Lifestyle : Everything Pets 12, Page 1

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Lifestyle : Everything Pets 12

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1HERSA1 W001 Pet Friendly Accommodation Ph: 02 9363 4863 | 14 Queen St, Woollahra | www.thehughenden.com.au As Sydneys premier Pet Friendly Boutique Hotel, we are dedicated to ensuring your stay is as comfortable as possible. With a range of pet friendly rooms with either large living spaces, glass atriums or private courtyards. Our Restaurant and Café has areas reserved so that your 4 legged best friend can join you for breakfast, dinner or drinks. Rates from $99 (Sun - Wed) and $128 (Thurs - Sat) per night for 2 people including breakfast and a bottle of Hughenden wine. Call us now 02 9363 4863 *Valid from 1st September 2012 to 25th December 2012 Additional pet cleaning fee of $20 applies to all bookings. Bayer Australia Ltd 2012. Advantage is a registered trademark of Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer Australia Ltd (ABN 22 000 138 714) 875 Pacific Highway, Pymble NSW 2073. Customer Information Line - TOLL FREE 1800 678 368 from anywhere in Australia 9.00am to 4.00pm EST Monday to Friday. friendsfurver.com.au BAY2546HS. 08/12. GHG. B A l Ld20 1 2 Ad d d k fB AG Trusted to work. Now that's advanced pet care. T Trusted d to work k • Stops fleas biting • Water resistant • Kills fleas fast • Safe for kittens & puppies AG5298747AA-260812 Special report Sunday, August 26, 2012 Everything pets Capture your beast buddy Specialist photographers seek to zoom in on an animal's personality, writes Tanya Ryan-Segger. Pretty fly . . . Zoo Studio (main, middle, bottom) specialises in studio images; Pet Clix (top) prefers outdoor shots. Many animal lovers treat their pets like members of the family. With this in mind, and against a backdrop of a booming pet industry, photographers specialising in portraits of our furry, feathered and scaly friends are becoming increasingly popular. ''Many people adore their pets and treat them just like any other family member . . . so why wouldn't they want to capture a special moment and put them in a picture frame to admire?'' says Sydney outdoor animal photography specialist Bronwyn Liebke, of Pet Clix. Since establishing the business five years ago, Liebke -- whose services start at $249, including a limited number of prints and a 90-minute shoot -- says interest has grown exponentially. ''When I started, if you did an online search for pet photographers, only three would come up,'' she says. ''If you search now, you'll find massive numbers out there.'' At the higher end of the market there's Zoo Studio, experts in stylised animal imagery. The Brisbane business, run by Rebecca Drake and her husband, photographer Ken, charges $110 for a weekday studio session and just under $1000 for ready-to- hang images. Despite the expense, people looking for bespoke, professional photographic memories of their pets aren't in short supply. Rebecca Drake says Zoo Studio has grown about 30 per cent year-on-year since it was established in 2006. The couple use an animal-friendly photographic studio in Chapel Hill and, to keep up with interstate demand, they travel to Sydney and Melbourne up to four times a year. Cats and dogs may be the most common subjects, but Liebke also caters for quirky pets. ''I photograph all animals, from common pets like dogs and cats to slightly more unusual ones like ferrets and water dragons.'' Although an ability to take exceptional photos is vital to the success of any photographer, those specialising in animals need a broader repertoire of skills. ''Pet photographers have to be expert animal behaviourists,'' Drake says. ''You also need to be physically fit . . . have quick reactions to capture those fleeting moments that can be hard to re-create or cue, and you must have an appreciation for dog slobber.'' Liebke agrees, saying getting covered in drool is all in a day's work. ''Every day and every pet is different,'' she says. As for what makes an exceptional pet portrait, despite the different styles and price points, Pet Clix and Zoo Studio agree that bringing out an animal's personality is the basis of a great shot. ''I do whatever it takes to make my subjects happy and when they are, it tends to make the most beautiful images,'' Liebke says.

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www.thehughenden.com.au
friendsfurver.com.au

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