Washougal pet photographer plans expansion

Growing up on a farm, with separated parents and no siblings, Jess Kristen Peterson gravitated to the dogs, cats, horses, chickens and other animals that were around her on a daily basis.

“They were my family,” Peterson said. “I think there has been an evolution. Animals are being more respected in the whole household. They’re not just seen as property; they’re seen as family members. For me, they’re everything.”

When it came time to consider her career path, Peterson’s connections with the animals in her life played a big role in her decision to become a pet photographer.

“It brings me more fulfillment than any other job ever,” she said. “I’ve never done accounting for somebody and had them gush over the spreadsheets that I’ve made them. But I’ve had people email me three, four years after their session, (saying) their pet just passed away, and they’re looking at the images that we took together and how much they’re going to mean for them for the rest of their lives, and that’s impactful for me. That’s what living is all about — leaving a legacy. I don’t have kids, so my legacy is going to be how I can help to affect other people’s relationships with their pets, and I love that whole idea.”

Now, Peterson, who recently purchased a home in rural Washougal, has plans to expand her pet photography business, Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography, to utilize her home’s 5 acres of fully fenced property.

“I love the Gorge. It just feels better out here,” said Peterson.

She is sitting on a plastic moving box in a shop building she plans to renovate into an indoor photography studio later this year.

“It’s so much more peaceful,” she says of living in rural Washougal. “This was always a dream, and we never thought that we would ever achieve it. … It’s going to be a work in progress, but it’s going to eventually be amazing.”

At her property, which she calls “Fuzzy Butt Farm,” Peterson plans to offer private outdoor and indoor studio pet photography sessions, as well as “mini-sessions” that will provide an opportunity for the public to see how Peterson’s process works before they sign up for a private photography session.

“I like to try to create an experience for them to have with their pet,” Peterson said. “I want the pet and the owner to have a good time, because if they’re not, it’s going to (show) in the photos. It’s more about creating a really fun experience for them to have with their pet and create some beautiful memories, works of art that they can put on their walls at their home.”

Peterson said that, while dog owners represent the majority of her clients, she also photographs many other types of domesticated animals.

“I’ve done cats, horses, guinea pigs, mice, rabbits, cows, goats — anything that you can bond with,” she said.

Peterson’s career path took a few turns before she found her groove in pet photography. After she graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinema and Television in 2004, Peterson worked as a freelance wedding photographer.

She was thinking about breaking into pet photography in 2007, but instead decided to accept an offer from her father to help with his real estate business.

“I was living in Los Angeles at the time, and I hated it, so I took (the job), even if it meant not pursuing my passion — I needed to get out of the city,” she said. “I eventually became an accountant and a controller, so I learned how to run a business from the inside that way. But all along the way, I was still photographing for friends and family.”

She kept shooting wedding photos and, at the same time, began to dabble in capturing pet portraits.

Peterson launched Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography in 2017. She was working out of the Vancouver home she and her husband had moved into after relocating to the Pacific Northwest.

“I was in a home with a little backyard, so all of my photography up until now has been outdoors and on location,” she said. “I’ll meet with people at Cannon Beach, Mount Hood, Latourell Falls, all over the area. And because of my experience with wedding photography — shooting on location and in the outdoors — I’m good to go with any kind of weather scenario or lighting scenario.”

Peterson said she hasn’t explored studio photography because it has proven difficult to rent a photography studio for pet photos.

“I tried to rent studios in Portland, but they didn’t want animals because of the hair or whatever mess they can create,” she explained.

At Fuzzy Butt Pet Photography, each photo session is, according to Peterson, “carefully designed and crafted around your pet to bring out their best personality in a variety of beautifully framed images and locations.”

The key to getting a good pet photo, she said, is letting the animal have time to relax and get comfortable first.

“You have to have patience in order to make it work out. You have to make the pet comfortable, and you have to motivate them. Just like with training, you have to give them a reason to be happy, using treats and toys,” she said. “You have to make sure you have the right settings to capture them in fast motions, so that you can grab those still shots of them running and jumping and flying.”

But the biggest trick to getting a good shot, Peterson said, “is just learning how to read a pet, their attitude, how they’re feeling, if they’re feeling tense. Sometimes I’ll work with a pet and they are a little bit not sure. You can sense they’re a little reserved. So I’ll tell the owner, ‘Just go love them up. Just rub them up, give them a bunch of kisses,’ and within five minutes, they’re happy, the tongue is out, the ears are up.”

Peterson’s pet photography business supports no-kill animal shelters and has helped raise money for several shelters throughout the nation, including the Southwest Washington Humane Society in Vancouver; Oregon Dog Rescue, Family Dogs New Life Shelter, Rose City Rabbit Rescue and the Oregon Humane Society in Portland; Killham Bear Center in New Hampshire; Husky Halfway House in Oklahoma; Maui Humane Society in Hawaii; and Three Little Pitties in Texas

“I always donate a portion of (money from) my sessions, either to the rescue of the person’s choice, or a shelter of my choice on their behalf, anywhere from 10 percent to 50 percent of the session,” she said. “I like to give back. There’s almost an epidemic of unwanted pets, or pets that are being euthanized because of overcrowding in shelters and things of that nature. It’s really heartbreaking.”

Helping support no-kill animal shelters is one of Peterson’s passions.

“Over the years, I’ve donated at least $30,000 toward different rescues. … It’s something I’m very proud of and happy to see continue,” she said.

Last month, Peterson found out that she has been selected to receive professional mentorship from Claudio Piccoli, an international award-winning pet photographer.

“It’s an opportunity that I was not expecting to have,” she said. “I saw he had an online course about studio pet photography, and I was like, ‘I’m going to pay for this and learn and figure out what I need.’ I reached out and said, ‘Thank you for the opportunity,’ and sent him (a link to) my website. He checked it out and said, ‘‘You have really, really good work, and if you would ever want a mentorship, I take on only 10 people a year, and I have to hand-choose the people that I bring on. I have a spot opening up in January. If you would like to have a phone call to learn more, we can,’ and we did.”

Peterson said Piccoli will teach her about the best equipment to purchase for her new studio.

“I will get his sign-off on what I need for the studio,” she said. “I feel like I could always learn on my own, which is how I’ve learned my whole life, but having his expertise basically come in and say, ‘This is what you need. This is what you don’t need. And here’s how to do it,’ is going to save so much time and provide such a better experience for everybody. Having the opportunity to work with somebody like Claudio is going to be game-changing, so I’m really excited for that.”

For more information about Peterson and her pet photography business, visit fuzzybuttpetphotos.com.