Hi Emily, it’s so lovely talking to you! First of all, could you introduce yourself and your dogs to our readers? Who are you, where do you come from, where do you live now and since when do your adorable dogs live with you? Tell us a little bit about your personal background!
I'm currently based in Los Angeles with my three dogs:
Kokoro (8 years old, American Eskimo)
Chibi (7 years old, Pembroke Welsh Corgi)
Kibo (5 months old, Berger Blanc Suisse)
Is being a content creator your full-time job? When did you know you wanted to something with photography?
It recently became part of my full-time job. I began freelancing and working for myself and my own clients at the end of 2020! Prior to that, I was working full time in advertising and video production and shooting for fun on the side.
You are obviously a passionate dog lover and share wholesome pictures of them on your Instagram! Is it difficult to take good photos of your dogs or are they natural models?
Photographing dogs is always tricky. I'm really into training with my dogs, so teaching them certain behaviors certainly helps. But I also photograph dogs who are untrained as a part of my business, so I get lots of practice with dealing with lots of dog energy and needing to capture action shots quickly!
What inspires you and why?
I just love good storytelling, especially in visual form. Whether it's a really creative photo or cinematically shot video, I'm always impressed by all forms of storytelling I see out in the world. It could be a simple Instagram post or style of shooting I see in a video. Anything that makes me go "wow, how did they think of such a creative idea?!"
How and why did you start using Instagram as a platform to share your photography?
When I got my first dog, Kokoro, in 2012 I started sharing more photos of her as a puppy on my Instagram account. We started picking up a following and connecting with other dog lovers on Instagram, and from there the community really fueled my passion for dogs and photography in general.
Do you try to plan your pictures ahead or are these mostly spontaneous takes? How do you come up with your ideas?
I think it's a combination of both. Sometimes I'll have a random idea and I like to add them to an ongoing list of concepts that I try to execute or shoot when I have time. Other times, the dogs are just doing something hilarious or adorable and I grab my camera to shoot it when I can!
A few months ago, you welcomed a third dog to your home! What was his first day at his new home like?
Kibo has been amazing since day one. He's a confident little pup and fits in nicely into our family. Kokoro has always been a good big sister (even since day one with Chibi) and welcomed him right away. Chibi, the baby of the family and also the sassy dog with lots of attitude, took a longer time to adjust to the fact that she was no longer the baby. Typical middle child syndrome, haha. But she is now doing great and all of the dogs get along amazingly!
You and your dogs also attend therapy sessions for people! Can you tell us more about that?
I've always wanted to do some volunteer work in the community with my dogs. Kokoro and Chibi absolutely love people and I love seeing the smiles they bring to people's faces through photos and videos and when people have a chance to meet them in person. Once I started working for myself and my schedule became more flexible, I decided it was time to finally start doing some volunteer work. So, we enrolled the girls in a therapy dog program and they are visiting senior centers to bring smiles to their residents every week!
Do you have a favorite photograph which you have created and shared? Can you tell us the story behind it?
It's hard to pick a favorite, but I am particularly proud of images that require a lot of concepting and editing to execute. For example, the photo of Kokoro being "lifted" by balloons required a bit of production and photoshop magic to make happen and I just love the vibe of the final outcome!
How do you feel about your Instagram community? Do they inspire you a lot? Have you been able to meet some people?
I've been lucky enough to make some really great lifelong friends through Instagram. The great thing about the community there is it brings together people with shared passions and interests. I've met other dog lovers, photographers, and creatives throughout the years.
Could you name some of your favorite Instagrammers who inspire you?
Andrew Knapp & Momo, This Wild Idea, Cache Bunny
D0 y0u like sending and receiving postcards?
Yes!
We hoped you enjoyed our talk with @emwng! If you are looking for some adorable postcards with her cute dogs and want to support Emily, you are in luck! You can find these lovely postcards in different sets in our online shop or individually in a local shop nearby!
