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At Paws for a Moment Photography, our work goes beyond capturing beautiful images. It’s about celebrating the profound connection between you and your beloved pets. Every photograph is a tribute to the stories, emotions, and memories that make your bond unique. Here’s what guides everything we do:

Our Values

Integrity:
We believe in honesty, transparency, and staying true to our word. Whether it’s in our interactions, our processes, or the final images we deliver, you can trust that we’ll always act with integrity.

Excellence:
We are committed to delivering the highest quality in every aspect of our work. From the moment you reach out to the final reveal of your images, excellence is at the heart of everything we do.

Beauty:
We see beauty in the everyday moments shared between pets and their people. Our photography highlights this beauty, creating timeless art that celebrates love, loyalty, and joy.

Freedom and Flexibility:
Life with pets is wonderfully unpredictable, and we embrace that! We approach every session with flexibility, ensuring a stress-free experience tailored to your pet’s unique personality and needs.

Family:
Pets are family, and family is everything. Our work honours this bond, capturing the love and connection that makes your family complete.

Our Core Beliefs

Things Should Be Easy:
We believe the process of creating beautiful images should be simple and enjoyable. From booking your session to receiving your final artwork, we aim to make everything as seamless as possible.

Joy:
Photography is a joyful celebration of life. Our sessions are filled with laughter, love, and the special moments that bring out the best in your pets.

Flexibility:
We adapt to you and your pet. Whether they’re energetic, shy, or a little bit of both, we create an experience that works for everyone.

Authenticity:
We strive to capture the true essence of your pet and your bond. Genuine emotions and real connections shine through in every image.

Love and Kindness:
Love is at the heart of what we do. Our approach is rooted in kindness—to your pets, to you, and to the moments we share together.

This is what we stand for at Paws for a Moment Photography. Our mission is to create images that are as heartfelt and genuine as the bond you share with your pets. Let’s create something beautiful together.

They say that every artist brings a piece of their soul into their work, and for me, this couldn’t be truer. Photography isn’t just about capturing moments—it’s about telling stories, evoking emotions, and preserving connections. When I look through my lens, I’m not just taking a picture; I’m creating a narrative that honours the incredible bond between animals and their people.

Over the years, I’ve received some incredible feedback about my work that has helped me see my own style in a new light. Fellow photographers have described my images as warm, friendly, and full of kindness. Others see adoration and loyalty, and some even say my work feels like scenes from a movie where the animals talk—surreal, magical, and heart-warming.

One friend captured it beautifully when they said, “Your images feel hopeful, like these pups are in search of their forever homes.” Those words struck a chord with me, as they perfectly encapsulate what I strive for in every photograph: to capture the essence of devotion, playfulness, and that undeniable connection animals bring to our lives.

The Journey to Find My Style

It wasn’t always clear to me what my style was. Like many creatives, I struggled to put words to the feelings my work evokes. But as I shared more of my images and heard the responses, I began to see the common threads woven into my photography.

It’s about more than technical skill—though I’ve spent countless hours honing that, too. My journey has included workshops, professional associations, and years of practice. But the heart of my work lies in my relationship with animals. Dogs, especially, have been my companions and teachers throughout my life. Their loyalty, their expressive eyes, and their playful spirits inspire me in ways that words can’t fully capture.

Bringing Stories to Life

When I photograph animals, I aim to tell their stories. Whether it’s the joyful energy of a pup chasing a ball, the soulful gaze of a senior dog, or the quiet moments of connection between pets and their people, my goal is to create images that resonate deeply.

My work is often described as poignant, emotive, and genuine. These words remind me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. It’s not about the perfect pose or the ideal lighting (though those matter, too). It’s about capturing the heart and soul of each subject, so their story can be cherished forever.

Looking Ahead

As I continue to grow and refine my craft, I hope to share more of my work with the world. I want my images to bring warmth and joy to others, just as the animals I photograph bring to me.

So, whether you’re a fellow dog lover, a photography enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys a good story, I invite you to follow along. There’s so much more to discover through the lens, and I’m excited to share this journey with you.

After booking the Dogs in Action workshop with Claudio Piccoli in 2017, my photography journey took a significant leap forward. It was there that I met Alice Loder from Alice Loder Photography, who was hosting the event. We quickly became friends and shared a passion for capturing the beauty of dogs in portraiture.

Our connection led to something wonderful: two photography workshops hosted in Scotland during the breathtaking seasons of spring and autumn in May and November 2018. Those workshops were pivotal in building my confidence and honing my craft, and they gave me the push I needed to start thinking about photography as more than just a hobby.

In 2019, I joined the Master Photographers Association and began working towards professional accreditation. By February 2020, I achieved my Certified Professional Status—a proud milestone that marked a new chapter in my journey. Around the same time, I became a member of the Flourish Academy and Hair of the Dog, connecting with incredible photographers and learning communities that inspired me to grow further.

The summer of 2019 brought an unexpected but thrilling accomplishment. I submitted my work to the International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards, competing against thousands of talented photographers from around the globe. To my astonishment and delight, two of my images placed in the Top 100—one in the Open category and the other in Pets and Their People. It was a proud moment that confirmed I was on the right path.

I had big plans for 2020, ready to continue growing professionally. But, as life often does, it threw a curveball. The pandemic turned the world upside down, bringing my aspirations to a halt. Like so many others, I found myself juggling homeschooling three children during lockdowns, coping with immense personal loss, and trying to hold onto a sense of normalcy. The passing of my mother-in-law to aggressive cancer during the first lockdown was devastating. That year, instead of flourishing, I found myself in the depths of mild depression.

Despite the challenges, 2020 marked the beginning of an unexpected spiritual journey. I began searching for meaning—not just in life but in how my photography business fit within it. It was a time of reflection, recalibration, and quiet growth.

By the summer of 2023, my passion for photography was reignited. As the saying goes, “When the student is ready, the master will appear.” For me, that master was Damien Symonds, whose editing classes gave me the tools to perfect my craft and take my work to new heights.

In spring 2024, I joined That Tog Spot, further immersing myself in the photography community. It’s been a joy to continue learning, growing, and refining my skills, moving closer to mastering my craft every day.

As I look back on this journey, I see how every step—every workshop, every course, and even every setback—has brought me to where I am today. Photography isn’t just a profession for me; it’s a lifelong love, a constant source of joy, and a way to tell the stories of the dogs and people I cherish so deeply.

They say childhood shapes who we become, and for me, that couldn’t be more true. I was just four years old when I first picked up a camera, though I didn’t realise then that it was the beginning of a lifelong passion. What I did know was this: dogs were my everything.

My love for them was so profound that I chose to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. But life, as it often does, had other plans.

From the day I was born, I was dog mad. It might have been hereditary, or perhaps it started with our German Shepherd—a clever, patient, and fiercely loyal dog who was as much a part of the family as I was. She guarded me like a treasure, ensuring no one came too close to my pram, her protective instincts second to none. But when I was five, my mum—pregnant with my brother and overwhelmed—made the difficult decision to rehome her.

It was the first heartbreak I remember. We visited her a couple of times after she left, and even now, I can’t forget the tears in her eyes as we walked away. They say dogs don’t cry, but I’ll always believe otherwise.

After that, many dogs came into my life. Most were strays brought home by my dad, who had a habit of adopting dogs without consulting my mum. Some stayed briefly, others a bit longer, but each one left its mark. When I was eight, my dad rehomed a German Shepherd that had been chained all his life as a guard dog. From the moment he saw me, he chose me, and we were inseparable. Sadly, he was stolen just two years later, another devastating loss in my young life.

By the time I turned 12, I longed for something permanent—something of my own. For my birthday, I asked for a German Shepherd puppy. After months of pleading, and despite a lot of family resistance, my wish was granted. From the moment she came into my life, everything changed.

She was my confidante, my protector, my joy. She was there through the hardest years of my life, a steady, comforting presence who gave me strength when I felt I had none. Together, we overcame challenges, including a near-fatal battle with parvovirus when she was just over a year old. Nursing her back to health was a turning point, deepening our bond in ways I could never fully explain.

She was my everything, and losing her just shy of her 10th birthday felt like losing a piece of myself. For months, I cried myself to sleep. For years, I couldn’t bring myself to open my heart to another dog. Her absence was a void I didn’t know how to fill.

Looking back, those experiences shaped me in ways I couldn’t understand at the time. They taught me about love, loss, and resilience. They showed me the depth of the bond we share with our four-legged friends. And they led me here—to a life where I can honour that connection every day through my photography.

When I pick up my camera now, I think of her. I think of all the dogs that have been part of my story, each one a chapter in the book of my life. And this—this is where it all began.