It all began with my dog
The idea for today’s newsletter came to me after I shared a photograph of a dog I had photographed for a client the other day. I asked if you would be interested in learning how I came to be a dog photographer and some of you said yes. So, if you are not interested in it, feel free to skip this one. Otherwise, let’s dive right in…
I am writing these words to you from the vet’s office, waiting for my dog Ben to come out of surgery. He has a small tumour and another small abscess that has to be removed, and I hope everything goes well. He is almost twelve, and although otherwise healthy and happy for his age, you never know how well his little body takes such a procedure.1
As he is getting older and now with the surgery, I find myself more and more looking back at the wonderful years we had together. It has been a journey far beyond my imagination.
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
― Will Rogers
I always wanted a dog. As a kid, my brothers and I wished to get a dog, but the three of us were already enough work for my parents and besides that, I don’t think we could have afforded having a dog (just thinking of my upcoming vet bill later today…).
As I grew older, other things had higher priorities: finish school, find a job, and go to work. There really wasn’t time to for a dog when you work 40 hours a week and are away from all day. At least for me, it is unimaginable to get a dog just to leave him alone most of the day.
But when the day arrived, and I became self-employed there was no question about whether or not we should get a dog. So, on February 1st, 2013, my lifelong dream came true: my first dog -Ben- moved in.
To be honest, the vision I had of living with a dog was very naive. I had no idea, what I was getting into. Was I prepared to become a dog “mom”? I read books and watch videos on YouTube beforehand, but I had no experience whatsoever. So, no I wasn’t prepared. The first few months with our new family member were exhausting. I was so busy taking care of Ben, I had not the time nor the energy to go out and photograph.
But since he was the focus of my attention, I started to take photos of Ben. Lots of photos. I would share them with friends and family on Social Media. I would go on walks with friends and their dogs and I would photograph the dogs while playing and running around. Then friends would ask, if I could take their dog’s portraits and I did. They would show the photographs to their dog friends and soon enough, I would photograph dogs I had never met before.
Photographing dogs was a completely new experience for me, had I only photographed non-moving objects before. It took a lot of practice to get a sharp image of a running dog, but I eventually figured out the perfect settings and technique. It not only improved my photography, but I also learned a lot about working with dogs as my “subject”. Especially, engaging with a dog while at the same time photographing them.
Being able to practice with Ben has taught me a lot over the years. Ben is always very patient with me. He understands what I want from him and sometimes even stops and poses somewhere without me having said anything (I am convinced, he can read my mind!). Practicing with him also gave me the confidence to eventually photograph other dogs for money.
In 2020, a friend of mine asked me if I could store her studio photography equipment in my basement/studio. In return, she offered me that I could use the equipment if I wanted to. I had zero experience photographing in a photo studio, but I was curious and excited to give it a try. She helped me a little bit with the technical side of it, but most of it I learned by trial and error. My knowledge is still very basic, but my eagerness to learn and to experiment paid off quickly and soon enough I got decent results and confident enough to photograph other dogs - besides Ben - in my tiny photo studio.
This is probably the most common way people become dog photographers: they love dogs, they love photography, they have their own dog as their favourite subject and eventually end up having their own dog photography business.
Although I always loved dogs, and have been photographing for more than fifteen years, I don’t think I would have ever considered becoming a dog photographer without having my own dog.
I now could go on how many other good things have happened to since Ben cam into my life, but I will leave this for another time. Instead I will end today’s newsletter with a rare photo of me and Ben.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
This week is my 50th birthday (which sounds pretty crazy to me)!
That is why I decided to give my readers a very special deal: For the next two weeks2, if you become a paid subscriber you pay 50% less for a yearly subscription. This means instead of $60 for a whole year, you will pay only $30.
Why pay if anything I publish is for free?
I put a lot of thought and effort into my weekly posts. Preparing and writing these takes hours of work. By becoming a paid subscriber you not only show your support, but you help me keep doing this!
Well, and it would make me smile and utterly happy if you did!
And to all of you who already showed your support last week: Thank you so much again. I really appreciate you all so much! ♥️
That’s it from me today.
Thank you for being here and for reading this week’s newsletter. It means a lot to me!
X,
Susanne
As I am finishing up this newsletter, I am happy to report that Ben recovered quickly and the wounds have healed as hoped.
The offer is valid from June 20th until July 4th 2024.
This is so touching and such great inspiration in so many ways.
Happy Birthday and all the best to your cutie, Ben. I enjoyed reading and viewing this post a lot. 💜