Pet photography
ABOUT ME
I, Tinne Vanwezel, was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by cats. I can't imagine a life without them. In addition to cats, I also had goldfish and dwarf hamsters as a child and I was allowed to step in as a 'beast catcher' when a stick insect escaped from my sister. To this day it is incomprehensible that she wanted to keep those animals in her room while she did not even dare to touch them. ;)
I have also always watched the wild animals with admiration. As a toddler, woodlice were, strangely enough, my favorite animals, to the disgust of many adults. They are useful critters!
So it wasn't a big surprise when I decided to try to turn this passion into my job. Because of my need for variety, studying Veterinary Medicine turned out to be unsuitable for me, as there was no time left to do other things than study. It was impossible to keep this up for 6 years. Then I started the Bachelor's program in Agro- & Biotechnology, where I naturally chose the Animal Care option. 3 years passed faster than expected and before I knew it I had my diploma in June 2016 and started looking for a first work experience.
As we were warned, this was not easy and it took me almost a year to get my hands on this one. Since then I have had the opportunity to do various temporary jobs, one with more enthusiasm than the other, but all in one way or another instructive.
In the fall of 2018 I started temporarily as a cat responsible at Het Blauwe Kruis van Wommelgem and I started to work more intensively with photography again. Until then, photography was mainly a hobby, so I collected beautiful (and especially many) photos of my own cats. Insects and nature in general were also a regular subject of my photography, but it was mainly Mars, Pim's and Tuc that served as models.
Photographing the cats of the Blue Cross of Wommelgem was a nice addition to a very nice job in the fall of 2018, which was also very useful. It was also a turning point in my photography: where previously it was only used for myself, I now also started photographing for others, and so my photos were also seen by more people..._cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b -136bad5cf58d_
Even after my employment there, I continued to work with photography. I went back to Wommelgem a few more times, but then decided to use my 'talents' closer to home. Zemst Animal Shelter welcomed my photos and even used some of them for their website. I try to visit them on a regular basis to capture new animals...
In the meantime, Het Kattenkabinet in Grimbergen has also used my offer to photograph kittens or adult cats a few times. Because this happens in foster homes, this was a first experience for me with more 'posed' shoots. Compare it to a studio photo shoot.
In the summer of 2019 I was again temporarily asked to help in the shelter of Wommelgem. This was a new initiative to provide the cats with photos again... Outside Het Kattenkabinet and the Animal Shelter Zemst there was again a third 'charity' that made use of my photos.
MY CURRENT CATS & INSPIRATION
Tuc
Mars
Pim's
I see November 2019 as the 'start' of the real work. I followed a first workshop (animal) photography. From that day on, the camera is no longer set to 'automatic', but to 'manual' ;) . That same month I started to use my knowledge gained from that workshop by also photographing the dogs of Wommelgem, together with a few other photographers. Of course these dogs are not the best models, as they often don't know commands, are often already hyper because they spend many hours in a pen and they miss a real 'owner'... Still, this was an ideal way to practice and m To supplement a portfolio with, in addition to the many cat photos, dog portraits.
And more great news that month! In November 2019, Anneleen Bru's new book was also released: 'I <3 Happy Cats: Revolution'. Not only a super book for the many cat lovers among us, but also one that I was allowed to 'work' on. Well yes, I was allowed to give Anneleen extra work by sending a lot of photos that she might use in her book. Result: no less than 13 photos of our current cats Mars, Tuc and Pim's, ex-moustaches Snickers & Lion and some shelter cats that I photographed serve as visual material in this cat bible! Super proud of the result and I would say: buy!
And then there was 2020!
Third time lucky... In February I was able to get back to work at Het Blauwe Kruis van Wommelgem. Not temporarily this time. And with that job I could also start dreaming of a side job. At the end of February it was finally time: Weazly Pictures was a fact! :)
Super busy, of course. Getting used to a new job and starting everything up for a side job. But I totally saw it.
So hop! Here we go!