Some of the common questions I get in this business:
What's pet photography and why is it so important?
Why did you get into the pet industry?
Why did you name your business Penny Lane Photography anyway?
When my husband and I began discussing a family early in our marriage we weren't sure we wanted a family, but we KNEW that we needed a dog. He wanted a big dog like a Labrador, but he had also never owned a dog in his lifetime... I knew better! After some debate about size, personality, and other key traits, we made an important decision. We decided to sign up as volunteers for the local rescue Verde Valley Humane Society and began walking dogs on a weekly basis to have more exposure to the wide variety of dogs and their special charms.
In the beginning of December, we arrived to the humane society on a quiet weekend morning, and discovered that staff were deep cleaning the kennels and the only pooch available to walk was a puppy on stray hold. We were reluctant to meet her because we were CERTAIN that we wanted an adult dog in our home, but we knew she needed some fresh air as much as any of them, so we grabbed a leash and hit the trails. After getting to know this pup and posting a quick photo on Facebook from our morning adventures, it was pretty clear that she had chosen us as her people, and the rest of the world was in enthusiastic agreement.
After an overwhelming response from our family and community, and several references made in conversation throughout the rest of our weekend, I knew I had to give this dog a home... not just for her sake but for my sweet husband, who had a bad case of puppy love. Without a second thought, I called that week to put our name down, but they broke the news that we were FOURTH in line to adopt her! This was no surprise to me, but I was heartbroken. I had all but given up on the idea, when we saw her on their social media a few weeks later! "Holly" was in need of a #furever home.
We returned for a second adventure with her, and we signed our life away... Penny has been a handful and a half, we have worked tirelessly to feed her, train her, care for her, and entertain her, and it has paid off immensely! I thought I was passionate about rescue and animal welfare before, but now as a proud #dogmom and #adoptdontshop advocate I have grown a whole new appreciation for this community. Last year, I was looking for a way to continue to give back to the humane society, and they were looking for help with shelter photography. This was the perfect marriage of my artistic background and my philanthropic interests. It was even better that there was an upcoming HeartsSpeak workshop that I could attend with the Executive Director to learn the technical skills that are unique to pet photography! I continue to give back, both monetarily and through pro bono shelter photography, because of my strong ties to this realm.
Penny has changed me forever, and has been the subject of constant photo shoots with her
various antics and expressive face. And I have become more and more passionate about this industry... I have continued to grow in my skills and interests and now it is with great pride that I present Penny Lane Photography in her namesake for shelter photography and pet & portrait photography throughout our community!
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