Dog-hearted Kianne

Sacha Walters-Gregory, Staff Reporter

Kianne Hutchinson is an animal photographer, but she has a penchant for dogs. She prefers the animals as subjects as opposed to humans because their personalities show in their faces.

"When you make different sounds, their faces just light up with a tonne of facial expressions," said Hutchinson, joy and passion lilting her voice. She first got interested in animal photography when she introduced her four-year-old pit bull Freddy to her camera lens.

"Then I went on to some friends' dogs and it's the same big thrill that I got," said the part-time photographer, who has a small tattoo of a dog on her left shoulder.

Hutchinson tried photographing people, but she was just not enthusiastic. "I've always been passionate about animals, dogs in particular. Two years ago, I took up photography, but I realised when I was shooting people it was more technical."

Two years into photography and eight months formally in her business Wooftography, Hutchinson says she's had various dog breeds and other pets as subjects for different purposes.

"When I just started, I did bigger dogs, like an Akita or a Rottweiler, some guys who had pit bulls and I just recently started with the smaller dogs, like the yorkie poodles," she said.

"For me, my focus is on the animal. If the owner wants to be in it, he or she will be supporting cast, but it's really all about the animal," said Hutchinson, who explained that owners photograph their dogs for sentimental reasons or to be used as large artistic photos in their homes.

Because of Hutchinson's deep love for animals, dogs in particular, she wants her business to help make their lives better.

"I've actually placed several dogs in good homes, some rescued from less-than-ideal conditions, some whose owners were unable to care for them further and also from the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," said Hutchinson. "As Wooftography grows, I want to use part ofitto help raise awareness of specific dogs who need homes," she said.

Hutchinson, whose nine-to-five job is a medical representative, believes that Jamaicans are slowly getting around to treating animals better.

"It used to be you just stone a dog on the street and you just keep it moving," she said, adding, "but that's changing."

Veterinarians and animal food distributors can stand testament to the positive shift, according to her.

"When we were in the height of the recession, a lot of sales were going down, but they reported that dog-food sales continued to grow. So people are starting to become really more passionate about their animals and it's a really good thing to see because Jamaica has had such a history of animal abuse," she said. However, Hutchinson acknowledged there is still a long way to go when it comes on to the humane treatment of animals.

"We still do have a fairly high amount, but people are becoming more and more aware that animals do have feelings. You don't have to go out and worship them, but just to cognisant that they do have feelings and you have to be a responsible owner," she said.

Hutchinson acknowledges that her business caters to a niche market.

"I took it from the standpoint that it's just something that I love to do, whether or not it became this 'ginarmous' business, I'd still be happy," she said.

"So it's not just a personal service where you have your dog and you want pictures, but organisations that have to do with any dog-related service or product."

Contact Wooftography at 289-4788 or wooftography@gmail.com, or veiw images on their public Facebook page at Facebook.com/wooftography.