Rangefinder Magazine
July 2006

Rachael Hale by Patricia Mues
The World’s Most Lovable Animals

In the 10 short years since she opened her own studio, New Zealand na- tive Rachael Hale has built an image empire. With licensing agreements in more than 60 countries, she has become a brand name. From books to water bottles, backpacks to posters, her softly sweet im- ages of dogs, cats, pigs and exotics have found a ready audience among animal lovers throughout the world. A kitten asleep on a cupcake, a Newfoundland laid out like a rug, white rabbits nestled in a milk glass—anyone who has ever photographed animals, or tried to, knows it is challenging. So how does Rachael get the shots she wants? “It is extremely important that the animal trusts me and is comfortable. I never force an animal to do something, and if things aren’t going according to plan, I know when to stop and try again another day. In this line of work, patience is not a virtue—it is an absolute necessity. It’s lucky that when it comes to animals I have all the patience in the world.”

More than just patience, Rachael has a real affinity for animals. Even those that might be timid around others seem to warm to her presence. A boxer named Lucy was one such animal. “I had a lady call me wanting to commission me to take a photograph of her boxer dog,” Rachaelsays.“Shetoldme her dog was very nervous and terrified of strangers; I said I was happy to try but I couldn’t promise anything.” When Rachael arrived, the dog hid in the back of the garden, a situation the photographer hadn’t faced before. “We went into the living room, and I sat down on the floor. It wasn’t long before the dog was standing in the doorway, still looking very timid. I continued to talk with the owner in a very soft and calm voice, ignoring the dog; within minutes the dog was behind me sniffing my head, and eventually it came round to face me front on.

I then spoke to her but didn’t attempt to touch her in any way. Within 10 minutes Lucy was sitting on my knees enticing me to pat her.The owner was amazed, as was I. I don’t know what it is I have,but animals just seem to trust me. When I came back a week later to take Lucy’s photograph, she remembered me, and I was able to capture some gorgeous portraits of her for her owner. It was a wonderful feeling.”

Private commissions are a very small part Rachael’s work. At least 80% of her time is spent creating the images for her books and licensing program. Her sixth book, It’s a Zoo Out There, was published in October 2005. “Each animal image I create takes a lot of preparation,” Rachael says. “I visit each animal prior to the shoot day so I can get to know them and vice versa. This also allows me to understand their characters, and often ideas are developed based on this meeting. Then time is spent working on the ideas. Backgrounds and props are made—often by myself, as I love to behands-on in all the stages of developing an image. Each image created has two to three weeks of preparation time spent on it.”

Rachael does a great deal of her work at the homes of her subjects,which she calls their “comfort zone.” So on the day of a shoot, Rachael and her assistant pack up her car and travel anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours away. On arrival, they look for the best location. “I like to work in natural light whenever possible, so I often set up outside and work under a diffusion tent to soften the light. If it is bad weather or windy,I setup inside using available light if possible, or I use a large softbox with flash, which creates an even, soft light effect.” As the preparations continue, the animals involved are invited to the set, so they can get used to the equipment. “There have been numerous occasions where we have had to retrieve kittens from climbing the lights or backgrounds, even up our legs. But it just makes the job more fun.”

When props are used, they’re usually sent ahead so the animal can get comfortable with them, allowing more time for the actual shoot. “With animals, like with children, you have a very short period of time to work with them before they get bored and lose their attention span. Learning the behaviors and habits of animals is a huge part of what I do. It’s important that I know the animal’s routine and can work the shoot day around this. For example, if a litter of kittens or puppies gets fed at a certain time, this doesn’t change. Often they’ll be tired and ready for a sleep after their meal. That’s the perfect time to get a sleeping shot. Sometimes scratching a cat in just the right place makes the cat look like it’s smiling. It’s all a matter of getting to know the individual character of the animal you are working with. Each one is different and will react differently.”

No matter the animal, bribes are an inevitable part of any shoot—and Rachael knows what even the most unusual subjects like. “Pigs can’t resist licorice all sorts, while rabbits are rather partial to bananas.” Noises are also an invaluable tool. “I have an impressive repertoire of noises and vocal sounds to trigger a reaction in my subjects. The noises are always made by me; I stand behind the camera and make animal noises so the subject thinks it is the camera, and the eye contact goes straight down the lens.” Although this works well with many subjects, cats and exotic animals are rarely interested in noises. “I’ll get their attention by using cat toys like feathers on a stick.” Rachael used to think they usually had some training, but her dogs were easier to work with because work on the book 101 Cataclysms may have changed her mind. “I had to develop a few tricks of my own to make it easier to get around the ‘fickle felines.’ So now I love working with cats, dare I say it, even more than dogs. The images I create are so satisfying. Sometimes I even look at an image later and think, ‘How did I manage to get that?’”

Kittens are popular subjects in Rachael’s work, so she often brings whole litters intoherownstudio.“They love an outing and aren’t so worried about their ‘new’ environment. Having more than one to work with means that hopefully one will do what I am hoping for; there is more opportunity to allow one kitten to rest while we work with another. My assistant has learned not to expect a lunch break as I keep shooting if the animals are happy and willing to oblige.” Playing tires the animals out, giving Rachael a chance for unusual sleeping shots, like a kitten in a cup. “If I want them to sleep in an object that is hard, then I make sure it is as well padded inside and as comfortable as possible so the kitten would love nothing more than to curl up and take a nap.”

Surprisingly, kittens and cats are the most “dangerous” of all the animals Rachael has photographed. “I have had the pleasure of working with numerous different breeds including lions and tigers; all have been well natured and relatively harmless. The worst [injuries] I have had to date are scratches from domestic cats, especially pinholes on the legs. They love to climb jeans.”

This one-on-one relationship with her subjects is at the heart of Rachael’s work. But it’s more than just animal chemistry. “I meet the animals first and end up only working with the ones I know have the character and nature that would enjoy working with me.” Rachael also makes sure nothing on the set would be upsetting to theanimals.“I have to be careful as to what backgrounds I use with the animals—some can be slippery, so it is difficult for the animal to sit or stand on and can make them all her work. feel unstable and not comfortable. I also had a cat refuse to step on a background because it still smelt of paint, so I have learnt to paint my backgrounds well in advance with paint that is not so potent in smell. The camera I use is very quiet and doesn’t tend to interfere with my attempts to capture an image, but I have more of a challenge with the introduction of all my equipment into the animal’s environment. That is why we allow the animals plenty of time to sniff and investigate whilst we set up. Then they end up being comfortable and at ease by the time we are ready to start working on an image.”

Rachael uses a large- format 4x5 camera for “People think I’m crazy using it because it is normally used for still-life shots, but I love the result. This sort of camera creates beautiful soft images with a central focal point and a very shallow depth of field. I don’t shoot a lot of film, because I don’t need to. By developing a rapport with my subjects and studying them carefully, I have developed a knack of being able to anticipate just the right moment to trip the shutter.”

As the photographer of “the world’s most lovable animals,” Rachael is always looking for new subjects. “I love all animals and would be happy to photograph them all. Cute tends to be what sells, so I don’t think reptiles will be at the top of my list for subject matter. I would love one day to be able to work with bears though, especially pandas.”

For now, Rachael has her own small menagerie of cats—a Himalayan Persian named Edmund and two domestic shorthairs named Gianni and Versace—that are featured in her work. Her canine companion,a Newfoundland named Henry,died in 2004. Known to millions through Rachael’s book New-found-friends, Henry holds a special place in Rachael’s heart. “I know I will get another dog or two, but I’m still at the stage where I just want Henry back. I’m honored though to have the opportunity of working with animals every day, and I know the time will come when I am ready to have another dog in my life. In the meantime,I just borrowor visit myfriends’ dogs. Henry will live on in my memories, and I will treasure the images I created of him over the seven and a half years I was privileged to share with him.”

To learn more about Rachael and her work and to order her books and other products, visitwww.rachaelhale.com.

Patricia Mues is a freelance writer livingin Escondido, CA. Her work focuses on the creative and decorative arts and has appeared in HOw, Living in Style, and Providence’s east Side monthly.