Posted on March 9, 2018
Posted on April 14, 2015
So proud to announce that I have been awarded both a Gold Award and a Highly Commended Award in the March 2015 Monthly National Photographic Society (NPS) Competition.
Having photographed hundreds of pets over the years, I feel very proud of the images I have created and to each of those clients, those images are perfect.
However, when you are submitting images for competition, you are treading on very different waters! Being judged by those at the top of their career, alongside so many other professional photographers is very daunting and what once seemed like the perfect image, beings to fall apart at the seams.
The judges view the images of the first time without the emotional attachment to the subject that the owner has. All they have is the image itself. Therefore, images submitted must have impact, engaging the viewer and translating their story without any words.
As an animal lover who has adopted two rescue dogs, I am often engaging with animal charities and rescue groups throughout the year and doing a little to support their cause. As such I often read very sad and quite disturbing reports of cruelty and suffering, but also reports of amazing individuals who dedicate their lives to saving animals both nationally and internationally.
This inspired me to create the following image that was awarded GOLD.
The second image submitted was captured during one of the many shows we attend throughout the year. Often at these shows, I can photograph up to 100 dogs on one day, in an environment full of noises and smells, capable of distracting even the most well behaved of dogs.
The Rottweiler, just like many other breeds, has been stigmatised for so many years as the “devil dogs”. Misunderstood as aggressive and dangerous, so many wonderful breeds are wrongly labelled this way, with the media ready to pounce when something seems to have gone wrong. The general public never discover the truth behind the story and the stigma deepens, yet the importance of education and understanding of canine behaviour is diluted even further.
I chose this image, which was awarded a Highly Commended Award because I felt it expressed perfectly the true, gentle nature behind our large canine breeds.
Thank you to all the wonderful people and their pets who are such a pleasure to work with.
If you are looking to capture your pets character, to preserve their memory so that it can be treasured for a lifetime, visit our website www.detheo.co.uk to discover more about our Specialist Pet Photography sessions or email us at contact@detheo.com
Posted on July 21, 2014
“every child should have a dog”
It is often those who do not have animals in their lives that immediately appear surprised when I say I am a Specialist Pet Photographer. They regularly question if there is a market for such a specialism. Then there are those who are aware of other photographers who photograph pets, but have little understanding of the genre and what it truly entails.
And why would they? For like all genre of photography, there is a huge diversity of standards, often driven by the personal values of each photographer. What is seen by the public is merely a snipped. Once they become a client, they then get to read the whole story.
As such, in this article I hope to share with you the passion and values that underpin our “Specialist Pet Photography” title, taking you to the core of what we strive to achieve and why.
Animals have played such an important role in human history and continue to do so in our everyday lives. From guarding to herding, guiding the visually impaired to active war duty. Rightly or wrongly we have used animals to help us hunt, test our medicines, help us travel, and keep us company for thousands of years.
The connection that many of our clients have with their pets is one of great intensity. It is a relationship that conquers the barriers of communication from one specie to another and is far more innate than many give it credit for. With all this in mind, we know that preserving the memory of that relationship is very important. It allows us to celebrate the bond we have now, and continue to honour what we had, once they are gone. Like all photography, the images we create can act almost like a psychological time machine, with the power to instantly transport us back, igniting the memories of touch, smell and sound.
As an individual I spent all of my life around animals always seeming to gravitate towards them. My extended family owned horses and I would spend hours out in the paddocks watching them and talking to them. My mother still recalls my childhood dreams of one day having my own horse and riding it everywhere. Over the years I shared my life with rabbits, hamsters, cats, dogs and birds. I learnt to ride and could be found every weekend, for many years, at the stables. So it was a natural progression that once married and living in our new home, we would share our new life with animals.
Throughout my life a camera was rarely far from my side, however many many years would pass before fate guided me into professional photography. It was to take major, life altering events, to send me in a new direction. But when it did, that innate connection drew me directly back towards animals. With early life experiences as my foundation, I set about building my knowledge further. At this time I had recently come to meet an amazing lady, Laura Shambrook, who ran her own pet services company Pawfect Friends. Little did I know then how hugely influential she would be, not only to my life, but to the future of Detheo Photography.
We met Laura when looking for a reliable alternative to kennels and almost immediately I started to learn so much from her. I volunteered at a local rescue centre and found my new knowledge gave me even more understanding of the dogs there. Over the years I absorbed as much as I could. A sponge soaking up the knowledge she would share with me. It is therefore no surprise to look back now and see that since starting Detheo Photography I have photographed hundreds of pets including dogs, cats, horses, reptiles and rodents.
Our most popular subject is be the dog. The domesticated ancestor of the Grey Wolf, who has been a part of our pack for hundreds of thousands of years, we see all varieties and all with their own unique personality.
Working primarily out on location, photoshoots are designed to enable the dogs to feel relaxed. As such photoshoots are held in gardens, fields or forests where the dogs can behave naturally. We spend time making sure the dogs are comfortable in our company and with our equipment, which often means having to clean some slobbery lenses!
Over the years our skills have grown, both photographically, and through our greater understanding of animals. In turn our reputation has grown and we are regularly called to photograph dogs who other photographers would not, or could not work with. These dogs may appear to be aggressive and some have even bitten through fear. Others are frail and suffering life limiting conditions. Many are just nervous and traditional photographic studios are far too overwhelming.
The ability to work with these dogs and give their families what they once thought impossible fill me with such a huge sense of pride. It takes a great deal of patience, understanding and determination. But it also requires a vast amount of trust. Not only from the family, but from the dog themselves.
Archie was nervous and displayed some difficult behaviour. Yet he became my pal during the shoot.
Against much pressure and possibly some common sense, I stuck firmly to the passion and the values, that from the start helped build my vision. I have learnt so much along the way and am always learning.
Laura Shambrook, now very much seen as an important part of our family, still runs a very successful pet services company offering excellence in boarding, walking, grooming and training. Her many years of experience and training finds her company head and shoulders apart from the many whimsical start ups we see come and go on a daily basis. So it is with great pride and overwhelming honour to know that Detheo Photography and Pawfect Friends are actively working on some amazing ideas for the future, whilst continuing to integrate services for our ever growing client group.
And as if this was not exciting enough, last year Detheo Photography’s Pet Specialism started gaining recognition within the commercial work of marketing and specifically within the veterinary world. Commissions already have included both leading Veterinary Insurance companies and large veterinary groups. The projects have each been challenging, but an amazing experience. We have met such talented and skilled individuals, with whom we have thoroughly enjoyed working.
And we believe this is just the beginning!
Posted on December 14, 2012
I believe each season brings its own beauty and Winter definitely did not disappoint this week. Waking up feeling quite unwell, I piled on my layers ready to drop the children off to school, promising to return to my sofa and spend the day recuperating.
However, opening my front door I gasped with amazement at the stunning scene that greeted me. With an average temperature of -7 everything had frozen and turned white. I felt like I was stepping into a new, magical world.
With photography running through my blood I knew there was nothing I wanted more than to come back, grab the camera, my buddy Harvey, and head out.
And so we did. Walking through the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside surrounded by crisp, ice covered foliage I only wished we could have many more days like these because they make fantastic backdrops for photoshoots.