Order Your 2014 Dog Calendar Here!

Atlanta's temperatures are surprisingly cool for this time of year, but here on my blog the CAREing Paws Fundraiser Thermometer is heating up!

Our goal is to raise $2500 for Georgia animal therapy group CAREing Paws and we're using the 2014 Dog Calendar to do it!  Each calendar sold earns $5 for CAREing Paws - keep track of our progress on the thermometer at the top right of this blog.  Come on folks - help us help this group of wonderful people serve those in need in our community!

Here's how you can do it:  click on the link below to order your calendar.  At the end of each month I'll place a bulk order for all the calendars ordered in that month and ship yours to you the following month.

Calendars make great gifts and yes, it's coming up on that time of year - it'll be here before you know it!

SORRY, THE 2014 DOG CALENDAR IS NO LONGER FOR SALE.

The calendar costs $19.95 + Tax (GA State: 7%), Shipping & Handling.  Thanks for your help in supporting these 'Four-Footers'.

   

An Unlikely Match

Here's a short and sweet clip to help dispel your Monday morning blues.  I was looking for motivational videos this morning, to kick-start my week and uncovered this little treasure.

I love cats, hedgehogs are cooler than bowties and the videography is lovely.  Enjoy and have a great week!

A Passion for Learning

Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Chicago IL USA

This week I was in Chicago for Skip Cohen University's Summer School, an annual photography conference that gathers many of the great photographers of our day into one place, to teach others in the field.

Industry icons such as Joe McNally, Clay Blackmore, Roberto Valenzuela and Ryan Schembri joined many other well-known photographers in heading up the list of instructors for SCU 2013.  We studied topics such as lighting, posing and fashion, for family, child and wedding portraiture, as well as fine art, marketing and the business of photography.

All this so that we can get better at doing what we do, for you our clients.

So what do a bunch of photographers do at night after class?  We hit the town - with our cameras.  We learn from and teach each other; because we love what we do and get a kick out of helping others improve their skill.

It's all about learning, progressing and improving the photography industry as a whole.  As Anthony J. D'Angelo said: "Develop a passion for learning.  If you do, you will never cease to grow."

Dog Therapy - A Love Story

Here's a sweet story to warm your heart.  Mick is a pup born with Swimmer Puppy Syndrome, which means he couldn't stand, walk or even sit.  Instead of being euthanised, which is the usual procedure for these puppies, The Mia Foundation took him under their wing and worked with him daily.

Here's Mick's story - and I double dog dare you to make it through without at least sniffling.

2014 Dog Calendar - The Finalists!

At last, the long-awaited results from last week's 2014 Dog Calendar vote!  The finalists are (in no particular order):

Annie

Bogee

Tebow

Hollis

Raven

Lincoln

Wilbur

Bear

Tara

Cowboy

Bingo

Phoenix

Felix the Cat

But wait, you're thinking; that's 13!  And you'd be right.  Felix the Cat was in the top five, but it's a dog calendar!  So he gets an honorary mention in the calendar for being so bold.

Here's a preview of the calendar lineup:

And here's a link to the video in case you missed it, because I had so much fun photographing these pooches (and cat) and producing the video.  It's been a blast, folks and we might just have to do this again next year for a 2015 Dog Calendar!

2014 Dog Calendar - Thank You!

Thanks so much to all who were involved in this event; from the candidates and their humans to the seemingly endless group of voters, and especially my ever-supportive husband, Steve.  It's been a fantastic couple of months!  And some die-hard voters were still at it last night at midnight, when the poll closed.  You're a great bunch of people and you made this project a lot of fun.

Now it's time to shake it off (I know more than one of you had a less-than-productive day on Friday!), sit back and relax.  Monday will roll around before you know it - doesn't it always, relentless and sometimes unforgiving? - and I'll publish the finalists.

Until then, enjoy the rest of the weekend and have a blessed Sabbath day. 

Summer in Georgia | Cumming GA Family Photographer

"And now for something completely different".  Well, it's not really, but it is a break from the 2014 Dog Calendar campaign!

Georgia summers are a dodgy time of year for photographers; the weather changes at the blink of an eye.  But thunderstorms mean you have puddles to play in, which is great for kids - including us big kids!

During this particular shoot, fortune was smiling on us and the rain held off for the entire shoot.  We were lucky enough to have an overcast evening which turned the sky into a lovely, big softbox, meaning no harsh shadows from sunlight.

There's only so long that Hotlanta can go without rain during summer, though, and as we were heading back to our cars the skies opened and we were pelted!