About Solas Studio
Hi, I’m Roisin.
(Pronounced Ro-sheen)
I’ve loved dogs for as long as I can remember, and photography almost as long.
Growing up on the edge of the Swan Valley as the Australian-born daughter of two Irish parents, I inherited a deep love of Irish culture, a lifelong love of dogs and one Christmas, a second-hand SLR film camera from my parents that sparked a lifelong passion for photography.
Today, Solas Studio brings those two loves together – creating timeless portraits that capture not just how your dog looks, but the heart, soul and unmistakable personality that make them yours.
Ralph. And the ones who came before him.
Ralph is my third golden retriever – a pat-obsessed, cheese-fuelled, perpetually enthusiastic force of nature who would genuinely consider relocating to a new family if they offered him a pat and a piece of cheese at the right moment. He is absolutely not a patient studio model. He is exactly the kind of dog most people worry their dog will be in a session.
Before Ralph there was Dusty. And before Dusty, there was Cruize. Both golden, both beloved, both gone now – and both still very much present in the way I think about dogs, about time, and about why photographs matter as much as they do.
Losing Cruize and Dusty taught me things no photography course ever could. They taught me that a dog’s life is heartbreakingly short, that the ordinary moments are the ones you’ll miss most, and that a photograph taken today is a gift you give your future self.
That’s why I do what I do.
Why Solas?
Solas – pronounced “sul-us“ – is the Irish word for light. Solas felt like the right word for three reasons.
Photography begins with light. Every portrait I create is shaped by it – the way it falls, the way it wraps around your dig, and the way it transforms an ordinary moment into something unforgettable.
And dogs are light. The kind that meets you at the door when the day has been hard. The kind that finds you on the sofa when you’re sad and just stays. The kind that makes an ordinary Tuesday feel like something worth remembering.
That is what I’m here to capture. Not just a photograph of your dog. The light they bring – to you and to the world.
The Studio.
Solas Studio sits on the edge of the Swan Valley in Perth, Western Australia.
The studio is private, contained and designed entirely around your dog’s comfort. No other animals, no waiting rooms, no distractions. Just your dog, you, and a space where something extraordinary can happen.
Every session is by appointment only. Your dog has my complete, undivided attention from the moment they arrive.
How I work.
Here’s something worth knowing before you worry about whether your dog will behave: the dogs you see on this website did not sit still for their entire sessions. Some of them only held still for the fraction of a second it took to capture the shot. Some were timid. Some were nervous. Some acted like they’d had ten litres of coffee before coming in. Some just wanted to lie down.
Dogs are dogs. That’s not a problem to manage – it’s the whole point.
I work with your dog’s energy, not against it. I follow their lead, read their signals, and know when they need a break, a treat, a moment to sniff something interesting, or simply a pause. I use positive reinforcement throughout and never push a dog beyond their comfort.
What I’m looking for isn’t the perfect pose. It’s the real moment – the glance, the tilt, the expression that is so completely and utterly them that when you see it in the finished image, your heart does something it wasn’t quite prepared for.
I work with dogs of all ages, breeds, temperaments and energy levels. The bouncy ones, the nervous ones, the seniors who need a slower pace, the puppies who need seventeen breaks in forty five minutes. All of them welcome. All of them loved. And all of them able to be photographed.
Ready to create something you’ll treasure forever?
Whether your dog is a brand-new puppy, a mischievous whirlwind, or a faithful companion enjoying their golden years, I’d be honoured to photograph them.
Explore the collections or get in touch- I’d love to hear your dog’s story.