Kelcy Rourke Photography

If you haven’t seen the latest edition of the Paso Robles Press Magazine, it’s worth grabbing a copy!

Back in December, I (.slo) photographed the Paso Robles K-9s and their handlers for a holiday session, and one of those images made the cover of the April issue. ❤️

Beyond featuring some truly incredible dogs, the article highlights just how important the K-9 unit is to our community. After meeting them and watching a live demo, I can confirm they’re the sweetest, most well-trained dogs who just happen to have a very serious and very cool job.

Pick up a copy to read the full story. Our local K-9s rely heavily on donations for training, veterinary care, and ongoing maintenance. Be sure to follow Friends of the K9 Inc. on Facebook to stay up to date on events and ways to support these incredible dogs who help protect our community.

Stephanie reached out with the most thoughtful idea. She wanted to gift her parents a photo session of their two dogs, Tawny and Vynda.

They live in Southern California, but the Central Coast is their happy place, somewhere they return to a couple times a year to slow down and soak it all in.

Vynda is 9, the black beauty with the soulful eyes.
Tawny is the sweet yellow girl who recently turned 14.

The goal was simple: capture them where they’re happiest, together, in a place that means something.

Because these aren’t just trips.
They’re memories in the making.

Whether the Central Coast is home or just your favorite place to escape, let’s document this season with your dogs too.

Book a session while you’re here 🤍

Tawny & Vynda’s full gallery is on my website.

Dog Photographer | Central Coast

Some sessions are about beautiful photos.
Some are about something so much bigger.

Courtney found me through my personal page, just two dog people connected by a shared love and deep respect for firefighters. As many of you know, my husband flies for CalFire and worked the Gifford Fire here in SLO County last summer. It was one of the largest fires of 2025, burning for nearly two months. Crews faced long days, strong winds, and relentless heat.

And right in the middle of all that… came Shinji. ❤️

Shinji is a First Responder Therapy Dog, one of the dogs deployed to the fire camp during the Gifford Fire. His job? No hose. No tools. Just love. A soft place to land for the crews who needed it most.

Courtney’s heart for this work runs deep. She grew up admiring those who step into the flames, her dad was LAFD. She recently lost him after his battle with pulmonary fibrosis, a disease firefighters risk after years of breathing in what their bodies were never meant to. The loss is personal. The mission is personal.

So now, she and Shinji show up for others.

And after meeting Shinji, I can confirm it is physically impossible to have a bad day in his presence. This dog radiates joy like it’s his full-time job, because it is.

The goal of this session wasn’t just portraits.
It was to capture the love they carry into the world.

These two are doing work that matters more than words can say, and it was an honor to tell a piece of their story.

Shinji’s full gallery is live on my website. ❤️

Happy New Year 🤍

2025 was the year I officially launched Kelcy Rourke Photography, and I’m still wrapping my head around how much last year gave me.

I photographed 100+ dogs in 2025, many of them thanks to volunteering with Woods Humane Society Santa Paws event, and many through booked sessions with incredible humans who trusted me to tell their stories.

From capturing a brand new family’s very first photos with their newborn to documenting the final, deeply emotional moments with a beloved dog.

This work is more than photos. It’s memories, connection, and honoring the bond between dogs and the people who love them most.

Thank you to every human who booked, shared, trusted me, and supported this dream, whether you’ve been here since day one or found me along the way.

Here’s to more stories, more sunsets, and more meaningful moments in 2026. 🐾

📸 Now booking 2026 sessions.