Cover Dog Contest

I had the honor of attending the first annual Lake Norman Currents Magazine Cover Dog Contest this past Saturday and it was an astounding success! Over 50 pups competed for the title and the winner will land on the cover of the October Pet Issue of Currents magazine. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Cornelius Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA). CASA is a non-profit group of volunteers who support various shelter functions. Costs associated with the shelter include website management, adoption publicity, special purchases, payment of the intake exam for each animal, veterinary expenses, fostering expenses, and targeted adoptions (pregnant females and special needs). I love dog events that benefit a good cause and I thank each and every person that came out for supporting such a heart-warming event.

I don't want to share too many pictures of the event yet...just a sneak peak to tide you over 'til the October issue hits stands. You HAVE to pick up a copy to see the winner. I will say the winner is a "he" and he is as cute as a button. I LOVE him!!! I wanna show you a pick but I have to control myself. Arrrggghhh! I'm so not good at that!

In the meantime, here is a sneak peak of the event...

There were several great vendors at the event and I love that each and every one is passionate about dogs.Guests were entertained with some relaxing music, a silent auction, a Zumba demonstration, and a "parade" of dogs!Judges narrowed the contestants down to the top 10. The dogs had one last chance to show their stuff as they circled in front of the crowd... Please pick up the October issue of Currents Magazine or look for it online. Many thanks go out to the publication for letting me shoot the cover of my very first magazine! I'm truly honored and will have butterflies in my stomach until the issue comes out. Also, thank you to all the awesome dog lovers that supported the event!!!

Is it October yet?!?

The Dog Days of Summer - Part 5

Fall is approaching quickly and The Dogs Days series will soon be coming to an end. However, these pups still need to find good homes in preparation for the cold, bitter winter that lies ahead. If you or someone you know is looking for a warm doggy to snuggle with, please consider one of the sweet faces below. Please contact The Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas for more information.

The Dog Days of Summer - Part 4

The title of this post may be a little misleading in that this particular day at the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas wasn't sweltering like this summer has been infamous for. In fact, it was quite "cool" with a steady mist in the air. This short and sweet break from the record-breaking temps was a nice relief for the dogs and their energy levels proved it. The pups were so energetic and wanted to take full advantage of the temporary drop in temperature. All of the dogs were out of hiding and ready for their snapshots! They each posed in hopes of finding their forever homes and a cool place to nap once the temperatures climb back up. If you are interested in any of the sweet dogs you see here, please contact the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas. I love Abbey's eyes. I don't know how to describe them other than they look like molten lava. Gorgeous...Chase was out in one of the horse fields having some play time in the pretty yellow flowers. I couldn't resist getting several shots of this happy fellow...

Hudson - Studio Session

Sweet Hudson was the very last dog to have his picture taken of the 10 dogs in the doggy model call. However, that doesn't make him least! This Morkie (a Maltese/Yorkie mix) was a little shy of the camera at first but once we offered up some treats and toys, he was ready to ham it up! I've always have a soft spot for scruffy dogs so I was totally diggin' the hair on this boy. I just wanted to scoop him up and give him hugs and kisses!

I LOVE the hair on his paws as well as that sweet little nose...Hudson is rockin' his bad boy 'do in this pic...I hope you enjoyed Hudson's sneak peak along with all of the other photos from the doggy model call! I'd love to hear your comments and/or suggestions about the images. Plus, I'd love to know if you think studio sessions are something I should offer my clients from now on. I love feedback so feel free to share! A huge *thanks* to everyone that participated and to everyone that has followed the journey on my blog!

Dozer - Studio Session

This little 6-month-old Bulldog has the best name - Dozer - because he bulldozes into everything! Now, just because he's heavy and has a low center of gravity doesn't mean this boy can't move. He can leap with the best of them and has all of his tricks and give-me-food looks down pat... I think the image on the left shows off Dozer's "I didn't do it, mommy" look...I love his baby wrinkles!Stay tuned for more pics of Dozer! His mommy won a Pet Portrait Session at the Dogtopia Dog Wash so I'll be photographing him and his sister in a few months. I'll be curious to see how much he grows! Until then, stay cool Dozer...

Simon - Studio Session

I have never photographed an Afghan Hound so I was very happy when Simon was submitted for the doggy model call! This stunner began his life in the showing world but ended up not being tall enough for the big time. He doesn't let that bother him though! He still struts his stuff with confidence and grace. When we first started the photo shoot, I think Simon thought he was in the showing ring! He just wanted to stand there and look handsome. After some coaxing, he relaxed and let his funny personality shine! Enjoy the sneak peak!

Haha! Wink, wink!I love the way his hair moved as he played. So graceful...

Sundrop - Studio Session

I loved editing Sundrop's pictures. Why? The whole time I kept singing to myself, "Sundrops keep falling on my head." I know, I know...wrong kind of *drop* but it worked perfectly in my version of the song. Actually, her proper name is Sundrop Puddleton but I couldn't quite get that to fit. Anyway, Sundrop did great during her photo shoot and I hope her mom and dad enjoy her sneak peak as much as I enjoyed making up songs with her name! I love the way Sundrop pranced around during the shoot. She seemed so happy :)Check out Sundrop's smile. No, this was NOT photoshopped!

Sasha - Studio Session

It makes me so sad when people prejudge dogs like Sasha. Just because she's a Doberman and she could turn into Snoop Dogg at any moment doesn't mean she's dangerous. In fact, she's the biggest goofball with a huge personality! She made me laugh the whole session and really ended up working it out! Tyra would be so proud. Sasha, you are welcome back at any time (and feel free to bring Snoop)! I mean, seriously. Doesn't Sasha look so threatening? Ha! Ha!Sasha, thanks so much for all the laughs! You were a pleasure to photograph and you really ended up working it for the camera. I hope your mom enjoys the sneak peak!

PS - I love Snoop Dogg!