Becoming a Photographer for the Pets
Photo by Mark Galacgac
Animals have always had a special place in my heart — from felines to canines, fish to birds, goats to horses. So when my third-grade class was assigned to take photos of our pets for the school's bulletin board, I was more than excited to share my furry friends with the whole school. The only problem? I had to figure out how to photograph my family's cats, dog, and lovebird without scaring them or wasting a single precious frame of Polaroid film.
The First Mission
And so it began: a mission to land a great photo without stressing out my furry and feathered friends. My first target was the cat. I got behind that clunky Polaroid and waited for the purr-fect moment as she slowly walked toward me, curious about what I was doing.
One push of the button. The flash went off. The photo spit out of the camera. And the kitty scurried away.
It wasn't until a few minutes later, once the image developed, that I saw it. A beautiful cat, poised perfectly right in the center of the frame. I was shocked. The photo that came out so well, had been taken by me.
Just me and our family peach faced lovebird, “Lovey”. The beginning of a very long love affair with pets and cameras.
Enter Bruno
Years later, we welcomed a pomeranian-chihuahua mix, a "pomchi", into our home. His name was Bruno, and once again, I found myself picking up a camera to capture the pets I loved. I enjoyed photographing him so much that by his third birthday, I decided it was time to give him his own social media page.
That small decision opened up a whole world. Bruno and I met amazing friends along the way, which led to fun photoshoots, barkday parties, play dates, and a growing investment in capturing as many memories as possible with camera in hand, of course. It also taught me something invaluable: how to work with dogs and their humans, guiding them into great poses in front of the camera with a lot of patience (and an even greater supply of squeakers and treats).
The late Bruno Beckham, Chief Fun Officer of Crystal R Photography, LLC
My “Why”
At the heart of it, my goal has always stayed the same: to capture the true, unfiltered, loving essence of every pet I photograph. As a fellow pet owner, I know their time here on earth is short. Taking their photos isn't just about capturing their beauty — it's about preserving the wonderful memories we share with them, for many years to come.
Max carrying his bro-fur Bruno’s legacy.
