I have had dogs for many years but it took me a long time to meet my heart dog. Her name is Mocha and I am a little obsessed about her. She follows me everywhere and does anything I ask. I have always had great dogs but this dog has done a number onf me. That bond has made me realize how precious these small animals (some are pretty big) are for the short time they are parts of our families. They are a part of our lives but we are their lives.

My name is Mark Hughes and I am a Professional Photographer (I am also formerly a Professional Forensic Engineer (retired)). Once upon a time I used to photograph for my work as a forensic engineer, now I take photos of animals for the people that love them.

I am an accredited Photographer in a variety of categories through the Professional Photographers of Canada that is a proving ground for photographers. I am pretty versatile in what I can shoot and I have won awards as a photographer but my main love is pet portraits. I love capturing those moments that make memories.

I have core values that I integrate into all my work and relationships. Those core values are:

• Trust is Paramount

• People Matter

• Make Beautiful Images

• Have Fun

I have has photographed thousands of dogs and cats in my career and I always find a way to get a great shot.

I have also throughout my life spent time volunteering for many organizations. One of my most rewarding work as a volunteer has been photographing dogs and cats for the Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society since 2014. My images are used for adoption profiles as well as marketing and promotional materials.

I also used to regularly contributed technical articles on photography to the website Digital Photography School, one of the largest photography resource sites on the internet and teach photography on a variety of topics.

Finally, and mostly unrelated to photography, I have a podcast that I do with a great friend of mine covering a very wide range of topics. The Connect2 Podcast is a mostly weekly podcast that has been going since 2021.