Debbie Bryant is a lawyer turned pet photographer. Her company, Thank Dog Photography, is a prayer, “asked and answered,” and her current project, “Pink Ribbon Puppies” is a fund-raiser for another cause close to her heart, breast cancer awareness.
Bryant grew up in Dallas and attended Richardson High School. Not an under achiever, Bryant graduated from Duke University, received her MBA from Yale and her law degree from the University of Texas. Staying on course with her studies, she joined a huge international law firm, but after five years, Bryant said, “I realized that big law firm life was not for me.”
Between her studies, Bryant had spent time in Geneva, Switzerland working with the World Health Organization. What better place than scenic Switzerland and its surrounding countries to initiate an interest in photography? Bryant bought her first Single Reflex Lens camera and shot roll after roll of film, “not really knowing what I was doing but enjoying it, nonetheless,” she said.
After quitting her job with the law firm, she had the time to re-kindle her love of photography-- and she did. Bryant, totally self-taught, said she read numerous books and spent hours on the Internet, learning everything she could about the art of photography. “I shot flowers, buildings, everything I saw, but increasingly found my camera pointed at pets,” she said, adding, “mine and everyone else’s.”
Bryant grew up with animals and has always had a strong connection with them. Just like hours spent with the camera, hours spent working with rescue animals taught her much about reading and understanding their body language. She uses this ability in photographing them--helping her capture their unique personality.
Most of her work is used for rescue organizations and for marketing purposes. However, last February a local dog fancier contacted her about a fund raising project for Breast Cancer Research. Having lost her mom to breast cancer in 2002, the project touched Bryant’s heart. And together the ladies whelped Pink Ribbon Puppies—a fund-raising calendar for 2014.
All proceeds from the calendar will go to Breast Cancer Research. Pink Ribbon Puppies Inc. has filed for 501c3 status so that purchase of the calendar will be tax-exempt.
There will be two 2014 calendars, one of Labrador pups and one of a variety of breeds.
The “models” come from reputable breeders with health-tested litters or from local rescues. In short, “puppy mills” are not promoted or tolerated.
The breeds Bryant has photographed read like an all-breed dog show catalog with toy, terrier, herding, working, hound, sporting and non-sporting breeds having participated in the fun. “We have amassed a ridiculous amount of pink props and continue to do so as new calendar scenes come to mind,” said Bryant.
Challenging , but a labor of love is how Bryant describes the experience.
“The style of photography is different from my usual - it's posed and more "art-directed" than my more photojournalistic style. Plus... it's six to nine-week-old puppies so they don't exactly have "stay" down pat-- but luckily, my Pink Ribbon Puppies partner is an excellent wrangler! It's a lot of work, but we're hoping to raise a lot of money for breast cancer.”
For information about the purchase of the calendars or to schedule a photo shoot with Bryant, contact her a debbie@thankdogphotography.com or debbie@pinkribbonpuppies.com.