Today we’d like to introduce you to John Fletcher
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had a love for animals, and I developed (pun intended) a strong interest in photography/cinematography between the 5th and 6th grade. That was the summer I severely broke my wrist falling out of the hay loft of a barn, and had to wear a full arm cast for about 6 weeks. Because I couldn’t participate in my usual summer activities like swimming and running around, I ended up digging my parents old windup movie camera out of the closet and started making little stop motion animated movies.
I studied film and video production back in college, but it always remained more of a hobby until the about 8 years ago when my girlfriend at the time convinced me to purchase a “real” camera to take on a once in a lifetime trip to South Africa. She knew I’d be disappointed only taking iPhone photos of the animals we were going to encounter on our safaris. I think she may have regretted that suggestion because I ended up diving headlong into photography, learning as much as possible about the newer DSLRs and editing tools like Lightroom and Photoshop.
For about 4 years I focused (there I go again) on travel, wildlife and landscape photography, but I knew I wanted to do more with my skills. When the pandemic hit, and I couldn’t travel as much as I was used to, an amazing dog photographer from Italy caught my attention, Claudio Piccoli. I ended up taking a live online course with him and learning a lot about both snapping incredible action shots of dogs and high-end studio portraits. Back towards the end of 2021, I even met up with him for in-person training. I’ve also studied the camera/lighting techniques and editing styles of several other pet photographers, and back in October of last year, I decided to officially open Get Pet Pics with a couple of my friends who have a little bit better knowledge of the business side of things.
From the start, I’ve wanted GPP’s mission to include helping animals in need and making a difference in the community. So, a large portion of our time and effort is spent supporting local shelters such as Nashville Humane Association, with whom we work very closely. This includes providing photography during their charity events, taking photos of the adoptable dogs and cats (we just took some cute Christmas themed pics of a bunch of the dogs in their care), and donating photo packages for fundraising. I have such a great deal of respect for the work our community shelters do.
Alright, 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?
I wanted to open my pet photography business sooner, but the early 2020s brought a decent amount of uncertainty with me relocating from Atlanta to Pittsburgh to Nashville in the span of about a year and a half. I’ve been settled outside of Nashville since May of 2023, and I finally feel like I have a strong support system here to make my dream a reality.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned, I also do other types of photography from business headshots for people to drone photo work, but my true passion is pet photography under the Get Pet Pics name.
I am most proud of my ability to take both high-end portraits and action shots, depending on what is most likely to make an animal’s personality shine, from dogs to cats to horses and more! I feel just as comfortable working in the studio as I do outdoors or on location and can use natural light, studio quality strobes and a mixture of the two to their greatest effect. I am also an expert photo editor and know how to give photos that professionally finished quality.
I think what really sets Get Pet Pics apart is our desire to work with our clients and tailor our personal sessions to bring out the best. We also tailor our approach to our subjects, knowing that each beloved companion has their own unique personality.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always considered myself an introvert. I’m also one of those people who will go to a party and be more interested in hanging out with the dog or cat than the people. The one thing I will talk someone’s ear off about is photography. If you get me started talking about that, it’s hard to get me to stop.
Pricing:
- Mini Studio Sessions starting around $150
- Longer format personal studio sessions starting around $300
- Longer format on location sessions starting around $500
- Be on the lookout for seasonal/holiday themed pop-ups around Nashville
- Please contact us to discuss what you’re looking for
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getpetpics.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getpetpics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getpetpics
- Other: https://www.fletchjrphotography.com/
