I heart puppies and pretty pink sunsets...
Ruby - Studio Session
What do you get when you mix 2 pet photographers, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 cameras? Well a whole lot of pictures that's for sure! Yesterday, I got to hang out with Nicole from Paw Prints Pet Photography. She is another Charlotte-area pet photographer that is super cool and was nice enough to come by to help me practice my studio work. We got to talk about business and dogs, but most importantly, we got to take a ton of pics! I photographed Nicole's dog, Ruby, in the studio while Nicole got some great candids of my dog, Eva, in the backyard! At one point, I handed the studio reigns to Nicole and she jumped right in to do her thing! She got some awesome studio shots of Eva and my cat, Teton! Check out her blog here - she will be posting some pics from the day in the near future!
Here are some of the pics of beautiful Ruby! She is such a unique Boxer with the most unbelievable eyes!
This set cracks me up! Look at the determination and concentration in Ruby's eyes. On the right, she goes for the treat!
And she's done...
How about some behind-the-scenes action! Here is a shot Nicole took of me doing my thing. The final result is on the left...
And some good action shots of what the doggy owners get to do to keep the dogs entertained ;) Thank you Nicole for a great shoot and lending an ear for business talk. Can't wait for our next photo day!
Doggy Model Call Results
The time has come for me to make the announcement on the Doggy Model Call! I really appreciate all of the submissions and am so happy to see all of the love and affection each one of you has for your pets. Now to be honest, I was hoping I would only get 8-10 submissions. Why? Well, I really don't have the heart to turn anyone down...much less a dog! And physically, I simply can't do more sessions than that in one week. Needless to say, I was surprised when I ended up with 37 dogs to choose from! Wow! Now I knew I was going to hurt someone's feelings! Plus, how do I only choose 10 dogs?!?
I stayed up until 1:30 last night looking over my list, going through photos, reading descriptions, etc. I finally managed to narrow it down to 10 dogs. Now I can sleep, right? Nope. I tossed and turned thinking about each dog. Did I have a good variety? Will people get upset? Will the pictures be good? Can I fit in more dogs - there were at least 20 on my *short* list?
When this morning finally came, I knew I had to stick by my decision. Here are the 10 dogs that will receive a free studio portrait session, a free 8x10 print, and 50% off one pet portrait session in 2010:
- Sasha - a 2-year-old Doberman
- Simon - a stunning Afghan Hound
- Mya - a pretty Husky with one blue and one brown eye
- Dozer - an adorable Bulldog puppy
- Sundrop - a cool-looking Dachshund
- Hudson - a fluffy little Maltese/Yorkie mix
- Bronx - a Pit mix with the most gorgeous eyes
- Penny - a princess Golden Retriever
- Spanky - the most interesting Chi mix ever
- Phoebe Buffet - a senior lady Saint Bernard
I really want to thank everyone that submitted their dogs for consideration. Please, please, please don't take it personally if your pup isn't on the list. I simply and physically can't photograph more than 10 dogs in one week...even though I was really considering it. As a token of my thanks, I'm extending the discounted pet portrait session to all of the families that submitted pictures of their fur-babies. Yes, you too will receive 50% off one 2010 pet portrait session!
Thank you again and I can't wait to share some of my favorite pics from the portfolio-building sessions!
Colby - Studio Session
Colby, like most dogs, has a personality all of his own. Usually he is pretty fearful and tends to be a little shy around clicks and flashes. However, he stepped it up the day of our photo shoot and totally surprised me! After a little coaxing and some reassurance that the camera click wasn't going to get him, he started to do a little modeling. He warmed up even more once a spoonful of peanut butter appeared! Yum!
After a quick background switch, Colby really started to work it...
And some funny outtakes...
Thanks to Colby and his mom for the great session and putting up with the first part of my learning curve! Colby looks happy to be finished in his last pic!
The Dog Days of Summer - Part 3
Time for a couple more doggies from the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas!
These two guys are Andy and Amos. They are brothers that were brought to the rescue together from a high-kill shelter. They have been at the rescue for quite some time and really need a good home. With some patience, these boys will become great companions...
Next we have Sarah! I instantly felt connected to her - maybe because we share the same name, or, maybe because her birthday is the same day as mine. Well, for whatever reason, she is a doll! She was rescued from a shelter where she was going to be put down due to space limitations. Fortunately, she is now safe and is looking for her forever home. She is good with other dogs and is very well mannered. She loves to cuddle and will wait patiently for her head rubs!
Bowling For Fur
This past Sunday, I got to hang out with a great group of people and volunteers from the Humane Society of Iredell (HSI). They hosted an awesome event, Bowling for Fur, at Victory Lanes in Mooreville. The day was filled with bowling, food, raffles, and of course, pet adoptions. I was on hand to offer a gift certificate in the raffle and grab some quick shots of the pups on display. I was even allowed to bowl and I didn't do *too* shabby ;). Many thanks go out to the the sponsors, volunteers, NASCAR drivers, and supporters that came out to make this event a success. I had such a blast and couldn't keep the smile off my face the whole day! I can't wait to do volunteer work for this great organization!
HSI is not supported by government, county or state funded, nor are they supported by the Humane Society of the United States. They are a volunteer-based organization that rely solely on donations and support from people like you. If you would like to adopt a furry friend, volunteer, or donate food, blankets, towels, crates, leashes, etc, please contact the Humane Society of Iredell.
On to the doggies!
This first gorgeous girl is Lilly. She is still pretty young and just the cutest lady!
Next up is BB. She is a little scruffy dog and, yes, I LOVE me some scruffy dogs! Not to mention her underbite and Gremlin-style ears are to die for! :)
This next girl is Sarah. Her foster mommy spoils her with pretty dresses and Sarah just eats it up! Can't you see the love these two have for each other?
This is Sarah's "sister" Daphne. She also gets to dress up and hang out at the adoption events with the volunteers.
What is a pet adoption post without a success story? Well almost two years ago, Chaddy, the kitty pictured below, was rescued from HSI and placed in the best home EVER! He gets to hang out in public just like a dog and even has his own tricked-out stroller. He travels to races and has even had his picture taken with some of the greats in NASCAR! He gets the best clothes and is sporting a HSI volunteer shirt in these photos. Oh, what a life!
Dogtopia Charity Dog Wash
I love giving back to those that give back to those that give back. Ok, let me rephrase that. I love giving back to places like Dogtopia that give back to community servants such as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police K9 Unit.
On Saturday, July 17th, Dogtopia hosted a Charity Dog Wash to help raise money to purchase Police K9 First Aid kits. Doggy baths were the main event but guests also had the opportunity to browse vendor booths, enjoy a bake sale, and participate in a raffle. For the full spa experience, the four-legged guests even had the opportunity to relax with a canine massage!
Dogtopia's goal was to collect just over $1400 - enough to purchase 6 kits for our furry duty dogs. Thankfully, partly due to an *awesome* last minute donation from Meow and Fetch Pet Sitting, the goal was reached!!! I'd say the day was an overwhelming success!
Many thanks go out to the thoughtful people and dogs that came out to support the event! Your generosity is greatly appreciated by so many people and police K9s. Also a big thanks to the vendors and volunteers that helped at the event including, all the doggy washers, Char-Meck Animal Care & Control, DoodyCalls, Filters First, Hounds for Heros, Ben & Jerry's, and Pawws and Relax.
Now here is the star of the show! This is Officer Joe Hoskins (who, by the way, is the coolest cop I've ever met) and his totally rad K9, Scout. Scout is 8 years old and will soon be retiring from his police duties. He will happily spend his retirement living with Officer Hoskins where he will be deeply loved. Can't you just see the pride, love, and respect these two have for each other? I heart this...
While the pups waited their turn for their baths, they enjoyed yummy homemade ice cream treats provided by Hounds For Heros. This gave me some great material for some cute tongue shots and funny faces!
Almost 100 dogs showed up to get pampered and they all waited patiently in the lobby for their turn in the spa...
Doggies got treated to a shampoo, towel-dry, fragrant spritz and bandana. They all turned out gorgeous!
Here are some more doggies that came out to support the Char-Meck Police K9 Unit...
If you pup isn't shown here, that doesn't mean I don't adore him or her! Check out this link to see more pics!
Thank you to everyone that came out to support such a good cause! Hope to see you again next year!
Doggy Model Call
Its time to dust off that ol' studio equipment and get ready for the winter time! For those of you that know me well, you know that I hate the cold...especially after living in Phoenix. Fortunately, taking pictures during the colder seasons usually isn't too bad because all that running around keeps me pretty warm. However, I really want to expand my studio work to add an option for some of the doggies and people that, too, don't like the cold and don't want to have a photo shoot outside. Also, if the demand is there, I would like to offer this option year-round just to have variety! Anyway, to get things rolling, I am performing a doggy model search to build my portfolio! The session will be FREE and will take place in my Cornelius, NC studio. I am hoping to do around 8-10 sessions between August 2nd and August 8th. I am not looking for any particular breeds, sizes, shapes, colors, etc, but I am looking for a good variety. I also ask that your dog be comfortable in new settings and situations and that he knows some basic commands. If you are selected, you will be required to sign a model release form for your pup and also participate in a future in-studio ordering session where you will select an image for a FREE 8x10/8x12 from your session. You will also be able to order any items from the full print and product list with absolutely no obligation. Plus, you can receive 50% off the on-location session fee if you choose to book a shoot in 2010.
So, how do you apply? Just shoot me an email (sarah@mcgrawphotography.com) with the following information:
- Your name and contact info
- Dog's name, breed, eye color
- Some fun facts about your dog
- His/her favorite toy
- Commands and/or tricks he/she knows
- Most importantly - a picture of your doggy!
Please have your submissions in no later than Sunday, July 25th. I will announce my selections on Monday, July 26th. Unfortunately, I won't be able to select every doggy that applies but I promise it is nothing personal!!!
Please contact me with any questions you may have!
...and here is Eva doing her Studio thang...
