This top-secret session was arranged by the bride’s good friend and business partner who wanted to give her something modern and unexpected but something that would be meaningful and memorable. We decided to photograph Sophie in the arts district of Charlotte, also known as NoDa. With funky and colorful walls and super-fun doggy graffiti, the vibe of the shoot certainly matches the trendy stylings of Sophie’s parents.

Sophie was an absolute dream to work with and, even though she’s mostly and indoor pup, she wasn’t taken aback by all of the hustle and bustle going on around us on that gorgeous day. She seriously looks like a little stuffed animal in her images! What a cutie!

Sophie had the head tilt down pat by the middle of the session!And what Maltese is complete without some clothes? Sophie insisted on showing off her favorite dress!FIRE!!!!

I hope Sophie’s parents enjoy their gift and have an absolutely wonderful marriage with Sophie by their sides!

We spent an overcast evening hanging around Louie’s gorgeous turf. His mom lives on Lake Norman so Louie enjoys daily walks on the surrounding pathways and docks as he scopes out the water for ducks and fish. It was a pleasure to tag along with this handsome Cocker Spaniel! Enjoy his sneak peek – I’m hoping his sweetness is contagious!

Louie has hip and knee problems so we made sure to give him several breaks during the session. He still wanted to work it for the camera though!Hey stud muffin!!!Isn’t he so handsome?!? I love that his tongue is barely poking through in this one…Thanks, Louie, for being such a wonderful model! I can’t wait to visit you again soon! :)

Before the walk, the pups got to hang out, go swimming, visit vendor booths and meet other 4-legged walkers. And, of course, pose for the camera!Any public place is cool in my book if a dog can be found in Superman pose on the floor!The walkers rest-up right before the 1-mile stroll…This year’s Bark For Life walk was lead by Natalie, a 5-year-old Great Dane available for adoption from the Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love.And tons of cute pooches followed!Doggy contests followed the walk including the newest addition to the lineup…a pie licking contest!Whose face was licked cleanest?!?After a wonderful day in the sun, there’s nothing like soaking your feet in the pool!If your pup isn’t featured here, it’s not because he isn’t photogenic! Find more adorable 4-leggers here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/proofing/. A portion of the proceeds from sales of prints will go to the American Cancer Society.

Thank you to everyone that came out to support the fight against cancer! I can’t wait to see you again next year!

Barkley’s parents were kind enough to build him a ramp over the steps to his front porch. He looks so appreciative!He is sooooo cute! I just want to squeeze his little doggy cheeks!!!I love Barkley’s paws…they are as big as my hands!Every day, Barkley is helped into the truck and goes to work with his parents. He LOVES having the wind blow through his hair!There’s nothing like a good roll in the grass…Barkley is very proud of his family!Barkley, you and your family were a pleasure to photograph and you guys had me laughing the whole time! Can’t wait to see you again soon – maybe shaved this time?!

Only a short 30-40 minute drive from the Lake Norman area, I will definitely be back…when I’m not working! ;)

The dogs were so well-behaved and were totally diggin’ the relaxed atmosphere.This pretty lady is battling cancer but spent the day bright-eyed and happy to be hanging out with her family…So, uh, whatcha got up on that table?These wrinkles are just too cute! I would love to have a photo shoot with a cutie pie like this!Sunbathing…Thank you so much for inviting me out to this event. I can’t wait to come back and see how gorgeous everything is when the vines have filled in! I have my fingers crossed that I can schedule a photo shoot at this location…I bet the evening light on this hilltop is stunning!For more pictures from the event, click on the gallery at this link: www.mcgrawphotography.com/proofing

After about a minute, those feelings turned around. I thought about what each Bark For Life event accomplishes and what each event stands for. A wonderful team of volunteers, survivors, and good samaritans organize and attend these events around the country to raise money to fight the “C” word we have all grown to hate. Maybe we can all take hold of the Hope that’s in Pandora’s Box? Hope that very soon there will be better medicines. Hope that there will be a cure. Hope that Cancer will no longer exist. Hope that no one – 4-legged or human – has to deal with the effects of Cancer.

This year, the Bark For Life event in Lake Norman/Birkdale raised nearly $25,000! The large crowd enjoyed beautiful weather, a relaxing walk, great vendors, and fun raffles and contests. I got to meet some incredible dogs and dedicated parents who are all ready to keep Hope alive! I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all that attended, volunteered, and supported this event. Thanks to you, hopefully I will never have to look at Eva and Sadie again and wonder, “What if?”

Mrs. Lake Norman and the *awesome* Chair of the event get things started!The large crowd gets ready for the walk and they are lead by Jax, the event’s Canine Ambassador. This sweet man is available for adoption through Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love…And the walk begins!!!Some pups need a helping hand or a quick break in the cool grass.Sometimes, they just can’t do it all on their own. Isn’t that what this event is really about?After the walk, everyone gathered around to select Best Trick (being frisked by a real cop!) and Best Kiss…slurp!Many thanks to all of the lovable dogs (and people) that came out for such a great cause. You are all rock stars and heroes!

If your pup isn’t featured here, it’s not because he isn’t photogenic! Find more adorable 4-leggers here: http://www.mcgrawphotography.com/proofing/. A portion of the proceeds from sales of prints will go to the American Cancer Society.

Did you miss Lake Norman’s Bark For Life event or would you like to participate in another walk? The American Cancer Society is holding a Charlotte Bark For Life event this Sunday April 28th at the Dog Bar in NoDa. For more information, visit the website: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=41705. Thank you again to everyone associated with these wonderful events!

Cali certainly didn’t disappoint! She quickly warmed up to me and the camera and I’m pretty sure we bonded over a couple treats and a fluffy dog toy. I think I have a new best friend for life!

We started her session in her back yard where she showed me some of her best modeling looks. Forget Zoolander’s Blue Steel. Cali’s “La Dent” (a.k.a. “The Tooth”) takes the cake!

Cali was born missing a couple toes on her front paw. It doesn’t bother her too much but she likes to keep it off the ground from time to time.Despite her minor handicap, she doesn’t hesitate to chase her ball!I couldn’t resist posting this one. I’m not sure what to call this look…Cali loves to swim so we took a short trip over to the lake access area in her neighborhood. This is one happy dog!And she’s off to retrieve her ball!Who needs a hair dryer when you can hang your head out the window?Cali wanted to be sure we showed off her feline sister, Bella. Bella thinks she’s a dog but is one of the prettiest cats I’ve seen!

Thanks so for such a great session, Cali! I can’t wait to hang out with you and Bella again!

It’s a bird, it’s a plane…no…it’s a kitty on catnip!!!Blitz smiling like the Cheshire cat…Well, I guess he’s over the bubbles.Miss Priss’ turn!!!Her eyes are simply gorgeous…Blitz breaks for some lovin.And then he’s back!Miss Priss loves the bubbles and she likes to curiously watch them fall from above.This bubble must have been special!Ahhhh…the cat’s life…

We started our session on the wrap-around porch – one of this pack’s favorite hang outs. Here is Jake…

Jackie…and camera shy Bailey…and the 4-legged amigos…One of the pack’s favorite things to do is to take a walk down the street to their grandfather’s house. Just say the word and they are ready to go!It’s a pretty long walk but along the way there are gorgeous fields to explore and rest in…
At their grandfather’s house, they get close and personal with the cows.Jake makes sure none of the livestock are out of line…Bailey was ready to work even though the cows were all set for the night.After such a long walk and tons of exploring, the dogs hopped a ride back home on the trailer.Jackie never misses a beat with those big ears!What a great ending to a fun-filled evening! These dogs are super awesome and they have quite the life. I hope their humans enjoy this sneak peek and I can’t wait to see you three again soon!

Boss’ session was set up as an anniversary gift for his dad. This little boss man is one of the bright spots of his dad’s life and I totally understand why. Besides the fact that Boss looks identical to my pup, Sadie, Boss was so amazingly good during his session. He just followed us around and looked up as if he was just waiting for direction. He was all, “ok, where and what do you want me to do?”. He rocked it!

We started off the session in NoDa, the arts district of Charlotte. Boss’ mom gave me creative freedom to do some different type of shots and I was more than happy to oblige. With a model like this, we could set up almost anything!

This is probably one of my favorites from Boss’ session. It probably doesn’t fit most people’s tastes, but I love that its so different from my normal work…Of course I didn’t want Boss to pose the entire session! We found a nice patch of huge clover and let Boss explore, has a grass snack, and let some energy out…We finished off Boss’ session in my new favorite location – an abandoned farm/field near my house. We made it just as the sun hit the horizon and we managed to get in a few shots with my favorite kind of lighting!More grass snacks…I hope Boss’ dad enjoys his gift for many years to come! It was a pleasure to work with Boss and I can’t wait to see his Coffee Table Album come together!