Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Robert Rocco. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Robert, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I strive to provide professional photos of my clients accomplishments on the trial field, no matter the location. I put maximum effort to ensure that every competitor has quality photos of their team and show that all the hard work they put into training and trialing pays off.

The biggest motivator that drives me is that nobody knows which trial or competition could be the last for their dog, and I want to ensure that they have these memories with their canine athletic companions to keep and cherish for the rest of their lives. Time is precious, and to be able to freeze and preserve these moments for them makes me want to work harder every event.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am from the small state of Rhode Island and I have been photographing since 2008.

Having started with just the basics, my focus has evolved quite a bit over the years starting with landscapes/scenery, then to car shows and motorsports, to now dog sport events.

Initially, I had no intention on getting into dog sports mainly for the fact that I had no idea they really existed for quite some time. My wife at the time ended up competing quite a bit once we moved to Rhode Island in 2018, and after tagging along with her to different events, I was eventually convinced to bring my camera with me . Little did I know how that one moment would change my craft for the next 5 years.

Now, I travel all over New England and the Midwest going to various dog sporting events like Fast CAT (Lure Coursing), Dock Diving, UpDog (Frisbee), and Agility, providing coverage for all the clubs that help put these events together.

At the moment, I operate only by myself, slowly growing my business and offering my services to various areas in the United States. I strive to provide high quality images and great customer service to those that compete and hope to give them something to smile about when they view the photos I have taken of their dog doing the things they love.

I would say that the biggest thing I love about what I do is being able to provide those memories to my clients in a tangible form. I want to showcase the teamwork they put forward with their canine companions as most of these sports wouldn’t happen if not for both the handler and dog relationship.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is being able to have the freedom to experiment with new things. You won’t ever be “stuck” offering the same thing over and over again making it a repetitious workflow. Being able to change things up and figure out how to make new products for the clients that cater to your creative itch makes the work much more enjoyable.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think that being respectful to my clients first and foremost is the number one thing that brings people back. Having and maintaining professionalism helps me stay on task and build a reputation that will ensure other clubs or organizations utilize my services at their events without worry.

I would also say that my turnaround time for photo galleries has also contributed to my reputation early on. Although those times have changed slightly due to the increased volume and demand for my services, I am still trying to find creative and effective ways to improve how the back end of my services operate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rnroccophoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rnroccophoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rnroccophoto

Image Credits

Personal Photo: taken by Nadia Hall with Barking Dog Images