Mo

Great Dane's are known to have a fairly short lifespan compared to other pups. Luckily, Mo has graced this Earth for 12 whole years and his family feels very lucky. Although he's showing his age with some arthritis, shaky legs, and weight loss, Mo's still enjoying hanging out in the backyard with his human and other doggy family members. We spent a lovely afternoon together doing just that. :) This is the goofy side of Mo... And the more serious side...wanting my treats...There's nothing quite as regal as the Great Dane profile...Those eyes. Seriously. I couldn't say no to those for 12 years.The light in this image makes Mo look heavenly. :)Mo and his human brother have grown up together. They showed me a picture of the two of them cuddling when Mo was a puppy and Xavier was a toddler. There's nothing like brotherly love...Mo was shaved a while ago for scans to check for health issues. Everything came back normal but the hair never quite grew all the way back. I say it gives him character. :)Haha! This outtake just HAD to be shared. Mo does NOT look happy that his humans are laughing at the fact that he got drool everywhere. Oh Mo...

I hope Mo's family enjoys their sneak peek! I hope to see him again soon!

Bean and Pip

I walked into Bean's home and she was curled up napping on her little dog bed. Above it were adorable signs created by her human sister marking that part of the house "Bean's spot". Yeah, I could tell Bean has had a good 15 years. Although thin and a little shaky, Bean was more than happy to raise her head and stand up to greet me. Her English Pointer nose quickly discovered my treat bag and I instantly had a new fan. I could tell she was having a good day.

Bean doesn't have any health issues other than some arthritis that keeps her back legs a little wobbly. She does, however, tend to go through spells where she doesn't feel so good - - but then she bounces back. The day of our session, she was officially bouncing back! We were so lucky because the day was gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and we only had a small window of time to do the session before Christmas (the session was to be a surprise for Bean's dad). It all worked out perfectly.

To keep things easy on Bean, we hung out in her lovely yard. She got to go in when she needed to rest or warm up. However, with my stinky beef liver treats, she didn't want to leave my side. :)

Bean just has the look of a dog with an old soul. At her age, dogs are so in-tune with their humans. It still amazes me the connection they have with people. It's so unbelievable special.I love this silly one of Miss Bean...Bean even got a little jumpy during our shoot! She kinda got the zoomies on...always a good sign of happiness. :)And these just melt my heart...While Bean was on a break, I got to photograph the other furry family member, Pip the Guinea Pig! Pip, you really didn't have to do your hair for the session... ;)I have to finish this post with one of my most favorite images EVER. Bean and her sister... OMG... Love...Shortly after our session, I stopped by Bean's house to drop something off. She wasn't feeling well and would only eat out of someone's hand. When I left her home, I cried in my car. I hope and pray she bounces back again. She is a special one...

Studio Mini-Session Promo

With Christmas just around the corner (just over a week!!!), I know there are tons of people out there still looking for that perfect gift. Well I have the solution for the dog-lover in your life (hey, or for yourself - I don't judge)! Introducing a very limited-time offer. These special gift vouchers will only be for sale until Thursday, December 19th and there are a limited number available. So what are they?

As some of you may know, I'm in the process of settling into a new office space that will have the capabilities for me to start doing studio work again. I'm super-pumped and I'd love to get everyone else excited too! Hence, this very rare opportunity for mini-sessions.

So here are the details...

STUDIO MINI-SESSION VOUCHER

- $150 -

includes:

20-30 minute session with 1 dog (or cat if they like to travel!)

2 - 8x10 mounted prints

3-day online viewing gallery

In-person ordering consultation

Limited products available for purchase after session

Because this is a limited-time offering, the voucher must be used by March 30, 2014. However, the purchase price never expires and can be used toward other services/products if wanted. An appointment is required for the session and the studio is located at 621 McNinch Street, Charlotte, NC 28208.

If you are interested, please contact me at sarah@mcgrawphotography.com and I'll get you all set up. Gift Vouchers will be mailed at the end of the week just in time for Christmas delivery.

Don't delay!!!! These won't be for sale after Thursday, the 19th!!!

The fine print... Studio Mini-Sessions are part of a limited promotion. Therefore the voucher will expire on March 30, 2014. The amount paid never expires and will be honored by McGraw Photography after the promotional period ends. The amount paid may be applied toward any services or products offered by McGraw Photography.

Duke, Belle and Annie

A Brussels Griffon, a Shiffon, and a Cavapoo. Yeah, with breeds like that, this session was going to be one to remember! This trio had a super awesome fenced in backyard that they could run free in. It was beautifully landscaped with trees, a pool, and lake frontage - a dog's (and person's) dream. This pack could totally be themselves and show me what their daily routines are. I introduce (from left to right), Duke, Annie, and Belle... We started the session focusing on Duke, a super cute Brussels Griffon who is the light of his dad's life. Duke is really chill which is great - we had to take it easy because he was still recovering from ACL surgery. This is such a rare breed but I don't know why! I mean, look at that face!!!!Belle is a little shy girl and kinda hung back from the camera. Her little Shiffon (Shih Tzu/Brussels Griffon) face is irresistible though! Belle felt most comfortable when her best buddy, Annie, was around. She spent most of the session trying to follow her around the backyard...Belle's underbite is the killer! It's just asking for cuddles!!! Annie is a young spunky lady who is seriously OBSESSED with sticks. The second she goes outside, she on the hunt for one. And by golly, if you don't throw it right away, she will let you hear about it! :) Did I mention that Annie is a superior levitator? Annie is one of the fastest little dogs I've ever seen!This is the pitiful look she gives you if you don't have a stick to throw. What a sad face...

I hope this trio's dad enjoys his Christmas gift!!!!

Ginger, Buster and Dudley

Eek! Eek! Eek! I'm so in love with each of these dogs! Ginger, Buster, and Dudley's session took place on a warm Fall afternoon. The sun was shining and the leaves were golden - absolutely perfect for our Autumn-themed photo shoot. We had a blast shooting in such a gorgeous location and the pups even made some friends - a young boy that was playing in the park, as well as another Standard Poodle. All in all, it was a perfect day!

You know the stars align and the dogs are good when you can get a shot of all three without having to do head swaps in Photoshop! I introduce (from left to right) Buster, Ginger, and Dudley...

Ginger is an absolute stunner but she's not just a pretty face! She's a trained hunting dog and has passed both AKC & UKC hunting trials. She's one smart cookie!She also loves her tennis ball. Doesn't she looks so graceful?!?Dudley is the youngest of the crew and is more of the son's dog. The son did all the research when deciding on a pet and finally got his heart set on a Miniature Dachshund. Yeah, I'd have my heart set on this adorable face too!Dudley steals my heart in the golden Fall colors...Last but not least, we have Buster! This merle Cocker Spaniel will make you look twice. He's just that handsome! This image of Buster makes me giggle because I can't tell where one leg ends and the other begins!

Buster is the "most beautiful" of the furry family according to his mom. He has the most fabulous bicolored eyes - they suck you right it!I have to finish off this post with some dancing...er...fetching images of Ginger. I can't get over how graceful she is! Hmmm...do I see a poodle in my house in the future?

I want to thank this trio's family for a wonderful session. They are so friendly and I really enjoyed talking with them and learning about each of their pups. I can't wait to see what they decide to do with their images!

Lola, ChiChi and Ramesses

It sure has been sweater weather lately and repeat clients, Lola, ChiChi and Ramesses, were ready to take on the Fall! We met at a gorgeous barn named Joli Cheval in Mint Hill. The leaves were changing, there was a chill in the air, and the models were magical! Lola and ChiChi, a couple pint-sized Chihuahuas, must have remembered me from our session last year. They went right into model zone and even pulled off this gem of an image... (and any of my clients with multiple dogs can attest to how hard it is to get them in a shot together!)

Last year, we missed out on some of the gorgeous golden light. I'm so glad we got to capture that this season!Lola is such a love bug! She rode in the car with me to the second location and she sat on my lap the whole time!!! Now I want a lap dog!!! Oh, wait. I do have a lap dog. She's just 63 pounds.ChiChi, who has a reputation as a diva, even took to me quickly. I think she only barked at me a couple times - if that. Her eyes and ears stayed perky and I love her images!!The pups weren't the only ones in the session! No! Ramesses II was included as well. To be honest, I don't know much about horses but he is one of the most striking animals I've ever seen!And those Fall colors only accent his gorgeousness (and his parents!!)!

Is is cold where you are today? Do you want to borrow Lola and ChiChi's sweaters?

Cooper

I swear I have some of the cutest doggie clients ever. Period. Cooper is absolutely no exception. He seriously looks like a little stuffed animal! He had me squealing the whole session - and I'm not lying about that! Cooper is an 8-year-old Poodle-mix that has the most adorable little fuzzy body ever! He had a blast exploring Fisher Farm and he hopped like a bunny rabbit as he checked out every corner of the park. I really don't know what else to say about him other that "Eeeeeeeeekkkkkk!" Meet Mr. Cooper... I told you, right?!?! Now check out those ears!And his bunny hop as he ran around!So are you squealing yet? If not, does this work?!?I know this isn't a picture that's going to be big on the wall but I had to document this interesting moment. Cooper suddenly stopped and tried to bury his head in the grass. Not sure if he was planking? or doing an ostrich impression? Bust out some treats and he gets focused again!His mom better hold him tight! There's already a list of people that told me they want me to steal him for them!One of Cooper's mom's favorite looks is when he holds just one ear up. Um, yeah. That's not cute or anything. ;)This picture embodies the joy I feel when I look at Cooper's sweet face. It makes me smile! :)

I hope you enjoyed Cooper's sneak peek as much as I *clearly* did! :) So, do you want to steal him too?

Before and After

A photographer's job would be so much easier if the files were perfect and ready for print straight out of the camera. Well, just like in the film days, there is quite a bit of *digital* darkroom editing that needs to be done to each image afterward. Here is a great example... This "before" image is straight-out-of-camera. Because I needed a fast shutter speed to stop the action, the image ended up being a couple stops underexposed. Because I shoot in RAW format, I knew I could up the exposure some in post-processing. A quick note on this - I don't rely on "oh, I'll just fix that in Photoshop". In fact, I'd rather not. However, sometimes you don't have a choice. I had to trade off a perfect exposure in order to have a crisp action image.

Along with increasing the exposure, I warmed up the color temperature, removed some distracting elements, increased contrast and sharpened it overall.

This is a perfect example of how a photographer's work continues way after the camera clicks. Edits like this occur with every final image. Often times, leashes have to be removed, eye goobers need to be cleaned up, shaved fur and/or tumors are asked to be covered, etc.

I love seeing this transformation happen and I think it's important for clients to see all of the hours of work that go into each image that is presented in the final gallery. I hope they enjoy it as much as I do!