Accordion Minis - Customer Fave

Another awesome sample arrived last week using the adorable images from Spanky's studio session! Just like my memory boxes, I have been carrying accordion minis for quite some time. However, because they are one of my most popular items, I wanted to offer an updated book that has even more photo panels to show off more images. These cute little books are sized at just 2 3/8" x 3 3/8", perfect displaying on your desk, toting around in your bag, or giving as gifts. Plus, the new vertical orientation (vs. the old square one) allows me to crop less of each image while designing.

Between the front, back, and internal accordion panel, the new mini book can hold up to 16 of your favorite images. Your custom cover is printed on Lustre paper and protected with a matte laminate finish while the internal spread is printed on eco-friendly Art Recycled paper. An internal magnetic closure keeps the book closed tightly and a frosted slip cover protects the accordion mini from damage.

The new accordion minis are available now and come in sets of 3 identical books. These are available just in time for the holidays!

Chesney's Visit

Chesney's parents had a great weekend trip planned so I had the opportunity to have her stay with us as they were away. This sweetheart was such a joy and kept my dog, Eva, company over her birthday weekend. Our time with Chesney went by so fast and I have no doubt that she is now back home sleeping away all the walks, toys and wrestling that she endured over the last couple days. Chesney, you are welcome back anytime you want to keep us company. We miss you already! Of course, while she was here, I had to capture a few images of her... I love her little smile :)

2010 Holiday Mini-Sessions

Well, the leaves are about to change and the nights are finally starting to feel chilly. That means its finally time to announce the 2010 Holiday Mini Sessions - Studio Style! On November 6th, studio mini sessions will be held at Bone-ified Dog in Cornelius. Yes, that's right! I'm packing up my studio equipment and setting up shop in a great location where the dogs can get pampered and styled before their big photo shoot. Now, please keep in mind, these aren't your cliche studio sessions with cheesy backdrops and silly props. No! These are modern, fun pet portraits for the contemporary family, shot in the same fashion as my normal studio sessions (for samples of my studio work, please check out my main website). Only minimal props will be used to give your images that special holiday flair. They will be perfect for the included custom greeting cards and prints!

Each session will last 20-ish minutes and will include everything listed below. You will also be assigned a private, 7-day online gallery to review your 6-10 final edited images. The entire McGraw Photography Catalog will also be available to order from if you would like any additional items.

If you are interested in reserving a session, please do so immediately. There are only 10 slots available and they will go fast!

These fun studio sessions will be available for up to 2 dogs. For additional dogs, we ask that you book a second session. The session fee is due at the time of the photo shoot and an 8.25% NC sales tax will be added to the total due. Bone-ified Dog is located at 20901 Torrence Chapel Road, Suite 104 in Cornelius, NC. If you would like to schedule a grooming along with your photo shoot, please contact them at 704-987-7770.

I think that's all the (not so) fine print. If you have any questions or are ready to book, please contact me today!

And here is Eva telling me to stop using her as a model (she is becoming quite the diva)!

Helping Paws Dog Show

I was so happy and so honored to be able to attend the Helping Paws Dog Show this past Saturday in Davidson. All proceeds went to Project Halo - a non-profit, no-kill rescue and the same rescue I adopted my Eva from. This annual fundraiser is the brainchild of 13-year-old Brooke Phillips, whose family adopted her dog, Roxie, from Project Halo on Brooke's 10th Birthday. Ever since, she has been eager to help other dogs find their forever homes. How freakin' cool is that!?! The event was a huge success with almost $1000 raised! Tons of pooches and families attended to browse vendor booths, participate in competitions, and check out the dogs available from Project Halo. Many thanks to Brooke and her family for hosting such a great event. Brooke, you are an inspiration and I'm sure all of the dogs your have helped send slobbery kisses to you! XOXO!

This is Roxie, the event Grand Marshall. She is the inspiration behind the start of the Helping Paws Dog Show.Great gifts, trophies, and raffle items were given away throughout the dog show. Contests included Best Groomed, Best Trick, Best Personality, and Best in Show.Many of the dogs showed off their skills in effort to win Best Trick... and the winner of Best in Show...

The young volunteers all chipped in to give dog washes. It was very touching to see such a young group of kids help out for a good cause.An what's a dog show without cute doggy faces?

I love how this little boy's mom changes her expression once she realizes why her dog is jumping away from her. He was just hamming it up for the camera! :)

This doggy makes me giggle! I have a whole series of funny faces from her...

Love this...

UPDATE: The rest of the images from the event are now up in my Client Area. Click here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/?sproofing_id=5 and enter the password: events. Select the Helping Paws Dog Show from the Category list on the bottom, left.

Memory Box Sample

I love getting new samples in! And, because I finally did a full session with Eva a couple weeks ago, I thought it would be great to make a new sample of something using her images. So I figured, what would be better than a memory box? I've been carrying memory boxes for several months but I was looking for something a little larger with a more secure type of closure. I finally found exactly what I was looking for! My new memory boxes are sized at 5.25" x 7.5" x 2.75", perfect for protecting prints or to serve as a cherished box for holding memorabilia from a pet that has made the journey over Rainbow Bridge. The new boxes come complete with an elastic closure and an internal satin ribbon for easy removal of contents.

These are available now to past and future clients. The box can be purchased alone or as part of a memory box gift set. Gift sets include 50, 5x7 prints and a CD of either low-resolution or high-resolution images from our session. Please contact me for more information.

Looking For Homes

Time for some cute new faces looking for a forever home! This past Sunday, I spent some time at the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas and was able to grab a few quick shots of some of the dogs in waiting. Baccus is very new to the rescue and is a large Dane that LOVES to lean and get scratchin's. He will be available for adoption in the coming weeks. Quinn is also fairly new to the rescue and would love to find a place to run and play. She would do best in a home without small children.

Licorice is a cute, middle-sized scruffy dog that really needs a good home. She is a little shy around the camera but, if given the opportunity, would be a great companion.I love how this little guy has a built-in accessory. He can make 2 different looks just by moving his ears...This last group is a set of Poodle/Maltese? mixes that are to die for! I could give them kisses all day! These three look *identical* and I had a hard time telling which ones I already took pictures of. These little guys are super sweet and would make great lap dogs...

If you are interested in any of these pups, please contact the Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas!

A Lazy Day at the Ranch

Ok, so maybe its not so lazy. Lazy 5 Ranch is a way cool 200 acre animal park in Mooresville that boasts exotic creatures from six different continents. Running through the heart of the property is a 3.5 mile road that visitors can adventure down in either the comfort of their own car or on a rustic horse-drawn carriage. This unique ranch allows the guests to feed the giraffes, buffalo, ostriches, donkeys, deer, pigs, water buffalo and more in a fun petting zoo type of atmosphere.

I was asked by Lake Norman Currents Magazine to do a behind-the-scenes photo shoot showing how the staff get ready for a big day at the ranch. The workers were great and were very cooperative...they really went above and beyond to show me how things operate.

I highly recommend a trip to Lazy 5 Ranch for either a fun day trip with the kids or for a unique and adventurous date. My only suggestion - if you choose to drive your own car through the ranch, be ready for some inquisitive faces to peek through your windows and don't even bother washing your car beforehand. ;)

The staff at Lazy 5 Ranch were kind enough to let me photograph their daily morning routine. They begin the day bright and early by wrangling the horses and getting them harnessed up and ready for the wagon rides.Each wagon carries buckets of feed so visitors can lure the animals and get some quality face to face time.I was invited along on a wagon ride with a handful of excited children and their parents. Dave was our knowledgeable tour guide and was quick to answer any questions we had. He was awesome and made sure we had a great time!Here are a few of the animals you can meet at Lazy 5 Ranch...

Most visitors only get to see the lemurs from afar but I was lucky enough to cross the moat and be on hand when they were released from their overnight shelter and fed a breakfast of just-picked figs. Isn't he cute? The water buffalo...um...not so much.

My First Cover!

It's finally here!!! The October issue of Lake Norman Currents Magazine is now on stands! I have been waiting all year for this issue for several reasons. Number 1 - because it is the coveted pet issue. Number 2 - because I have a picture on the COVER! I was very fortunate to meet the publisher of Currents back in March during a Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce event. I told her I specialized in architectural photography and I was just getting into doing pet photography as well. I saw her ears perk up when I mentioned pet portraits and she instantly told me about one of their most popular issues - the October pet issue. From that day on, I knew I wanted to be in that issue. Even if I just had an ad, I would be happy.

After shooting several stories for the magazine, the editor approached me about photographing an event that would raise money for the Cornelius Animal Shelter Alliance. The event would be in the form of a contest with the winner gracing the cover of the October pet issue. Sold! Of course I would help out. I would get to photograph cute dogs not just for the magazine, but for a good cause as well.

But wait...that wasn't all. The email continued by saying that they wanted ME to shoot the contest winner's picture for the COVER! Really!?! Me? I about had a heart attack. This is the issue I just wanted to have an ad in and now I'm going to shoot the cover? Hmmm...let me think out this. I politely and calmly wrote back saying that I would take the assignment.

Webster was the lucky winner of the contest and will now have a taste of fame at a very young age. This handsome puppy was so well-mannered and was the perfect model for his first photo shoot. I mean, who couldn't take a good picture of Webster with those adorable ears of his? Many congrats to Webster and his mommy. I will remember you forever! XOXO! Here are a couple other pics of the little man without his winning trophy...

For more pictures from the Currents Commodore Cover Dog Contest, pick up your magazine today or click HERE for my blog post from the event.