My name is Nichole, dane + dane studios is my baby. I conceptualized this business in 2005 when I had the opportunity to leave school to start a studio of my own. Being the fiercely independent creative type that I am – it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I was ready to start building something that mattered.
We had very simple beginnings in the booming metropolis of Bainbridge Island, WA {a wonderfully small island community across the Puget Sound}, but quickly outgrew our fledgling location and transplanted to Seattle. I still miss Indianola Beach {where I used to live}, Blackbird Bakery {the best flatbreads, soups, cookies and toast I’ve ever had} and the Kitsap Humane Society {where I started “Operation Portrait Pawsitive” and I still donate photography for their annual calendar and auction catalog.}
The name, “dane + dane” was inspired by my darling “Squishims” – my harlequin Great Dane, Olivia. She changed my life. Inspired me to see that other people might love their dogs as much as I did and that maybe this crazy “pet photography” idea might really work. She was right. {She usually is, whether I like it or not.}
Since those good ol’ early days I have photographed well over 2,000 dogs {+ a respectable amount of cats and horses}, have had work published in nearly every national dog lifestyle publication {including Bark Magazine nationally and CityDog Magazine regionally}, have been a featured photographer in Professional Photographer Magazine and was the sole photographer for “The Good Behavior Book for Dogs” (Quarry, 2007). Oh I also love design and have helped create a handful of brands, including another one of my own: Dog is Good.
In the Fall of 2007 one of the best things happened -I received an email from a girl named Amelia Soper who was about to graduate from the Seattle Art Institute and wanted to intern for dane + dane. What I didn’t know what I agreed to meet with her, was that she was destined to be one of the best things to ever happen to dane + dane studios {and me, for that matter}. In 2007 photographer Amelia Soper joined the dane + dane pack and with her, a new division of dane + dane emerged: wedding photography.
Together Amelia (Amy) and I spend our time capturing masterful pet photography, photographing a select few awesome weddings, traveling up + down the West coast documenting various pet friendly resorts + getaways and generally helping other pet businesses put their best paw forward.
These days I describe dane + dane studios as a “boutique creative firm”, specializing in pet photography + design for discerning individuals and businesses around the globe. So far, our global community includes Africa {Malawi to be exact}, Mexico, Canada and the UK.
In addition to my dane + dane responsibilities, together with my colleague and direct competitor {yes, really} Jamie Pflughoeft, I facilitate destination workshops for aspiring pet photographers, in the hopes that they might learn from my many mistakes, as well as be inspired by our combined successes. For more information about these intensive pet photography workshops visit: passportworkshops.com
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That pretty much sums it up. I love my job, my clients and my colleagues {ok, and my dogs, duh!?} – I am superbly blessed to do what I love for a living and share in such a wonderful community of pet photographers.
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