We recently connected with Sara Atkins-rauwald and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Sara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
There is something to be said about that first, non-childhood dog in your life that steals your heart and refuses to let go. I got my first adult-purchase dog just after Christmas in 2018. Her name is Honey and is the most loyal and hard-working Red Tri Australian Shepherd. Now, before you go judging me for buying a dog, understand that whether adopted or purchased, all dogs are in this world for reasons out of their control and are all needing the same thing: love. Adoption is not for everyone. Be kind, do what’s best for you, and don’t judge others for doing what’s best for them.
With that out of the way, back to my photography. Back in 2019, I was a relatively new college graduate. As a 2017, first generation grad from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I earned a BA in Journalism & Media Communication and Communication Studies, with a minor in French, and had just experienced my first corporate layoff from a Fortune 500 company. Nothing in school prepared me for staring down the tunnel of unemployment that had no apparent light at the end. In the midst of battling depression and anxiety, I decided to channel my energy into my family and creativity. One day, as I was sitting on our living room couch next to my buddy, camera on my lap (trying to beat the classic ADHD task initiation struggle), the sun hit our windows just right and cast a beautiful ray on Honey, shining just right on her eyes, showcasing her namesake honey-colored jewels. It was almost like the universe was calling to me to take her photo. The rest was history.
After blowing myself away by Honey’s on-camera beauty, I decided to do what any of us would and posted it on my private social media pages. I captioned it with a call-to-action to see if anyone would be interested in me taking photos of their pets. Within MINUTES, I had 25-30 people volunteering their best buds for a photo shoot. That was the moment I decided to create ARSAR Photography, where I have been Capturing Pets’ Unique Essences since 2019.
Sara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Sara Atkins-Rauwald and I am the Creative Director and Primary at ARSAR Photography. Photography has been in my blood since childhood, where my dad had an in-home studio that allowed me to learn first-had from a creative professional in the industry. Together, we did senior portraits, family photos, and once a year, a community event at our local vet. Over the years, I have channeled my inner child’s curiosity and gentle world perspective to connect at a very personal level with individuals seeking a creative way to place their furry pals on their family wall.
At ARSAR Photography, we offer bespoke photography experiences where we prioritize three things: Comfort, Safety, and Fun. We apply these values to every session and adapt them for each individual situation, because no two pets are alike. Our most desired sessions are our Adventure Sessions. These are a collaboration between myself and the pet parent where we find the optimal location, season, time, and direction to fulfill my client’s individual visions. We start with a brainstorming session quickly followed by our meet-and-greets. Believe it or not, these meet-and-greets are the key to a successful session. We find it crucial that our pup clients are comfortable with our presence and with the giant eyeball of my camera continuously attempting to make eye contact with them. Without knowing what other fellow pet photographers in my area do as part of their process, I believe this is one of the things that makes us stand out. We let pets be. We never force our subjects to sit and stay in one place for long, and on the flip side, we never force a sleeping pup to run a marathon. This means that we generally don’t have time limits for our session, and every set of deliverables is dependent on parent involvement and a pup’s health and energy levels. The session is always in my client’s hands.
I am proud of the caliber of experience that I have been able to create over the years. This year marks my fifth win for Best of Omaha, a milestone I never dreamed would be possible without the support of my mentors, friends, family, and amazing clients. If there is one thing that I would like potential clients to know is to book a session now, while your pet has that sparkle in their eye. That light isn’t there forever, and I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten emergency session requests for furry pals with terminal illnesses, causing them to have diminished energy and increased likelihood of aggression due to pain. For those interested in seeing the vivid contrast that even a year can create, I wrote a blog post on our personal experience on an end-of-life session of my partner’s soul-dog, Charlie. (Link: https://arsar.photography/end-of-life-sessions/)
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding part of my job as a pet photographer is witnessing the connection between a human and their pet. I am fortunate enough to be trusted with extraordinary stories of the impact these four-legged creatures have had on their owners. I have worked with pups that became a reason to return home, soul dogs, rescue dogs, therapy dogs, as well as family dogs that have been loved by multiple generations. My goal as a pet photographer is to capture these unique relationships and offer snapshots showcasing the immense bonds that humans create with their pets. Being a creative, especially as a photographer means that people are trusting my creative eye to freeze time in a meaningful way. It means that someone saw my work and thought, ‘Wow, she’s right, my pup does deserve a spot on the family wall! I better call Sara and have her capture my pet’s unique essence.’ 😉
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I am going to be the person I needed when I was starting and offer permission to anyone who feels trapped and suffocated in the world of social media. You don’t need social media to have a successful business. I said it. Haters gonna hate. Social media has become the main driver for business today, and as a creative, I find it absolutely draining to try to keep up with the ever-changing trends on social channels. Yes, I do have Instagram and Facebook, however, I only post what I’m most proud of, whenever I feel like it. My business took off in 2019, and believe me when I tell you that trying to create content continuously through a global pandemic found me in a deep depression and burnout without an escape. I felt like a hamster on a hamster wheel, feeling that I was never doing enough. Jon Bellion put it swiftly when he said ‘My coffee lost kick being everybody’s cup of tea.”
I would encourage anyone just starting to add their mental health to the list of Cost of Doing Business. My partner is the leading advocate for the saying ‘If it costs your peace of mind, it’s too expensive’. While it might be a ‘free’ tool, I am not alone in feeling that, at the end of the day, social media feels like a second full-time job that sucks the life out of you. My alternative suggestion, and what I have embraced, is to focus on quality over quantity. Get involved in your community, make connections, and ensure you have a top-notch product you can get on Google through solid SEO. Be intentional with your energy – pick one thing and get good at it. Know your worth and be consistent, and when the time is right, success is bound to come knocking at your door.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://arsar.photography/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arsar.photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arsar.photography
Image Credits
First uploaded image taken by Alan Holtmeier