My passion for photography started ever since I received my first Kodak film camera as a young child. At the time I was inspired by my pets, "Princess", my black Labrador, who was my cherished best friend for 16 years, and my rescue dog German shepherd cross corgi, "Tiger", named after his gorgeous brindle coat. I would spend hours training Princess to leap over our bench seat using food to entice her towards me and attempt to capture her as she jumped in the air! Tiger did not want a bar of it. He would cheat by going underneath the bench seat and wait proudly for his delicious treat!
My childhood pets have made the biggest impact on my decision to focus on pet photography. I have no words for how much I value the memories I shared with them. When I look back at my photos taken by an inexperienced young kid on a very basic camera, I wish that my Princess and Tiger were alive today so that I can capture their character through photography. These images now only exist in my memories.
As an adult, like many of us life had lead me towards a different career path as a technician. Whilst I worked hard in my role, I could never silence the passion I have for photography and expressing myself through art. In 2008, I changed career paths and through a competitive selection process, I was accepted at Ultimo TAFE to study photography and follow my ambition of becoming a professional photographer.
I have had a brilliant career photographing humans but my passion has always been pets and wildlife portraiture. The raw and natural expressions they possess and the challenges of getting the perfect shot at the right moment is something that motivates me to focus mainly on pet photography. The joy is indescribable for both me as the artist, and my clients, who get to see a side to their pet they have not experienced before. With Photos By D'Avino Pets Life, I am able to provide an opportunity for others to have precious memories of their pets that will last a lifetime.