One-Year Anniversary!

Today’s the day! Today marks one year since I registered the name Cold Nose Photo and launched this site! Wow!

Actually, it seems like it has been so much longer. In truth, it’s kind of been a bit shorter.

How did the idea of pet photography come about? I have loved dogs my entire life, but something I experienced as a small child left me feeling like I would never have the capacity to work with abused and neglected animals. I often struggled with the thought that there had to be something I could do. Last May, something clicked. I adore photography – always have. I grew up with SLR cameras always at the ready in our home, and I had just recently bought my first digital SLR camera. What if I could do something to combine the two?

First comes love, then comes Google. I didn’t know there was a growing community of pet photographers out there, but I quickly found them! And not just in the United States. How exciting to see that this was a viable career, and that there were other people to talk to and share with!

So, I launched this website one year ago. I dabbled with a few ideas here and there, but generally kicked back and figured out who I wanted to be and what I thought this new opportunity would bring. I photographed dogs of friends and family when I could, and continued to help out the American Lab Rescue group in Connecticut. I certainly had my camera with me everywhere to photograph life, but I had (and still have) a day-job that I was really enjoying as well.

As the new year rang in, however, so did my heightened goals for Cold Nose Photo. I started to set my sights on the Cape Cod spring. All the people who would soon arrive for the summer months, and all the dogs that would be dashing around in the salt and sand. I upped my digital processing skills and revamped my website. I launched the Facebook fan page, and I switched to using my Cold Nose Photo Twitter account as my primary account. I even kicked off a special photo project at Dogs of Cape Cod.

I finally ordered business cards, and lots of them.

And here we are. Momentum is building, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I work longer and harder at this than any other job I’ve had, because it’s not just a job. It’s little ol’ me doing what I love, working with animals that I love, and meeting people who love many of the same things I love. Most importantly, I spend up to eight hours a month rolling around with dogs at the shelter, giving them a good belly rubbing and ball tossing in an otherwise drab day. The photos are posted to Petfinder, and I almost never see the same dogs when I return two weeks later. That’s a great thing.

I identify myself as a pet photographer, and I smile every single day about it.

Many exciting opportunities are coming up for the Cold Nose Photo community of pets and people, and I’m so excited that you’re joining me in the adventure!