I have envied images by other pet photographers that have character-filled wood floors in their studio. Floors with interesting grain patters in gorgeous earth tones with imperfections and natural beauty that hold and ground the subjects in a warm embrace. Wood. It's organic. Elemental. Living. My studio doesn't have wood floors, but I set out to figure out how to replicate that look.
Installing wood floors wasn't an option, but maybe I could find a table that would a) have the character I wanted b) be big enough to pose an animal on, yet still fit in the studio without filling it up and c) not break the bank. I started looking everywhere. Classified ads, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and more. I had a few "meet and greets" but didn't find "Mr. Right" for over 2 months until I saw an ad for an old tavern table for $40 within a dozen miles from my house. This had potential. This could be my Mr. Right.
My husband took the drive with me to help me load it into the car in case it was love at first site, but also to determine if he could modify it for my use in the studio. I needed something elevated enough to be able to comfortably photograph small animals on without having to lay on the floor, but not so high as to be dangerous if a kitten or puppy walked off it.
It was stained, beaten and battered with a few cigarette burns and I was smitten. We loaded it into the car and a few days later, after my husband had shortened the legs and installed casters so it could be easily moved around the studio, we moved it into the studio where it's now regularly used in sessions such as those below for these rescue animals.
Why so much information about "Mr. Right"? Because the theme for week 33 of the Pet Photography 52 Week Project is "wood" so I thought it was the perfect time to introduce you to him. PS: my husband is the true Mr. Right in my life because he puts up with all my crazy ideas, most of which require some modification on his part LOL.
(click on any image to view full screen)
Reggie
Reggie was from a litter of 16 puppies and just needed some help standing out from the crowd so Epic Animal Rescue brought him into the studio for some adoption portraits and it worked, he was adopted only a few days after these images were posted! Seeing means saved!
I paired the table with a new backdrop I had just received, something with a lot of visual interest to help him stand out on their website and Petfinder.
Annie
Annie was rescued by Coppell Humane Society and she and her sister Avery came into the studio for their adoption pictures. I used the tavern table again, this time pairing it with a soft, feminine backdrop with dreamy, warm colors. Voila, both were adopted within a week of their portraits being posted. One picture can save a life.
Bandit
Bandit was another Epic Animal Rescue dog that needed a little help in the dating game so when he came into the studio I paired a blue backdrop with the tavern table to help him really pop on the screen. Mission accomplished. He was adopted soon after these photos were updated on his website and Petfinder profiles.
Sophie, Remy , Ollie and Izzy
This trio of kittens were scooped up by Coppell Humane Society when they were tiny bottle babies. When old enough to be adopted - well, everyone but Ollie who his foster family decided was too good to let go (can you say "foster fail"?) - they came into the studio for their adoption portraits. Since their coloring was soft and muted, I paired a textured gray backdrop with the tavern table and loved the mix of cool and warm tones that mirrored the kittens. Sophie and Remy were soon adopted after taking these portraits, Ollie didn't go anywhere :).