How Flying To Adelaide Made Me A Better Pet Photographer.

And How It Gave Me Back My Joy For Photographing Your Pets Back Here In Perth.

TBH - I was on the verge of giving up this photography gig altogether, and flying to adelaide was going to be the trip that would be the deciding factor.

2 border collies sit on a tree stump smiling in front of a sunset soaked forest. How Adelaide made Perth Pet photographer a better photographer.

Perth Pet Photographer talks through how, when on the verge of closing business, she found joy and confidence again in her photography.

It irks me to say, but all my good intentions for the year ahead fell short some time around 3 months in… including my photography project52 that I had started. If you hadn’t noticed, I think I only blogged the first 3 weeks, and though I continued shooting for a short time after, reality is I lost the ball somewhere around week 9. I really thought I'd stay true to that one, but this is pretty typical for new years resolutions that don't have a solid plan in place I guess. I almost feel like I should've know better. 😅

 

The truth is though, despite those good intentions and the ‘New Year Reset’ I had written on - it was still in the back of my mind whether or not I had it in me to continue running my photography business. It was only because of an earlier horoscope/taro card reading that I had watched online, that implied I should wait until May to make a final decision, which I thought was pretty magical since I had already booked a retreat in Adelaide specifically for pet photography which lo and behold, was at the beginning of May. 🪄 

Spike is a red coated cattle dog and stands on a grey boulder at a 45degree angle to the camera with brown/grey rocks in the background and a soft cloudless morning sky overhead. Image taken by Perth Dog Photographer Chanelle Megan.

So did this retreat reignite something inside of me?

Short answer: YES!

There's definitely something to be said about hanging out with others who also enjoy the same as you do. I've heard that being in business can be lonely, but I'm an introvert and I like being by myself, so maybe lonely has been the wrong word for me. But being amongst other photographers who are excited to go out learn, shoot, and then edit those images, that feeling rubbed off and that energy, I guess, just kept bouncing between each other, despite the back to back 4am starts.

10 Pet Photographers posed candidly on a beach. No pets or cameras are in the photo

Our last day as a group in Adelaide (all bar one beautiful human who doesn't wish to appear online) with our amazing instructors - Kirstie from The Pet Photographers Club and Jess from That Tog Spot, before we were sent off back home in various parts of Australia.

So what went down during my week in Adelaide, with this group of people, to alter the course of where I thought I was heading?

 

Yes, I mentioned back to back 4am starts - in what felt like minus 10degree mornings some mornings haha, (we were about an hour south of Adelaide and I was soo not prepared for the temperature change from Perth!) but there was more to it than that. It was the fact that we were constantly being put to the test of what we had previously learnt, forcing ourselves to apply that knowledge. The instructors were so good at keeping on top of everyone, despite our vast abilities with where each person was at. In our down time, we would edit together and get to see everyone else’s work, and it came with lack of judgement, I think because we were there for all the behind the scenes when the image took place. Instagram is so easy to get comparison-itis - but as I discovered, it’s simply because of lack of knowledge, understanding and sometimes lack of gear, that might make one feel off about their own work - speaking about myself of course.

There were also lots of chats around each others businesses, home life, how they get through, how they run. And then again, some people were just there because they like taking photos of pets. I really enjoyed hearing other perspectives though, and that was definitely one of the things that switched my brain back into a ‘I do want to this and I can do this’ mode.

Perth pet photographer captures this red cattle dog sitting on a large red/brown boulder with a similar looking boulder taking up the rest of the background. The dog is posed centre and looking alert at the camera.

The biggest mindset shift I've had since coming back to Perth, is that I can and I get to have and do 2 different jobs that I love. My whole life I’ve always struggled focusing to much on one thing and everything else slips to the wayside - regardless if it’s to do with business, home life or day dreams. Right now, I am also a gym instructor/coach at BFT. Fitness is just as much a part of me as photography is - always has been, but I've definitely been known to be all in on one, leaving me with little energy and deflated for the other. I've realised I needed to switch the way I was thinking, and so I am learning to balance both with equal energy through this mindset shift. ‘I love my jobs and I can do both gym instructing and photography with equal energy.’

 

So here's to not going anywhere! Here's to more treatos and more portraits of you and your fur babies, maybe a mini session closer to Christmas again - whatever it is, we're gonna get those memories up on your wall so that your constantly reminded of the love you have for your pet, even when they were just caught stealing your dinner while you stepped away for a second.  

Please continue to enjoy some of my favourite portraits taken on the retreat, of yes, mainly dogs, but also humans and even horses. I do need to note that some of the photos in this blog post were taken all on my own, while others had a heavy helping hand or at least guidance from either one or both of the amazing instructors - Kirstie from The Pet Photographers Club and Jess from That Tog Spot.

A white Samoyed dog is sitting in the middle of the image and is framed by a sand coloured arch. Yellow/brown rectangle lights illuminate the background. The image was taken by Perth Pet photographer in Adelaide train station.
A young girl sits on a big root of a tree and snuggles her face into her dog, with her arms wrapped around the dogs chest. The Dogue De Bordeaux dog sits in-between the girls legs looking up to the right of the frame. Taken by Perth Pet Photographer.
A fluffy white Samoyed is photographed by Perth Dog Photographer in Adelaide against white and grey toned buildings and stands on a grey tiled concrete.
An up close, half faced image of a Dogue De Bordeaux looking directly at the camera with his mouth closed. Grass fills the small remainder of the background. Taken by Perth Dog Photographer Chanelle Megan.
An image of a Man and Woman couple are posed in a seated position amongst tall straw coloured grass alongside their blue staffy. Image taken by Perth Pet Photographer Chanelle Megan.
Perth Dog and Family Photographer captures this moment between a black Belgian Shepherd and his owner. They are both posed lying down next to each other on the grass with dark green trees blurred in the background.
Perth Pet Photographer captures this image of a black sharpei x lab standing infront of an orangey coloured wall.
A Lowchen dog posed with her front two paws on top of a log in the middle of a forest. The portrait is taken by a dog photographer based in Perth - Chanelle Megan.
Perth Pet Photographer took this photo of a dark brown horse standing side on facing to the right of the image with his head turned to look out the left. A red border collie stands behind it in the same pose. They're standing in an open paddock.
Perth Photographer captures this image of a dark brown horse standing at a 45degree angle, with a woman dressed in blue standing with her back into the horses neck. The sky is foggy with a mountain in the background.
Perth Pet Photographer captures this image of a border collie running straight for the camera. The scenery is in a forest, but the background is all blurred.
Perth dog photographer shot this candid lifestyle image of a red border collie sitting centre looking directly at the camera. The dog has mud stains on its paws. It's sitting on a gravel path with straw grass in the background.
Perth Pet Photographer sets 2 border collies side by side on a short tree stump in the forest. Both dogs are very happy, mouths open. One dog has its eyes closed as if it's laughing. Theyre in a sunset forest.
A happy and attentive looking border collie is positioned lying down on a log with a sunset filled forest illuminating the background. Taken by Perth dog photographer Chanelle Megan.

Forever remember the tiny floof that could fit in your lap, or the boisterous tail-whipping loon that raced about your backyard. I love creating photographs and big picture prints that take you back to a moment in your fur-baby's life every time you land eyes on them.

 

Heeey!

I'm Chanelle from Chanelle Megan Photography and I’m your pet and family photographer if you're located in or around Perth! I help you by capturing joyful and genuine images of those that steal your heart. Together, we then choose the best ones and create the most epic portraits for your walls so that you can always feel their warmth and love even when they’re not around.

Contact me today to book in your session date.

Pet PhotographyChanelle TorcklerChanelle Megan PhotographyPerth Pets, Perth Animal Photographer, perth, Perth Pet Photographer, Horses, Perth Dogs, Perth Dog Photographer, Perth, Photography RetreatComment