OMD!  Is that pic of Max real?  I mean, is it photoshopped at all?  That background is amazing, but what stands out even more are his eyes!! 

What you see is entirely real.  The only adjustments I made to this picture were to adjust it for brightness, contrast, and overall color balance.  Max's eyes were really that color - the most beautiful shade of piercing ice blue you can imagine.  And the photo was taken just after sunrise one morning last January in Carmel.  Hard to find a more scenic beach where a dog can run around off leash.  It was one of those days when you could could point your camera just about anywhere and be guaranteed a good picture.  And our boy was a good model - always proud to have his picture taken.