Today I got to spend some time with a few of the pups from the Humane Society of Charlotte. This grouping of dogs have been at HSC for the longest and are really ready to find their fur-ever homes. Each of these pups were sooooo good and I haven't a clue as to why they are still at the shelter. Are one of these your new BFF? I personally have a thing for Peso and his uniquely lopsided head. :)
Oliver and Chicklet
Oliver and Chicklet are an amazing little pair of Papillons. Although they greeted me with a bark-fest, they actually calmed down enough to show off their cute faces for the camera. Not fans of the grass and yard, Oliver and Chicklet decided to hang out with their people on the back deck. It was perfect! We hung out in the breeze of the fan which, not only kept the mosquitos at bay, but it made the pups' flowing hair that much more gorgeous! I introduce Chicklet (on the left) and Oliver (on the right)...
Chicklet shows off those lovely ears!
Meanwhile, Oliver gets some lovin' from mom. Doesn't he look like a little Panda bear?!?
Chicklet is 11 years young but doesn't look a day older than 2!
This is what Chicklet does all the time...chew on her chip...
Oliver chooses to pass the time with his tongue out to the side looking as Ewok as can be! :)
Wall Art
I love seeing gorgeous artwork on the walls of clients' homes and businesses. One of the most fun parts of the process is the design phase. I use a fun, little program on my iPad that allows me to show my clients what their images will look like on their wall, to scale. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the decision making. Right now I'm working on a couple statement pieces for the West Ballantyne Animal Hospital. Here's a little preview of some options I sent over. Stay tuned to find out what they decide to go with!!!
Ewok or Panda?
Hmmm. Is Oliver part Ewok or part Panda? What's your vote? Let me know in the comments below! :)
Abby, Ralph and Zoe
How many people out there can say that they've seen a Chinese Crested, much less, photograph one? I've never done either until I got to meet and photograph Abby! I was beyond excited to get this opportunity!
Abby is 11 years old with a little puffball face and tail. She is such a delicate little girl that prefers to stay off the grass and would rather be in someone's lap. I love this shot of her whole furless tiny body. :)
She even has a gorgeous smile! :)
Although Abby's usually pretty mellow and chill, she gets a wild hair when her mom starts to weed the flower garden. I don't know what it is, but she LOOOOOOves to chase the weeds when they are thrown into the woods. That whole delicate-dog-thing goes out the window at that point.
Abby isn't an only child! She has a brother, Ralph, and sister Zoe. Ralph was one of the pups we were most worried about capturing on camera. He doesn't warm up to strangers but as long as he has his tennis ball, he's a pretty happy camper. He actually knocked it out of the park. We got some great shots of him!
This is one of my favs. I love the flowers surrounding his happy face. :)
"Play with me!!!!!"
Last but not least, we photographed Zoe. She's also a little shy around strangers but she will eventually warm up. Like her brother, she's a little obsessed with some tennis ball too!
Those flowers again!!! She's fixated on her tennis ball!
These pups made me work my tail off but we captured some wonderful moments that truly show off their fun personalities! :) Thanks for such a great shoot!
Edmund Fitzgerald and Hershel
When Edmund Fitzgerald's dad contacted me for his session, I'll admit that I didn't know what the Doxie's name was in reference to. It wasn't until after I talked to a friend of mine that I learned of the famed freighter and folk song. After reading up on the story, I was confident enough to go into the session knowing everything about the tragic events of the boat's wreck. Now I just needed to find out why this tiny little Dachshund was named after this freighter...
Turns out that Edmund Fitzgerald's parents are big Gordon Lightfoot fans (this singer of the folk song) and have been to several of his concerts. In ironic fashion, they thought it would be funny to name such a tiny, little creature after a huge 728-foot boat. How hysterical!!!
He is so cute and photogenic!
Not to be overshadowed, Hershel is Edmund Fitzgerald's older brother. His gray face shows his age but he is wise beyond his years. :)
He still has some craziness in him too! :)
Doxies are so cute when they run!!! I love their flying ears!
Hehe! Edmund Fitzgerald almost looks like a toy here...
Well, if you didn't know about the Edmund Fitzgerald and/or the song, I hope you get the chance to look it up and get a little history lesson today! :) And if you don't, at least you got to look at some super-cute pups!
Hey, that's me!
Oh no! I'm in front of the camera! Haha! I love the behind-the-scenes pics my client grabbed during our shoot. :) The image I was capturing is on the right...
Sadie and Chloe
I've said this a million times before. I hate cancer. When Sadie's mom contacted me over 4th of July weekend, she knew something was going terribly wrong with her baby. Out of nowhere, Sadie became ill and disoriented. She was rushed to the vet and given fluids and had some tests done. Turns out she was anemic and would also need to come back for an ultrasound. At that point, her mom was obviously scared of what was to come. We scheduled a session immediately.
Fortunately, Sadie was pretty much back to her normal self when we began shooting. As you'll see, she was smiling (and, wow, does she have a contagious smile!!!) and even doing a little running. I love that she didn't look (or act) ill the entire time. Gosh...she is such a sweet and wonderful girl.
Days after our session, Sadie had her ultrasound appointment. A mass was discovered on her spleen and her parents were now faced with the almost impossible decision of whether or not to put their almost 12-year-old dog through surgery. Before they could make up their minds, nature had it's way with Sadie yet again.
She went into another bad state and was rushed to the emergency vet again. This time, she went into surgery right away to remove her spleen. The mass was removed and the biopsy came back confirming everyone's suspicions - splenic hemangiosarcoma...cancer.
Sadie is now back home recovering from surgery and is doing great! The vet gave her 2-5 months to live but I think her amazing spirit will keep her here much longer.
I can't express how emotional this roller coaster has been for her parents, her fur-sister, Chloe, and even me. I'm so grateful we could make this session happen....it brings tears to my eyes.
And without further ado, this my dear Sadie (on the right) and her sister, Chloe...
Knowing the circumstances of this session, these smiles amaze me...
Sadie has been through ACL surgery and has the signature "sit" of that now. Haha! Oh, and did I mention she is deaf? She is so alert and young-looking...you'd never know it!
And Miss Chloe is a little bit a a goofball. Her eyes and that lovely fur are so photogenic!
We spent our session at the Harrisburg Farmer's Market. There were some cool buildings, trails, and fields to explore. I'm so in love with this wide shot.
Chole might be a little jealous of the extra attention Sadie's been getting... ;)
See!!!!! Sadie got a little pep in her step!!!! I'm sooooooo glad!!!
I just love this dog...
And the family picture. I don't think a dog could have a happier face. This was definitely a moment Sadie will always remember. She got so many hugs and kisses this day. Chloe, on the other hand, is ready for a nap.
Please keep this family in your thoughts over the next several months. It's not time to say goodbye yet. xx!
