I Photograph Senior Dogs To Preserve Their Memories In Honor Of My Own Dogs That Passed Away (30 Pics)

I went to college to be a teacher, changed course, got a degree in graphic design, and along the way had to take several photography courses. I got a job as a commercial photographer fresh out of college and discovered wildlife photography was something that really interested me. I had Hercules and Chuie at the time when they were both very young and started taking photos of them with my film camera. I moved to digital and continued taking photos of them and thought I was an amazing pet photographer and made silly little business cards with my awesome graphic design degree! My photos and cards were not the greatest works of art but I was having fun and that's really all that mattered at the time. I discovered stock photography and worked in the industry as a reviewer for 10 years along with being an ongoing contributor. I was laid off from my review job and decided to open Unleashed Fur. The pandemic greatly affected my business but it's slowly picking back up as people settle in to this new normal. I have volunteered my photo services to the Idaho Humane Society for over a decade and do weekly photo sessions with the dogs there, to help get them out of the shelter and into homes faster.

I lost two of my senior dogs, Hercules and Chuie, 3 days apart in 2015 and was devastated. I had been photographing them for years and was thankful I had so many photos of each one as they aged. I decided a good way to deal with my grief was to offer to photograph senior pets for others.

The difficulty of pet photography depends on your current skillset and what you are trying to achieve with your final results. There are some basic tricks and techniques that I've learned along the way that help me get the photos I want for my clients. One of the hardest parts that people may not think about is working with older dogs who are deaf. You have to use a lot of hand waving while holding a camera.

I have a few pets myself! Dainichi, a 6lb 14-year-old chihuahua who is super sweet and grouchy at the same time. I've had him since 2007 when I saw an ad, with no photo, for a free chihuahua puppy (the daughter went off to college). I took my dog Hercules with me to meet him and they hit it off immediately. I also have Emmett Doolittle, a 4lb 14-year-old chihuahua who I adopted from the Idaho Humane Society in 2018. He is very sweet and incredibly funny with his weird antics. His tongue hangs out because he has lost almost all of his teeth and it just adds to his cuteness.

What inspires me the most is wanting to share a visual story of a moment. I'm also a wildlife photographer and I think that photos, as they say, are worth 1,000 words (or more). I like to capture the personality of a pet for my clients, so they can look at their photos and feel they embody the essence of their furry family member.

I would describe my style as somewhat thought out. I like to know the lighting and what will be in the background. I am open to suggestions and spontaneous photos but most of my work is with the pet looking at the camera, in a nice setting. If a client wants something like them running toward the camera or playing in the water I am willing and able to do that too. I like vibrant colors and wide-angle lenses to showcase the pet up close and personal. I love doing treat-catching photos because they're so animated and I can freeze that silly second in one frame.

If you want to be a photographer, here is some advice: first and foremost, learn how to use your camera. Read your manual, take a class, watch videos, just get off automatic mode and understand how ISO, shutter speed, and aperture all work together. Learn about white balance and color casts, learn how to post processes with the basic rules of photography, and then learn how to break those rules. Most of all, have fun! Find your happy place, find your niche, and don't compare yourself to everyone else.

After I was featured on Bored Panda other media outlets saw the story and reached out to me and with all the combined exposure I gained quite a few followers on social media. Please visit your local shelters if you're looking to add a furry companion to your home.