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Why the name Sundog?

Wednesday, January 9, 2013



Westie pup naps in the winter sun. Copyright ©2005 Heidi Marcinik

Two positive images that conjure up fun, happiness, and comfort—the sun and a dog

Who doesn’t like the kiss of warmth from the sun, or the tongue lick greeting from a pet? Those of us with pets know that our lives our enriched because of these special animals who know how to celebrate with us as well as comfort us in our grief.

Put them together—sundog—and you have a great name for a pet photography business that captures those cherished celebratory moments with our pets.

Choosing Sundog as a business name didn’t initially start out with this idea, however. I think destiny was at play when I chose that name many, many years before pet photography would present itself as a career option. It was all in serious fun at the time, picking a name for a website I'd use as a freelance artist...someday. My then coworker and I bounced ideas off one another, having a hilarious time at name creation and pondering their meanings.

Sundog just seemed right, and I decided to use it as part of my web address and envisioned “business-to-be” name.

Why the name Sundog?

Aside from the branding practicality of a fun, easy to spell, easy to remember word, my reasons were founded on two solid principles that serendipitously left room for growth as my life as an artist evolved.

If you don’t know what a sundog is, let me explain, as it’s an important metaphor behind the name.

A sundog, as explained by Wikipedia, is "an atmospheric phenomenon that creates bright spots of light in the sky, often on a luminous ring or halo on either side of the sun." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog). These sundogs or mock suns appear when the sun's light refracts through ice crystals in the atmosphere. (National Geographic has a stunning photo of a sundog)

Now you may be thinking just how does that tie in with a pet photography business?

As I mentioned earlier there are two main principles that laid the foundation for choosing this name.

The first one is that a sundog is a metaphor for my philosophy as an artist. I see myself, the artist, as the sundog, and the work of art (the photographic subject) as the sun. It’s a constant reminder to me that the photographic subject remains the central focus to my work and that in capturing and creating photographic art, I become its natural reflection.

The idea is that together, the artist and the subject, mutually relate to one another in such a way that something wonderful is created.

The second main principle is that I simply enjoy a life that includes animals—mostly dogs and cats, but am optimistic that may extend to horses and barn cats one day (I thoroughly enjoy barn cats and think they make such interesting photographic subjects).

And so I come back around to the image of the sun and a dog—light and animals—photography and pets. Sundog—a perfect name for a pet photography business.


Visit me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sundogpetphotography
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sundogpetphotog

(c) 2013 All Rights Reserved. All photos are property of Heidi Marcinik.  
 

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