Through the Lens of Gratitude: Acknowledging the Guidance of My Pet Photography Mentors

This blog is In Memory of my very first mentor Lou Bollo 1948-2022

Lou was the first stunt coordinator who took a chance on hiring me and gave me great advice regarding the film industry.

When I met Lou, I was living in a closet. Yes, in a closet!

My clothes hang above me and I slept on the floor. It's all I could of afford for rent.

I didn't have any money for food, I was always constantly hungry. Being hungry became the norm to me. My money went to rent a small closet and training for stunts. My passion and perseverance was bigger than life and I think Lou saw that.

Thanks to Lou I had and have a beautiful career as a stunt woman in the film industry. Lou took a chance on me 18 years ago, hired me on the TV show Supernatural. 

Lou taught me a lot, from how to talk with your actors to have a great set etiquette.

If it wasn't for Lou I would not have been able to find two other amazing mentors, but this time in the pet photography world.

I am incredibly grateful for the support and assistance of several individuals who have helped me get to where I am. From loyal clients who have hired me for the second time this year or have recommended me to their friends and families and to those who have guided me and helped me grow my business. 

I would like to express my gratitude to my mentors and those who support me.  Without their guidance and support, I wouldn't know what SEO is, how to remove a leash or how scouting locations can be fun as a family.

Let Me Just Start By Saying...

When I started photographing dogs, like most people I had no clue what I was doing. I was going around in circles and getting frustrated at myself. 

Till one day a little voice in my head told me " You should do what you did when you started your stunt career, get a mentor" 

Oh, finding the right mentor, is a whole other blog itself, it took a while. But it was worth it.

Craig Turner-Bullock

I found Craig through Unleashed Education. I knew that he offered mentorship and my gut kept telling me to sign up with him, so that is exactly what I did.  I signed up for 6 months of mentorship with Craig. 

I was thrilled and excited. My gut was right, he truly helped me turn my photography business around.

From marketing to editing, I honestly can't thank Craig enough. He helped me see how there isn't much difference between the film industry and the photography industry.

From time to time we still do calls, I believe that one should always be working in their business no matter where they are at in their career and Craig was just a perfect fit to guide me. He kind of reminds me of Lou in certain aspects, talented and kind-hearted.

Angela Schneider

Oh boy, do I ever look up to her? What a strong, smart, talented female.

I found Angela through One Last Network, where she provides pet grief training for pet photographers so we can serve our clients better with the End-Of-Life-Pet Photography service and also provide our clients with emotional support.

She also teaches the most frustrating thing created in this world, SEO, so we can better our website and grow our business.

Whenever you need her help, she is there for you. Her patience and passion that she has for pet photography and end-of-life pet photography are larger than life.

If only she lived in the same province that I do, or country I should say, Cisco and Tito would experience her photography adventure.

My Support Team At Home

The list is long, but I am grateful for each one of them.

But I can't forget to mention how grateful I am for my two gorgeous models, Cisco and Tito and my partner Don who makes scouting locations fun. We now make a family trip out of it.

The days of sleeping in a closet and being hungry are way behind me. As I embark on a new chapter in my life I am truly grateful for Angela and Craig for their guidance and to my clients for trusting me in creating memories of their furry babies.

What are you grateful for? Leave it the comment.