long story (not-so)short

It was only a matter of time before my lifelong love of photography crossed paths with my obsession with dogs. I can still remember the days when I’d beg my parents for a Yorkie (on a daily basis) just as clearly as I can remember the first time I discovered my dad’s Canon AE1. Both occurrences happened around the age of 10. Needless to say, I was more successful at learning how to use my dad’s camera than I was at convincing my mom that a puppy was a great idea. 

What followed were years of hugging everyone else’s dogs and intermittent experimentations with photography. Around ten years ago, I started taking photography more seriously – focusing on shooting black-and-white, reportage-style images. I loved capturing natural moments, and I always referred to my mini-shoots as “stories.” I wanted people to be able to feel the emotion in those moments. That gets tricky, I know,… with art being subjective and all. I continued to practice and study, and eventually, I started accepting requests to shoot weddings, fashion campaigns, and events.

Then, in 2016, something unexpected happened – I was introduced to the world of animal rescue. After seeing an Instagram video of a dog named Roxy in a high-risk shelter (and feeling utterly helpless), I decided to create a photo series featuring rescue dogs and their adoptive parents. I think of them as Visual love stories. The goal was to raise awareness to the importance of fostering and adopting. For each story, I would spend part of a day with the pups and their humans, talking candidly about the events that led up to the decision to adopt, and how life has changed since taking that leap. I ended up with 12 wonderfully heartfelt stories in all. And it was a life-changing project in many ways. 

Fast forward to 2018. I found that I desperately missed photographing dogs (and cats) with their humans! So, in addition to lending my time and my lens to rescue organizations, I’ve started offering private lifestyle photo sessions to everyday dog and cat owners. As a pet owner myself, I understand how much we treasure the time we have with our four-legged companions,… and that time goes by in a flash. I want to help create as many amazing memories for folks as possible, and there’s no better time than now.

Michelle Layne Lawson