Interview with Evgeniya Tuzova | The Boston Dog Photographer

My name is Evgeniya Tuzova, and I'm a professional pet photographer based in Boston, MA. I started pet photography in 2018 when I got Chester, a loving crazy chocolate ball of fur. He is my inspiration and the main reason I have chosen to work with pets and their people.

​​​For me, pet photography is a way to introduce the beauty I see in every pet into this world. I firmly believe that to capture excellent photographs, all participants in the photoshoot must collaborate as a cohesive team while enjoying the process. There are no good or bad models. The result always depends on us and how we are devoted to the process.

I am self-taught when it comes to shooting; I mainly learned from YouTube videos. Later, when I became proficient in shooting, I took several portfolio review sessions from fairy tale photographers. As for editing, I studied Photoshop in numerous courses for designers, so I have a deep understanding of the program and its technical aspects.

It was a self-portrait of my dog and me for a Photoshop composite based on Little Red Riding Hood. I remember it was winter, and we were shooting at home without proper lighting. All I had was a small LED panel, a white backdrop, and a red cloak from AliExpress. The photos turned out horrible because there wasn't enough light, and my camera was pretty cheap.

I spent several hours editing them, but it didn't work out. After giving up, I went to Amazon and ordered proper lighting to avoid such situations in the future. From that point on, the quality of my photos skyrocketed.

I shoot with the Sony A7IV. My favorite lens is the Sigma Art 135mm 1.8, but when I shoot at home, I use a 50mm 1.8 Sony lens. I also have two Godox softboxes and a Neewer Pro video light. Honestly, because I always shoot behind-the-scenes footage for social media, I've almost completely switched to using the video light for photos.

I generally take compliments and criticism quite calmly. Art is a very subjective area, so it doesn't mean much in most cases. However, I remember when I sent a photo for review to my mentor and got the answer that everything was perfect, there was nothing to improve. At that point, I felt like I had crossed a milestone, and now the person I admire was saying my work was just perfect, it was pretty inspiring.

Ideas usually come to me when I look at photos, movies, or illustrations. I never take other people's ideas without reconsidering them, but the more you look at visual art, the more your ideas arise. That's why exposure to various things is crucial in photography.

Fantasy, creative, and cute.

It's very touching and inspiring when your work is recognized by the professional community. It means that everything you do is not in vain, and your work is truly technically impeccable and evokes emotions in people. This is why I pursue photography, to tell stories that evoke emotions.

This is a photo of my dog, Chester, in a ballet tutu and pointe shoes. I was rewatching the movie Black Swan, and suddenly the idea came to merge the incompatible. A small, fluffy dog with short legs dancing ballet. The work symbolizes the fact that anyone can dream and make their dreams a reality.

All that limits us are our own beliefs; we say it's impossible when we haven't even tried. I'm not saying that everything is possible regardless of circumstances, but if you try, you'll definitely move further than if you stay still. This is the idea I wanted to convey with this piece.

I believe that the more people know about you, the more interesting collaborations can happen in the future. I'm open to collaborating with other creatives and businesses, and I strongly believe that art is not only about expressing yourself but also about networking.

Meg Loeks, Alexandria Ramon and Vanessa Rivera.

Developing your own style that reflects who you are.

Constantly improve technical skills and study the works of other authors in terms of ideas, lighting, locations, and overall style. Analyze what they do to achieve their results.

For me, it's primarily about continuous self-improvement. It's also crucial not to be afraid to showcase oneself and one's work. There are many wonderful photographers with imposter syndrome, and, sadly, no one sees the beauty they bring to the world.

As I mentioned earlier, I closely follow the work of visual artists, including photography, film, and illustration. We are entering an era of artificial intelligence, which I believe is also crucial to study actively because it represents the future. It's essential to stay updated and keep an eye on industry trends if you want to remain relevant and optimize your workflow.