Sophie

What is a unique and thoughtful gift that would completely surprise your significant other? How about a photo shoot with the family dog - the dog that was a total surprise itself? That's what Amanda thought when she called to book the secret session for her husband's Christmas present. Amanda's husband never had a dog growing up. Not being able to grasp that idea, Amanda knew she eventually wanted to adopt a dog for him. So, when she saw Sophie, a young Bernese Mountain Dog from Kansas, Amanda knew she had to bring her home and surprise her husband. Sophie wasn't "good enough" because she didn't have enough white on her front, right paw. Well, she might not have been good enough for showing, but she is more than perfect as a loving family pet. She is now 3-and-a-half, the centerpiece of the family, and her dad couldn't imagine life without her. She cuddles in bed, sleeps in the bathtub, and sits on everyone's feet. Yep, she is definitely one of the kids!

Our photo shoot took place Monday afternoon at one of my favorite locations. Luckily, the weather was on our side, albeit the temps were only supposed to reach 31 degrees. The light was gorgeous and we had the entire location to ourselves. Sophie did awesome and I was loving every image I was getting. These are the sessions I dream about. I could have photographed Sophie for hours...emphasis on could have. Until I realized I couldn't feel my fingers anymore. That gets to be a problem when you have to push and adjust little buttons and dials on a camera.

We finally succumbed to the cold.

Regardless, Sophie's family were troopers and rocked it out in the below freezing temperature. Especially Sophie's mom. She didn't once seek shelter from the relentless wind to warm up in the car (and the wind was NO joke). Now that is dedication. Dedication to her husband to get a heartfelt and thoughtful Christmas present. Dedication to make images and memories that will last for generations.

Enjoy your sneak peek - you deserve it...

I love how you can see Sophie's breath in this image. She is just too adorable!Yummy winter light through the trees...Of course Sophie also has a playful side!Sophie, I hope your family enjoys their sneak peek and your dad loves his Christmas present! I can't wait to see you again at your ordering session!

Sam and Sheba

A few months ago, I participated in the American Cancer Society's "An Evening of Hope" - a night to honor human and canine cancer victims and survivors. I was blessed to meet some wonderful people as well as donate a gift certificate for the fundraising silent auction. The winner of the gift certificate recently contacted me and we set up a wonderful session at Star Dog in uptown Charlotte. I was thrilled to find out that my client's dog was a Beagle that does agility training. I was even more excited when I showed up and learned that she was a Miniature Beagle that does agility training! This little girl, Sam, is so adorable and full of personality - I could have photographed her all day. She is only 14 months old but is trained like a pro. She is very lucky to have found a great place like Star Dog where they teach dogs how to weave through obstacles...

fly like Superwoman... run through tunnels...be patient...and just be plain ol' cute!After we left Star Dog, we made our way back to Sam's house where we were given a warm welcome.Sam introduced me to her sister Sheba. Sheba is a Chow/Border Collie mix who was luckily rescued by her mom 8 years ago. Sadly, she was found in a ditch full of water along the side of the road. Obviously hit by a car, she tried to walk but her back leg was badly injured. Her mom called Animal Control but they never came. Not sure what to do next, her mom frantically called the Fire Department. Luckily, they showed up and brought Sheba back to her rescuer's home. She received the best vet care possible and also adopted a new home in the process. Sheba is still a little shy but is thankful to have such a loving family.Both pups greeted us with funny faces...Thanks so much for spending time with me, Sam and Sheba. I hope you didn't get a tummy ache from all the treats! ;)Lastly, I wanted to include the third dog in the pack. Even though he wasn't physically there with us, I'm sure he was looking across Rainbow Bridge and laughing at us. You are missed Boo Boo.

New Referral Cards!

I'm so happy to announce my new and improved Refer-A-Friend cards made just for my clients! These handy little cards come in a set of 25 for you to give to family, friends, and, heck, even strangers! Each set is customized with an image from your session and comes in a great little protective tin for easy transport. These cute cards are just a little smaller than business cards so they won't take up a ton of room in your purse or wallet. So here's the deal...if one of your referrals books a session with me, I will reward you with a free gift print from our shoot together. This is my way of saying thanks to those clients that spread the word about McGraw Photography. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Here are some of the referral cards I just got in for my recent clients...

Thank you so much for spreading the word! :)

Post Thanksgiving Comatose

It has been a week since Thanksgiving and Eva finally succumbed to the constant noshing of leftovers. It must be hard to be a dog... To see Eva's feast in it's original form, click HERE.

Currents - Kitchen Remodel

I love to photograph kitchens...especially when the kitchen is going to be featured in a magazine! In November's issue of Lake Norman Currents Magazine, I photographed a recent kitchen remodel for the Home Port section of the publication. This renovation was "classy and practical" not "ostentatious" which really reflected the homeowners' style. Kitchen remodels are great in that they express how a family lives, works, plays and functions. To read the whole story, check out the November issue HERE.

Charlianne and Homer - Engaged!

I've know Charlianne for many years as she is best friends with my two younger sisters. Charlianne and my sister, Ronnie, even flew out to Phoenix to visit me when I lived there. I introduced them to the Grand Canyon and we went camping together on the shore of Lake Powell. As a side note: I like to rough it when I'm camping. So, if you can hang with me, we're cool. We even got discriminated against at the Denny's in Page, AZ (I'll save that for another blog post). LOL! Charlianne attended my wedding and we were both bridesmaids in my sister's wedding. Long story short, we have a history. Needless to say, when she approached me about shooting her engagement photos, I had no other choice but to say yes. Even though its not typically what I do, rules are made for breaking, right?

I warmed up by photographing what I'm most comfortable with - their dogs! Their furbabies are Addison, a sweet chocolate Lab, and Teddy, a little ball of cute energy...

Once the dogs were finished, it was time to concentrate on the love birds. Charlianne has known Homer since high school but they only started dating after chatting it up at a friend's wedding a few years ago. That must have been a sign because she has waited for the ring ever since and had no doubts when it came time to say YES.I love everything about this image. They just look so happy and genuinely in love...

Congratulations to you two on your engagement! I hope you enjoyed your sneak peek!

Eva's Thanksgiving Dinner

Those of you that know me well know that I am not one to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. So, when it came time to think of what to serve Eva for Thanksgiving, I was at a loss. I had no choice but to go out and buy a pre-made meal. Fortunately, I was in luck because Target had the perfect Turkey dinner! I had seen this on Phetched.com a couple weeks ago and I knew it would be perfect to serve my little Eva. I was so excited when I finally found the time to go hunt one down. I scooped it up, brought it home, and was so proud of the gorgeous and healthy meal I was going to serve my daughter. I was so proud, in fact, that I wanted to take a picture. I wanted to show everyone I could "make" a fabulous turkey dinner (complete with corn on the cob, baked potato, broccoli, and a dinner roll). Here is the awesome meal. And, of course, it is served atop a frisbee...

Eva caught on very quickly. She sensed right away that there was something for her. She came to check it out...Hmmmmm...looks good....So yummy.....Ok, I can't stop myself anymore...At this point, I stopped trying to take pictures of the food. Fine, Eva. I'll take pictures of you...Sure is tasty...Bad dinner roll!!!!

From us at McGraw Photography, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

Bailey, Tess and Brother Bear

It's not every day that you get to have a photo shoot on Lake Norman with three sweet and playful Labs. Not to mention, this was a special session meant mostly for the eldest Lab, Bailey. Bailey is a 10-year-young yellow Lab with a checkered past. When he was younger, this poor guy was abused and left with a damaged knee and tail. Luckily, he has since found a loving home that care for him deeply. He also has a brother, Brother Bear, and sister (actually his long, lost niece), Tess, that have helped aid in his recovery. Bailey still has emotional scars that leave him shy and nervous around strangers - especially men with hats and baseball bats. Fortunately, with a slow introduction, Bailey warmed up to me nicely and we had a great session together.

Bailey's parents love him like a child and wanted to ensure they got some great images of him "just in case" his age caught up with him. I can't emphasize how important this is for every pet owner...these are memories that you will cherish forever. I hope Bailey will be around for many more years to enjoy the beach, swimming, tennis balls, sticks, and his wonderful family.Bailey may get nervous time to time but he was all smiles with me...He may be 10-years-old but Bailey can chase his ball with the best of them.I love this image. I don't think Bailey would rather be anywhere else than right there getting a chest rub from his dad...Yummy Autumn colors and leaves...

This is Brother Bear (notice how Bailey is never too far away)...And his "sister"/niece, Tess...I think Bailey was laughing here. :)Bailey was exhausted after our photo shoot. He quickly resumed his guard-dog post atop the stairs...I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek. I can't wait to see this little clan again at the ordering session!