I just love it when a dog full of personality and spunk comes into the studio! Meet my latest playful pal, Charlie. I have to start this post with one of my favorite images...a profile shot of his amazing beard...
Charlie needed a little time to warm up to the flashes, but he quickly realized he could get treats for his good modeling skills. :)
His adorable head tilt...
After some serious shots, it was time to pull out his favorite toys! This one is named Beethoven. It's way bigger than Charlie but he still manages to fling it around like it weighs nothing!
His other favorite toy is his hedgehog...
This one is a little more nimble. Haha!
And then there is the random shoe sitting around. Charlie took full advantage of the no-shoes-on-the-backdrop rule.
Man, he is one handsome fellow!
Sometimes Charlie loves on his toys too. Best buds...
I can't wait to see all of Charlie's artwork come in! He's going to have his own special wall above the couch, but shhhhhhh...it's a gift for his dad. :)
Luke - Studio Session
Luke is a big ol' puppy with paws as large as my hands. I'm guessing he'll be a 90-pounder or so? When he came into the studio, I had to document all of his puppy goodness. I figured I'd give it a go with some video! As most of you know, I've really been playing around with video and trying to learn everything I can. This was a new experience in and of itself. Shot inside with only available lighting, I quickly realized I'll need to invest in some continuous video lighting if I want to replicate the look of the still images in the studio. Either way, we had a ton of fun and we ended up with a super-cute promo video. I especially love the end...
Pet Portrait Studio from Sarah McGraw on Vimeo.
And I'm sure you'd like to see a closer look of Luke's still images. I adore this big baby!
Thanks so much for coming along on this fun session!
Gertie - Studio Session
Who doesn't love a Frenchie? Seriously. If you are one of the few that don't, perhaps Gertie here will help change your mind. Gertie is just a pup...9 months old to be exact. And trust me, she had the energy to prove her puppiness (yeah, I made up a word). She had me on my toes! She was here and there and everywhere and I loved every minute of it! Check out this pretty Blue Fawn Pied funny face during her studio session...
This face is too much...
Now when I say that Gertie loves balls. I mean LOVES balls - any size, color, texture, whatever!! Here are some examples to prove my point:
Number 1: The Jolly Ball
Number 2: Red Bouncy Ball
Number 3 (and to show you that size and color don't matter): Basketball
I may have given you the impression that Gertie doesn't have a serious side. However, she does. See?
And one last goofy one for kicks...
If you love Gertie, let me know! She's going to have an on-location session in June and we're going swimming!!! Yippee!!!
Skyler - Studio Session
I have a soft spot for the grey-faced beauties. (So why can't I get over the fact that I've found grey hairs on my own head?) Anyway, I've found that the grey-haired pups have such soul and a really special connection with their people. That connection has been made even stronger in Skyler's case. She was diagnosed with cancer and her mom, a wonderful vet at Independence Veterinary Clinic, obviously has given her the best care in the world. The love between these two is amazing and Skyler has the smile to prove it...
Skyler still loves a good belly rub. :)
Skyler is a little talkative (especially if she wants a treat). I thought this image captured that funny side of her... :)
Best of luck to Skyler. I hope things continue to look positive!!!
Mugsy and Moose - Studio Time
Last month, I had the pleasure of photographing Pepper, Mugsy, and Moose hanging out in their neighborhood (see their session here). They loved the camera so much that they went out, got an agent, and demanded some studio time to practice their modeling skills. Ok, maybe not. But that would have been funny. Mugsy and Moose made the trip to my studio and totally worked it. They earned those treats! Pepper stayed at home and rested as she still isn't at 100% health.
We started out and Mugsy and Moose were all about dancing...
Ok. Posing time.
Then they decided to go all Playgirl on me...
I'll finish with an outtake. Because you KNOW dogs don't just stay there! Hehe!
Little Kitty - Cat Photography
A couple weeks ago, I showed off a few images from a rare kitty session (for the original post, click HERE). Since then, I've had a few requests to feature more cats on the blog. Unfortunately, not many kitties get the chance to have a photo shoot so I figured I would take pictures of my own! I was setting up my studio for a magazine shoot when Little Kitty (yes, that's her name!) decided to step in and be a model for a few minutes...
This is Little Kitty's "Wasp"/"Mad Hooty Owl" look. She looks like she's ready to swoop in for the sting...
1-Year Anniversary!
Today is the first day back at work for many people...me included! Over the holidays, I tried my very best to take a relaxing vacation and even went to upstate New York for a couple days over Christmas. Fortunately, we got to be there when my first nephew was born! I kept my emails and phone calls to a minimum and really tried to catch up on some *me* time (I am starting today to get back to all of you that have contacted me). Anyway, this little break was exactly what I needed because as of January 1st, McGraw Photography officially turned 1 year old!!! During my break, I had some time to reflect on the past year. I started 2010 (and my business for that matter) thinking I was only going to shoot architectural work. Fortunately, around March-ish, my mom chimed in and suggested I also add pet photography. Well, after a ton of researching and practicing, I officially added pet photography to my repertoire. I couldn't be happier, and now, it is my main focus.
2010 was a challenging and tough year both emotionally and financially. It was very scary quitting a full-time job in these economic times but I was miserable, unhappy, and I felt creatively stifled. Fortunately, I think I have found my direction and I've been lucky to have had great clients and a great support system to get me through. I have discovered a wonderful network of pet photographers and they have given me inspiration, advice, and the drive to continue what I'm doing. Thank you so much! I am now ready for 2011!
Here is a quick reflection on some of my favorite pet images from 2010. I know a ton of them are missing but my mind is still waking up from vacation mode ;)
Happy 2011 and I can't wait to see what is in store for the second year of McGraw Photography!
Holiday Mini-Session Sneak Peek
We got to celebrate the Holidays a little early on Saturday with Holiday-themed Mini-Sessions at Bone-ified Dog. All of the dogs were great sports and really hammed it up in the studio. Here are a couple of my favorite images so far... We will start off with Rex. He is just a young boy with so much energy. I love how expressive his face is!
I think someone has been naughty...
Tigger really wanted to give me tongue shots. I was happy to oblige...
How cute are these little ones? They are Dachshund/Poodle mixes. So adorable!
Happy Holidays!!!
