By Michelle Watters

What is a family portrait? Is it everyone sitting straight, forced smiles plastered on their faces, wearing clothes they only wear once a year? Do you have to leave your dog at home because his excitement and drool are unwelcome?

Today's family portrait is different from what it used to be. Many photographers prefer shooting families in their element, whether that is at home or outdoors. Perhaps your family is a farm of animals or a house full of cats. This is where Mountain Dog Photography steps in.

"We photograph cats, dogs, rodents, reptiles, birds, horses, livestock, and wildlife," says Kelly Schulze the owner and founder of Mountain Dog Photography. In fact she is the only photographer in Vermont that specializes in photographing animals. Schulze will not only photograph you and your pets in any setting you choose, but she takes the time to get to know your dog, cat, or iguana. She will massage your dog if he has anxiety, provide treats to your cat, and essentially train your pets to bring out the best in themselves for the camera. "It is a process. I try to learn what motivates them. If you relax they will relax. I think about it from the dogs point of view, it is totally alien to them, they don't know what's expected of them." Schulze has her bachelor's degree in Animal Science and was employed as a veterinary technician and a groomer. Currently she is a volunteer for the Humane Society of Chittenden County. She is a longtime animal lover and established Mountain Dog Photography in January 2009. "For most of my clients their pets are their kids." One of her kids, a 126-pound Bernese mountain dog mix, inspired the company name. Like her clients, she considers her pets to be her children. Schulze and her husband Ian have five dogs named Meeko, Logan, Maple, Jackson, and JB; four cats they call Miss Kitty, Luci, Bink, and Dorie; a rooster named Mitch; and 24 hens. 

Schulze takes pride in the custom aspects of her business.  The clients get to choose which pictures they want in their package. Schulze offers unique displays for her photographs such as canvas wraps, mini albums, and float wraps, which she describes as "standing out from the wall so it looks as if the picture is floating." She also uses her expertise to print the photographs herself. On her website, www.mountaindogphotography.net, she offers holiday cards, a blog, and examples of her work that can only be described as art.  Schulze is an expert at catching her subject's essence. For example, it is probably safe to say most of us are not in love with rats. In one of her photographs of a pet rat, it is easy to see why someone loves this rodent, as one can see into his tiny little rat eyes right through to his big soul. This goes for all Schulze's photographs, whether a cow, Pierre the iguana, or Fred the tortoise. She has an artful way of bringing a pet's personality out in every click of the shutter.  For more information, Schulze can be reached at (802) 453-6838, or visit www.mountaindogphotography.net.