Kristy Walker is a San Diego-based photographer with a background in photojournalism. Perhaps due in part to the upcoming birth of her first child this May, she has recently changed gears to focus on children and maternity, and stylized dog photography via her newly-launched Doggy Portrait Project. “I am that person who says hi to every dog I see on the street,” notes Walker. “I will even say hi through the car window to my husband’s embarrassment. And because I feel like dogs have so much personality, I thought that after years of capturing photos of people and their personalities, I could transfer this skill to dog photography.”
Walker points out that “with the doggy portraits, the lens isn't focused primarily on the people, but on their dog, so everyone seems to be more relaxed knowing it is not a photo about them looking like a model. Also, we all laugh a lot because of what it takes to get an animal to look in my direction or sit a certain way — lots of creative sounds, silly gestures, repeated commands, and treats.” In the end, it’s a win-win for all involved. She concludes, “I am finding that I am really rewarded by making people happy and giving them a gift of cool photos of them and their loved ones. It is very satisfying to the soul to hear that I made someone happy for just doing what I do.” (760/560-6306, www.kristywalkerphoto.com) MIA STEFANKO
