Nash and Sullivan

Sometimes the stars, or in this case the sun, align. A tropical storm was on it's way to the Carolinas and was scheduled to bring rain and clouds the day of Nash and Sullivan's session. Fortunately, a last minute reschedule with another client left the day before wide open! Yay! We were able to move up Nash and Sullivan's session and boy was it worth it! The sun was glowing and it was the most gorgeous light I've seen in quite some time. What made it even more special is that their mom totally "got it". She was just as excited as I was! :) Not only was the light magical...the pups were equally amazing! Nash (or Nash Potato) and Sullivan were so wonderful to work with and I certainly see a modeling career in their future!

Sullivan started off the session a little on the shy side. He wanted to stay right by mom...unless we brought out his ball!!!! As a side note - I think he has the longest tongue ever!!Sullivan was a little obsessed with the ball but it worked to our advantage. It got him to venture away from mom and we got some super fun shots of him! I love the one on the left. He's all like, "I know you didn't get a picture of me missing!!!" He made up for it on the right. ;)Again...that light! I die!!!!Nash on the other hand, was a total camera ham. At 11 years old, he was pretty chill and did anything for some attention. His smile was super-contagious!Nash enjoyed the scenery as much as we did!He is seriously the happiest little man I've ever seen...More fun with Sullivan in heavenly light!Oh Nash. You steal my heart in this image! And the two boys together. We were so excited they did this because they aren't known to hang out too much together. Good boys!!!

Barkley and Bailey

It doesn't quite look like Fall yet here in the Charlotte area. But with cooler temperatures and a few leaves on the ground, we figured we could recreate the look for Barkley and Bailey's session! It certainly helps when the models are covered in the gorgeous colors of Autumn - vivid golds, creamy browns, and luscious creams! Yes, Barkley and Bailey are super-amazing dappled Doxies and they are the epitome of cuteness! :) These brothers are 2 years old and have the good looks to go with the young age! Barkley is the darker of the two and Bailey, well, I guess she just wanted to stick her tongue out...In certain light, these two seriously glowed gold. I wonder if they are 14 or 24 karat?Barkley and Bailey have a huge pen that they hang out in when they want to go outside. They are on full-force playtime when they are out there!I love that the leaves were starting to fall and collect on the ground. Ahhhhhhhh...Fall...Barkley had a good ol' time playing with the flurry of leaves.Bailey was way more interested in the squeaky ball I brought.But he also took some time to play in the leaves. :)I'd like to meet the person that could say no to this face!!!More gorgeousness in the leaves. I love how Barkley and Bailey blend right in - total camo!

What a wonderful and Fall-like session - just a preview of the months to come!!!! Thanks so much B&B!

Rudy and Penelope

I know Angel Session blog posts can be a little sad. This one won't be too different but I promise there are plenty of smiles and laughs tucked away in these images! Rudy's mom contacted me just over a week ago and told me all about her baby boy. He's was a 13-year-old, 90% blind Maltese and had recently had 5 blood transfusions because an immune anemia disorder. Fortunately, I was at her house less than 24 hours later and got to capture some wonderful images of him with his lovely family. Sadly, today I got the word that he had crossed the bridge. :(

His mom couldn't have said it better - he is now pain-free and running with all of his friends...

This is my favorite of Rudy and his mom...I'm so glad things remained fun and positive during the session. These smiles and kisses are etched into my memory now...I told you I'd try to keep this from being too sad of a posting. With a face like Rudy's sister, Penelope, you can't help but laugh. This goofy girl has the tongue, legs, floppy ears, and dirty nose to cheer anyone up!More Rudy lovin'...We brought Rudy inside to give him a break from the stresses of the outdoors. He was just posing away once he relaxed on the bed. He even jumped in for a picture with his sis.And even shared the love with her...Another one of my favs with mama...And because we have to leave on a fun and positive note, one last image of goofy Penelope. 

Run free sweet Rudy. You will be missed but your memory will live on. Hugs to your family. xx!!!!

Lazer and Pellie

Lazer and Pellie's session was officially the first session of Fall! Woohoo! One of my favorite times of the year for pictures, the evenings are cooler, the sun sits on the horizon longer, and everything starts to twinkle with golds, oranges, and and overall warmth. I couldn't think of a better pair of pups to celebrate the equinox with! Although both Lazer and Pellie were adopted from the Humane Society of Charlotte within hours from each other, they couldn't be more opposite. It's noticeable from first glance. Lazer is covered in mostly an orange coat with touches of black, while Pellie is mostly black with touches of orange.

Pellie certainly has the most chill personality. She likes to just hang out, lay around, and eat anything available.Lazer, on the other hand, is pretty go-go-go! He LOVES balls and always wants a body to play with! And he has the most handsome smile as you can see.Every once. in. a. while. Pellie will grow a wild hair and will actually play a bit. I felt pretty special to witness the occurrence not very often caught on film...Lazer's all business. Are you gonna throw that?!?Pellie gets goofy for a minute...But goes right back to doing what she love most...I was so excited to go inside to grab a few shots. Their house was recently redone and it was totally my style - loved it! A huge window behind the couch washed the room with some really wonderful natural light and Lazer decided to pose in front of it. Pellie's not quite sure what he's doing!Ooooooooohhhhhhhh! Lazer's trying to get on the couch! I'm gonna tell!!!!And I had to finish this post with a couple more goofy shots. Of course, Lazer is in take-off mode...ready to leap off the porch at a moment's notice.And Pellie, who probably was just rewarded with a yummy snack.

Cheers to a wonderful Fall season! I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

Sadie - Beach Vaca

There's something about Emerald Isle that I just can't put my finger on. Maybe it's the peacefulness. Maybe its the sound of the waves crashing. Maybe it's the salty air. Maybe it's the feeling of relaxation that takes over your body. I really don't know. What I do know is that, from a photographer's standpoint, the light there is just amazing. The beach runs east to west instead of the normal north/south orientation found throughout most of the States. I think this allows the light to travel across the beach in a magical way - creating a glowing, soft, diffuse light that allows for the most magical images. Even when I'm on vacation, I can't help but pull the camera out to take advantage of this. I didn't have any session booked this trip so I took advantage of my oh-so-reluctant model, Sadie. She usually HATES when I pull out my camera...she knows what's coming. However, when she's been playing on the beach for 3 days straight, she has little care left and tends to be a little exhausted and distracted.

She had the most glorious time diving into the waves, chasing her dad in the water, and simply being free...

I'm kinda obsessed with this image. I immediately downloaded it to my phone and set it as my wallpaper. It looks amazing at a large size and I've really been digging the long, horizontal panoramic crops lately. This will be enlarged big somewhere soon!Sadie found her second calling on the sandy shores. She dug to her hearts delight pushing every grain of sand she could between her big webbed toes. She even used her snout when she became frustrated with the sand that kept falling back in her ever-so-important tunnel. This is her victory roll for a successful dig. Because she wasn't dirty enough. ;)Nothing that a good rinse off couldn't take care of.

I know the water was probably getting in Sadie's eyes which forced her to squint, but I can't help but love the images with her eyes closed. She looks like she's smiling and there's nothing in the world that make me happier...This is the second image that I'm obsessing over right now. Again, the panoramic steals my heart. Sadie looks like a creature emerging from the depths of the deep, dark ocean floor. And the light. I wish I could bottle it up and bring it to every session.Of course I had to include some shots (just a couple) of this lovely island.

At the far west end, there is a beach that seems to go on forever. It has to be the largest beach I've ever seen. I guess it has formed as the powerful waters displace the land at the easternmost tip of the island. It's pretty amazing and it takes your breath away when you first lay eyes on it.Gorgeous skies looking back at Emerald Isle from the fishing pier. There aren't any huge hotels or tourist traps. It's so chill and easygoing.This is the fishing pier...And more amazing clouds on the beach that goes on forever.

If you are interested in a session with your pup at Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach or anywhere along the Crystal Coast, stay tuned to my Facebook page. I'll let you know next time I head back out there!

Kyson, Kalani and Jeter

I was first introduced to Kyson (the cool Pom with the mohawk) and Kalani (the perky-eared toy Aussie) and the Bark For Life events this past spring. They stood out in the crowd and even made the blog and video from the events. I knew they loved the camera so I was super pumped when their mom decided to have a session with me! It turns out that between scheduling her session and the day of our shoot, Kyson and Kalani's mom adopted another pup, Jeter. Poor Jeter was raised on a farm and was left to run free with little care and loving. He is very timid and learning how to be a pup all over again. He is very lucky to now be in a home full of treats, adventures, and, most importantly, love.

I introduce (from left to right) Kalani, Kyson, and Jeter...

Kyson loves to be the center of attention. And with a mohawk and super-spectacular head tilt, I understand why!Kyson has the Pomeranian charm down pat!Kalani, which means Heaven in Hawaiian, is a little more reserved than her brother. She doesn't mind stepping away from the spotlight but can hold her own if she needs to. :)She's a little curious about the camera...When she perks those ears, she becomes a little irresistible furry cutie pie!Lastly, we have Jeter. Like I mentioned, Jeter is still a little bundle of nerves but he did surprisingly well during our session.As long as he was by his new mommy, the world was right. :)However, once he figured out what a treat was and that they are super tasty, he was all mine!We ended our session with the bluest sky over Charlotte.And then the Duke Energy Building lit up in a rainbow for Charlotte Pride. What a perfect ending...I just had to include this last image. At the beginning of our session, we spent some time at the pups' great grandfather's home. He simply adores these guys and has even said he wanted them at his funeral. His eyes spark up whenever they are around and they come to visit him often. I'm so glad we got to capture them together! And in Kyson form, he stole the show. :)

Koda and Laska

Koda and Laska's session is the new record holder for "Session that got Rained Out the Most". I think we actually lost count of how many times we had to reschedule. In fact, Koda and Laska's mom is pregnant and we were worried she would have her baby before we could get a dry day in! Fortunately, it has been a little drier lately and we got lucky with a beautiful, sunshiny evening! We started off the session photographing Laska. Laska is an adopted pup believed to be an Alaskan Malamute mix. He's as sweet as can be and sports a super-adorable underbite. Seriously. Check out his two smiles below...

Laska is a little of an adventurer. Lol! He likes to wonder a bit but he always comes running back to mom and dad. :)Koda, also a very handsome rescue, is a Flat Coat Retriever mix. He has so much soul in his eyes. I can see why his parents couldn't pass him by.Koda has a secret grin that his mom told me about. I don't think I got to see it during our session but I don't mind his normal smile. I think the edges of his mouth turn up when he's super excited!Koda really is a stunner...Of the two brothers, Laska is the more cuddly of the pair. I'd sure like to curl up with him on a cold evening!Did I say something funny, Koda???Oh, he was just waiting for a treat!Koda gets spooked easily by loud noises. We wanted to be sure his session happened on a day without any chance of thunder occurring. I'm so glad we waited because he sure looks comfortable and happy!!!My dog LOVES to go between our legs. We call it the "carwash". Do your pups do the same thing?And one last shot of Laska's grin. What a happy face!!!

I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Koda and Laska's parents. They were so understanding and patient when it came to the weather. I'm so glad we finally got a reprieve from the storms and were able to spend an evening together. I hope they enjoy the sneak peek!

Toby - Angel Session

Sometimes things aren't all rainbows and sunshine. Things that happen can be unfair and don't make any sense...almost to the point of provoking anger. I really think that's how I would have felt if my dog had the same diagnosis that Toby recently got. There is only at 0.2% chance that it would happen. Unfortunately, Toby was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. As a neutered pup, there is such a small chance of that even happening. How can it even be? The vets were shocked and had to contact other specialist just to confirm and figure out the next steps to take. I would have been so mad.

And I'm sure Toby's mom was/is/will be. That's so personal. However, when I showed up for Toby's Angel Session, there was nothing but love, tears, and smiles. We talked about his cuddly self and checked out puppy pics. Toby won't leave this earth without feeling a lifetime of love - that is a guarantee.

Toby had his prostate drained a couple days before our session. That provided some much needed relief for both him and his mom. Not to mention, he was full of smiles for the session!Without previously knowing about the illness contained within, I wouldn't have any idea he was sick. He was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! We were all so thrilled!!!I love this shot of Toby looking at his mom. That's a connection only a dog and human can have.The grass was wet with dew the morning we met. Instead of allowing us to dry off his wet little legs, Toby decided to use the towel as a nice picnic blanket. :)This final picture pretty much sums up Toby. He's a happy, smiley, sweet and silly man. I wish him nothing but luck in the road ahead. Huge hugs to his furry family. xx!!!!