shine pet photos | modern pet photography

I recently installed 4-30×40 canvas gallery wraps in the grooming salon at Healthy Spot Santa Monica. If you’ve never been to this store, you *HAVE* to check them out! Healthy Spot has been getting major buzz and industry awards since they opened their first shop in Santa Monica in 2008. Since then, they have a second location in West Hollywood, and a third opening up soon. I love them because of the extremely high quality products they carry, and their devotion to healthy nutrition for our pets. Healthy Spot is also extremely dedicated to the community and rescue groups as well. Plus the owners Andrew and Mark are well, awesome.

Healthy Spot isn’t just a cool boutique and award winning grooming salon - they also have a doggy day care too. Love you Healthy Spot! Thanks for making our dogs in LA healthy and happy.

If you haven’t had the chance to see The Artist, I highly recommend you go see it, especially while it’s still in theaters. I mean how often is it that you can watch a black and white, silent movie on the big screen? I watched it in one of Los Angeles’ last single screen theaters that was built in 1929 and it was ah-maaaazing!

The breakthrough actor of the movie that had fans vying for him to win an Oscar was none other than canine superstar Uggie, the Jack Russell Terrier. He stole the show at the Golden Globes and we all wondered if he would be allowed to attend the Oscars. Thankfully he was, and was present when the film won Best Oscar.

2 days after the whirlwind of winning the Oscars, I photographed Uggie for Nintendo of America with their PR firm Golin Harris. While Uggie has retired from the big screen, his next gig is working as Nintendo’s first-ever spokesdog. When he’s not busy working for Mario, Uggie loves playing nintendogs+cats on the Nintendo 3DS.

You might be wondering if winning an Oscar has gone to Uggie’s head. Let me tell you, he’s still the nicest dog in showbiz. And if it wasn’t obvious, his trainer/owner Omar Von Mueller is absolutely amazing at what he does. And he’s truly a very, very nice guy too - which goes a long way in my book!

Huge thanks to Brian, Omar, Katie, Grace and Dior at Golin Harris and Tiffany at Nintendo. And of course, thank you to Uggie for being so much fun to photograph.

I gave a radio interview back in April 2011 on BFM Radio: The Business Radio Station. BFM is a 24‐hour independent radio station focused on business news and current affairs, based out of Malaysia. My talk was on their Careers Unusual segment where we discussed - you guessed it - pet photography.

You can listen to our interview here. Hearing my own voice played back to me is worse than listening to 10,000 nails scratching on a blackboard. But I hope you enjoy! This was my first radio interview and I tried my best not to sound like a complete moron.

My image of actress Beverley Mitchell Cameron’s dancing dog Chico is in this month’s issue of The Bark Magazine.

Chico is absolutely hysterical and this is one of my favorite images… ever!

(cover image by Amanda Jones)

There’s an article with my pet photography tips in the November 2011 issue of Family Circle Magazine! Thank you Chelsea at Family Circle for the great interview. Keep reading below to find out how you can submit your own pet photos for a chance to win a $250 gift card to Petco.

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Get the Picture. Master the art of pet photography with these eight simple tips.

Dogs are more than just man’s best friend—they’re part of the family. And many owners want to snap memorable photos of their pooch, but it’s easier said than done—finicky animals, bad lighting and blurry shots can often ruin a photo session. We spoke with Grace Chon, a professional pet photographer who snapped the picture of these pugs, to get her advice for capturing the perfect shot.

1. Get acquainted. Pets can be leery of unfamiliar photography equipment, especially large lenses. Start by showing your pup the camera, taking a few test shots and even letting him smell it. “The goal is to help your dog relax,” Chon says. “You want him to be—and look—as comfortable as possible so your shot doesn’t look staged.”
2. Brighten up. Using flash indoors often creates a harsh paparazzi glare. For a more flattering photo, pick a well-lit room and have your dog sit near the window. Natural light will play up your pet’s features, particularly his eyes.
3. Bring bait. If you’re having trouble getting your pooch to pose, convince him it isn’t so bad with snacks. “Any shoot with animals has food on set,” Chon says. “Dogs need to be motivated and encouraged.” Reward calm behavior and direct your pet’s line of vision by holding the treat where you want him to look.
4. Move to his level. You usually see your dog from above, which may make it seem like the ideal angle to take a photo from. But the most personal interactions happen face to face, so get down on the ground. “The best shots are taken from interesting, unexpected perspectives,” Chon says.
5. Act silly. Don’t be afraid to initiate games, roll around in the grass and encourage your kids to get involved—your dog will instantly perk up when he realizes it’s playtime. To capture those “awww”-inducing moments, use toys or your voice to create funny noises. “Make the right sound at the right time and he’ll cock his head sideways or perk up his ears for a unique shot,” Chon says.
6. Capture the moment. Some of the best pictures happen in meaningful places or with favorite toys. If you and your pup go hiking in a special park, snap a photo. You’ll value these shots much more than generic ones taken at home.
7. Know your camera. Whether you have a compact point-and-shoot or an SLR with interchangeable lenses, there are plenty of functions to experiment with when taking photos. The macro setting (usually a button marked with a flower) allows you to zoom in on whiskers, fur and claws. Prevent blurry shots by using the focus function: On most models, just hold down the shutter button halfway until the in-frame image is sharp. Only then should you press it down completely.
8. Don’t give up. Keep snapping pictures, even if your pup isn’t completely cooperative. Not every photo will be a keeper, but you’ll end up with an assortment of candid shots. “Wait for that perfect moment,” Chon says. “Have plenty of patience and just go with it.”

Feline Photos

Cats are finicky subjects, especially compared with eager-to-please canines. Chon suggests taking a “hands-off” approach and following your feline around before snapping a shot. “Most cats don’t really care what you’re up to,” she says. “Let them take the lead and capture a moment when the time is right.”

Fun Stat: 30% of Americans dress up their pets for the holidays, and 67% include them in a holiday photo.

Source: North American Pet Health Insurance Association

Originally published in the November 1, 2011, issue of Family Circle magazine.

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I’d like to add one last tip since it’s that time of year when we like to dress up our cats and dogs in fun Halloween and holiday costumes. As we all know, pets generally HATE costumes. So consider it like your photography equipment. Let them smell it and get used to it before trying to take photos. Before you even bring out your camera, bring out high-reward treats instead. Reward them and praise them like a crazy maniac when they allow you to put the costume on them. Once they start understanding that costumes mean fun happy times with delicious treats involved, taking photos will be that much easier. My dogs LOOOOOVE costumes - they dance around and get really happy when I bring them out because they know yummy treats aren’t too far behind.

Put these tips to use! Visit www.familycircle.com/petphotos to enter your best pet photos for a chance to win a $250 gift card to Petco.