Hello I'm Mark -your fellow animal lover camera maestro!
ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHER & professional
animal trainer for over 35 years
Yep animal lover to the core here! And photo left with baby Tortoise rescue "Sam" shows I started YOUNG! A crazy knack at drawing in & putting at ease ANY animal from who knows where. Ducks to dogs it didn't matter. Then came the family cats. Other's cats. "Oh our cat hides he's very shy!" Wanna bet? Out they come, stare at me. Sometimes an odd yowl. Stroll over like where you been!? Not always but LOTS of times. Then, yrs later while in college by incredible chance the cats got larger. MUCH larger. Not a problem! Imagine my discovery the bigger the cat the easier it was! I lived that dream daily, face-to-face(often off leash!) an incredible 25 years. Yes, I LOVE the Big Cats. But many other friend favorites along the way too even Orangutans!
The animal photographer that's ALSO an animal trainer advantage
My history behind the camera with animals began very young too! Funny looking back now, but soon as I got my first Kodak off I went after perfect shots of my gerbils! Later on during the privilege of working Big Cats & other unusual animals on countless print, TV, & film sets under the tutelage of one of the most renowned animal trainers on the planet, he noticed my camera savvy & suddenly I was ALSO staff photographer! Imagine that ultimate multi-tasking pressure. Somehow I survived & ultimately thrived. I think the insanely cool animal
friends were my kryptonite!
My experience helping animals thru their challenges varies wildly - from walking a 600 lb male Lion calmly thru 100 slow to move lawyers & executives in an open bar Disney ballroom, to 30 secs after having everyone step back softly coaxing a rattled horse its trailer was the best idea all day after being pushed hard to load nearly 20 minutes by his "trainer" owner. I've learned my biggest gift to share is an ability to get in an animal's head see what they're thinking & guide their easiest path thru "it". So we got this! No matter what type animal or how shy, you are in the best hands to create great photos of your fur child you likely never thought possible.
the joy animals bring us is all about CONNECTION right? It's our DRUG. My intimate understanding of this(see photos above) is how when you invite me into THat sacred world, I quickly find & capture it better
than ANYBODY. To me, this understanding is essential to
delivering images that touch you forever
"The joy animals bring us is all about CONNECTION right?
It's our DRUG. My intimate understanding of this
magical bond(photo right) is how when you invite
me into THat sacred world you share, I quickly
find & capture it better than ANYBODY.
To me, this understanding is essential to
delivering images that touch you forever"
Mark Lucas
Let’s work together
