LIGHTNING! - Chicago Lightning Photography

Going off-topic of little friends for a moment. Here in Chicago, I've seen some of the most spectactular lighting in my life. It's been an amazing experience photographing this phenomenon.

Spider-web lightning on July 23rd, 2011

Striking the Trump Tower in Chicago

Rocco the Dancing Terrier - Chicago Dog Photography

If you've ever seen "Dancing with the Stars", then you've never seen Rocco, because he is in fact, a dog. But if there was a show called "Dancing with the Terriers", then my new friend Rocco would surely be a finalist! Classically trained, Rocco has mastered both the smooth and latin dances and has been perfecting a new jig called the "Terrier Twist" (photo below).

Rocco demonstrating the "Terrier Twist".

A dramatic photograph of the Terrier Twist

Future cover of Newsweek?

Resting up for a big performance

Macie and Kedzie - the Dynamic Duo

If you see two dogs in the Wicker Park area, chances are it could be Macie and Kedzie. Macie the Maltese, weighing in at a whopping 5 EL BEES, enjoys wandering back and forth on the couch in search of treats, being miniature, and trying to find dogs smaller than her to bully around. Kedzie the Bernese Mountain dog has figured out that Chicago doesn't offer a lot of mountainous terrain, but she does enjoy a good game of fetch and loves tackling snow drifts in the winter.

Macie - small but tough

Kedzie on the move

Dynamic Duo

Self-Portrait

The five-pounder

Maddie the Mutt & Parker the Barker - Chicago Dog Photography

Meet Maddie the Mutt and Parker the Barker! We had an early morning photo shoot in Lincoln Park at Grandmother's Garden. Apparently Grandmother's Garden is not a place where Grannies come to party at 8 am, but it is a hot spot for local pups on their morning walks, so we had a few "uninvited models" try to steal some photo-time. Like true professionals, Maddie and Parker stayed focused which led to some winning shots!

Maddie with the classic "ear-flop" look

Parker reminds me of a cartoon character

Parker the Barker showing off his "softer side". He loves, but also hates squeaker toys. It's a love-hate relationship apparently.

Nala the Cover-Girl

My pride and joy, Nala the pound-puppy-doodle, graces the cover of the 2012 Willow Creek Press Labradoodles Calendar. That's two years in a row! I'm such a proud Dad!!! Yay for Pound Puppies!!! Love you, Nals!

http://www.willowcreekpress.co​m/product/53618.html

Fastest Dogs on Earth

Greyhounds are incredible animals. The fastest dog on earth and the second fastest mammal on earth, next to the Cheetah, the Greyhound reaches speed of over 40mph. Photographing a non-racing greyhound at top speed is a unique opportunity. And to see one powering through the water is even more special. Thanks, Oscar, for allowing me to photograph your talent!
David Hasselhound savin' lives in slow-motion

Puglet the.. yeah you guessed it. PUG!

If you like Pugs, you will for sure like Puglet. A true Pug at heart. We rendezvoused in West Los Angeles for our photo shoot, where Puglet gave me a VIP tour of the local park.
Puglet (center) celebrates the pug lifestyle in West Los Angeles.

A grand welcome to the home of Puglet

Apollo the Explorer - Los Angeles Dog Photography

Have you ever been to outer space? Probably not. Have you ever been to an abandoned zoo. Probably not. But I have. And so has Apollo the Siberian Husky! Together, we explored the ruins of what used to be Los Angeles' Zoo. Mysterious, creepy and fascinating. A great location for a photo shoot!

Inside an abandoned habitat at the old L.A. Zoo

Even though the zoo is now abandoned, wild animals still lurk in the area, including this coyote who was kind enough to let me snap a quick portrait.

Australian Tour!

G'day! I'm currently in the middle of my first ever Australian National Photography Tour and am having a blast working with pets and their people all over the country as well as photographing local wildlife! Here's the agenda: Melbourne - Great Ocean Road - Halls Gap - Kangaroo Island - Sydney - Whitsundays - Cairns - Port Douglas - Darwin - Brisbane - Fraser Island - Fiji. I'll be posting more photos along the way here on my blog as well as the LittleFriendsPhoto facebook page. Cheers!

Help the Cheetahs

Runako the Cheetah striking a pose. Thanks, Runako, for being so friendly and not tearing me limb from limb. :) You are an amazing beast! Please support this amazing species by visiting http://www.cheetah.org and http://www.dewildt.co.za/. The cheetah is the most endangered cat in Africa and they need our help. Thanks so much, everyone!

AKC Photo Contest Winning Photos

A Big Congratulations to a few of my furry clients on winning this year's 2011 AKC Photo Contest! Next time I see you, I'm going to give you each a big hug!!

3rd Place - Color Division. Nice work, Buster!!!

Honorable Mention - Roxy and Molly

2010 Dog Writers Association of America Awards

Congrats to my little German Shepherd puppy friend on winning BEST COLOR PHOTOGRAPH in the 2010 Dog Writers Association of America Awards!

LOS ANGELES' BEST PET PHOTOGRAPHER - Little Friends Photo

Little Friends Photo was just voted LOS ANGELES' BEST PET PHOTOGRAPHER in the 2010 Readers' Choice Awards by Tails Pet Magazine! Thanks to everyone who voted! Tens of thousands of enthusiastic pet lovers logged into TailsInc.com to vote and I am quite flattered I was the number one choice! Let's party!


For a complete list of winners, check out the TAILS INC website.

Article in the Herald & Review

Article in the Herald & Review today about my volunteer efforts. This is super exciting for me because this is the local newspaper in the city where I grew up! :) Thanks so much for writing this, H&R! http://herald-review.com/news/local/article_78164828-9f11-5413-b47c-f69915a531c1.html

POOF POOF! - Carmel, CA Pet Photography

POOF POOF the Magnificent is a fearless 6-month old Pomeranian with the heart of a lion. Poofy was born with only three legs and due to a recent slip-and-fall, she broke one of her three working legs! Oh no!!! So now she's down to 2! Poor Poof Poof!! She has one working back leg and one working front leg, but you shou...ld see her hop around! She is like a little wind-up-toy. You set her down and she just hops everywhere!! She is my hero!

Daisy

Daisy of Malibu

Interview with Pet Life Radio

Interview with Pet Life Radio! Put that Richard Marx song on pause for a moment and have a listen:
http://www.markiac.addr.com/PET_LIFE_RADIO/sassyseniorsep2.html

Little Friends featured on Best Friends!

Our little friends are our best friends! Check out the feature article on the Best Friends website.

http://network.bestfriends.org/golocal/california/15774/news.aspx

The Dog Whisperer and Seth Casteel

Cesar Millan and Seth Casteel - teaming up! Check out the feature story on Cesar's website about my photography. Thanks so much, Cesar! Looking forward to working together on future projects! And a big thanks for all you do for pets and all you do for people! We're lucky to have the guidance of The Dog Whisperer! http://www.cesarsway.com/news/dognews/Pet-Photographer-Seth-Casteel-Shares-Tips


Cesar Millan "The Dog Whisperer" and Lifestyle Pet Photographer Seth Casteel at the Patterns for Paws fundraiser to benefit the Amanda Foundation Animal Rescue

2011 Calendars!

The 2011 Dog Calendars are available now and I'm especially excited that my very own Nala is gracing the cover of "Just Labradoodles" by Willow Creek Press! I'm just so proud of her - earning her keep and all! Plenty of treats for you, Nal!!! For all you Doodle lovers, order your copy today! :) http://www.willowcreekpress.com/product/51584.html

Oscar the Not-a-Grouch

Endless Summer

BOREDOM BUSTERS

A fun new book to check out! Available at your local pet stores and book stores! Cover photo and also interior photos by Little Friends Photo. Click here to buy it through amazon.com!

TAILS Pet Magazine - July 2010 Cover

The July edition of Tails Pet Magazine is now available featuring RACHELLE LEVEVRE (Victoria from Twilight) and her dog, Jack, on the cover. Thanks for a fun photo shoot, Rachelle! And thanks for all that you do for animals! Be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine or check it out online!

AKC Family Dog Magazine - July/August

Congrats to Brunello the Golden Retriever on landing the July/August cover of AKC Family Dog Magazine! You are representing all of the Goldens in the country! Nicely done! Now get that ball already!

Photo by Seth Casteel / Little Friends Photo / Los Angeles Dog Photography

Associated Press Story - SETH CASTEEL

Shelter Dogs Benefit From Volunteer's Photographs
Los Angeles shelter manager says volunteer's photos are saving lives of dogs who need homes. Click below for the full story which has been picked up by dozens of outlets accross the country including ABC News, MSNBC and The Los Angeles Times...




http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=10418393

Happy Easter!

DOG WORLD Magazine Cover - May 2010

The May 2010 edition of DOG WORLD Magazine features a Little Friends Photo of a Pug Puppy racing down a hillside! This is very exciting news for photographer Seth Casteel as DOG WORLD is one of the most prestigious dog magazines in the world. Congrats to the Pug Puppy and his owner! The magazine is available in all major pet stores and book stores.

"This was an outstanding photo shoot! Excellent weather. Energetic puppies. Lots of assistants to help. A snowy mountain in the background! When this shot was taken, I knew it was a cover! It was interesting to see such a determined expression from an 8-week old Pug Puppy."



and here's a photo they used for the article: