Up close and personal with wildlife photographer Alex Cearns

IMAGINE spending every day getting up close and personal with some of the world's cutest animals - but a warning, this job involves sloppy kisses to the face.

Picture: Alex Cearns.

WHILE most of us sit tapping at a computer screen during a typical day in the office, wildlife photographer Alex Cearns spends her time doing something different all together.

She is the founder and creative director of award-winning Houndstooth Studio, a Perth-based business that specialises in photographing animals from rabbits and dogs, to reptiles, giraffes and ducklings, each of whom has their own distinct character she describes as a "joy to capture".

"It is so wonderful to spend time with all manner of creatures, each of whom has an individual personality and relates to me in a different way. I sometimes get covered in poo, spit and goo, and you have to watch for sloppy dog kisses to the face, but I wouldn't want it any other way," she said.

She tells us what a typical day on the job entails.

7am-8am: Start early to answer emails and administer Houndstooth Studio's Facebook site which has more than 83,000 followers. She posts client shoot previews and shares pet related information with the growing online community.

8am-9am: Edit more than 150 images for my evening clients to view using photo shop and working with a digital retoucher.

Ms Cearns said to be a successful pet photographer you need to possess very fast timing, quick reflexes and patience.

"Pre-empting the movement of your subject is paramount - a very special photograph can happen in a split second. You also need an affinity with animals and an understanding of how they react, move and convey emotion."

Picture: Alex Cearns.

9am-11am: This involves a quick meeting to discuss an upcoming charity tour to India and trip to Africa where she will provide expert advice to local photographers.

This is followed by cleaning and tidying the studio and checking cameras are charged and the treat jar is stocked.

11am-12pm: First photo session of the day takes place, followed by checking emails and responding to phone calls.

12.15pm-1pm: Take dogs Pip and Pixel to the park for a play and grab quick lunch if there's time.

Ms Cearns started her business in 2007 while working for the government and won an award that led to professional representation. She has since built up a huge following in Perth and is usually booked out months in advance.

Picture: Alex Cearns.

1pm-2pm: Second shoot of the day - a puppy this time.

2pm-2.30pm: Upload sneak peek images to Facebook and restock dog treats and toys for studio.

2.30-4pm: Order photos from the lab, followed by third shoot of the day which is a sugar glider that was rescued after a storm.

Ms Cearns said her favourite part of the job is working with an amazing array of animals, as well as the impact it has when she produces a photograph for their owners. She also does pro-bono work for local shelters to increase donations and awareness about rescue pets.

"My clients love their pets and want them immortalised in beautiful, professional portraiture. Many have never seen their pets photographed in such a way and it's a true gift to see their genuine joy when they view the images for the first time," she said.

Picture: Alex Cearns.

4pm-5.30pm: Photo shoot at the Dogs Refuge Home of WA for their 2013 Christmas cards. Ms Cearns said although they edit some photos most are left relatively untouched.

"We have a digital editor on our team - she gives all my images a once over check, and removes things like dribble, eye goo and stray hairs - basically anything the subject didn't walk into the studio with. The editing on our subjects is actually very minimal. She also makes sure our backgrounds are bright white or jet black."

5.30pm-9pm: Prepare for viewing sessions and conduct three client sessions back to back. These are where clients to see their pets for the first time.

9pm-10pm: Editing and design of charity fundraising book for Free the Bears Fund and Wildlife Alliances Care For Rescued Wildlife Program, followed by backing up images and doing final email checks.

Picture: Alex Cearns.

Ms Cearns said she has also worked with animals with disabilities and she takes great care to photograph them sensitively.

"Animals with disabilities or injuries can be frightening to some people because they don't look 'normal'. I aim to touch people emotionally by photographically capturing the faultless spirit of a rescue animal in a fresh, new way. The organisations we support use these images across various mediums.

"I also pride myself in helping to reduce the fears and negative reactions some people have to animals. People who are afraid of crabs, snakes or rats have commented that after viewing my images of these creatures they suddenly saw them in a new light and felt differently,"

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