Sheffield pet photographer expands business to start animal modelling agency

Spending her working hours watching, and taking photographs of, adorable animals in their natural habitat as she tries to capture the unique bond they have with their owner has been a dream come true for Emily Nicholson, who runs Pet Stories.

"I’ve had plenty of moments when I’ve been in beautiful locations with beautiful dogs, and have thought: ‘Is this really my job’,” said Emily, of Hillsborough.

The 28-year-old started Pet Stories four years ago after she began to enjoy taking pictures of her Cavalier King Charles dog, Ted, and realised she wanted to make a change from her job as a trend forecaster.

When she first started the business, Emily, a self-taught photographer, was often asked why she had chosen a such a niche area of photography, and people told her she should diversify and offer her services for weddings too.

Despite this, Emily persevered with her vision for her pet photography business and it soon began to go from strength to strength.

“My motto is I don’t stage anything, I go to someone’s home or follow them on a walk. I completely follow the pet’s lead, and just capture what’s going on,” she said.

As with most businesses, Emily experienced a downturn in work when the Covid-19 pandemic began to take hold last year, and decided to expand the business to launch the Pet Stories Model Agency earlier this month.

"From my previous job, I’ve got a researcher’s eye and so many pet accounts following me on Instagram, and more suggested to me through the algorithm, so I’ve been in a position where I’m coming across these amazing animals all the time,” Emily explained.

Since starting the pet modelling wing of the business in March, Emily has already booked one job with an Afghan hound called Larry that will take place in a “beautiful house in Leeds” and she will also be getting involved with the commission by taking photographs.

Her books are currently full, but she will be releasing jobs with casting calls in the near future.

For more information, please visit the Pet Stories website here: https://www.petstories.co.uk/

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