Give the gift of a pet portrait this Christmas
If you're looking for a Christmas present idea for the pet lover in your life, consider gifting them a photography portrait.
Brenda McAuliffe-Poznik, of Studio Noah, said a pet portrait was a timeless gift idea that would allow the recipient to celebrate their animal companion for years to come.
"What do you buy for someone who has everything and loves their pets," she said.
"Christmas is a celebration of family connection and generosity to all. Our pets are part of our family and there is no better way to celebrate that relationship but with beautiful photography exploring that connection.
"Also, pets are generous with their affection and love, which beautifully reflects the mood of Christmas."
Ms McAuliffe-Poznik said pet photography had become increasingly popular in recent years.
"As a society, we are having fewer children and our pets are fulfilling that natural parenting urge to love and nurture," she said.
"And pets are just so much fun!"
Anna-Nicole Del-Re, of Viva! Life Photography, agreed it was a great gift idea, whether the recipient was a dog devotee, cat lover or owner of a less-traditional pet.
"We have had all sorts of pets coming to our studios, including snakes, ferrets, chickens, birds, guinea pigs, just to name a few," she said. "That's why we love what we do."
Ms McAuliffe-Poznik said the strangest pet she had photographed was a blue-tongued lizard called Angelina.
"We like to capture the quirky mannerisms in each and every animal we photograph; the bigger the challenge the more pleasure there is in seeing the results," she said.
"Luckily, our style requires little co-operation, so the animals can be natural and do what they want to do with only little encouragement. This allows for images that truly reflect the pet's relationship with their owners and the world around, regardless of the type of animal."
See Studio Noah, Viva! Life Photography and a host of other pet-photography businesses at the Perth Pet Expo this weekend.
