Henderson photography studio for pets helps animals in need of adoption

Today, she gets to spend the day with all the animals she wants at Pet’ographique, her animal photography studio at 2525 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway.

Since 2006, Dorff has photographed animals from dogs and cats to guinea pigs and rats.

Once, she even welcomed monkeys, otters, a porcupine and a toucan from Roos-N-More Zoo in Moapa.

“It was great,” Dorff said. “The monkey and the otter were friends, so we got some great photos of them.”

As much fun as it has been capturing four-legged friends, either solo or with their human family members, Dorff’s most rewarding pictures have been of the animals she has helped get adopted.

This practice became part of Dorff’s business when she opened in 2006.

It started after she visited a Weimaraner rescue group . The group’s photos of the W eimaraner , a silver dog with blue eyes, didn’t portray the dog she remembered seeing.

“In the picture they emailed me, the dog’s color was different and it didn’t capture his personality,” Dorff remembered .

Dorff said she would take some new photos to help with the dog’s adoption.

“If it worked, it worked, and if it didn’t, it was worth a shot,” Dorff said.

Not only did the new photos help, her photographs were discovered by other curious rescue groups and animal shelters .

“It just kind of snowballed from that,” Dorff said.

Now every week, the studio does from 10 to 15 adoption portrait sessions , said studio manager Allison Russell.

“Arica has photographed all sorts of animals in need from dogs and cats to rabbits, goats pigs and even chickens,” Russell said.

Dorff partners with animal shelters such as the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. All the agencies she partners with are no-kill shelters.

Recently, Dorff said there was a dog that had been at a shelter for 13 months.

“I took some new photos, and 48 hours after they were posted, he was adopted,” Dorff said.

Dorff believes photos play a pivotal role in adoptions and that people tend to skip over some animals because of bad photos.

Dorff, who started in the photo industry after going to a trade show, has learned a thing or two about photographing animals.

Her first rule: No play toys or treats unless it is a last resort.

“If a hand ful of candy won’t work to keep a kid still, what makes you think a handful of treats will work for a dog?” Dorff said. “Besides, I find squeaky toys annoying sometimes.”

Dorff knows every animal is a little different and adjusts accordingly.

When a dog or cat walks in, instead of rushing over to play with the animal, she sits back and lets the animal come to her when it is ready.

Dorff said the animals might find it intimidating to have new people hovering over them at first, so she lets them warm up to her. When the photo shoot starts, Dorff uses sounds and objects to divert the animal’s attention.

“Cats are very visual,” Dorff said. “They respond to me holding a feather or a colored ribbon.”

Dogs, on the other hand, respond to sounds, Dorff said.

Dorff will put a treat or an object in a container and shake it to get the dog’s attention.

“Just the sound of it causes them to perk up,” Dorff said.

People usually are amazed by how calm their pets are around her, Dorff said.

“They will look at the photos (of past shoots) and say, ‘That’s great, but my dog won’t sit that still,’ ” Dorff said.

Even with hard times, Dorff has been able to expand her business.

Russell said that in November 2011, the business moved from a 1,300-square-foot studio into its current 2,500-square-foot space.

Dorff said her first studio served as a trial-and-error space. As she grew in photo shoots and staff, moving was inevitable.

“The space was just too small for three people to work in,” Dorff said.

She envisions being in this Henderson studio for a while.

“I don’t see myself opening a second location in, like, Summerlin or other parts of the v alley,” Dorff said. “People come in from everywhere, including California, to get photos. I really just want to keep it a mom-and-pop-type place.”

For more information, visit petographique.com or call 568-0500.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 387-5201.