I'm not going to lie. I want to dog-nap these 3 totally chill pups! Shhhhh...don't tell their parents! I think I just have an affinity toward older doggies. Here are (from left to right) Jessie, Dillon, and Ellie...
Jessie is a sweet lady that loves her toys but loves wagging her tail even more (you'll see what I mean later on). She has Addison's disease but you would never know it by her contagious smile. She gets a shot every 5 weeks to keep her happy and healthy and so far, she hasn't missed a trick!
Dillon is the youngest child at the ripe age of 10. He is a bona fide chipmunk hunter and cutie pie!
Dillon loves throwing his toys and while I didn't get the perfect shot of the action, this pic still makes me giggle.
Next up we have Ellie. Ellie literally made me gasp when I saw her because she is just that gorgeous in person. This baby 13-year-old lost her hearing back at a young age and was my first deaf doggy client. She has a pretty bad case of arthritis and is a little wobbly on her feet. Nevertheless, she donned an irresistible smile and was a pleasure to photograph!
This is one of Ellie's "looks". Haha! I love how her wrinkles all fall forward!
After hanging out at the house, we headed out on the boat for a sunset cruise. The dogs all ran down the dock...
...and assumed their favorite positions.
You know how I said Jessie loves to wag her tail? Well, she wags so hard and so much that she has actually hurt her tail and it needs to stay wrapped in medical tape. I thought it looked super cute. On the left - one of the few opportunities you will see it sitting still. On the right - the happy tail in action!
Ellie, Jessie and Dillon, I hope you enjoyed your sneak peek! :)
Miss Daisy Duke
Daisy - aka Miss Daisy Duke - is one little firecracker! When I first arrived for her session, she was inside her house and so calm and relaxed. Come photo shoot time, she was ready to show off her personality! We headed over to her favorite neighborhood park filled with paths, benches and a little beach on Lake Norman. This is when she turned it on! She was ready to run, hunt for rabbits and just be cute as can be! Seriously, if she doesn't bring a smile to your face, I don't know what will!
Now this is one happy doggy!
If you follow me on Facebook, this was one of the photos I posted earlier this week. She looks like a lioness on the hunt for some rabbits...
They're in there somewhere...
After our walk and a quick wardrobe change, we gathered the family up and climbed onto the boat. Daisy spends 3 days a week at work with her dad at the marina so it was fitting for her to don her Westport bandana on the boat!
I would buy a boat if a dog this adorable was on it...
Daisy isn't a fan of the wobbly dock so she makes a run for dry land.
And lands safely in her daddy's arms. Love!
Bailey, Tess, and Brother Bear - II
Last year I met up with 3 great dogs for a photo shoot - Bailey, Tess, and Brother Bear. Bailey was the main focus of the session and his parents really wanted a shot of him carrying his leash in his mouth. Unfortunately, Bailey wasn't into cooperating and didn't offer showing off his mouth skills that day. Because of our lack of success, I thought I would try again. This time it was to be a surprise to my clients. Fortunately, I'm friends with their pet sitter and she gave me a heads up that they were going out of town. Awesome! The perfect opportunity! Well, despite our best efforts, Bailey wanted nothing to do with his leash...again! Maybe a third time will be the charm?
When all else fails, take pics of the doggies doing their thing! And that's just what we did! :) Here are Bailey (left), Brother Bear (middle), and Tess (right) again...
Maybe Bailey didn't want his leash in his mouth because he was showing off how goofy it can look when he runs? Hehe!
And here is Bailey going through his poses for the camera...
'Till next time!
Rocky the Rockstar
Rocky the Rockstar. That's not really his nickname but he has always a big hit on this blog and Facebook. Last June, Rocky had his first photo shoot at the beach and was now looking for a location a little more "manly". Our impromptu shoot took place in Spartanburg, SC at the old Anderson Mill and I think it suited his needs perfectly! Rocky, you look so handsome and masculine and I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!
Rocky is a moo cow!!!
This shot might not be super "manly" but you know I had to get one with some gorgeous sunlight!
And last but not least, Rocky being his silly self (must have flash to see the animation)...
Photog note: Because of the unplanned nature of this shoot, I only had one lens with me - the 85mm f/1.8. Not a lens I use a lot but I love the quality it produced! I'll have to pull it out of my bag more often!
Miss Lulu
Lulu is a 5-year-old fighter. As the sole survivor of her litter, she managed to find a loving home after being brought into this life at a horrible puppy mill. Lulu is very susceptible to sickness but, for the most part, stays healthy with her amazing determination. She still tires very easily (her shoot ended only lasting for about 40 minutes) and recently fought with a mild case of Pug Dog Encephalitis. The surgery Lulu went through can take months to recover from but she regained full use of her left side after only 24 hours. Her hair is still growing back around her neck and on her leg but I love that we captured it in her pictures. It's just a great reminder of Lulu's strong-willed character.
When my client adopted Lulu in grad school, she had no idea that her new puppy was bred in such a manner. Once she found out, she was solely responsible for shutting down both the irresponsible pet store that sold her and the puppy mill. You go girl!
Here's to many more years of enjoying Lulu's adorable face and her spunky personality. Enjoy the sneak peek!
Lulu's favorite spot in the house is her people's fluffy bed. She just looks so comfy...
Lulu had just enough energy to go on a very short walk outside of her condo. She spent the time posing and workin' it for the camera!
After all the excitement, Lulu was extremely tired so we had to stop and say our good byes. I can't wait to see her again and see what progress she has made in her recovery. <3
Curtis, Otis & Weber
I feel so lucky to work with some amazing animal lovers on a daily basis. Last Sunday was no exception. My clients, a pair of veterinarians with a practice in Charlotte, gathered their pack together and spent the evening with me at Jetton Park. The chemistry between the five of them was undeniable and it just warmed my heart! Each of these pups has unfortunate health issues but they are definitely in the best hands. I introduce Otis, Curtis, and Weber (from left to right).
Curtis got some extra loving during our photo shoot. At 10 years old and with health issues, it was really important to his mom and dad to get some images of just the three of them. Curtis is such a sweet old man and his handsome grey highlights make him look so distinguished. He is their heart-dog and I totally understand why.
Swiss Mountain Dogs aren't known to be water lovers but Otis thought he would test it out. He is such a goofy boy that makes me laugh!
Weber, being the young 2-year-old, took advantage of the situation and went fetching for sticks!
Curtis opted to stay on high ground.
After hanging out at the park, the pack jumped in the car and headed over to the Peninsula Yacht Club...
Yay, dad! We're going out on the boat!
Assume your positions!
These guys were exhausted but they took time on the boat ride to relax and take in the lovely scenery.
We finished the evening off with a beautiful sunset. This isn't enhanced...it was just that pretty. Just like Curtis, Otis and Weber and the love they have for their parents.
Fez and Lucy - Puppies!
It's never easy to lose your pet. Especially when it's unexpected and way, way too early. Sometimes the hole left in your heart is so big, it takes two pets to refill it. Earlier this year, my clients unexpectedly lost their dog at the young age of 7. When they were ready to hear the pitter-patter of little feet again they thought, "how about 8 feet instead of 4"? This is how Fez and Lucy entered their lives. Not wanting to forget a moment of these little guys' puppyhood, my clients decided to have them professionally photographed at the ripe age of 3 months.
Fez (the brindle Boston Terrier) and Lucy (the black-and-white Boston Terrier) brought the cuteness and had me smiling the whole photo shoot (well, between the awwwwwws)! I hope you enjoy their sneak peek!
Puppy cuteness!!!!!
Lucy was OBSESSED with the tall grass. It was ADORABLE! Her goal was to catch every piece in her mouth...and she was pretty good at it!
Of course there's some sibling rivalry. In a whole field of sticks, the best one is the one your sibling has!
Oh, Fez...
Lucy may have been obsessed over tall grass, but Fez was obsessed over sticks. And I mean sticks that were WAY to big for him!
This little family is just too cute together...
Fez and Lucy, I look forward to watching you grow up. Keep putting smiles on your mommy's and daddy's faces! 
Boomer
I met Boomer about a year-and-a-half ago when he moved in next door to me and he was just a wee pup. My dog, Eva, was super excited to have a playmate close by and we all got to see Boomer grow up before our eyes. When my dog Sadie came along, things got even more interesting. Sadie and Boomer seriously became boyfriend and girlfriend and they obsess about playing with each other in Boomer's nice fenced-in back yard. Eva, now being the typical teenage girl, doesn't really play with the younger kids (but she sure does love using Boomer's yard as a toilet). Don't get me wrong...Sadie loves using his yard as a toilet too. With our dogs being so close, I was super excited when Boomer's dad hired me to do a photo shoot. Boomer decided he wanted his photo shoot to take place at the lovely Fisher Farm in Davidson - a great place for walkers, mountain bikers, and dog lovers. It was a chilly morning but the golden leaves, fresh frost, and lingering mist made the sunrise session totally worth the early ringing of the alarm clock. The amazing light highlighted Boomer's coloring and worked so well with the fall foliage. All this combined, we ended up producing some of my newest favorite images.
Boomer, you did an amazing job and I'm proud to present your sneak peek...
Seriously? How adorable is he?
Boomer loves sticks and took every opportunity to grab them along the trail. Pure joy!
I loved how Boomer would automatically sit when I pulled out the treats. Then he would smile the biggest smile! I tell ya, it's contagious!
We made it to the creek - the highlight of Boomer's walks! He loves taking off through the water and running up and down the steep creek bed. 
Go, Boomer, Go!
After all that running, Boomer was awfully sleepy. He can barely keep his eyes open here. His dad said he slept the rest of the day! That's when I know I did my job.
Thanks so much for the awesome session, Boomer. Til next time my dogs need to use your yard...
