When Kristen first wrote me, she told me that she runs a consulting business for dog business owners. And I wrote back, “Wait, what?” First of all, I did not really know that there was an industrial complex known as a dog business. Second of all, I did not know AT ALL that there were indeed coaches! conferences! consulting! branding businesses! ALL built for and around people who own the dog businesses! What! My head exploded and my world got a little bigger. Kristen Lee is, in fact, a dog biz consultant. She helps dog business owners, especially women, find their voice in the industry. She helps them brand themselves and their businesses to take them to the next level. I find it completely fascinating. Kristen came from the corporate world and has been putting her skills to use for the doggo businesses for years, and now she’s developed a following, speaking at conferences and consulting near and far. Part of that following is based on her badass, wild child personality. She’s confident, determined, and likes to give the finger a lot (part of her message of disrupting the norms in the dog business industry). I’m thankful to have been able to update her headshots to reflect her confidence and personality. And of course, if you or someone you know has a dog walking business and are interested in branding, visit Kristen Lee Consulting to learn more!

Jane and Alex are engageeeed(!) and getting married in MEXICO (jealousss) and hired me to photograph their engagement portraits (yaaaaay!) under the stipulation that we try our best to avoid ticks (ewwwwww). Jane has gorgeous hair and incredibly fit upper arms, and Alex has very impressive eyelashes in an almost-Richard-from-Lost type of fashion. They are very cute. They have also lived in every state beginning with the letter C, visited 46/50 states, and have both lived abroad, which is so impressive! We had fun discussing their travels, work, and hobbies. They met while they were both attending Wake Forest and now live happily in Durham with their two dogs. They spend a good deal of their time now browsing PetFinder, and trying to convince one another that they don’t need a third dog. When not contemplating the pitfalls of life with three dogs, Jane spends her time lifting heavy things, and Alex spends his watching baseball or playing video games. Together they’re rock-solid, and they can thankfully both lift each other in a pinch should the occasion arise where the floor would suddenly become lava and they’d need to take turns carrying one another to safety. I enjoyed working with them very much, and thankfully all ticks were avoided during this shoot.

I went to Corey and Joe’s house to photograph the arrival of their newborn baby girl Harper, and arrived to find an elated set of parents, one very beautiful girl, and two VERY EXCITED DOGGOS! Corey told me that she’s always wanted to be a mother and it shows! She was surprisingly awake and looking fabulous and I think she was running on 100% excitement. And AS SHE SHOULD BE because Harper is a little bundle of adorable joy. She was a trooper through the entire session and multiple costume changes, and also gets along well with her two doggo siblings, Sandy and Bailey. Harper is the proud owner of a little dreamboat of a nursery – completely with sweet wooden toy camera! – that her parents put together for her, as well a series of what I’ve determined to be extremely cute baby clothes (there were too many that I wanted to put her in, and while we didn’t get to all of them, we DID get to the fox pants, thank goodness). Joe was also super excited to have a baby girl, and together him and Corey make a great couple and great parents (Joe was super sweet to make sure Corey was eating during the session, but then I promptly took her breakfast and put it in the closet, sorry). Can’t wait to see what adventures await Harper, and what a fierce little photographer she may become.