i found rocco's instagram account and immediately fell in love.

I mean, it's a poodle with a mullet - what else can you ask for?! He had such an extraordinary look and even though I was only looking at pictures I could tell he had an amazing personality. I needed to take photos of this dog, pronto!

I sent the account a message and heard back from his human in a few days. Leah was also excited at the idea and was more than happy to meet in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. We had a blast exploring different places to shoot, from the gorgeous Blueridge Parkway to outside of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co, and even just walking around the historical city itself. We definitely had a few looks from people passing by - not every day you see a mowhawked poodle getting his glamor shots done!

He's even prettier in person - and I was so blown away by just how smart this dog was! He was perfect at posing and was game for everything and anything we asked for. He is such a gorgeous example of how wonderful the poodle breed is, showing his elegance, smarts, and every bit of his incredible and funny personality.

My idea for the shoot stemmed from seeing a conventional subject in a unconventional place. When most people think of a dog, especially for a photoshoot, they would think of more dog orientated places, like a grass filled park or a sandy beach. The city of Asheville was also full of tall buildings and several distinct structures that made the photoshoot even more captiviating - Rocco is definitely a dog that stands out, and I wanted a backdrop just as interesting as he is!

I absolutely loved being able to photograph Rocco, and I look forward to more unconventional city shoots!

Check out some of my favorite photos below!