Our dog Harley has a very serious heart condition and we aren’t sure how much longer he will be around. We emailed Alex on the Friday night and she responded immediately with an appointment late Saturday afternoon. We were delighted, to say the least. Unknown to Alex, we had another dog, Millie, who is the biggest poser in the business. So we brought her along too. Alex was happy to take shots of both of them.

Alex, we can’t thank you enough for capturing the character of both dogs, especially Harley in the “head’ shot! It is truly fantastic and looks amazing on the wall. We really appreciate the way you handled our dogs with so much care and concern (and a generous supply of smackos). From our first sitting to the time we left with our purchases, we felt like we had made a new friend in you, which demonstrates just how much we enjoyed the whole experience.

Loraine and Martin - Harley and Millie the cocker spaniels

The WA Dingo Association wanted to create a calendar for 2011, featuring our member’s Dingoes. We needed to find a professional animal photographer who could capture the true ‘essence’ of a Dingo, who could create a pictorial representation of what we see every day, the animals we strive to create an awareness of; A beautiful creature, sentient, aware, gentle, loving and empathetic – A magnificent, athletic, native Australian wolf with inherent instincts that show in their character, a sometimes detached condescending aloofness, and an independence from need of human care, but a proud and regular humorous ‘larrikin’ when raised in a domestic environ with the right people. That was the brief. BIG expectations of any photographer. But Alex and her team transformed those expectations into a reality. She nailed the brief. We had 11 dingoes photographed in one day, no mean feat considering it was coming into breeding season and many of the Dingoes were female, of age and affected by seasonal hormones. “Sisters” can be a tab grumpy when chasing the same boyfriend! Alex and her team are true ‘animal people’. Aboriginal Dreamtime legends depict the Dingo as an all seeing, all aware being, that can see into the soul of a person and make judgement of their true character. Many feared rejection from Dingoes in the camp as it was mark against them. Dingoes know instinctively if you are a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person. Alex and her team all passed with flying colours. All the Dingoes loved them! The photo sessions were relaxed, the Dingoes were at ease and comfortable, allowing them to show their true nature and allow Alex to capture that as an image for all to see, Alex’s photographic style us unique in the market. The animal is the focus and there are no distractions. The images are exactly what you want of your best friend, and exactly ‘who and what’ they are, captured in a millisecond. If you want a ‘living memory’ and a true representation of your furred, feathered, fanged or finned friend, Alex and her team will deliver.

Leigh Mullan, President West Australian Dingo Association – Loxie & Wylie the Dingoes

Hi Alex, The photos arrived on Tuesday and are really lovely, and so beautifully presented. They were a lovely surprise for Katie who said I had chosen all the right ones, which is good! Now we just need to work on the frames and get them up on her walls to join the ones of the dogs! Thank you very much for doing such a great job. It has been great working with you again and I really appreciate the trouble you have taken. Best wishes for the ongoing success of your Houndstooth venture.

Jenny - Bonnie and Houdini the horses

Dear Alex, I came across your site today and just wanted to tell you how awesome I think your photography is!
www.petdirectory.com.au

Kim Cooney - Editor & Publisher, The Pet Directory

Alex, a massive thank you from the both of us for the wonderful photos you took of our dog Taj. We had such a great time at the studio and we really appreciate your great work, professionalism and especially your patience with our long decision making! We were just so pleased when we saw the final results, the quality of the photo and framework is exceptional and truly better than we could have imagined. We have already told all our pet loving friends about you and will recommend Houndstooth Studio in the future. All the best with the upgrade of your studio, it will be amazing. Thanks again.

Brad and Jeanette - Taj the german shepherd cross

Caleb the Pekingese and Roz would like to let you all know what a wonderful experience it was having Caleb's photos taken with Alex and Houndstooth studio.
Caleb was 15 months old when I adopted him in 2001. He was a scared and timid little dog after some bad experiences at his former home. I have always realized that he would be standoffish and a bit scared of being out of his comfort zone at home. Understanding his fragility over the years I have tended to put in the back of my mind the idea of having his photos taken professionally until I found Houndstooth at the Million Paws Walk this year.
Alex was so very gentle and loving with Caleb and therefore Caleb's photo shoot was an easier experience for him than I could ever imagine it would be. We were both amazed at his ability to cope with the away from home experience and I am so very happy with the photos Alex took of him. Thank you Alex for helping Caleb and I have something we never thought was possible.

Roz Reynolds - Caleb the pekingese

Alex Cearns of renowned Houndstooth Studio is the official photographer for the RSPCA WA. The Society is proud to be associated with Alex, who was chosen for this important role by not only the quality of her work, but also for her professionalism and endless patience, resulting in highly professional animal images that we use both commercially and in-house, including on our website. The many hours she spends producing work for us at no cost, helps the Society enormously.

Pauline Green, State Development & Fundraising Manager, RSPCA WA (Inc).

We brought our 2 much loved princes into the studio. Our 3 month old cavoodle Henry VIII was a star but our 2 year old standard poodle Louis XVI was extremely nervous and camera shy. He’d been rescued at 12 months from a breeder who’d neglected him – he’d never been groomed or socialised with people. It’s taken 6 months for him to be completely comfortable with us and he’s now the most beautiful and loving boy, yet still timid in new places. Alex made him feel safe in the studio and while he wasn’t as willing as the puppy, each photo of Louis was spot on. Thanks Alex!‎

Narelda Jacobs – Louie XVI the poodle and Henry VIII the cavoodle

Hi Alex, Just wanted to thank you so much for the photos of our boys Benson and Jake, they take pride of place in our home. We would like to thank you for the patience you took to get these shots. You obviously love animals because they loved you. Your professionalism is a credit to you and we can’t wait to have more photos of the rest of our furry kids.

Julie and Robbie - Benson and Jake the rottie x brothers

The canvas of Leyla looks amazing Alex. You have captured her essence so well. I am so pleased with it! It's a piece of art - Thanks so much.

Ruth - Leyla the german shepherd

Awwwww got the photos - they are wonderful! Already put the ice block one next to the television. They ( the two icelocks) actually looked great as a set! Haha, I'll have to steal Sarah's of Bender to put with it :) Now I've just got to hurry up and get them framed so I can display them around the house! Thanks so much for all your efforts, will definitely be back when I want more photo's done :)

Hayley - Bogan the kelpie

Houndstooth Studio is such a perfect way to capture your special little pet and I’m so glad that I have a portrait of my dog Konan that will last forever. Alex was so good in capturing his personality and also very professional throughout the whole process. I will be definitely recommending. Thanks Alex!

Khristina - Konan the bull mastiff x staffy

My dog is my pride and joy and I wanted to capture his personality in a photograph, so when I saw an article in the newspaper about Alex and her work with the RSPCA I looked up her website… I simply loved what I saw. My initial email correspondence with Alex was incredibly professional, and after asking a few questions I decided to go ahead and book a session at Houndstooth Studio. Doug the Pug and I arrived at the studio on a Saturday morning and I was impressed with the relaxed yet professional feel of the studio. Our session was fun for both myself and my beloved Doug, who was made to feel like a king! I was very excited when I went back to view the photos and choose which ones I wanted to purchase, and after initially planning to only get a couple, I ended up getting 8 photos printed because they were all so good! To sum my experience up I would describe Alex and Houndstooth Studio as: Flexible, patient, professional, friendly and incredibly talented with a special eye for detail. I would highly recommend it to all pet owners.

Aleysha Knowles, On-air announcer 96fm – Doug the Pug

Hi Alex, Was THRILLED to see your album of the Aussie animal pics! Wow, you truly have a gift with the camera - I'm impressed! I love too, that I just got to learn a whole lot more about animals we don't have here in the US (though some of our lizards here in the desert - I'm in Tucson, Arizona - are right up there with yours).
I have many friends in Oz (Brisbane and Tasmania), thanks to Facebook, who keep bugging me to come visit so I've been enjoying learning a lot about all things Aussie over the past 2 years, including my love of animals and wild growing things. Have to say, you truly are gifted with that lens. Wow...I'm an avid fan of yours now! And I want to see all these Aussie animals in person even more!
So, thanks for such lovely photos. Hope you're having a lovely day! Peace.

Julie Nicolay – USA (via Facebook)

Alex just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for the amazing pictures I just picked up of Angus. We just got home and unwrapped the canvas WOW WOW WOW. “Oh my gosh oh my gosh” - I could keep saying that! What an awesome, beautiful, gorgeous picture … it’s beyond belief. Silly as this sounds but that picture you took of my little man brought a tear to my eyes - and all of the pictures are absolutely stunning. You have done a brilliant job and I can’t thank you enough. I love how you have managed to capture Angus's personality in every different photo you have taken. They’re awesome. You more than likely here this all the time but we will defiantly be recommending you for people wanting to get pet portraits done. Thanks again!

Christine - Angus the shih tzu

Hi Alex, Thank you so much for Ruby’s photographs. They are just brilliant! My partner has already commandeered 2 of the pictures to hang in his office at work….he didn’t want the small pocket sized one but the actual prints because he reckons they are just sensational and want to show them off! He’s got more photos of the dog in his office than photos of me! Again, thank you for such a great job.

Christina & Simon - Ruby the lhasa apso

Many thanks for the "Possum CD". The photos are absolutely beautiful - I could not stop looking at them! So marvellous!
Alex, June showed me the Kanyana photobook you made for her. It is beautiful, and of course the possum photo's are the best. What a good job you did - I can see that Cameron the possumis very special to you too. Thanks again.

Johanna Ter Wiel - Kanyana foster carer for 6 baby possums

Dear Alex, I’d like to express to you just how thrilled Lily and I are with the Portraits of Gentleman Jake! You’ve captured the quintessential character of our beloved hound. I was fascinated with the rapport you developed with him in just seconds when we came for the sitting, you had him literally eating out of your hand – liver treats or no liver treats!!
I really appreciated the patience you had with him, especially given his advanced years. Thank you so much. The photographs will be treasured forever. Mine is in pride of place and is the first thing to be seen when anyone comes in to my home. He looks such a character in them, you’ve really captured the many faces of Jake! The service you provide is professional, friendly and very efficient and of the highest quality. I have no hesitation in recommending Houndstooth Studios to all my friends and colleagues.

Deborah Fleming-Prins - Jake the pitbull ridgeback cross

Alex we are so happy with the awesome photos you took of our baby Fonzy. We were amazed at how relaxed he was with you and how patient you were with him. We look forward to another photo session with you in sometime in the future when we move back to WA. I recommend you to all my friends with furry children.

Karen and Billy Felton - Fonzy the rottweiller

Dear Alex, Just wanted to write and say how pleased we are with Satchmo's and Toby's photographs. They are all of stunning quality. Thank you. We were also very impressed with the way you guided us through the culling process so we could arrive at the very best of so many excellent shots. It was truly a delightful experience watching the dogs perform for you - you certainly have a way of coaxing them into the most adorable poses. We have recommended you to several dog lovers already.
All the best.

Frank and Joyce Aquino - Satchmo and Toby

Like many people we’ve got plenty of “snapshots” of our two dogs but to be honest, our pics really aren’t that good. We contacted Alex for some professional photos because our older dog is unwell and were not sure how long she’ll be with us. Both Gilly (6) and Jasper (12) are so precious to us we really wanted to make sure we had some proper photos of them at their best. Alex was fantastic; she booked the session, met the dogs, totally captivated and connected with them. She kept them focused and happy, and even though Gilly wriggled the whole time, it didn’t faze or hinder Alex in the slightest. She is a complete professional – calm, precise, intuitive, warm, patient, engaging, creative and obviously loves her job. I was really impressed with the raw preview shots she showed us and the finished product is outstanding. There was no hard sell either. We picked a good range of photos without any pressure because when you see them, her pictures sell themselves. We couldn’t be happier or more thankful. The photos are crisp, clear, candid, super-high quality shots that remind us of Gilly and Jaspers typical expressions. Alex really did capture them at their best and well be forever thankful that we saw her as we definitely got pictures we will (and already) treasure. Thanks Alex.

Louise and Narelle – Gilly the cavalier x papillion & Jasper the maltese shih tzu

I initially learnt about Alex and Houndstooth Studio when I saw some of the photographs she took for the RSPCA and I immediately became a huge fan of Houndstooth Studio’s work. My Jet-Dog and I were both very excited to meet Alex and spend some time getting Jet-Dog’s glamour shots done in the studio, and we are both incredibly pleased with the results. I gladly recommend Houndstooth Studio to all the pet owners I know. Having memories of your animals captured and immortalised in the beautiful work that Alex is able to produce is honestly priceless. I can’t imagine ever regretting capturing my beautiful puppy the pictures Alex took, but I know I would definitely regret not doing it! Our session was lots of fun: Jet-Dog really enjoyed posing and interacting with Alex, and Alex didn’t even mind the annoying stage-mum rushing in with nail polish remover every now and again (as Jet-Dog was still glammed up with her xmas clawpolish on). I ended up ordering more pictures than I had initially planned, as it was almost impossible to choose between them – although Alex was very helpful and never pushy about purchasing the prints. The canvas portrait I bought is the first thing you see when you walk in our house, and everyone compliments it. Big Thanks to Alex for such a fun, professional, memorable and rewarding experience.

Kendal – Jet Dog the black lab

I have to say I am incredibly impressed with the beautiful cat images you have installed at Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital. They are breath taking - especially the little grey cat. I was out there last Friday and most people in the waiting area were admiring them.

Gaye - Animal Aid Abroad Member

Your photographs are exceptional. Thank you so much for capturing all of Tessa’s expressions and the poses that she has. It was hard me to choose from the many beautiful shots but the ones I have are a perfect portrayal of my Best Friend. Keep up the wonderful art.

Lynne – Tessa the german shepherd

We just wanted to say a BIG thank you for taking such wonderful photos of our precious four legged children, Titan and Chloe. You did a great job keeping them interested during the photo shoot (despite their dislike to most treats) and we were very pleased to see that the photos captured their friendly, playful and sometimes mischievous personalities perfectly. We have received lots of compliments about the framed photos, which are hanging proudly on our wall. The quality and finish of the photos are simply flawless – you have a great attention to detail.

Georgie & Ben – proud parents of Titan and Chloe the kittens

I was lucky enough to book the last Vetwest portrait photo session of the day at 4pm. I have two dogs – a 17yr old who is stiff, pants a lot (hard to get photo’s of as he moves so much), is quite deaf and doesn’t see very well anymore; and a 5yr old who doesn’t like his picture taken and hates loud noises. I thought that by the end of the day Alex’s patience might be a little thin and was therefore a little apprehensive about how things would go! I couldn’t have been happier!!! She was extremely patient with both of my dogs and they loved the treats. think my younger dog Benson, thought it was a big game. The hardest part of the day, was which photo’s to pick! I would highly recommend Alex Cearns as a dog photographer. I love my dogs and the way in which Alex treated them says a lot about the type of person she is. Good on you Vetwest for providing the opportunity to have beautiful photographs of my dogs taken, which we can keep forever. It was especially important to me to get shots of my older dog Oscar who might not be with me for much longer. Thanks so much to you both.

Angela – Benson & Oscar

Thank you for the amazing shots you took of Tinkerbell on the Vetwest photo day. We cannot wait to see the finished prints. The pictures you took on the day were brilliant and the only problem was shortlisting the best. We would strongly recommend you to other pet owners wishing to capture their animals in print. Thanks again.

Richard & Elaine – Tinkerbell the cat

Thanks so much for offering the service through Vetwest, I’m not sure Jasper enjoyed the experience too much but I certainly did, as I’m a great admirer of your work. The pics when I saw them on the laptop were brilliant, so the finished article will be stunning I’m sure!! The idea of putting a Vetwest page on your website is brill, I’d love to see Jasper on there!! So thanks once again for a fab day and I look forward to getting pics of my little ‘treasure’!!

Sandra – Jasper the british blue cat

Just a big thank you to you and Vetwest for giving us the opportunity of having our babies (pets) professionally photographed. Considering I was a bit stressed (having been totally lost due to my own fault) you were all so caring and patient. I know Buddy the Cavalier thoroughly enjoyed himself; especially with all the lovely treats he was given. As all the photos were fantastic, it was just so hard to choose which ones I liked most. Saying that Debora was so patient and helpful. My son’s partner (with Hugo the pug) and my work colleague (Max the maltese x shitsu) just raved about how great you all were. I look forward to seeing the photos and will certainly be advertising your services. Many thanks!

Sonya Tucker – Buddy the cavalier king charles

Hi Alex. I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and your staff. It made the whole experience very pleasureable, and really look forward to receiving Sheba’s photo’s in the mail – memories that I’ll have forever! Thanks again.

Laila – Sheba the kelpie x’s

For anyone looking for pet photos, look no further! Alex is very passionate about what she does and showed great patience to get some truly wonderful photos. The finished products are better than what I could ever have imagined. Mickey’s personality was captured perfectly and I could not recommend Houndstooth any higher.

Lee – Mickey the bulldog

We always knew we had the most gorgeous dog in the world, and now, thanks to Alex, everyone can see that he is a work of art! Sadly, I have had a few friends and family lose their very much loved companions recently, and this was the main reason why I chose to get Schnapps’ portrait taken. Hopefully he will be a part of our family for a long, long time to come, but now we will always have a reminder of him as a naughty, clever, loyal and loving 2-year-old. Alex was a pleasure to meet and to deal with. She is patient, professional, and obviously has a great love of animals and an enormous amount of talent. Narrowing down our choices to a selection we could afford was hard, but we never felt pressured to hurry or to buy more. We love our prints, and are proud to have them on display in our home.

Andrea & Matt – Schnapps the miniature schnauzer x poodle

Thanks for the photos Alex! We are in love with them! They look so professional – and the shots look fantastic on the canvases and in the frames! We are definitely coming back if we get anymore pets! Thanks again Alex for all the effort you put in to making sure we totally loved the end result!

Jayde and Bruce – Boondie the border collie & Ace the Australian shepherd.

The photos that Alex has produced of our dogs are fantastic. She had the patience of a saint while trying to get the “girls” into the right positions in her studio for close on 2 hours! She is a perfectionist and getting the right photos for us was her top priority, and this has shown through in the results. The quality of the photos are great and I can’t decide whether I prefer the canvas or black framed as the finish on both is so much better than we could have hoped for. I have recommended Alex to all the pet owners I know.

Di & Jules – Zuri & Deka the rhodesian ridgebacks

Alex is one of the most warm, generous people I have ever met. Coupled with her obvious love for animals this makes for an ideal pet photographer. Alex is extremely talented and goes out of her way to ensure perfection. The enthusiasm, dedication and care that was put into both my experience and photos is unparalleled. I could not recommend Alex highly enough, and wish to thank her for all the effort and help. I have never encountered a business where people are so willing to go that ‘extra mile.’ I will definitely be using her services again and again and again.

Angela – Darcy the Chinchilla

Our pictures turned out better than I could have hoped for. The finished product looks amazing. Alex was so professional, she made our dogs do things I never thought they could! I thought it would be really difficult to get my dogs to sit still and behave, but Alex made it seem simple – she turned them into little angels. Our finished photo’s look so fabulous, the quality of her work is second to none.

Talita & Denis – Rocky the border collie & Gidget the maltese shitzu cross

Cooper our one eyed Beagle pup’s photo shoot was like trying to control a wriggly worm with a five second attention span but thanks to Alex’s patience and experience she managed to shoot a series of fantastic images which captured his essence. Cooper and his girlfriend Olivia are now appearing in Alex’s latest calendar as Mr January and Miss December.

Marion – Cooper the beagle

We had an absolute ball with Alex and our pets, Ollie & Bella, at Houndstooth studio. It really was a fun afternoon. Alex managed to capture all those little quirky looks of both our dog and cat. The photos were exactly what we wanted, and with so many to choose from I wanted to get them all! In the end we selected two quite artistic shots which were perfect for the space in our house. We loved the experience and loved the pics!

Clover & Lesa – Ollie the labradoodle & Bella the cat

I came upon Alex through a friend. I had nearly lost my beloved but cranky old pug, Boris through pneumonia. It seemed an incredible opportunity and entirely appropriate to get some photos done in case he wasn’t with me for much longer. She has incredible patience and that whispering way with animals. I still don’t know how but she managed to make Boris look like a young pup. The photos are HIM. Whatever happens in the future I have wonderful photographic memories. Thanks Alex.

Paula – Boris the pug

Thank you Alex for the lovely photos of Pippin you have managed to capture him just as he really is. We were amazed with your patience at the photo shoot when all he really wanted to do was anything but have his photo taken. Your help and assistance in selecting the final few is greatly appreciated and we are very grateful for not being rushed at any time to make our decision. The finished framed product is excellent – we couldn’t have asked for anything better. Very many thanks.

Harry & Marian – Pippin the Shetland Sheepdog x King Charles

Thanks so much, Alex. Burma and I could not have imagined a more relaxed ‘sitting’ and it shows in the beautiful photos. I really appreciate the quality archival materials used as well – that way I know the photos will survive well.

Anne – Burma the Burmese

Alex had an amazing talent for getting stunning photos of our Pippin with all his various ‘looks’ covered, she has turned these pictures into art which is of fantastic quality and which we are so happy to have displayed in our home.

Emma – Pippin the Shetland Sheepdog x King Charles

It is so wonderful of you to support the Penguin Centre – you really are very kind. Thank you very much for the photographs. All of them are supreme – It’s hard to choose a favourite one as they are all so good. We especially liked the feather shot. It’s brilliant and would look good enlarged in a big frame – It’s so different. Thank you so much for the cheque too, it really is very kind of you. Your generosity overwhelms us. We look forward to seeing you again in the new year.

Dorothy & Staff at the Penguin Centre, South Australia

Alex has a knack of charming your much loved ‘kids’ into their comfort zone, bringing out the best in their personalities…and then captures their natural character with stunning results. We are so happy with the images, and the professional, timely service provided by Alex. Thank you!!

Sharni & Em – Hamish & Angus the Ragdoll brothers

I won an online challenge on the Red Bubble Website and they asked me to choose a card as my prize – and I chose your “Izzy Pup” card. It arrived today and it is truly beautiful and made me so happy. You are an amazing photographer.

Ingz – Poland

I just wanted to tell you how much I love your beautiful work. I’m very interested in conservation and animal welfare and I love animals, so I’m very jealous of your photography skills! I Love your RSPCA work – It’s wonderful! I have actually had the pleasure of meeting Billy Bob the rat! I went to the RSPCA open day a few years back and he was there… He was so big and squishy. Will be keeping track of your work and looking forward to seeing more of it.

Georgia – Perth, Western Australia

I just went to your website and wanted to tell you I almost had tears in my eyes looking at the pet images with the Toni Collette song playing in the background. Perfect choice of music. I see you have opened up a pet photography studio. If at any time you come to Melbourne could you let me know and possibly I could arrange some photos for my dogs?

Lesa – Melbourne, Victoria

I was just reading an article written about you and am totally inspired. Your photographs are simply beautiful and imaginative, each one a masterpiece. Animals are my favorite subjects and after reading your story, I want to go and volunteer at our local animal services group. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful story.

Marjorie Wallace – Lacey, USA