Duke the Dane | Charleston Pet Photography

Had a small intimate wedding to photograph on the gorgeous Isle of Palms Saturday. With it being a holiday weekend I prepared for the worst. traffic. ever. And as is typically the case when preparing for the worst, it doesn’t happen. So I managed to fit in an entire photoshoot before the wedding!  So, allow me to introduce you to Duke.

Duke played a prominent part in the wedding, so keep your eyes peeled in the wedding pictures to come (as if you need to look hard to find this 175 pound hunk of love).

Zen at the Beach

Easter on the beach.  It was so beautiful you couldn’t help but feel a bit spiritual while wandering the beach under the enormous blue sky.  I am so glad the Zentenos were such good sports about the long trek to the peaceful side of Folly Beach that glorious Sunday afternoon.

The walk is forever, but it’s sooo worth it to get to “the most beautiful little spot you’ve ever seen”, I promised.  And it is, just a little slice of heaven… but as the song says, “Every rose has it’s thorne…”  (Yes, I just quoted Brett Michaels).  Thorns in the form of  cactus needles.  These things were MEAN!  No wonder this beautiful little haven isn’t over run by tourists…. hrrmmm.  Eddie, sorry about your foot.  Hope yours is healing as nicely as mine.

But anything that’s worth having is worth fighting for… (I’m sure that’s another song lyric too, but I digress) This family knows that better than most, having been through it’s share of trials.  So we pressed on, as people with cactus needles in their feet – miles away from civilization do. We changed gears, played on the rocks… where cacti are not wont to grow. I think it turned out heavenly.  To see a slideshow of more of this wonderful day, click here.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

So… we moved. I don’t think I even took a minute to mention here on the blog.  Still living out of boxes a bit as I scheduled myself a normal schedule, drastically underestimating the toll a move would take.  (They are just movers, Laura, not magicians.)  So I have a million things to post and tell you all about!  Tomorrow I’ll catch you up on all the goings on at Laura Olsen Imagery.  But today, I breathe. This non stop roller coaster is going uphill slowly today.  Peanut, Calliope & I are taking a minute to enjoy the new digs.

Is it just the full wall of windows or are they more beautiful here?

This is Peanut giving Calliope the equivalent of bunny ears in this photo. Such a camera hog!

B says I favor Calliope over Peanut. Exhibit A: Peanut's idea of personal space.

Yeeeeeeessss....?

Pet Helpers Annual Oyster Roast

Camera… check!  Background… check!  Sign up sheet… check!  Sign…. uhem… SIGN?!  Nope.  Are you telling me that we forgot the sign?!  Yep.  We forgot the sign.  *forehead smack.  So for all of you eyeing me throughout the evening with my camera and white sheet quizically, I KNOW!  NO SIGN!

That was just the beginning of the evening.   Then came the rain… oh, the rain.  But it all turned out alright in the end.  We brought the party to the people.  And judging by the adorable doggie smiles seen below I think inspite of the weather and lack of signage our little photobooth was a hit!  And for a good cause too…  The Pet Helpers Annual Oyster Roast is a huge fund raiser for them each year.  Super fun and yummy.  Mark your calendars for it next spring… www.pethelpers.org

Thank you to all who stopped by my little photobooth.  You were all so much fun!  You all need to come to Pet Fest and have your pictures taken for the Lowcountry Dog Model Contest because you are all gorgeous.

Three little pups from the wood

Meet Spruce, Jasper (a.k.a. Possum) and Cedar.  Just three little pups from the wood trying to make it.

B rescued these little ones from a little tiny town about an hour away.  When he brought them in to Pet Helpers they were mal-nourished, dehydrated and petrified.  But after a few days with us, residing in the guest bathroom, they are more like three adorable little rock stars.  Definitely not still Jenny from the block, if you get my drift.

Round the clock room service, anything  they want, whenever they want it.  And then they trash the place before heading off to make someone else swoon for them.  Sigh.

 

If you know anyone interested in a small Huskie mix, comment below or call/go to Pet Helpers!  They are eight weeks old.  We’ll have them til the end of the week and then it’s on to find their forever home.

 

Rude Britches

This morning my jeans and I got into a fight. I told them to button up.  They told me, “Not until you go on a diet!”.  Rude Britches.

But Calliope just wagged her tail and insisted that I am weird to photograph my jeans, but she loves me anyway.   The story of my life.

Southern (technology) Protocol

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Sara for a photoshoot with a downtown paper.   Sara works with Southern Protocol, which could not be more quintessentially Charleston; manners, etiquette and event/ wedding planning.   Makes me sit up straighter just thinking about it.

She’s working on an article on the particular topic of technology etiquette.  It’s a fine line we walk everyday, being constantly connected to our phones and computers and being present with the people around us.  An emergency in our world, may just look rude to those just five feet away from us, who also just happen to be completely removed from our jolting iPhone conversation or text conversation.  (Seriously, if it’s more than three texts to send the message, why don’t we just pick up the phone?!)  But I digress. Thank you Sara, I know that I will be more mindful in my interactions with those around me when it comes to phone usage today.

Dockdogs and Retrievers

For 8 the Februaries I have lived in Charleston, I have hunkered indoors or close to home as the first throngs of tourists descend upon the town for the season.  It always feels a bit like playing Christmas music in October.  “Man, it feels like tourist season comes earlier every year!”   But this year, this cranky local ventured past my little bubble and into the fray for the 2011 Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (or SEWE to the locals).  And I was armed to shoot… (a little photographer humor for you).

I had always wanted to get out and see a few of the events I have heard rumor about.  So I made it a point that this year I would be in the crowd as the Dockdogs ‘splooshed’ their way to Olympic-like glory and the retrievers impressed crowds of people by running on command.  Being the first warm weekend of the year, it was especially well attended.  Which is media speak for “crazy traffic”.  I still twitch thinking about it.  But I am glad I ventured out.   The demonstrations were really something.  I felt a pang of jealousy when I saw this image of a Boykin Spaniel intently gazing at his mater.  My beagle, Calliope, just looks at me and laughs whenever I suggest that she obey my commands.  Speaking of beagles… I found this little piece of eye candy playing around in the marsh grasses along the water’s edge at Brittlebank Park.  She’s a Beagle/ Cavalier (a Cavle? a Beaglier?) and goes by Ruby.  Cue the “aaaawwww”.

Then onto the Dockdogs.

I knew I should have taken the left turn at Albuquerque…

So that’s my SEWE 2011.  See you next year!

 

Captain & Alexis

Oh my goodness!  What do you get when you combine an adorable lumbering dog, a cute little book worm, a super cool-super secret Charleston location?  Um, hello!  Do you see these images!?  Magic!  It was so amazing to watch Alexis come to life in front of my lens.  I know her as the smart, soft spoken, volunteer at Pet Helpers.  Little did I know that she is fierce when given the chance.

It was the first warm afternoon of the year.  Can you see the Spring fever in her eyes?  We were so giddy to be outdoors  playing and twirling in the sunlight.  I think Captain was most excited about all the new smells.   I have so many favorites from the day that I don’t have room for them all but I suppose I could sneak a few more…

Valentine’s Day

I have been so busy with work lately that I have been a bit neglectful.  So I took a few minutes this morning to make heart shaped white chocolate pancakes to make it up to my patient boy.  Absolution by breakfast in bed.  Delicious.