Before and After

A photographer's job would be so much easier if the files were perfect and ready for print straight out of the camera. Well, just like in the film days, there is quite a bit of *digital* darkroom editing that needs to be done to each image afterward. Here is a great example... This "before" image is straight-out-of-camera. Because I needed a fast shutter speed to stop the action, the image ended up being a couple stops underexposed. Because I shoot in RAW format, I knew I could up the exposure some in post-processing. A quick note on this - I don't rely on "oh, I'll just fix that in Photoshop". In fact, I'd rather not. However, sometimes you don't have a choice. I had to trade off a perfect exposure in order to have a crisp action image.

Along with increasing the exposure, I warmed up the color temperature, removed some distracting elements, increased contrast and sharpened it overall.

This is a perfect example of how a photographer's work continues way after the camera clicks. Edits like this occur with every final image. Often times, leashes have to be removed, eye goobers need to be cleaned up, shaved fur and/or tumors are asked to be covered, etc.

I love seeing this transformation happen and I think it's important for clients to see all of the hours of work that go into each image that is presented in the final gallery. I hope they enjoy it as much as I do!

Exciting Personal and Business Update

It's been a little quiet over here for a couple reasons and I wanted to explain why and what's going on. Great things are in the works both personally and professionally and I figured I should share. :) I don't know if I've even ever written a personal post but here it goes! For those that don't know, we sold our house in Cornelius a little over a month ago. Not sure of our next step (and because we sold it faster than expected), we moved into an apartment close by. We had been searching for a new home in Uptown Charlotte but most places were out of our price range, in a condo or high-rise building (wouldn't work with our pups), or were not the style we desired for our new urban digs. Well, lo and behold, about four weeks after signing our year lease at our apartment, we found a cute little townhouse in the First Ward district. We jumped on it!

Although very small square footage wise, our new home will be filled with cool windows, natural light, high ceilings, modern edginess, and is in the center of it all. It even has a private, fenced-in backyard area for the dogs. We had to give up space and a garage (sorry Brian!) but I think we will love it!

That being said, the last few months have been filled with going through stuff, garage sales, piles of paperwork, moving, etc. And now we get to do it all over. Fingers crossed we get settled and get some renovating done before the huge Fall rush (we close September 27th).

So what does that mean for the future of McGraw Photography? Well, hopefully some super exciting stuff!!! Eventually, I plan on moving my office from Cornelius to probably the NoDa area. It will be a few minutes from our new place and more central to all of my clients. Also, because NoDa is the arts district, there are more opportunities to find a space that I could set up a studio. Yep, studio work!!! Not sure when it will all happen but it will be in the works over the next few months. :)

Shew! I told you I have a lot going on! So thank you for your patience if my Facebook page or blog go quiet for a while or if I'm a little slow replying to emails.

Thank you all for your support!!!

Here's the entrance to our soon-to-be home and the view from our neighborhood. :)

5 Tips for Better Pet Pictures

I was recently asked to do a live segment on the Charlotte Today show to share some tips and tricks for taking better pictures of your pet. I was super excited because it is so important to have great images of your pet even if hiring a professional isn't in the budget. If this is something that interests you, check out the segment for more info...

First of all, I want to thank Charlotte Today for having me on the show. I did a pre-taped segment last year (the one they used to introduce me) and I was unbelievably nervous (as you could tell by my tied tongue). So of course I was even more nervous to find out I would be on live television!!! What!?! Freak Out! As I walked into the studio, I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest. I thought I might have a heart attack. Then things quickly got better.

The staff at the show were seriously amazing. They were warm and welcoming, so sweet, and more than attentive - even with being short-staffed by 3 people. They made me feel right at home with their help, direction, compliments, and so on and so on. My nerves seemed to melt away! I had to take a minute to myself and take it all in. I'm so grateful that I was allowed to be on the show and I really appreciate everyone (and of course all of the pets) that have helped me get to where I am in my business. It has been a very long and hard road but I keep walking it everyday. Thank you! <3

Now back to business! :)

Just to recap the show, here are the 5 tips that will hopefully help you take better pictures of your pet... :)

1. Use Natural Light/Turn off Your Flash

Natural light is your best friend when it comes to pet photography. Flash can scare your pet or, even worse, give your pup or kitty those freaky glowing eyes. Try placing your pet near a window or go outdoors during the golden hours - the hour right around sunrise or sunset. Golden hour light is nice and low in the sky with a warm, even tone.

2. Get Down on Their Level

Be prepared to get a little dirty. Lol! Try something different and lay down, squat, or sit in front of your pet. It will give a whole new look to the image!

3. Shoot Tight/Middle/Wide

You can get three different shots without needing your pet to move! Sweet! Shoot tight - a headshot - then either move back or widen your lens. Then shoot a mid shot - include the body and some of the background. Then move back or widen your lens again. Now you can include quite a bit of the background for a nice artistic image.

4. Use Treats, Toys, or People to get Your Pup's Attention

Hold a treat or toy right above your lens to get your pet to look right at the camera. You can also hold it out to the side or have someone walk over to where you want your dog's gaze to go. Funny noises work great too! Don't forget to reward your pet if he/she does what you want!

5. Know Your Camera!

Try reading the manual and play around with those weird looking settings. Try using AV, TV, and M modes. AV mode means aperture-priority. Aperture controls the depth-of-field so you can get the eyes in focus while blurring the background. TV mode is shutter-priority mode which is great for controlling action. M is manual which means you control it all! Experiment and see what changing the numbers does!

The Bonus tip is to be patient and have fun!!!! Learning photography can be tough and frustrating but it is sooooo worth it in the end! I hope these tips help!

And many, many thanks again to Charlotte Today for inviting me to the show. You guys rock! I also want to thank my family, friends, and Facebook fans for all of the sweet messages, emails, and texts that I got after the show. You made me feel like I should be on TV! Haha! ;)

Bailey's Canvas

I'm simply in love with the software I use to show clients what their artwork will look like on their walls - to scale...with their decor. When Bailey's mom was redecorating one of her rooms, she decided to add a canvas above her couch. Using this software, we decided on a 30x40 canvas with one of her favorite images. I think it looks fantastic! On the left: The Preview

On the right: The final product!!! :)

Oh, and Bailey approves too!

Thank you to Bailey's mom for the wonderful pictures!!!! :)

Emerald Isle Beach Sessions

I'm so excited to announce beach session availability in the Emerald Isle/Morehead City area this coming May 1st-4th! No travel fees will apply! I only have 2 spots available so please book ASAP if you are interested. I'm picturing beaches, boardwalks, sand dunes, boats, and quaint seafront towns! Eeeek! Because of the unpredictability of Mother Nature, I would like to book the sessions on the 1st or 2nd and use the 3rd and 4th for back-up days if needed.

Please email me at sarah@mcgrawphotography.com if you want more info or are ready to book!

Instagram Love

So I kinda love Instagram because I can take silly pictures and show them off. ;) Instagram is pretty awesome because it's always a positive platform and it's full of the visual beauty that surrounds us every day. You wanna follow me? Find me at @mcgrawphotography

Snow Day

This past Saturday we had a surprise snow shower that left a couple inches in our yard! This rare occurrence brought out all of the dogs, kids, and adults in our neighborhood. Lucky for us, we have a huge green space behind our house that is usually reserved for Eva's and Sadie's frisbee and ball time. However, when the snow comes, it is gathering central for everyone! Of course I grabbed my camera to document the fun!

This was Sadie's first snow event and she wasn't quite sure what to think of it at first...

Once she realized it meant play-time, she changed her tune!This is Sadie's new best friend, Pippi! They love to chase after each other.Boomer from next door also joined in on the fun!An even bigger hit than the snow was this ginormous stick that Rugger found...Addie, the Bernese Mountain Dog from around the corner, even came out to get a piece of the action!I love the air that Pippi has in this shot...Finally, Eva and Sadie end up with a bit of their own...Meanwhile, Pippi gave up on the stick and took a different one...a carrot stick...from the snowman!!! Note the kids running after her! Lol!Doesn't she look so innocent?!? Boomer sat on the hill and made sure no one was getting into trouble.And my pups went back to playing tug-o-war with the frisbee. What a wonderful afternoon! My dogs were exhausted the rest of the night and curled up next to the fireplace. I'm so glad they got to experience such a fun snowy day together! What do your dogs like to do on a snowy winter day?

Model Call - Charleston, SC

I'll be in Charleston, SC this coming Monday to meet with Britt Croft Photography, Dana Cubbage Photography, and Blue Ruby Photography! I'm so excited to have a play shoot date with these ladies but we have a problem! We need a unique model or two to photograph! Can you help?