Here on Pieces of the Picture, we focus on family based and centered portrait photography. Aren’t pets part of the family landscape. Chances are you now have a pet and if not most certainly you’ve had one throughout your lifetime.
Today we’re interviewing a very talented pet photographer Nicole Mklakar-Livingston. When I first noticed Nicole and her work, I was struck by her style. It wasn’t this preconceived notion that I had of pet photography. You know, very studio, portraity looking. It was contemporary, high contrast and had a commercial look to it. It was very appealing and I could certainly see how she was able to get customers. So, I asked her for an interview and she was happy to do so. I was thrilled. She has a lot to share and very good insight into photographing animals. I am sure you will be a big fan of her work, if you don’t already know her.
Nicole Mlakar-Livingston
Nicole: I always knew I wanted to be a photographer. When I graduated from high-school it seemed like the logical next step was to study photography in college. I was drawn to the documentary style of photography so I decided to attend the Photo Journalism program at the University of Texas at Austin. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what I was going to do when I got out of college but I knew I wanted to learn as much as I could while I was there. I took on a personal project to document life on the east side of Austin and I think that was when I really started to find my style. After college, I tried my hardest to pursue a photographic career but I needed to pay the bills so I took a job at an educational publisher as a photo researcher. Eight years later I found myself at the same company as the Manager of the very department I started in. Over the years I had took on a few photo projects (thanks to my dear writer friends: Mike Witzel and Gyvel Young) which I was very proud of but it left me wanting more.
I continually talked myself out of starting a photography business because I was reluctant to go digital and I was afraid of failure. One 30th birthday and one digital camera later, that fear was gone and I was ready to move forward. The next step was deciding what kind of photography business I wanted to create. After taking tons of images of my dog Ella with my new digital, instant gratification beauty, I realized how much I enjoyed looking for new ways to capture her little essence. It started to become quite clear to me that this was something I could really enjoy doing. Several months later, I knew I had made the right choice and I only wish I would have made the decision sooner.
P.O.T.P.: What is the most challenging animal you have ever had to photograph?
Nicole: There’s something about photographing small dogs that’s hard to explain. They are always on top of me. It’s hard to photograph a dog when it’s in your lap 95% of the time.
P.O.T.P.: Are the owners present when you photograph their pets?
Nicole: Yes and no. I am always torn about whether to have the parents around while I photograph their fur babies. It definitely helps calm the pets sometimes, but other times they are just a distraction. I kind of play it by ear.
P.O.T.P.: What are some tricks / tips that you would like to share to getting the animals to cooperate?
Nicole: A high pitched squeaker and some yummy treats will go a long way. The biggest trick of all is squeaking a squeaker in the same hand your shooting with while holding out a tasty treat in the other hand. Dogs think I am magic!
P.O.T.P.: Tell me about your own pets?
Nicole: I have an awesome terrier mix named Ella that I got from a shelter over 7 years ago. She is in my bio pictures with me. Ella is incredibly smart and she has the best personality. She also has some beautiful big brown eyes. I also have a fluffy Calico named Tuna. Tuna loves Ella…really, really loves her. All Tuna ever wants to do is lay as close to Ella as possible. Ella hated it at first but now she has learned to be a little more accommodating, though grudgingly so.
P.O.T.P.: Who are your typical customers?
Nicole: People who want to have a timeless art piece of their pet.
P.O.T.P.: What do you like most about photographing animals?
Nicole: I love capturing the spirit and soul of each animal.
P.O.T.P.: What do you dislike most about photographing animals?
Nicole: Nothing!
P.O.T.P.: How long have you been in the business?
Nicole: I started my pet photography business in March of this year.
P.O.T.P.: What is your favorite subject to photograph?
Nicole: Clearly, dogs are my favorite!
P.O.T.P.: Any tips for those considering getting into your line of work?
Nicole: With respect to pet portraits, in particular, you absolutely must be patient and gentle. Obviously, you have to be a pet lover and be ready for a lot of slobber, wet kisses, poop, and all other things animal. It’s also worth noting that you should be ready for a workout. I am always exhausted after chasing around pets for hours at a time.
P.O.T.P.: What is your biggest challenge being in business for yourself?
Nicole: Marketing! Every photographer will tell you that owning a photography business is 90% business and 10% talent. What a shame, huh? Sadly, it is true and I am always wracking my brain to come up with unique marketing ideas to spark client interest.
P.O.T.P.: What’s your secret to satisfied customers?
Nicole: Under promise and over deliver – plain and simple! Oh, and provide AWESOME photos that they will LOVE.
P.O.T.P.: Do you prefer to shoot on location or in the studio?
Nicole: I prefer on location for sure. Studio pet photography is amazing and I think for commercial images it can’t be beat. However, when it comes to fine art imagery I prefer natural light in a natural setting.
P.O.T.P.: Film or digital? Why?
Nicole: I will always love film. You just can’t beat a medium format black and white negative. However, I let film hold me back from starting a business for too long because I just couldn’t justify the cost and time of processing film. Once I decided to go digital I realized that I could pursue my dream without a huge hit to my budget.
P.O.T.P.: Besides pets, what area of photography interests you as well?
Nicole: I still really enjoy documentary work. The last project I worked on was a Barbecue book, entitled Legendary Barbecue (set to release this fall). I was able to photograph some really interesting pit masters in some literally heated environments. I would love to work on another photo journalistic project sometime soon.
P.O.T.P.: Your photographic heroes?
Nicole: Andre Kertesz and Henri-Cartier Bresson
P.O.T.P.: Windows or Mac?
Nicole: Mac – I can’t imagine it any other way…even if they force me to buy a new computer every three years.
P.O.T.P.: Any non profit organizations that you’ve been involved with
Nicole: I have worked with several dog rescue organizations in Austin to raise money for their charity. I’ve also helped get lovely pups adopted through beautiful portraits that no pet-seeking person can resist.
P.O.T.P.: List the top 5 ways you believe that photographers should educate themselves in photography.
Nicole: 1. Know and appreciate the history of photography. How do you know where you want to go if you don’t know where other people have been?
2. Shoot everyday
3. Find the extraordinary in the ordinary
4. Don’t get hung up on gear. You can do A LOT with one camera and one lens. Check out Henri-Cartier Bresson and Rodney Smith for examples.
5. Appreciate your peers work, but be determined to do something better
P.O.T.P.: How do you generally direct subjects?
Nicole: Whether it be dogs or people, I let the subject be themselves. It’s not about me or about what I want them to be. I wait and see what they have to give me.
Can’t get enough of Nicole? Check out her website: nicolemlakarphotography.com
