Cowbelly Pet Photography workshops are 3-day intensive workshops designed to teach photographers everything they need to start, build, and grow successful pet photography businesses and become really rocking at what they do!

The workshops are taught by me, Jamie Pflughoeft, owner of Cowbelly Pet Photography in Seattle (more on me below).

It is my personal goal to see everyone who completes the workshops become wildly sucessful in their businesses and create a career they find meaningful and rewarding. I intend to hold nothing back and give a no-holds-barred account of what it has taken me to get to where I am, now 5 years into my business that has become everything I dreamed it could be and more.

I share my triumphs, my mistakes, my learning experiences, my secret tips, and most importantly my massive accumulation of knowledge born from a longtime obsession with pet photography. I share all of my secrets when it comes to getting great shots of dogs (and cats!), my processing techniques on how to take them from good to great with software, my tips on how to get into editorial and stock, my strategies for how to fill your pipeline, and all aspects of your business that you need to know to become not just a great photographer, but a successful businessperson as well. 

So now you probably want to know more about me and hear why I think you should learn from me! Read on.

My name is Jamie Pflughoeft (‘flew-hoff’ it’s German); I am a full time professional pet photographer; owner of Cowbelly Pet Photography, a Seattle-based business specializing in candid, documentary-style pet photography shot on location in a fun, happy, colorful style.

The first time I ever picked up a 'serious' camera was when I was 17. I took a darkroom film class. I loved the photography, the developing? not so much. But I continued doing it anyway, because I thought it was fun. I think for me it was always about expressing myself creatively. I have always been motivated by my own internal creativity, and was drawing and painting practically out of the womb, so photography was just another way of creating art. 

I dabbled in photography off and on until 1999, when I picked up my old Pentax film camera again and started doing pet photography while working as a dogwalker and petsitter and going to school studying animal behavior. I loved it so much that four years later, in July of 2003, on the advice of a friend, I started my business: Cowbelly Pet Photography. I worked part-time with the business until the early spring of 2005, when I made the transition to working full time after the demand for my services became so great I had to quit my day job- there was no way I could do both. I have been working full-time with my business ever since, and only photograph domestic animals (85% dogs, 15% cats), and don’t shoot babies, weddings, non-dog events, people or products. Just pets! Why only pets? a) because they are my bliss and b) I don’t really want or need to shoot anything else.

I broke even in my first year of business, and my business income has continued to grow exponentially every year. I make all of my equipment purchases in cash, and don’t rely on the income from a spouse or business partner to get by. My sucess hasn’t piggybacked another photographer, pet business or photography service’s success- I have gotten to where I am all on my own. My photography is much more than just a hobby for me, it is my business. It supports me, it thrills me. It continues to delight me in the opportunities that come my way. 

And I have had some pretty amazing opportunities!

I have shot 20 dogs in a doggie birthday pool party (and I do mean IN the pool), I have participated in more art shows and events than even I can remember, I have worked for over 400 clients both locally and nationally, I have done commercial photography for some major name companies and am represented by an Australian Stock agency that supplies images to clients around the world, just to name a few. I have an assistant and a very busy schedule, an office in a fabulous centrally-located studio, a network of mac computers, and some pretty awesome camera gear.

Aside from all of that, why should you learn from me?

Because I am super passionate about what I do, and love sharing that passion with others. 

I get totally jazzed seeing people reach their goals, and am secure enough not to be afraid to help others in my industry. 

I don't take myself, or photography for that matter, too seriously. I aschew the traditional rules of photography and prefer to pave my own way. I am all about being original and expressing your individuality, and feel that every person on the planet has something really unique and special to offer. When it comes to photography, my attitude is "whatever works!". I am all about DIY and finding your own way to do things. I love helping people find the little things that make them special. 

Most importantly, I am acutely aware that to be a successful pet photographer, one needs to have strong skills that go far beyond photography. You can be an incredibly talented photographer but without a filled pipeline and regular consistent clients, you merely have a expensive hobby, not a business.

Some strengths I bring to the table: I am a photographer, a businesswoman, a web designer, a graphic designer, an expert dog wrangler, a fantastic researcher, a customer service rep, skilled photo editor, marketing research pro, SEO expert, accountant, seasoned networker and employer, just to name a few. I have thousands of hours of experience doing pet photography but most importantly I am a successful business owner.

I love to teach. I love to help. And now I am here for YOU!

Need more convincing?

Check out the rest of the site for more info.

And be sure to visit my blog to see all of the work I've been up to lately. Oh, and I promise I don't normally brag this much! In fact, I think you'll find me to be refreshingly modest. :-)

All site content and design © Cowbelly Pet Photography, LLC. All rights reserved. Pet photography workshops. Dog photography workshops.

24 Roy St #466 Seattle WA 98109. 206.335.8096. workshops@cowbelly.com