This is my first blog ... ever. I do not have a clue what I am doing so I guess we will learn as we go along, right? :-)
I will be sharing my pet photography on this blog and tell you about each shoot. I hope you will enjoy reading about it and viewing some of the images.
About our shoots and how it all started : I have never considered myself a professional photographer and always received a lot of flack from people when entering amateur pet photography competitions. The other entrants accused me of not admitting to being a professional photographer and thus having an advantage over them. All of these arguments first P'd me off quite a bit, and then I thought "Well, if they think so, then maybe I am good enough to charge for my images?" And that is where it all began.
My hobby is now providing dividends from microstock and magazine sales, enough that I could import a new Ragdoll cat stud from Houston recently. And this is just the beginning, I hope!
I don't charge (yet) for my photo shoots. I retain all copyright on my images and the pet owners receive emailed copies of the images I process of their pets, and I provide them with printed copies, if so requested, and which they pay for.
My images now appear on a regular basis in all the local (South African) cat magazines and through the microstock sales, I have found some of my images in international pet magazines. Due to enhanced licence sales, I know that a lot of my images will be going into print overseas. Whether on gift cards, stationery, calendars, products, etc. I won't know till I actually come across it.
None of my images would have been possible without the assistance (physically and financially!) of my husband, Robert. He is my lighting specialist, my gofer, my kitten whisperer, my partner. He has taken over from my dear friend Bev Way who has been instrumental in my development as a pet photographer but she is given the occasional opportunity to take over the teaser wands and strut her stuff in my studio again. Thank you Bev! My Thanks also go to my photographer friend 'Manda le Roux who introduced me to studio lights. She was right - I fell for it hook, line and sinker!
Most of all ... my sincerest gratitude to my friend Becky Hammett who has been nagging me for years to "go professional" and "start making money!" with my photography. Her unwavering belief in my abilities paid off big time and I will forever be grateful for her constant nagging and prodding.
