ABOUT TONYA

I really do think I have the best job in the world. I took the two things I love most in life, animals and photography, and stuck them together and called it a career. My method is to bring a professional style and an eye for an animal's unique personality to each and every shoot. Because if you really want to capture the honest essence of a pet, you shouldn't have to dress them up too much. They are beautiful enough just like they are.

And now, some background. My life has always been filled with animals. I grew up with tons of pets, among them a dog named Zeus, a fish named Moby, Thumper the rabbit, and a gerbil named Bobo. I've also been pup-mother to Flea, and cat-mother to Shanene (which is pronounced "Sha-nay-nay", obviously). Fortunately, I decided to pursue a career in photography and not pet-naming. My love of animals has never wavered, even after being attacked by Barbara, a 300-lb lioness. In the lion-world, it was a playful swat. But in people-world, it was a trip to the emergency room. At one point, I even considered becoming a vet, but then thought better of it; I'd rather shoot animals with a camera than with a needle.

Which led me to my other great passion – photography. I picked up a camera when I was five, and never put it down (except maybe during a brief hospital visit after that whole Barbara thing). I received my photography degree from Portfolio Center in Atlanta in 1998. Then I cut my teeth assisting some of New York City's finest photographers, before having the privilege of working at Martha Stewart. I then went on to work in commercial photography for a period, before devoting myself full-time to the pet photography I love so much.
I've shot commercially for a wide variety of clients, including Whole Foods, Kraft Foods, Mountain Dew, Nature Valley, Kendall Jackson Wines, Teen magazine and Castor & Pollux Pet foods. I've been fortunate enough to be featured in Shutterbug magazine, and have been recognized by some of the giants in the industry, including Photo District News (PDN), Print Magazine, Graphis, and CMYK.
I am currently proud pet parent to two wonderful little fur-babies (and full-time models), Punch the cat, and my dog, Butters the Bearded Lady.

Thanks for looking!
Tonya