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

Holly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of the most meaningful projects I’ve been blessed to be a part of is The Tilly Project. The Tilly Project connects pet owners and families who are about to say goodbye to their pet with pet photographers who can provide some final portraits together. Losing a pet is never easy. I aim to provide these grieving families a few last happy memories together with their faithful friend before their time comes to pass. Owners find having these photographs provides them with a peace and acceptance of the loss of their pet. They’re able to look back and see their dog’s familiar happy face and find joy in the memories.

Holly, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a professional pet photographer that focuses primarily on creating dog portraits and commercial animal photography. I also provide End of Life pet photography services for families with terminally ill pets and/or those who are facing a tough decision around the declining health of their best friend

I have always loved working with animals and just being around them in general. I think my parents will tell you that growing up I wanted to adopt every animal under the sun. When I was in college for my Bachelor’s degree in Commercial Photography, I got my first ever dog–a corgi puppy named Stoli. He was such a ham for the camera that he quickly became my main muse. He is what got me into focusing on pet photography as a specialization. Back then (2009/2010-ish) pet photography wasn’t “a thing”. In fact I had a visiting professor once tell me I was crazy for thinking it could ever be “a thing”–he thought there would never be any demand for professional photos of pets, and told me to reconsider my life choices. But through it all, I always knew in my heart that I was on the right track, and that pet photography would be my greatest passion in life.

The corgi that started it all, Stoli, was my soul mate dog. He was one of those dogs that’s so perfect that you only ever get one in a lifetime. He passed unexpectedly just a few weeks shy of his 5th birthday. The loss completely rocked my world and I was absolutely devastated. I’ll be honest, it’s been 9 years since his passing and I still think of him every day and do still mourn the loss. One of the things that helps me to remember him is seeing his smiling face in photographs. They have the power to transport you back to a happy time and fill your mind with good memories of your pup. I wanted to be able to “pay it forward” in Stoli’s memory. I keep time available in my schedule every week for last-second end of life session and am usually able to get pets in for a session with me within 24-28 hours.

During End of Life sessions we make the dog’s comfort the #1 priority. I tailor each session to that dog’s individual needs and make the sessions as joyful and stress-free as possible. While we are photographing I’m constantly watching your dog for signs of discomfort. Dogs are continuously broadcasting what they’re feeling and what they need through tiny movements and changes in body language so subtle that most people don’t even notice. I am an expert at seeing and interpreting the subtle signals your dog gives off, and in turn I tailor what we are doing to what your dog needs. Allowing your dog to “run the show” helps create an enjoyable, stress-free experience for your pet. My goal is to always keep your pup safe, happy, engaged, and at the heart of everything we do.

When I say “I know dogs”, that’s an understatement. In addition to working professionally and commercially with animals for 14 years, I also have hundreds of hours of positive-reinforcement dog training classes under my belt, I have trained my own dogs in tricks, obedience, and agility. I have photographed so many dogs I’ve lost count. I volunteer my photography services to 2 local rescues by photographing adoptable dogs. This means I’ve also have extensive experience working with dogs who have experienced trauma, are under-socialized, have special needs, or are wary of humans. I’ve never met a dog that I couldn’t win over; sometimes it just takes a little extra patience and love for your dog to feel comfortable and come out of their shell. Before the end of photo shoot, dogs are all smiles—they might not even want to leave when the session is over!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have been fortunate to grow my Instagram following steadily over the years. It’s important to be putting out content people actually want to consume. Instagram also promotes content that has a high amount of interactions from viewers (comments, shares, saves). One way to grow that engagement is to ask your audience a question. For example, you can share a couple photos from the same shoot and ask your audience which one is their favorite. Your content doesn’t have to be hard-hitting life changing stuff every post. Sometimes people just want to see a funny picture of a dog and that’s enough.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Making a difference for animals and the people that love them is so rewarding. By photographing adoptable animals I am helping them find loving homes. With End of Life pet photography I am providing comfort to people going through one of the most difficult things in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hhildrethphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hhildrethphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hollyhildrethphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-hildreth-20b6a626/

Image Credits
© Holly Hildreth Photography