If you would've told me when I was a kid that I would be a pet photographer, I wouldn't have believed you. Even now, when people ask what I do and I answer I am a pet photographer, they always ask, "So you just photograph pets??. You do family portraits and weddings too right??"  and my response is, I only photograph pets, mainly dogs but I do also photograph pets and their people. 

Photography started as a hobby for me when I fell in love with it back in high school. Back then it was film photography and you have to process your photos in the dark room. I loved the moment where you just watch the image slowly appear on the paper as you develop the photo. These days of course, you just click and you'll see it right away. 

Because my parents wanted the best for me, and as typical parents are, they said I should pursue a career in something that'll get me a good job and so I did accounting. After university though, when I started earning money I bought my first Digital SLR and started going to photography meet ups to learn and improve my photography. Eventually I started second shooting for weddings (alongside my day job in the Government, as most Canberrans they tend to work in the public service). And then I started photographing events and families on my own. All of these were just a side hustle though.

That's the story of how I got into photography, now come the story about dogs and pets. I managed to convince my dad to get me a dog when I was in high school. Since then, I've always had a dog. My first dog Jaffa, I love him a lot, he lived a long life and lived to 17 years. When he was 10 I got a second dog, Mac. Mac is my heart dog, my soul dog. Even though Jaffa was my first dog and he fills up a big space in my heart, Mac was special. I got him on impulse as a friend at work said her mum breeds dogs and had puppies. All the puppies were taken already except for one, no one seemed to want him. So I said I'll have him. He was 16 weeks when he arrived at my home after being driven here for 2.5 hours, he was a mess as he had thrown up all over himself. 

Mac only lived till 9 years old. He was diagnosed with heart failure when he was 7 and the vet said that he'll only live 6 months, maybe 1 year. However,  he was a fighter and thankfully he fought on for just over 2 years. I made sure that last 2 years with him I gave him more love, more attention and went on as many adventures as I can with him. 

Mac is the reason why I started doing pet photography. I couldn't find an specialised outdoor pet photography back then when Mac was sick. I was however able to take some beautiful pictures of him but my pet photography skills back then isn't as great as it is now.

I wanted others to be able to have beautiful memories and keepsake to remember their dogs by - to put it up on their homes so you smile and remember all the good times with them. Although it's hard losing him, every time I see this photo of Mac which is up on my wall, it reminds me of his quirky personality and character.