After I bought my first camera, I realised I needed to practise. At the time, my husband and I had two adopted cats, Bonnie and Clyde.
Very quickly they became my models – Clyde absolutely adored the attention and would sit patiently while I snapped away.
In 2015, our little family of four grew to five, when Chuck arrived. His story was heartbreaking – he’d been rescued with a broken jaw and would grow up to always have a wonky face and tongue that hangs out. He also loved the camera and every photo I took of him showed his massive heart and kind eyes.
Fast forward to 2017 and Tosca and Carmen arrived. I had honed my skills at photographic cats but dogs came with a new challenge: they seldom sit still.
Earlier this year (2018) our sixth furbaby arrived as a foster. Little Harley also had a broken jaw and a damaged spirit. Not 24 hours after she arrived in her, we decided she was going to stay. She gained a multitude of confidence and in a short period of time, her eyes became brighter and her spirit lifted.
So, why pet photography?
Pets are both easy and a challenge to photograph. The challenge lies in trying to get their attention or shooting the perfect shot before they’ve decided they’ve had enough and are out of here.
The easy part lies in their beauty. Their eyes show their souls and I’ve found it impossible to take a bad photo – even the bloopers/outtakes somehow work. They don’t criticise themselves, they don’t see faults in themselves, they don’t wish to be someone they’re not.