• During the summer of 2007 Fine Furtography was honored when four of their photographs were chosen for an exhibit at the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach, Florida. Two of the photographs can be viewed below.

• Fine Furtography was choosen to appear in National Geographic for Kids magazine. Our story was voted one of their most popular and also appeared in a promotional piece for Burger King. The adorable hounds belong to me. I taught them everything I know.

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Dog-Gone Purr-fect Pictures

Hollywood may have Ace Ventura, Pet Detective...but South Florida has Beverly Pipes, Pet Photographer.

As President of Fine Furtography in Delray Beach, Florida, Beverly travels to pet boutiques, doggy day care centers and homes throughout the area to take fun and fanciful pictures of pets, either alone or posed with family members. She also travels to other parts of the country to capture the hairy creatures’ personalities.

Typically, Beverly will spend one to two hours at the pets’ home, including setting up shots and making the animal (or animals) relaxed and comfortable. For pets willing to wear them, she brings a case of props, including a costume tiara, scarves, costume jewelry, masks, feather boas and hats. If the animal doesn’t like getting dressed up, Beverly can add the props into the photos digitally.

“My clients are the kind of people who really love animals and consider their pets a part of the family,” says Beverly. “Just as they have photos of their parents and children, they also want a lasting photo portrait of the pet that has brought happiness into their lives. They use the pet pictures to hang on their walls, in calendars, holiday cards and postcards, note cards, T-shirts -- even in business brochures and Web sites.”

It takes patience and know-how to photograph animals, but Beverly relates to them easily. An animal lover herself, she has three cats and two dogs, all rescued from animal shelters. She has also taught her dogs unique tricks.

“When I first got Mindy, a Schnauzer mix, I taught her the usual dog tricks,” Beverly recalls. “Then I decided to challenge her. I sat down at the piano, put Mindy on the bench, and put her paws on the keys. At first she pulled back so I gave her treats. She still kept pulling back so I gave up and left the room. A few minutes later I heard the piano playing. I rushed back and was amazed to see Mindy on the floor reaching up and hitting the keys. She’s been playing the piano ever since.”

Ted, a Griffon and Beagle mix, came later, and was also taught to play the piano by Mindy. Mindy also sings and plays the piano while Ted dances. The two pooches are minor celebrities, having appeared on Animal Planet and Amazing Tails. A video clip of Ted and Mindy playing the piano also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show as part of a tribute to talented pets.

Yet it was not until friends oohed and aahed over photos of Mindy and Ted at the piano, dressed in bow ties and bibs, that Beverly began to think about combining her love of animals and passion for photography into a business.

This year Beverly had a request from a client for a Thanksgiving card featuring a photo of the family cat in a cornucopia. She expects to visit homes to take pictures of pets in holiday garb.

To date Beverly’s clients have been dogs or cats, “but I’ll take pictures of any pet, except snakes,” she shudders. A portion of the company’s profits are donated to animal and children’s charities