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Photographer of the Star’s … Pets
By Marie Stempinski
 “I’d rather photograph
animals than people,” says Ren Netherland. The
nationally known animal photographer notes that he can
always get the best out of his four-legged subjects.
Humans are another matter. “I’m very picky and
meticulous in my work. I never give up on doing it just
right. There’s never been a day that I couldn’t get what
I wanted to get with an animal. I have more patience
with animals than people,” he laughed.
Netherland learned
photography skills in the Navy and then worked in a
photo lab in Norfolk, Virginia. “I started out like a
lot of photographers shooting weddings, portraits,
families and parties. One weekend I did a big show in a
mall. I had to put together a huge display and I was
hoping not only to get business, but to also sell some
of the photographs. I didn’t sell a thing. But people
kept coming up asking me to photograph their pets. I
decided I was on to something. So I opened my first
studio and right there decided to name it Animal
Photography.”
Soon he was in demand
shooting large animal shows all over the area. He also
became popular with grooming salons, vets and pet
stores. “We only deal with certified and licensed
people. They coordinate the event, invite their
customers, and we have a ready-made client base,”
Netherland added. The move to Florida came later. He
explained, “The winter months in Virginia were slow and
boring. I decided to go to a dog show in Tampa and
really liked the weather. People told me I should move
down here, so I did. I opened a studio in Largo and had
it for 15 years. But I found the business season is just
the opposite of Virginia’s - summers are slow here. So I
began to work the shows again and to make alliances with
vets, groomers and pet stores. That’s how the business
grew and thrived.”
 Netherland seems to have
found his calling. He has been in business since 1986.
His photography graces the cover of People Magazine and
prestigious trade journals including AKC Magazine, Pet
Dealer and Dog and Kennel and he is featured in an
upcoming segment of the Animal Planet TV show Groomer
Has It. He’s also expanding his business model. “We’re
getting into the greeting card business,” he noted,
“making greeting cards with your pet’s picture on them.”
His reputation ensures his
gigs. Big name stars and well-known celebrities ask him
to photograph their pets. “I’ve photographed Billy Bob
Thornton’s dogs and Kate Hudson’s pets. She’s Goldie
Hawn’s daughter, you know. I’ve also taken pictures of
Jack Osborne’s dog, Lola.”
These days Netherland
travels around the country in a revamped Greyhound bus
photographing winners at major animal shows primarily in
New York, Rhode Island and California. He also continues
to take shots of pets at grooming shops and veterinary
clinics. He says, “I work out of the bus exclusively for
about 8 months out of the year. It has a studio area, a
viewing area and a living area. We’re completely
self-sufficient. We have thousands of dollars in camera
and lighting equipment, computers and printers. We work
with a lab here in Florida and they mail the finished
pictures to the clients.”
 Netherland also trains
others to follow in his footsteps. “I teach
photographers how to be animal photographers,” he said.
“People pay between $1,300 to $1,500 to learn everything
from which camera and lighting equipment to use to how
to work with and capture animal images on film. I’ve
self-published a book, Pet Portraiture Made Easy, which
students also receive,” he added. There’s also a
thriving business in providing animal images for
promotion companies and handbag manufacturers to use on
their products. Daily he receives calls from firms
throughout the country asking for specific images of
animals. His colorful website,
www.animalphotography.com,
lists his services, his availability, a gallery of
magazine cover samples and available products.
Yet, Netherland admits that
being on the road can cause problems. “There was a time
when the postman decided not to forward the mail. You
can’t imagine the shock of coming home after four months
away and finding a revolting mess in your refrigerator
because the power company had turned off the
electricity.”
Netherland also cites the
challenges of dealing with the human side of the
owner-pet equation. W.C. Fields wasn’t the only one who
hated to work with kids and animals. “It’s really hard
when you have a kid and an animal in the same shot.
Whatever you do to make the animal take notice scares
the kid. Whatever you do to make the kid smile or laugh
leaves the animal cold. It can be a real challenge.”
 He noted that there are
other stumbling blocks to getting that perfect shot.
“People hate to face reality when their dog is really
old. Old, old dogs can have hearing problems, they can
be incontinent or they can’t stand up. Often their
owners expect me to get them to look like they did in
their prime. One of my tricks is to have the owner get
up and say goodbye to the dog as if he or she is really
leaving. Instinctively the animal perks up with an
attentive look that says, ‘Where are you going?’ That’s
when I get the shot.”
Despite the obstacles,
Netherland says he always allows the owners to see
what’s going on during a shoot. “They must obey my
rules. They can’t get behind me or counter what I’m
doing or saying to the animal. But, I make sure they
understand what I’m doing and why. When they see the
results, they’re satisfied.” He says the best subjects
are small dogs. “I love to work with a person with a
small dog. You can get them to sit, lie down, place them
in a chair…you can do anything with them. Yorkies and
poodles are my favorites.”
What advice does he have for
potential animal photographers? “I’d tell them how to
avoid the pitfalls. I made mistakes for 10 years before
I got it right. First, the business basics. Get the
professionals behind you. You need a good attorney, a
bookkeeper and a tax
accountant. Find out what business
licenses you need. Get whatever certifications each
state requires and remember liability insurance. Most
states consider animals property, but humans can trip
and fall or have some type of accident at your place of
business. You have to be prepared for that.”
Netherland says newcomers
need to sharpen their photography craft under the
tutelage of someone like him. “There’s a big difference
between photographing people and photographing animals.
Learn from someone who has experience. Then you have to
love animals. You have to love them no matter what. They
will go to the bathroom on your table, they will bite
you, and they will throw up. You never know. But you
have to show them you love and care for them through it
all.”
Finally, he adds that anyone
using the title animal photographer must be totally
dedicated to animal photography. “This is a full-time
profession. You can’t mix it with wedding, portrait or
other types of photography. It’s either all animals or
no animals. That’s what keeps me going - my love for
animals,” he said.
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Pet
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