All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget.  In this - as in other ways - they are the opposite of paintings.  Paintings record what the painter remembers.  Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it.  ~ John Berger

In my time as a photographer I have been both astonished and delighted by the power of the camera to change the way people look at themselves and their lives.

As John Berger, who was both a painter and writer, said, photographs help us to remember – it may be to remember a moment, a person, a feeling, or a time but few of use can look at photographs of our lives without feeling some strong emotion. A time captured.

We British are, so we’re told, a nation of dog lovers but our love of pets goes much deeper – cats, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, snakes, lizards, the list is endless but somehow we let these wild creatures take a very special place in our hearts and our lives. When I started out as a photographer I had no idea that my work would take me on this course, as a specialist in photographing families and their pets, but if I’d known I would have been delighted.

The families I have worked with have been kind enough to let me share a brief period of their lives in order to create some special memories for them – and always involving their pets. Take a look at some of the samples on this page and see what the pets mean to the families – but I hope you will also see something else….

Pets bring people together, they are the non-judgmental observers of all we do, and very often the presence of a pet can help to unite or reunite families. The first time I completed an assignment and was told that I had helped to reunite a family was a very special moment for me. If I’d thought that taking photographs was just a matter of sitting people down and pressing the shutter, I was learning that it was a far more rewarding experience for both sides.

It may seem as though the art of professional photography is on the wane now that we all have a digital camera in our jacket or a mobile in our handbag. Nothing could be further from the truth. If someone in the family takes a family photograph, that person will be missing from the shot (or looking ruffled after a sprint into the shot having pressed the timer button!). Bringing in a photographer allows the whole family and their pets to be together on the memory side of the lens.

And it may not be as expensive as you think.  There are many packages available and I am happy to discuss your needs with you and tailor the package to suit your budget.