Category: Pets

Quentin+Lady Hang Out With Betty+Madeline

My first e-mail from Quentin just said, “I warn you… I look like Shrek. But my wife is an angel so we balance each other out.” His questionnaire said stuff like, “Some place that makes me look like Brad Pitt” in response to where they wanted their pictures taken and, “We do NOT like to do naked photography” as their basic vision for the shoot. For anything else that they might want us to know about them, they wrote: “It is very important to know that we are awesome. I take that back, we are VERY awesome. Strike that… we are the most awesomeest. And our dogs don’t suck.”

Thus has been our relationship with Quentin and Lady. Us laughing and nodding and me being naive and asking for clarification as to when Quentin is joking and when he’s not. Note: he is always joking. Well, except for the fact that they are actually awesome, their dogs don’t suck, and Lady is an angel. We had a super fun time running around with these guys and their adorable pups (Betty is skinny, Madeline is a little bit fatter and has the turned down ears). Madeline was horribly abused in her previous household and is now spoiled rotten with Beggin’ Strips (Quentin says they don’t taste very good) and living the high life in Raleigh with her new sister and parents (who like food and baseball and indie music and are awesome). Guys – we hope there’s at least one picture that you don’t hate. ;)

Baxter Gets His Picture Taken

Every once in a while I get something completely different than weddings and last week it was Baxter. :) Baxter’s mom and dad (Rachel and Andy) found me through a fundraiser event that I participated in for a local shelter called 2 Paws Up where I donated a session for them to help them raise money for their organization. They rescue animals from high-kill shelters in North Carolina and put them up for adoption. :) His parents were in attendance at the fundraiser, won the prize, and contacted me shortly after to set up Baxter’s session.

Baxter is a Shar Pei most likely mixed with some sort of Pit or hound… no one’s really sure. All we know is that Baxter is adorable, and Baxter likes squirrels. He likes squirrels so much that he’s a certified flight-risk, thus landing us in his neighbor’s fenced in back yard for the session so that Baxter didn’t escape into the wild beyond, injuring all fluffy-tailed squirrels in his path. He was quite content to chase around his ball and his stuffed animals and hang out with his beloved humans. I’m pretty much in love with this little dude.

canela+layla hang out in the backyard with their humans, claudia+ron

What’s that? You can’t tell them apart? :)

Canela is 7 years old and has a slightly larger build and muzzle. He looks very much like an adorable fuzzy bear. He is suspected to be Layla’s uncle (Layla is 3 and looks much closer to the standard, traditional golden retriever without bear-relations). They like treats and belly rubs and chin rubs most of all. I was immediately greeted with kisses and licks when I met them at their door, and they proceeded to show me around their house while they went over their notes on how to look best for their pet portraits.

Now – I really and truly love them both (I had to slowly unhinge my jaw on the car ride home to get it functioning again after grinding my teeth the whole session because I was overcome by cuteness and spoke in a baby voice the entire time) …but Canela pretty much stole my heart not just because he looks like a little bear, but also because he is currently undergoing chemotherapy for treatment of his cancer. :( He is taking the chemo very well with little side effects other than he gets tired easily, and there is no prognosis yet on how he’ll fair, but he seems to be doing extraordinarily well and I’m sending all my thoughts and love for Canela to live many more happy doggy years.

Their parents are just as adorable and welcomed me into their home with open arms and a bag full of Guatemala coffee to take home to my parents (the coffee addicts). They met online with Ron living in Raleigh and Claudia living in Guatemala (born and raised). They were married 4 months later in 2005. Ron is now learning Spanish and Claudia checks his homework (although sometimes she grades it wrong). They are fantastic people and fantastic parents to these sweet little furry kids!