NEWS Get’s It’s Start!
This is my first NEWS post, and I am excited to share some of the interesting things I have learned while photographing your companions in portraits, at events, or assisting less fortunate pets find their new homes. I come to pet photography as a passionate observer of living life to its fullest and enjoy capturing those moments with my camera. I got interested in photography when I met my husband and fellow photographer Sherby Sanborn. As a Biologist and Herpetologist, he was fascinated by the deserts of the Southwest and all the wildlife scooting around the rocky crags we would visit. Photography really came alive for me when I photographed the Grand Canyon in Arizona during a really vivid Monsoon season.
As a photographer, I was really enchanted by the depth of emotion that being in a rich landscape would conjure up and realized I could express this best through Fine Art Photography and working with human models. I make this distinction, as I still find working with models (animals mostly) out on location the very best. I spent a few years focused on that type of work and you can see my conceptual fine art photography here at JSanborn Photography
Like many people, when Covid 19 became a reality and we all went into 3 years of disrupted living, I had only my animals to focus on for models. My first dog was an elderly Pomeranian rescue who was too old to train much, but super cute when I could get him to sit still. So began my interest in animal photography, dog training, and my quest for the fastest camera and longest lens to capture fast movement.
I wish I could say I was a fast learner but it took me a while to grasp all the nuances of working with and capturing good images of animals while moving about, which as we all know, is most of the time. The takeaway for me was that with enough perseverance and dedicated practice, I could accomplish my goal of increasing my skill level. My confidence grew and the results were rewarding.
Fast forward 3 years and I now have two Mini Aussies that I have raised from 8 weeks old and have gone through extensive training with. With a lot of love, they have served as great models for my learning curve, allowing me to begin my business at Sweet Light Pet Photography. Being very active dogs, we keep busy in the world of dog sports. This allows me to understand sports from Agility to Nosework, participating in front of and behind the lens.
As my business has grown I can thank the many teachers along the way who allowed me to practice photography on their dogs, and others who offer courses in dog photography and its business, all the time giving me critical feedback for growth. I truly feel I can offer a pretty well-rounded photography experience in the studio, on location, and at sports events and I am still learning.
The growth of my business over the last year has allowed me to put in place the business model I developed to include giving back to my community. In my next NEWS post, I will talk about my latest photo shoot at Roice Hurst Humane Society where I donate a percentage of my annual profit and I also volunteer as a photographer to create portraits for the dogs and cats that need a little boost to accent their story and help them find a home.
I'm excited to share more of my photography and stories with you in the future. I hope you'll join me on this journey!
