We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lara Clear a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lara, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Family Portrait was born from a shared belief that a pet is more than just a companion, they are the soul of the home. They are family. The project sparked when Julie began sharing film photography of her own cat on Instagram; the response was immediate and undeniable, with followers captivated by her ability to translate a pet’s unique essence through a lens.
Julie brings her unique editorial vision and stunning film aesthetic to every session, moving beyond the standard pet photo to create timeless, soulful art. But for us, the work doesn’t end with a beautiful image. Guided by a deep love for animals, Family Portrait is committed to giving back and a portion of every shoot booked is donated to an animal shelter of the client’s choice.
At Family Portrait, we also take photos of animals in shelters around LA that are up for adoption and we endeavor to capture their unique personality to help spread awareness on socials while they are waiting for their forever homes.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
As an actress and producer, I’ve spent my career navigating the intersection of art and logistics by bringing complex characters to life and building productions from the ground up through my company, Whispering Birch. Based in Los Angeles but working extensively across both the UK and EU, I’ve always been drawn to projects that feel raw, authentic, and slightly “outside the box.”
Whether I’m on a film set for producing or acting my discipline is always centered on high-level collaboration and telling stories that have an impact. Our photos at Family Portrait also tell a story. Julies photography always have so much life and tell a story.
Today, my work spans two distinct but complimentary worlds. Most recently, I’ve expanded that creative reach into the world of high-end pet photography with Family Portrait, a venture I co-founded with my collaborator Julie Pacino.
At Family Portrait, we provide editorial-style film photography for animals. We aren’t just “taking pictures”; we are creating fine art that captures the specific, soulful essence of a pet.
What distinguishes my brand whether in film or photography is the marriage of a high-end aesthetic with a deep social conscience. For Family Portrait specifically, we solve the “generic pet photo” problem. We treat our animal subjects with the same editorial rigor Julie uses in her cinematic work.
Furthermore, we are a mission-driven brand. We believe that success is hollow without community impact, which is why a portion of every shoot we book is donated to an animal shelter of the client’s choosing. This empowers our clients to be part of the solution for animals in need.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
We are still building our social media audience now as we just started a new Instagram page @portraitsbypacino so please follow us and help us get a following and a community.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
We love partnering with Pet Groomers, pet walkers, sitters, vets. Really anyone in the animal care industry I would love to connect with and see if we can collaborate.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Family Portrait