Crystal Coast Dog

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Crystal Coast Dog The premier dog photographer in Carteret County, captures the joy of life with your furry friends! We offer studio portraits and outdoor adventures.

Stay tuned for events, health tips, and adoption updates. Celebrate the coastal lifestyle with your pup!

Today is Reptile Awareness Day, so we’re trading fur for scales.Dogs and horses are my world. That hasn’t changed.But ev...
10/21/2026

Today is Reptile Awareness Day, so we’re trading fur for scales.

Dogs and horses are my world. That hasn’t changed.

But every so often a commission client shows up with someone a little more cold blooded. A ball python glowing under colored light. A bearded dragon who owned the white backdrop like a seasoned model. A sulcata tortoise with zero interest in being rushed (relatable).

Different subjects. Same rules. Patience, good light, and letting them set the pace.

I also work with rescue and wildlife rehab organizations, and the reptiles in their care deserve that same patience in front of the camera. More than one in five reptile species is threatened with extinction. The people caring for them matter.

Now I want to see your reptilian pet. Tell me their names and what drew you to them in the first place. Drop a photo in the comments too.

📸 Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II (ball python) · NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S (bearded dragon, sulcata tortoise)
⚡️ Godox AD400s · Godox AD200s (bearded dragon, sulcata tortoise) · Godox Litemons LE300 RGB · SmallRig Vibe P108 · Godox LC500 (ball python)

North Carolina Pet Photographer | Emerald Isle NC | Reptile Photography | Nikon Creators | Ball Python | Bearded Dragon | Sulcata Tortoise

NikonUSA

Four dogs. Four very different ideas of what fetch means.The black Lab sprinting back through the surf, dummy first, zer...
10/18/2026

Four dogs. Four very different ideas of what fetch means.

The black Lab sprinting back through the surf, dummy first, zero chill.

The Heeler delivering the frisbee right to your feet. Again. And again. And again.

The Boxer’s play bow that says throw it already.

And for the yellow Lab, fetch was never a game. It’s the job.

Nobody had to be told what to do. They just got to be exactly who they are.

What’s your dog’s fetch obsession? Ball, frisbee, stick, or the one shoe you actually need?
Tell me below.

📸 Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

North Carolina Dog Photographer | Crystal Coast NC | Sporting Dog Photography | Labrador Retriever | Boxer | Australian Cattle Dog | Nikon Creators NikonUSA

This gorgeous black Labrador Retriever and his people let me tag along on an upland pheasant hunt in Richlands, NC.Some ...
10/14/2026

This gorgeous black Labrador Retriever and his people let me tag along on an upland pheasant hunt in Richlands, NC.

Some hunters reach out knowing exactly what they want. The retrieve, printed big for the office or the cabin. Others want the whole day told start to finish. The truck, the field, the walk back. Some hunt solo with their dog. Some make it a family tradition, or bring the same crew they’ve hunted with for years.

And some have no idea what they want. Just that they love this, and they love this dog.

All of that works. Figuring out the vision together is my favorite part. You bring the dog and the hunt. I make the rest simple.

Tell me about your dog and what you’d want hanging on the wall, and we’ll figure out the rest together.

(Shopping for the hunter in your life who would never ask for this? Gift certificates are a thing. Just ask.)

📸 Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

North Carolina Hunt Photographer | Upland Pheasant Hunt | Richlands NC | Black Labrador Retriever | Nikon Creators

NikonUSA

This isn’t a perfect frame.Sand on the nose. Those soulful eyes. A senior pup taking it slow at the end of an evening wa...
10/13/2026

This isn’t a perfect frame.

Sand on the nose. Those soulful eyes. A senior pup taking it slow at the end of an evening walk.

My friend and I were strolling the beach when two pups trotted over to say hello. Their family was here on vacation. And they had just finished something I won’t forget.

They had dug a hole in the sand in honor of their oldest dog. The one they had just said goodbye to.

Digging on the beach was his favorite thing.

So this sweet one dug too. That’s the sand.

As she told us, she started to cry. We did too. We had known her for all of five minutes, and it didn’t matter. We’ve been there. We know exactly how that hurts.

I happened to have my camera with me, so I asked if I could grab a couple of frames.

Most people will scroll past and see a dog with a sandy nose.

She’ll see goodbye.

I understood, because I have a sandy nose photo too.

That last one is my Maddox, my soul dog. Taken in 2013 on a cell phone, cropped square because that’s what Instagram wanted back then. Nowhere near award winning. It’s still one of my husband’s favorite picture of him. He keeps it framed on his desk at work.

The photos that matter most are rarely the “perfect” ones. They’re the ones only you know how to read.

What’s the small thing your dog does that no one else would notice? I’d love to hear it.

📸 Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II
North Carolina Dog Photographer | Emerald Isle NC | NikonUSA

Meet Jed Clampett.8 years old. Hound to his core. And this week’s Carteret County Humane Society Dog of the Week.I met o...
10/12/2026

Meet Jed Clampett.

8 years old. Hound to his core. And this week’s Carteret County Humane Society Dog of the Week.

I met one of the CCHS volunteers at Carolina Home and Garden to photograph him, and Jed gave us the full tour. Nose down. Every corner of the grounds. (CH&G is in full fall mode right now and it is gorgeous.)

Another dog walked by. Didn’t care. Cats. Didn’t care. The chickens. Still didn’t care.

He walked, he sniffed, and he got even happier when the treats came out. And for a hound? Mr. Jed Clampett does not pull on the leash. At all.

Now look at that face.

That’s what a day out does. Kennel days run together. A few hours of grass, new smells, and a person on the other end of the leash, and you finally see who a dog really is. That loose, open grin is Jed. He’s not performing for a camera. He’s just a happy hound who got to be one for an afternoon.

Jed came in as a stray in August, and no one came looking for him. He’s current on his shots and has done well with the female dogs he’s met.

His adoption fee is $25, this week only. Go meet him at Carteret County Humane Society, or look him up on their adoptable dogs page.

Christmas Cheer Sessions are open, and there are still a few spots left (November and December dates).Newsletter friends...
10/12/2026

Christmas Cheer Sessions are open, and there are still a few spots left (November and December dates).

Newsletter friends got first dibs (perks of being on the list). Now it’s your turn.

Quick version. These aren’t my usual sessions. Once a year I build a holiday set, you bring your dog, and we get your Christmas card photo done in thirty minutes. There’s a brand new backdrop this year. The photos here are from past years, so think of them as the vibe, not the set.

$50 gets you
One 30 minute slot that covers everything, shooting and viewing, in a single visit
One high resolution digital image, ready for cards
Up to two pets or people per slot (yes, bring the kids)

During your session, you’ll pick your favorite image, plus any extra images, custom ornaments, or keepsake prints you want. Fair warning, you’ll probably fall in love with all of them.

Your dog does not need to sit and stay. Most of the dogs at these sessions stay on leash the whole time, and the leash disappears in editing.

There are four dates on the calendar in Newport. Some slots are already gone, so click through to see what’s still open. Once they’re booked, that’s it until next year.

Book here: https://app.studioninja.co/online-booking/portal/0a800fc9-92dd-1871-8192-eae56d9364cb/sessions

The halter is still on.There’s a lead rope running out of frame with someone holding the other end.The barn aisle is rig...
10/09/2026

The halter is still on.
There’s a lead rope running out of frame with someone holding the other end.
The barn aisle is right there, doing barn aisle things.

That’s the before. Swipe.

Here’s what I hear from horse people all the time. The barn isn’t pretty enough. He won’t stand still. She’s a mess this time of year. Maybe once the place gets cleaned up.

None of that is a reason to wait.

The halter comes off in post. The barn disappears. The fidgeting is my job, not yours. I’ll stand in that doorway as long as it takes for the light to land.

Your horse just has to show up.

Your horse doesn’t have to be perfect to deserve artwork like this. Neither does your barn.

📸 Nikon Z8 + NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

NikonUSA

North Carolina Equine Photographer | Emerald Isle NC | Nikon Creators

Nest 42.The last one of the season.Tonight I stood on the beach while the Emerald Isle Sea Turtle Patrol knelt in the sa...
10/07/2026

Nest 42.

The last one of the season.

Tonight I stood on the beach while the Emerald Isle Sea Turtle Patrol knelt in the sand and gently opened it up. The hatchlings were already long gone. Out to the ocean on their own, the way it's supposed to happen.

What's left behind is this. More than seventy empty shells, soft and papery, scattered across the sand like proof.

Only two never developed.

I keep thinking about how much happened in that little patch of sand without any of us watching. Weeks of quiet. Then one night, all at once, they went.

To the volunteers who walk this beach all summer, who watch over these nests, and who show up for the final count after the summer crowds have gone home. Thank you. This island is better because of you.

Goodnight, Nest 42. Safe travels, little ones.

10/07/2026

The final nest for the 2026 season. Nest 42. ✅ Hatched and excavated.

Everyone, meet Willow.She came in with another dog after being abandoned by her owner. Around four years old, a Terrier ...
09/23/2026

Everyone, meet Willow.

She came in with another dog after being abandoned by her owner. Around four years old, a Terrier and American Pit Bull Terrier mix, and one of the easiest dogs I've walked in a while. Loose leash, gentle, quietly independent. She stopped for every person we passed and looked personally offended by the ones who didn't stop to say hello.

We tried the studio. The equipment made her nervous, so we scrapped it and headed to Carolina Home and Garden instead, where she got the full welcome and one of the amazing CCHS volunteers named Margo happens to work at Carolina Home and Garden. She walked Willow around the property so I could actually get these shots. By the time we got back in the car she was out cold.

Willow is good with kids, good with other dogs, and she has been waiting a while now for someone to slow down long enough to meet her. If that's you, reach out to Carteret County Humane Society and ask about her.

You can see her full listing and start an application here: https://cchsshelter.com/dogs/ &page=shelterluv_wrap_1755871017/embed/animal/TSNC-A-1165

📸 Nikon Z8, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

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5044 North Carolina 24
Bogue, NC
28570

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