message for reactive dog owners.

I see many people who are hesitant to book a session due to their dog's reactivity whether it be towards other dogs or humans. And, yes I know that some dogs can be far more reactive than others. However, in most cases that alone is not reason to not book a session if it's something that you would really like to do. There are ways to work around it.

One, there are places that we can meet which are quieter than others or large enough to make sure we're far enough off the main path to lessen the chances of passing others.

Two, during my sessions, regardless of where we are, my eyes are constantly scanning our surroundings. I know that many people let their dogs off leash even when they're not supposed to. Whenever I see someone approaching I'll always let "you" know so we can do what we need to do for everyone's safety.

Three, as much as I want to hug and smooch every pup I see, I know that not all dogs appreciate or want that kind of affection from a total stranger. For the most part, I keep myself as hands off unless the dog approaches me and is seeking my attention. I am a big believer in personal space.

Four, I have zoom lenses! I do not need to be 10' away from your dog to get photos. These zoom lenses allow me to keep a safe distance while still capturing some really beautiful images.

Five, I don't really put a time limit on sessions. I know that some dogs need some extra time to settle in and that's ok! Worst case, while they're sniffing around and calming their senses, I'll just stay back and snap a few candid photos.

I'm sharing all of this as a reactive dog owner myself. My boy Finley here, who will be turning 5 in June (where does the time go?!) is an anxious and reactive boy. Honestly, for the longest time I didn't even try to take him out. It was just easier and safer to keep him at home in his comfy space, but we've been working on it and he's getting better and better. This past Friday night I brought him to the beach and he had the best outing he's ever had! He was so happy and he had so much fun! My heart literally wanted to explode seeing him so happy and I was able to get some pretty cute photos of him in the process.

So... with all of that said, if you are interested in trying to get a session in with your reactive pup, please do not hesitate to reach out. We can discuss your pup's specific needs and try to figure out a plan. Every pup deserves their time in the spotlight!

Side note, Finley is harnessed and leashed in this photo (see photo in comments).
Second side note, photographing your own pup is actually much more challenging than many people might realize!

03/27/2026

DISCOUNTED SUNSET BEACH SESSIONS FOR APRIL!

Just a friendly reminder of the discounted beach sessions that I’m offering for the month of April. I have a handful of dates still available. Our beaches in NH close to dogs at the end of April so I figured this would be a great opportunity to get these sessions in before it’s too late!

I'm also extending this to York, ME (the Nubble Lighthouse) and Fort Foster Beach in Kittery, ME (assuming the snow has melted as this would require a little walk from the parking lot to the beach).

Due to my full time job work schedule, this is for sunset sessions only so please plan to meet at 6pm if you book a session. I’ll list the available dates below.

The cost of these sessions is $250 and will include ALL edited photos.

If you're interested in scheduling, just shoot me a message here on Facebook and we'll get you on the calendar!

AVAILABLE DATES:

Mon 4/6
Mon 4/13
Wed 4/15
Mon 4/20
Tues 4/21
Mon 4/27
Tues 4/28
Wed 4/29

03/21/2026

It feels like it's been forever since I've been out shooting. My last official sessions were both on 11/5/25. My father passed about a month later and I hadn't touched my camera since. Today was the start of getting back into the swing of things. I was feeling a lot of excitement, some nerves, and some sadness as I know that these pups will soon be making their final journeys.

I ended up doing two sessions today. One in the morning with a handsome guy named Jett and then this afternoon I met up with another handsome guy named Bluff. I'll be sharing more photos of each of them in the coming days, but for now... here's a little preview.

Thank you to Angel and Christina for trusting me to capture these photos for you. I've said it countless time and I'll continue saying it... I always feel that it's such an honor being asked to do this kind of thing.