Abby - Doggy Portraits

Abby's human parents lost their last dog a year ago and decided they were ready to adopt again in November. When they found Abby, she had just been rescued off of Independence Boulevard - one of the busiest streets in Charlotte. Her dad wasn't sold on adopting a female, but, even though it has only been a few months, Abby has quickly filled the emptiness her parents were feeling. She even has her dad wrapped around her little paw. Ah, daddy's little girl! Because of the connection that has developed between Abby and her dad, her mom thought it would be a great idea to surprise them with a photo shoot! Abby's dad just celebrated his birthday and their anniversary is at the end of the month. Perfect timing!

Because of Abby's past, she was a little shy of the camera and the clicking of the shutter. We decided to take her to the neighborhood park so she could focus more on running, checking out the the geese, other dogs, and the pretty sights and sounds. Abby came out of her shell at the park and let loose!

Abby checking out the approaching geese...

She's gonna get 'em...They escape into the pond. Abby's job is done.But she has to make sure they are gone for good...Abby is one strong runner. She gets the zoomies like nobody's business!The sun sets and we head back home...Back home, Abby showed just how exhausted she was. We had a great session and I hope Abby's dad enjoys this sneak peek!

Sadie & Business Update

A few weeks ago, I took one of my dogs, Eva, out to this gorgeous field near my home. The light was amazing and it bounced so many warm, golden colors throughout her images. I wanted to bring my other dog, Sadie, to the same spot to get some updated images of her since she in now starting to move out of her puppyhood stage. Just as we arrived, the sky started to darken and storm clouds moved onto the horizon. I shot off just a few clicks of the shutter and fortunately got a keeper before the sun disappeared for the evening. I can't wait to take her back out to this location to do a proper session with her! So, speaking of moving out of puppyhood stage, you will be seeing some changes on my blog and website over the next few weeks. Now that I have been photographing pets for 2 years, I feel like I have found my style and the look that I absolutely love. I feel like I've moving in the right direction and my business is growing right alongside Sadie. I will be changing my branding (again!) to better reflect that. I say "again" because I just had an overhaul about 6 months ago that I was never really in love with. Along with the rebranding, I will slowly be adding on some higher-end album and digital image options to reflect the discerning taste of my 4-legged clients. I look forward to sharing everything with you and stay tuned for some AWESOME upcoming sessions during, what is stacking up to be, a super busy spring!

Eva and Bubbles - Dog Portraits

...and, unfortunately, "Bubbles" isn't a new dog of ours! ;) As often as possible, I like to take some time to photograph my own dogs. After the busy holiday season, I finally had some spare time to take Eva out to a location I've had my eye on for several months. Back in November and December, this field was filled with gorgeous yellow flowers. The timing to shoot back then didn't quite work out but I ended up really loving the gold and brown tones that filled the field a few weeks ago. They complimented Eva's coloring perfectly! I love this first image so much that I had a 30x40 canvas made of it!

Time to bust out the bubbles! I've been wanting to play with these just to see how they would turn out in pictures. They are non-toxic, catnip bubbles meant to make your cat go crazy. Do they work on dogs? Yeah, not so much.Eva thinks she's over it... And that one just popped in her face.     She's done.Time to head back home! :) Next up will be Sadie!

Ilsa - Dog Portraits

Ilsa. I almost cried when I met her. I had a flash-forward about 9 years and saw my Eva in her eyes. They look identical to the point it shocked me. However, Ilsa is still a gorgeous girl at fourteen-and-a-half years young! She is a tough lady once named the "Most Hyper Dog Ever Seen" by a local veterinarian. She still has her spunk after having 2 knee replacements, cancer on her nose, and arthritis in all of her legs. She was a pleasure to work with and kept me surprised at her love for yummy treats and the energy she still had. I mean, look at this adorable face... I'm so glad the family wanted to join in for some of the pictures! I always encourage my clients to join in and no one ever regrets doing it. Ilsa still has her skills!And she still has her silliness!We packed up the treats and heading to the local park...

Thank you so much for letting my photograph Ilsa. I hope this was a glimpse into what my future will be like with Eva. I would be one lucky girl :)

Sir Buck - Dog Portraits

Sir Buck, or just Buck for short. I really don't know if I can put into words just how sweet this man is. At 9 years old, I think the white heart on his face describes it all. This is seriously one (if not THE) most kind dogs I have photographed. His mom described his hobbies as getting "attention of any kind from any of us" and his tricks as "being sweet all the time". She nailed it! When I arrived at Buck's house, he immediately ran up to me and asked for a good scratching and then rolled on his back for a belly rub. Throughout our shoot, he refused to leave anyone's side. He was either right next to me, his mom, or his brother. It totally pulled at my heart strings. His whole mission through the day is to get lovin' from anyone that will give it to him. If people would learn more from dogs, this world would be so much more amazing.

Buck's human brother is only 2 years older than him so they have basically grown up together. It was important to Buck's family to get some great shots of the two of them together.I love Golden tails in golden light...After hanging out in the back yard, we made our way inside where Buck got even more lovin' with a great tummy scratching.We also got a couple shots of Buck's "annoying" little brother, Rico. Another cutie...

Thank you, Buck, for such a lovely session. You are the definition of a doggy companion and your family is lucky to have you.

Dusty and Ella - Dog Portraits

Endless sunshine. That's what the weather forecasted for the day of Dusty's and Ella's photo shoot. However, come that afternoon, heavy cloud cover loomed above our heads and rain showers threatened to put a stop to our session. Luckily, the showers remained at bay and we got to squeeze in a dry afternoon with these two Shelties. Dusty was the main focus of this session because his grandfather just thinks the world of him and his beautiful handsome coloring. Dusty is a sable merle - a pretty rare combination. I must say that I agree with Dusty's grandfather. He sure is a sight for sore eyes.

We also got some images of Ella, a tri-color little lady and Dusty's cousin. She is slightly disabled as she has 4 legs but only 3 paws. They both were a pleasure to work with and we had a blast in their backyard...

Ella has the most endearing eyes :) Dusty takes his play time seriously!I love Dusty's hair blowing in the wind. He is just so gorgeous!Ella is so inquisitive and loves to keep watch over the backyard. Squirrels and ducks better beware!After hanging out in the backyard, Dusty headed off to Jetton Park - a great place for doggy pics! It actually started to rain on our way over but stopped just as we pulled into the park. Yay! Dusty started off with some posing...But quickly went into play mode. I just love the way his hair flows as he jumps around!And back to posing...Dusty's grandfather didn't want to be in any of the pics, but I just love this one. Dusty loves him so much and follows him everywhere!Lastly, we headed over to the beach area for some good stick throwing - one of Dusty's favorite things...Lovin' the sandy nose!

Thank you, Dusty and Ella, for a DRY and fun session!

Bear, Jackson, and Brad

There's nothing like the love between a dog and man. I mean, there's a reason the saying goes "dog is a man's best friend". Well, after this shoot, I can say with 100% certainty that rule applies to little men too! Bear (a brindle lab mix) and Jackson (a black lab) are totally infatuated with their human brother, Brad. And trust me, the feeling is mutual. Brad, at only 2 years old, has grown up with Bear, 8, and Jackson, 9. They are his personal playmates and they love to run together, play fetch, and just act like little boys together. Brad brings out the puppy in this four-legged duo and it was so awesome to watch first hand.

I introduce Bear and Jackson...

Bear wanted to say hi up close and personal.And here is Brad! If this expression doesn't capture the love and joy they have for each other, I don't know what would.

Thank you to Bear and Jackson's family for the fun and lovely session!

Blaze - Dog Portraits

(If you recognize Blaze, shhhhhhh, keep it a secret! His dad will see these for the first time on Christmas!) Blaze had a rough start to life. He was abandoned on the side of the road and was left cold and confused. Luckily, his current family's dentist found him and passed him along to the wonderful home he has now. Blaze quickly worked his way to the "top dog" position in his dad's heart and is perfectly content as his dad's favorite.

Knowing this background made it so easy for me to understand why Blaze's human brothers wanted to surprise their dad with the gift of photography. They were the lucky winners of a pet portrait session donated for a silent auction at a recent charity event. At 17 years old, Blaze's human brothers handled setting up the shoot and were completely responsible for making it happen. They were great to work with and Blaze wasn't too bad either! Haha! I mean, look at how cute he is!

I was so happy the sun was out during our session. Lately it's been playing hide-and-go-seek with me. What a handsome boy...His tongue looks like a heart <3!These are for Blaze's dad (a huge Auburn fan)!I normally don't pose my doggy models as much as I did with Blaze...he was just so good at it! After all his sitting and staying, Blaze cut loose, got to run, catch his favorite tennis ball, and even went on a quick swim in Lake Norman.Hehehehe...

Merry Christmas to Blaze's dad! I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!