SPEAKER PACKET J O A N H . WA L K E R Pet Photography Educator & Speaker
R e a l Pe t s Real Challenges Real Results
meet
JOAN Photographer, Educator, Dog Person Joan H. Walker has spent more than 30 years photographing dogs, but her connection to them began long before she pointed a professional camera at one. Her extensive background in training, showing and working with dogs gives her an understanding of animal behavior that shapes both her photography and her teaching. As the creative force behind The PAWtographers®, Joan creates expressive portraits of dogs, cats and the people who love them. Her work has earned recognition at the state, national and international levels, including selection for Team USA in the World Photographic Cup. In the classroom, Joan brings that experience down to earth. Her teaching is practical, highly visual and hands-on, with an emphasis on working with real pets and the challenges that come with them. Students learn lighting, posing and camera technique, but also how to read an animal, work effectively with owners and handlers, solve problems quickly and recognize the moments that make a portrait come alive.
Sunrise sessions often begin before the rest of the beach wakes up.
Real pets don’t sit perfectly. That’s where the fun begins.
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THE WORKSHOP
READY. SET.
WOOF! An energetic, hands-on exploration of pet photography, from working with the animal in front of the camera to creating the finished portrait. READY. SET. WOOF! is a full-day pet photography workshop built around real animals, real shooting situations and the problem-solving that happens between the planned shot and the one that actually unfolds. Working with both dogs and cats, Joan takes photographers through the process of creating expressive pet portraits in the studio. Attendees learn how to approach lighting, posing and composition while also managing the part no lighting diagram can predict: the animal. The morning is highly hands-on. Joan begins each set by demonstrating her approach, photographing the model while explaining the why behind her choices in lighting, posing, camera position, expression and handling. Then it's their turn. Participants then step behind the camera themselves, working with the models on each set and putting those techniques into practice. The afternoon moves from capture to finish as Joan works through images from the day, demonstrating selection, cleanup, leash removal, compositing and creative finishing.
Great photographs start with a connection.
CREATE · Lighting, Posing, Expression CONNECT · Behavior, Handling, Communication TRANSFORM · Retouching, Compositing, Finishing
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THE EXPERIENCE
MORE THAN WATCHING Every set is designed to move photographers from understanding the technique to actually putting it into practice.
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LIGHT
Joan demonstrates how she builds each set, from light placement and modifier choice to camera position and exposure. More importantly, she explains the why behind those decisions and how to adjust when the animal changes the plan.
03 SHOOT
After each demonstration, participants take over the set and photograph the models themselves. They put the techniques into practice while experimenting with camera position, composition, expression and timing, with Joan available to troubleshoot, answer questions and help as they work.
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CONNECT
Great pet photography starts with understanding the animal in front of the camera. Joan shares practical techniques for positioning dogs and cats, getting and holding attention, directing owners and handlers, recognizing stress and knowing when to change the approach rather than force the shot.
04 FINISH The afternoon moves into post-production using photographs from the workshop. Joan demonstrates her approach to image selection, cleanup, leash and handler removal, compositing, background work and the creative decisions that transform a successful capture into a finished portrait.
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OPTIONAL ADD-ON
SMALL GROUP ON-LOCATION EXPERIENCE For four photographers, the day can begin a little earlier. This optional field experience offers an intimate hour of outdoor shooting before the full group comes together for the full-day studio workshop. Working in a carefully selected natural setting, participants explore available light, location selection, composition, perspective and the unique challenges of photographing dogs outside the controlled studio environment. With only four photographers, everyone gets substantial shooting time, individual guidance and the opportunity to work directly with the models. LIMITED TO FOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS • APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR • WEATHER & LOCATION DEPENDENT
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EXPERIENCE & CREDENTIALS
DOGS CAME FIRST Before the studio, the awards and the classroom, there were dogs. A LIFETIME WITH DOGS Joan grew up working with Whippets in her parents’ kennel, training, conditioning, trialing and showing dogs from childhood. At just 12 years old, she handled the nation’s No. 1 Whippet and No. 1 Hound in obedience. That early understanding of canine behavior would eventually shape an entire career. FROM PUBLISHING TO PORTRAITURE For decades, Joan worked in the editorial publishing world as both a writer and photographer. She has written or co-written 28 traditionally published books on dogs and dog training, with titles published by major publishers including Penguin Random House. As a former lead photographer for Barron’s dog books, her ability to train, cue and lure dogs made it possible to create the specific behaviors needed for instructional photography. Hundreds more of her dog photographs appeared in national magazines. Today, Joan brings that same understanding of animals to The PAWtographers®, where her work is focused primarily on private portrait clients, along with select commercial assignments. Her work has evolved from illustrating what dogs do, to creating artwork about what they mean to us. Together with her husband, Randy, she creates expressive photographic artwork of dogs, cats and the people who love them, both in the studio and on location. AND NOW, THE CLASSROOM Joan brings those two worlds together when she teaches: decades of experience understanding animals and a professional photographic career that spans editorial, commercial and private-client work. She has taught multiple PPA one-day programs and photography guild programs throughout Florida. In 2026, she taught at FPP FOCUS as the lead off class instructor. She also led an immersive four-day course at PPNC’s East Coast School. In 2027, she returns to the classroom as a contracted Florida School instructor for a four-day program devoted to pet photography.
Joan H. Walker, M.Photog., M.Artist, Cr., CPP, IAPP, FDAE, FDPE, FP-VA, F.Ph.-NC
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bring ready. set. woof! to your group
READY WHEN YOU ARE. Hands-on pet photography education designed to get photographers shooting, experimenting and seeing animals differently. PROGRAM OPTIONS FULL-DAY WORKSHOP A hands-on studio experience combining live shooting with dogs and cats, lighting, posing, animal handling and post-production. OPTIONAL SMALL-GROUP FIELD EXPERIENCE An approximately one-hour outdoor shooting experience for up to four photographers, offered when location and weather conditions allow. LET’S BUILD THE RIGHT PROGRAM Each program can be tailored to the host organization, available space, schedule and photographer experience level. Joan works with organizers in advance to plan models, sets, equipment and logistics for a smooth, highly interactive learning experience.
JOAN H. WALKER The PAWtographers® Pet Photography Educator & Speaker 904-504-1254 info@thePAWtographers.com thePAWtographers.com Jacksonville • St. Augustine • Naples & Beyond 7