Capturing pets’ playful moments
TO BECOME a wildlife photographer for National Geographic was an ambition cherished by Yza Tolentino in her childhood. It was born of her love for animals, a feeling shared by her partner, Leif Ruelos. “Even though that dream didn’t turn into reality, it has been my hobby to take photos of random animals using my smartphone,” Ms. Tolentino told BusinessWorld in an e-mail.
She and Mr. Ruelos channeled their affection for animals and interest in photography into the creation of a Facebook page called Meownila, where photos of stray cats are posted in the hope of getting them adopted. “Then, we came upon the idea of branching out and taking photos of other animals for free,” Ms. Tolentino said. “By July 2016, we were confident enough with our pet photography skills and after a few features online and in print, we founded Pawtography PH.”
The aim of Pawtography PH is to make good memories out of the playfulness and perkiness of pets. It offers a 3-hour photo session for P3,000, and, for an additional P1,000, shots can be compiled into a photobook. Photo shoot happens during weekends since Ms. Tolentino and Mr. Ruelos have day jobs as digital marketing officer and content analyst respectively.
The venture caters primarily to “pawrents,” or pet parents, as Ms. Tolentino calls them. “They are not your ordinary pet owners because they love, care for and consider their pets as their own babies and not just properties,” she said. It’s up to the pawrents to decide where the photo shoot will take place. But Ms. Tolentino said they usually take pet pictures in parks. “We want the shoot not to look too scripted and uptight since we capture pets as they are — playful and perky,” she added.
The couple particularly train their cameras on fun and playful moments. “We make sure that the whole session is as genuine as it is and that both pets and parents are having fun. We usually just let the pets play and do whatever it is that they’re doing so as to capture that spontaneous cuteness and the bond the pets and parent have,” Ms. Tolentino said, adding that no matter the angle, pets are adorable.
Ms. Tolentino is mindful of the fact that their clients can easily carry out a photo shoot on their own using nothing but a smartphone. “However,” she said, “if they’re after high- quality photos that really encapsulate how adorable and wonderful their pets are, then Pawtography PH is just one call away to help them.”
A business like Pawtography PH, despite the impression it might give, is not all fun and games. The trouble, according to Ms. Tolentino, is that some people don’t consider art, like photography, a profession. “I mean, some would really try to haggle up to the lowest rate without even considering the effort, skills and the costs behind pet photography,” she said.
Despite this catch, Ms. Tolentino said their enterprise is profitable. She also revealed that they’re planning to partner with more local pet brands and animal- oriented nongovernment organizat ions and conduct pet photography workshops this year. The couple also look forward to putting up an interactive studio of their own.
For Ms. Tolentino and Mr. Ruelos, Pawtography PH is more than just a money-making venture. It’s a passion project. “Earning money is one thing but actually having fun with pets, getting to meet people whom we now consider as friends rather than clients, and getting the chance to practice and hone our photography skills are the best part of this whole venture,” Ms. Tolentino said.