PuppyUp Charlotte Walk — The Dogs, The Feels, and a Whole Lotta Love 🐶🎉
Okay, Charlotte — this one’s a big deal.
On May 17th, the very first PuppyUp Charlotte Walk is happening, and I’m going to be there, camera in hand, trying not to fawn over every dog I meet.
📍 Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte
🕙 10am–2pm
👟 2-mile casual stroll through South End
🎉 Plus their first-ever PuppyUp Pop-Up!
If you haven’t heard of PuppyUp before, they’ve been doing amazing work for over a decade — organizing walks across the country to raise money for cancer research in both pets and people. And now they’re bringing that mission to Charlotte for the first time.
Being part of it feels important. Personal, even. I lost my dad to cancer way too early, and while I don’t always say that out loud, it’s a quiet piece of what makes events like this hit differently for me. There’s something powerful about coming together — with pets, with strangers, with snacks and bandanas and way too many leashes — to do something that matters.
And of course, I’ll be there doing what I do best: photographing all the real, ridiculous, beautiful moments.
You’ll probably spot me on the ground (again), trying to get eye level with a Great Dane or rolling out of the way of a determined pug who’s chosen chaos. Adrian will be with me too this time — helping run our booth, handing out treats, and being the people-whisperer to my awkward dog-hugging energy.
I love events like this because they remind me why I do this at all.
I don’t just take pretty pictures of pets. I capture something deeper — the connection, the quirks, the moments that are so them you can practically hear their little snorts or tail thumps through the photo.
But if I’m being totally honest, it’s the senior dogs and the Rainbow Bridge moments that hit me the hardest.
There’s something in those greying faces and slow steps — a kind of quiet knowing — that just gets me. These are the pets who’ve seen us through hard times, messy apartments, breakups, late-night snack runs, and sleepy Sunday mornings.
To photograph that kind of love? It’s an honor I don’t take lightly.
And that’s what my work is really about:
Real moments. Real pets. Really cool.
It’s not just a tagline — it’s the heart of every photo I take.
Whether it’s a dog mid-air chasing a tennis ball or curled into their person’s lap for one of their last photos together, I’m there to tell their story. Honestly. Gently. Joyfully.
So if you’re planning to come out to PuppyUp, please swing by my booth and say hey (and let your dog say hey too — I always pack treats). Whether you want to chat about booking a session, look through some of my photos, or just take a minute to love on your pup in front of my lens, I’d be thrilled to meet you.
You can also find me over on Instagram @pets_arereallycool and Facebook where I’ll be posting updates, behind-the-scenes stuff, and — of course — a whole lot of pups being adorable.
See you May 17th at PuppyUp Charlotte.
I’ll be the one grinning like a goofball behind the camera — and probably tearing up a little when I meet your dog.