Direction

Knowing where to start can be daunting. It fills you with dread and that familiar feeling most people have when starting a new venture… being overwhelmed.

Am I good enough to pull this off? Are my photography skills up to the challenge? Do the photos even look good? Would anyone actually buy them? How do people book? Where do I organise my calendar? Is SEO really that important?

And then… MARKETING.

Followed closely by SOCIAL MEDIA — the ultimate time sponge.

These were just a few of the thoughts running through my head when I started this business, even though I already had numerous years of experience as a professional photographer and videographer, plus some photography awards under my belt.

Despite all of that, the doubt was still there.

What completely minimised those feelings were the reactions from clients when I showed them the final images.

The looks of joy, delight, and genuine happiness made me realise….., this is something I desperately want to be a part of and make my career. As time went on, I started to feel excited and far more positive about the direction I was heading. Working in the Lake District had already taught me the importance of light, timing, and the significance of knowing your location. Skills that now sit at the heart of my approach to Lake District Pet Photography.

At the beginning, I did what most people do. I contacted friends and asked the big favour…

“Can I photograph your dog?”

The answer was, unsurprisingly, “Yes, of course.”

Like many others starting out, I offered these sessions for free to build my portfolio. What surprised me most was that some clients (friends of friends) wanted to buy the photos anyway. They loved them so much and simply wanted to say thank you.

Looking Ahead

Paws & Fells was created to combine my love for the outdoors with honest, emotive pet photography. Based in Cumbria, my aim is to offer relaxed, meaningful pet photography experiences in the Lake District creating images that feel natural, personal, and timeless.

With this in mind, I head into 2026 excited and motivated to take this to the next level creating more happy clients and continuing to do work that genuinely means something to me and my clients.

I can’t wait to see where it leads.