Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaina Montiel.
Shaina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always been a huge dog lover. Growing up we always had litters of puppies of Shih Tzus running around in my backyard. Along with always have a passion for puppies, was my love of having a small point and shoot. My younger sister and I always asked for them for Christmas as kids. I eventually went on to major in Film at the California State University of Long Beach.
I quickly realized I loved being behind the camera, but not in the sense of being a director, but just love seeing things come to life behind the lens. I bought my first DSLR as a graduation gift after college and found I was in love with taking photos of my dogs. I started asking my friends if they wanted photos of their dogs too just for fun. I noticed a lack of dog photographers in my city and started a Yelp page called Paw Prints Pet Photography.
From there, people began hiring me to take photos of their pets. One of the photos I took of a client’s Pitbull puppy made it into the official DogsofInstagram book. I have not stopped taking photos of dogs even with a full-time job and attending school for a teaching credential program. I am so happy that I get to continue doing something I’m passionate about as my hobby.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been a slow road. Every year I get a few more clients and a few more projects. This past year has been my highest client count to date. Many of the clients I get end up become returning ones. If I don’t get paying clients for a month or two, I usually handpick a few dogs from my @DogsofWhittier account to give a free photo shoot to just to continue building my portfolio.
Paw Prints Pet Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in pet photos. 90% of the clients are dogs, however, I have taken photos of farm animals, horses, cats, even tortoises. What sets me apart are my affordable prices for the quality. I’m also extremely patient with the dogs and owners to the point where I am sore for three days because of the amount of crouching and squatting I do to take photos of energetic-cant-stand-still type of dogs! I want as many people as I can find to have good quality photos of their loving pets.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment by far was being featured in the DogsofInstagram published book. It was a full page photo of a Pitbull puppy I had taken for St. Patrick’s day.
Being recognized for my photography made me realize I’m not just some crazy dog lady. I am someone who has a special eye for bringing out a dog’s personality through photography.
Pricing:
- $75 for an hour shoot, 10-15 miles from Whittier
- $45 for 30-minute shoot, 10-15 miles from Whittier
Contact Info:
- Address: 13956 Freiburg St
- Website: www.shainamontiel.com
- Phone: 5625872438
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @dogsofwhittier
- Facebook: @pawprintspetphotography
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
