Shelby was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. It took the vet almost a year to diagnose the problem and by then, the tumor was too large to remove. Shelby just started chemotherapy and, fortunately, hasn’t had any side effects.

We are all so happy that she still has a smile on her face…

Shelby has so much soul behind her eyes. They seem to go on forever…
We started off the session a little on the rocky side. Shelby was so stimulated by the new environment, she was a little over-excited and distracted. Once we pulled out the Buddy Biscuits, she was all mine! :)
Shelby was so beautiful in front of the yellow flowers. I think she was made to be photographed here. Even the pretty pink and yellow collar accessory matches wonderfully. Love!Please send positive thoughts for Shelby and her family. She is deeply loved…

Even though Cooper isn’t involved in the wedding ceremony, this happy Chihuahua-weenie dog-maybe Rat Terrier-mix keeps a smile on his face at all times…especially if the Chuck-It is out and there is a tennis ball around. Yep, a game of fetch is his favorite thing in the world and he wouldn’t stop playing if the world depended on it. His slight ball obsession worked wonders for his posing, as his eyes never left his little bundle of yellow felt goodness.Cooper doesn’t mess around when it’s play time. He’s like Forrest Gump…he keeps running!Cooper looked so handsome in the blooming clover. Seriously.Uh…you gonna give me that ball back?‘Cause if you don’t, I’ll gonna start yelling… ;) Haha!100% play all the time…Cooper’s parents thought he wasn’t going to be good for his session but they were sooooo wrong! He was amazing and there is no doubt he is a professional model on the side.I love those ears!!! They’re just SO Cooper!Congratulations to Cooper’s parents on today’s nuptials! I’m sure Cooper is so excited to “officially” have a dad and he is welcomed with open paws! He’s a lucky boy and his parents are equally blessed! Love, love, love!

I introduce Digby (the male on the left) and Pictsie (aka, Pixie, the female on the right)…

These two beauties were litter-mates and, as puppies, grew one pound a day!Pictsie and Digby’s dad had wanted Mastiffs his whole life. He finally convinced his wife to take on not one, but two! You have to realize that she was more of a cat person at the time so it was quite an adjustment going from 10-pound cats to having 200-pound pups! It was totally worth it and the Mastiffs are the light of his life!Their parents even purchased the extra land behind their house, giving Pictsie and Digby about 4 acres to walk trails and to go hunting for rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and other small creatures. Pictsie and Digby’s happy faces tell just how happy they are. They have their own bedroom in the house as well as as huge dog house in the backyard. Yeah…they have it made. :)
When they run, they tend to get a little drooly…and when they have treats, and when they are hot, and just about whenever. Their mom even offered to let me borrow a different shirt to drive home in. Heck, I’m used to it and it makes me laugh!Such a gentle giant…They are daddy’s dogs without doubt!

And a little outtake! This was one of the very first shots right out of the camera. They just had to make sure the camera wasn’t a new, special treat! :)

Happy early Father’s Day to Pictsie and Digby’s dad! I hope you enjoy the sneak peek!

Each one of these 4-legged shorties have personalities as different as their looks. Put together, they have the perfect compilation of traits to complete their household. :)

Harriet is the most shy of the three (except come rabbit hunting time). However, her mom brought a couple of her favorite treats which grabbed her attention long enough for me to get some great shots of her sweet Red Dabble face. I instantly was attracted to the markings on her ears. I think she is stunning…Nothing like gorgeous light and a beautiful pup! Love!Next up is Oscar. This long-haired boy is his mom’s heart dog. He can tend to be a little nervous around strangers but, again, the magic trick was some yummy treats. He actually warmed up to me and the camera very quickly. From judging some of his poses, I’d say he was practicing for this shoot for a while. :)“Did you get my good side?”He wanted to make sure I captured how luscious his locks were…He really did pose the whole shoot!Last but not least, we have Reese Cup! Reese is the newest addition to the family but is definitely the mother of the trio. Despite being the most laid back of the three, she won’t take her eyes off Harriet and Oscar! She has to make sure they are ok 100% of the time.

She has the perfect name – her fur matches a Reese Cup perfectly!I love how fluffy Reese is. Walking around in the grass, she looked like one of those woolly  bear worms. It was cracking me up! She even kinda moved like one!
And the whole pack together… :)

Gus, a Dachshund, and Sanford, an English Bulldog, joined me on a beautiful day in Davidson. I knew instantly that these two were going to be amazing in front of the camera! While they might not have been the best at sitting or staying and they kept their mom’s hands full, it didn’t matter in the end! These two burst with personality and their precious faces just scream “I’m the cutest thing EVER”!

I love the handsome bow-ties their mom made special for their photo shoot.We took off to Fisher Farm so the pups would have fewer distractions and have a little room to spread their short legs. The grass was finally starting to turn green and gorgeous little purple flowers were popping up everywhere. The evening light made it a sight for sore eyes…Sanford also enjoyed the fresh Spring air…Gus loves to chase tennis balls so why would I want to stop him? ;)Hehehehe…Some exploring…OMG! I seriously want to steal these two so I could photograph them all the time! Look at those faces!!!If you don’t love these two, you officially need to be checked out by a doctor! What a pair!!!

Many props to Gus and Sanford’s mom who had her hands full during our shoot. Plus, she was a trooper sitting in the grass in her pretty dress, had to listen to my sickly cough, and put up with me calling Sanford the wrong name (I had a mental block).  I think it was totally worth it!!! I hope she agrees! :)

If you want to see pictures from the event, don’t miss the post about the event HERE.

All the technical goodness: Shot with a Canon 5D Mark 3 and 35mm f/1.4 lens (maybe a couple shots with the 50mm f/1.4). Edited with iMovie. Music rights purchased from Triple Scoop Music.

Scooter, an 11-year-young Cocker Spaniel, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, has heart issues, and is living with arthritis and some lumps and bumps. He’s always been a happy pup but his life got much brighter when his new little brother entered the picture. Maverick, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel still under a year old, was brought home and instantly became Scooter’s buddy. They cuddle, play together, and bring so much joy to their parents. Scooter instantly cheered up and even had some of the puppyhood rub off on his aging body.

I introduce Maverick, seen here with his favorite toy antler…

And here is the precious boy, Scooter. His favorite toy is his big ball. :)Maverick loves balls too and is never short of energy to play a game of fetch.I think his big smile is what cheered Scooter up right away!Another one of Scooter’s favorite toys…Scooter loves his t-shirt. And, yes, what it says is true! :)
These two are so happy in the arms of their parents.Sweet Scooter is certainly the love of their lives.
And the best buds…

Maverick is ALWAYS ready to play!Frog legs!!!Scooter looking his most masculine…

I’m so honored to have spent this evening with these two. They are so loved and it was felt throughout the session! <3

This year, the Charlotte event was held at Morrison, where the pups and their people got to browse vendor booths, play corn hole, participate in a kissing booth, and win great prizes in a raffle.

The dogs came super-prepared with costumes and HUGE smiles…

My favorite part of the event is always the actual walk. The dogs (and people) never know what to think when they see me laying on the ground snapping pictures…For those of you that follow me on Facebook or my blog know that I’m a huge Little Dog Linus fan. While he did make an appearance at the walk, this little guy was his body double…While I love this Doggles on this pretty girl, my favorite part of the picture is her friend in the background. I had said the word, “treat”, and it sparked some interest… :)More of the awesome pups that came out to help aid in the fight against cancer…The rescued Boxer on the right was the Canine Ambassador for the event. At only 5 years old, he is battling the fight of his life. With a happy face and huge smile, he did a wonderful job representing the dogs fighting for the cause.

For more pictures of the event, check out this site: http://mcgrawphotography.zenfolio.com. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of any prints will go directly to the fundraising efforts of the Bark For Life – Charlotte event. Thank you to everyone that made it out to this year’s walk. I hope to see you again at the Bark For Life  - Lake Norman walk on April 20th or at next year’s event. xx!

A big THANKS goes out to the Humane Society of Charlotte for having me photograph Emma! She was a pure joy to work with and I know she makes her mom proud!This might not be a “cover” shot but Emma sure loved the miniature tennis balls I brought along. She kept doing this super-cute crawl with her bum in the air. How could I not shoot that?!?