A Little Backstory
Hello! My name is Jess! I had a itch to start my own photography business as I discovered it is more than just something I enjoy doing for fun, but is a true passion of mine. Now, 3 years later, I'm doing it more than I ever imagined and loving every minute! Currently, I have a full time career and am taking appointments as often as my time allows, with the hope that in a few years to do photography full time!
My husband and I live in Anamosa with our five dogs! As you can imagine, they are photographed almost daily and our French bulldog, Gary, loves his time in front of the lens! The boxers, Rizzo and Clyde are full of energy and their playfulness often is the center of an impromptu photoshoot! Carol is the baby sister, small but feisty and an absolute doll when the camera comes out (if she sits still)! The newest member is Paul, another frenchie! He's absolutely lovable and fit right in with the rest of them!
The idea behind "For the Love of Paws" started with my love for photographing my own pets and those of my family and friends when we are together. I thought if I love my pets this much, surely there are others who do as well and want photographs with their pets! I started my research to see if there was a market for what I had in mind and found out that there were not too many pet photography businesses around! Just my Luck!
Not too long after I looked into starting my business, it took off! Within weeks, I was booking friends and family for sessions and being contacted by others for a session as well! During those first few weeks, I also landed an awesome studio space. With some late nights, takeout dinners, and some great friends, the once white walled, well used space came together, and is a great addition to my dream! While I really enjoy taking advantage of nature and the awesome lighting and backgrounds it provides, my studio is great for those not so optimal days and there are a variety of pretty neat props and backdrops that can be changed at anytime!
Even though this idea started with pet photography, it didn't take long to become much more! Families, newborns, engagement sessions and even a memorial ride are just a few of what I have done in these few months! I am constantly researching locations, poses, props, equipment and anything else I can imagine that will allow me to keep improving in order to make this my daily reality!
Haven't learned enough? See some of my favorite things below!