Griffin and Prim

Two awesome pups in an Uptown Charlotte park? Who could ask for more? After a session delay because of rain, I finally got to meet Griffin, an white-ish Lab mix, and Prim, a Boxer mix. This pair are best buddies and Prim makes it her full-time job to take anything away from Griffin that she can.

We spent the session exploring small bits of Frazier Park including some flower beds (don't tell!!!), some stinky water, the creek, and a super cute bridge. Griffin and Prim were great to work with and they had their sit and stay down nicely. Griffin would bark at me from time to time but he was just telling me to hurry up and give him a treat. Can't say I blame him! ;)

This is Miss Prim...

And handsome Griffin...This shot of Griffin makes me smile. He looks so happy to be laying the grass with a nice new toy! At the time of our session, he was still recovering from having a tumor removed from his spleen. Fortunately, he is now cancer-free but his parents will have to check regularly to see if the tumor returns. By the looks of this photo, I'd say he's feeling pretty good! And Prim's always happy and proudly wears a big smile on her face!I loved this bridge that lead into the park. Griffin and Prim were happy to show off just how cute they could model on it. I'm not sure who has my vote for favorite! ;)Such a cute family! Oh, as a side note, I die for mom's dress!I'm only including this shot because I wanted to show the stinkiness that Griffin and Prim dove into. OMG! That water could make you gag! Lol!But I love the wet look it gave them for the next couple shots! It's the "dirty beach hair" that's all the rave! ;)We moved on to the second location where Prim could run free a bit. Despite being toward the end of the session, she wasn't about to slow down!Griffin loves his mommy...Since we were so close to Uptown, we had to get a nice skyline shot!

I hope you enjoyed Griffin and Prim's sneak peek! Best wishes to Griffin on his recovery!!!

Ellie, Mattie, and Lowrider

When you photograph smaller dogs, you sometimes don't know what you're gonna get. They can often be a little timid at first because they think the camera is a big black eye checking them out. Then, the click of the shutter can really spook them. Usually extra care and time must be used to condition them to think the camera is only a treat dispenser - not a nasty monster coming to destroy them. When it came time to photograph this trio of ladies, Ellie, Mattie, and Lowrider, I figured I'd spend quite a bit of time letting them warm up to me. I was warned that Lowrider could be a little shy around strangers and that Ellie was timid. Hahaha! When we finally met in person, there wasn't a lick of shyness between the three of them! They were super excited to explore and turn it on for the camera!

I introduce, from left to right, Ellie, Lowrider, and Mattie...

We started by photographing Mattie. This pretty Beagle/Italian Greyhound mix sure put her Beagle instincts to work out at Fisher Farm. Her nose was on full alert as she checked out all the stinky goodness around us!I don't think her smile gets much better than this!Oh and she's a runner (actually they all are as you'll soon see). Shake a bag of treats and she's go, go, go!Next we got to hang with the awesomely named, Lowrider. She was as poised and graceful as she could be. She happily showed her stuff for her time in front of the camera!She's another treat hound! Again, shake the treat bag and she's all yours! She's pretty low to ground to start with but she's got some air in this shot...And she loves to be held like a baby! Eeeek! :)Lastly, we photographed Ellie. She was a recent foster failure who has certainly come into her own in her new home. Gone are the days of being timid! Nope! She is 100% in your face with love!More air time!!!Like I said, there's nothing timid about this! ;)I know this shot is out of focus but it's soooo Ellie!!!This is our attempt at getting all three to run together. With air like Mattie has, there's no wonder why she's in the lead!And our attempt at a silhouette. Just missing a head but I think it works. :) Plus mom and dad worked very hard in the horrible humidity and they deserve a shot together! Love!

Dexi and Oreo

Dexi and Oreo are the cutest pair of Goldendoodles you might ever meet. Dexi is the light-colored lady and completes the "cream" for her sister, Oreo. These buddies love to play together and generally just enjoy each other's company. I adore the sisterly love they share! Dexi tends to be a little more laid back and calm, while Oreo is a non-stop action machine! We started their session at their home so we could hang out around the yard and front porch. We even got some play time in! I love this first shot because they are completely opposite each other - their color, the paw, and their personalities. Love!!!

This family shot cracks me up! Oreo is so goofy and totally wants to be the center of attention. :)After we hung out at the house for a bit, it was time to move on to one of the pups new favorite locations - the creek! The first day we went, we lost our light immediately and had to reschedule. After days of rain, the creek was a little more swollen but it made for some fun (and wet) pictures. We had a blast!!!Dexi was a little afraid of the water and took her time getting acclimated. She watched her sister from the shoreline before deciding to make her move...Oreo didn't think twice about diving in...especially if you had a toy to throw her!I love these two happy faces!!!Sisters fighting over the ball...And of course Oreo won! :)This is Oreo's rock pose......and Dexi's rock pose. She even threw me the over-the-shoulder glance! I hope to do more sessions at the creek like this! It was so much fun and the dogs were DONE afterward! :) I personally was a little...er, a lot...wet. Totally worth it!!!

Banner and Dexter

I am so, so, so excited to share this sneak peek with everyone! I am so in love with these pups and these images sum them up to a tee! Plus, I got to play around with my rented 16-35mm lens (LOVE!) for a bit! Banner (the handsome black boy) and Dexter (the Boston Terrier) are the most adorable pair! Dexter is the typical goofy and happy Boston while Banner, who is a little nervous outside the home and with strangers, is a real cuddle bug. We had a gorgeous evening to shoot with and we enjoyed it in their big backyard.

I really can't write too much more because I want to share their sneak peek!!!!

Curious Boston head tilt? Yes, please!!!Handsome floppy-eared pup with tennis ball? Yes, please!!!!!Banner and Dexter's parents just finished designing a cute little area in the backyard complete with doggy beds, a hammock, Adirondack chairs, and a picnic table. It's the perfect hangout for the pups and they loved showing it off!Dexter's all-time favorite toy is his stuffed frog. It's been by his side since he was brought home and he doesn't go too far without it.Banner's all like, "What's this crazy dog doing?"Banner's mom was a little worried that he wouldn't cooperate for the session. He was a little timid at first but he adjusted quickly after downing some treats and watching his brother work it for the camera.Of course Banner and Dexter had to pose with the 'rents...This might be one of my favorites from the session. Banner is such a gentle soul and it was so exciting to watch him warm up to me and the camera during the session. By the end, he was letting me get super close up! I like to imagine that he's talking to me here. I know what I would say back...I wuv you (in baby talk, of course)!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this little sneak peek of these fun fellows! I'll have a smile on my face the whole time I edit the rest! :)

Hogan and Lola

Over the past couple weeks, I've been posting some super fun sessions done for the vets at Brawley Animal Hospital. Well, when one of the vets adopted a new pup just after our original session, we had no choice but to get pictures of her to hang in the office along with the other pets! And wouldn't you know, along with the new Frenchie pup, Lola, we also got to photograph one of the vet's cats, Hogan. Yep, that's right, Hogan came out on-location with us! Certainly a first and probably an only! :)

I introduce you to Mr. Hogan...

As you can see, Hogan is a cute little tripod. He came to the vet school with severe nerve damage to his leg after a possible run in with a car. He was basically dragging the leg along. :( When they figured out it wasn't fixable, his mom decided to amputate it and keep him for herself. The rest is history and he is now one happy camper!It was so cute to see Hogan hanging out at a brand new location. He was astonishingly good! He tried to hop away a couple times to check out the nearby barn but, for the most part, he just hung out and posed for the camera!What a seriously gorgeous face! I swear he's smiling here...Oh, and the classic cat nap. However, Hogan was certainly still very aware of the people hanging out in the parking lot (no doubt very curious about the cat being photographed in the field) and the mountain bikers going by.After we photographed Hogan, we got to spend some time with the new Frenchie of the family, Lola. Lola was rescued from a breeder after suffering a prolapsed uterus. At 2 years of age, there's no telling how many puppies she's had and she is very small and skinny. However, she is FULL of personality and was a giggle maker! She is going to be a well-balanced healthy girl in no time at all!

This is Lola's Gremlin face...She soooooo tried to smile for the camera! The funniest part of her session? She wasn't interested in squeakies, balls, or dog toys. Nope! But pull out a cat toy and she's all over it! We used Hogan's goodies the entire time we worked with Lola. Silly girl!

I can't wait to share the final artwork with you all!!! :)

Cody

Cody is a daddy's boy. Yep, certainly man's best friend. When Cody's parent's 20th anniversary rolled around, his mom knew she just had to give a pet portrait session to Cody's dad. After all, Cody was the first dog his dad ever had on his own!

I was so excited because I hadn't photographed a Blue Heeler before! Cody's parents picked the best location for him too! The field at Fisher Farm had just been cut and hay bales were scattered about. It was ideal for a herding pup!

Meet Mr. Cody, the apple of his father's eyes...

I'm so glad Cody cooperated with us for this shot! I saw this in my head and had to have it! Cody nearly climbed to the top of the hay bale by himself!Cody started the session a little on the shy side. However, he started getting more comfortable when we pulled out his favorite treats! Coming in super close for a bite... hehe!Since the session was a gift to Cody's dad, we just had to get some images of the two of them together! I simply adore this one...Right where a Blue Heeler feels at home - an open field searching for something to herd. 

Many thanks go out to Cody's family! Cheers to their anniversary and here's to another 20 great years!!!

Bean

Last but not least, we have Bean!!! She is the last pup I photographed for the vets at Brawley Animal Hospital. :) Bean, like most Dachshunds, had her own idea of how the session should be run. Haha! Once we figured out this cutie was more comfortable around the vets, I just had them run with each other, stand by each other, and work-it together. It worked out perfectly and Bean has some great shots to show off!

I love her girly ears in her running shots...

Totally comfortable with her momma!Bean's vet friend ran with her just off-camera. She was a trooper and, at one point, even lost her shoe in the freshly cut grass!This was Bean's little nest in the uncut grass. The guy that was cutting the grass as we were shooting thought she was going rabbit hunting. Haha!And finally all four of the 4-leggers! What a group!!!

I can't wait to see Bean, Rookie, Frank, and Ernie's faces up on the walls of their clinic. I hope they bring tons of smiles to their clients' and patients' faces!

Mickey

Oh Mickey, you're so fine. You're so fine, you blow my mind. Hey Mickey! Hey Mickey! Now that I have that stuck in your head, you won't ever forget this adorable honey named Mickey. As with most older Goldens, Mickey dons the oh-so-precious white heart on his face. It's a pure heart-melter!

At 7 1/2 years old, Mickey is the center of his parent's universe. He is the only pup they have had together. When they saw Mickey's 4-legged father at the breeder, they instantly fell in love and knew they had to have one of his pups. It's been heavenly ever since!

Mickey gets to enjoy the lake view from the deck and dock in his back yard. He prefers not to go all the way in the water so we knew his handsome hair wouldn't get ruined during the session!The one place that Mickey won't dare go is the ramp that goes down to the floating dock. It's super-scary for him as his poor little paws tend to slip and he looses grip. However...during our session...he actually went down the ramp to be near me!!!! He even went back up it all on his own! His parents were amazed! You can see the beginning of the ramp in this image...He makes sure all is well on the water...Mickey's favorite toy in the world is his Bunsie. It has had some surgery to correct a amputated ear but it's still hanging in there! His mom even has a backup Bunsie should anything happen to it.We took off to a local field so Mickey could have some fun one-on-one time with his beloved stuffed friend......and to run... ...and to go for a good roll! :)We finished the evening back on the dock looking over the calm water of Lake Wylie. Mickey wasn't quite done being goofy! Lol!This time, Mickey wasn't so excited about going up and down the ramp. I just HAD to take this picture. Poor Mickey. The scariest thing in the world...