Meet Jim Robinson | Pet Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jim Robinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jim, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
After nearly 30 years in corporate America, I found myself at the end of my “primary” career—still young enough, thankfully, to pursue something that truly interested me. Having spent much of my working life in roles that weren’t always fulfilling, I knew whatever came next needed to be something I felt genuinely passionate about.

During COVID, my wife started a pet boutique, and as lifelong dog lovers, that world felt like home. Over the years I’ve had several Weimaraners, and I loved photographing them (and occasionally dressing them up) as a playful homage to photographer William Wegman. I’ve always enjoyed creating and building things, so the intersection of those interests naturally led me to pet photography.

Pet photography lets me combine what I love most—dogs, creativity, and storytelling—and there’s something especially meaningful about making images that bring people real joy.

I began by photographing pets with Santa Claus at our boutique, and over time I expanded into working with individual clients and their pets—both dogs and cats. I’m always eager to learn and grow, and that curiosity has opened doors to other projects as well, including architectural photography (which I hope to see featured in a magazine soon) and a recent photo shoot for an upcoming musician to support his website and streaming promotions. Lastly I know how much I treasure the photos I have of my dogs that are no longer with me and it is my goal when I work with a client that I give them something that they can treasure not only in the short term but long after their pet is gone.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s a cliché, but the saying “nothing worth doing comes easy” is true for a reason. I’m not a formally trained photographer. I’ve taken classes and benefited from mentorship, but most of what I’ve learned has come through experience—trial and error, and plenty of hard lessons along the way.

That principle applies far beyond art. If you want to do something well, you have to begin, keep showing up, and stay willing to improve. I was fortunate to have our pet boutique as a kind of practice ground, where I could refine my skills and learn in real time.

Art is subjective, and talent certainly plays a role. I’m grateful to have a natural eye for what makes a strong photograph, but what I believe sets my work apart is my ability to capture an animal’s personality. That’s what makes an image feel alive—more than just a two-dimensional picture—especially for pet owners, where so much of the bond and communication is unspoken.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife, she has always been the entrepreneur and risk taker. She started her pet boutique “Gussied Up” during the pandemic and has been going strong for years now. Towards the end of my corporate career she could see how I had been worn down and we had always joked about pet photography being my next job. I was taking her yearly Pets with Santa pictures and when we were done she asked what my company name would be, I jokingly said “Pawtraits by Jim”. She started tagging @pawtraitsbyjim in instagram so that forced me into action. Without her I would never have taken those first steps.

Website: https://www.pawtraitsbyjim.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pawtraitsbyjim

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569344483980

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pawtraits-by-jim-alpharetta

Image Credits
Photos by Jim Robinson (Pawtraits by Jim)