By Dan Murphy
Susan Symonds, co-owner of Fur Baby Pet Studio and its longstanding
sister business, Infinity Portrait Design, which are both based at 59
Beacon St.
Soon after Susan Symonds was granted a second chance in life following a nearly fatal brush with ovarian cancer three years ago, co-owner of the longstanding Beacon Hill photography studio, Infinity Portrait Design, turned her attention to her love of animals and established Fur Baby Pet Studio.
The new business, which is the first brick-and-mortar studio specializing in pet photography in the City of Boston, was launched in January of 2023 at 59 Beacon St., where its shared an approximately 650-square-foot space with Infinity Portrait Design.
Both Fur Baby Studio and Infinity Portrait Design operate under the auspices of Symonds’s original business entity, Mainframe Photographics, which she launched around 1986.
Mainframe itself was based on Congress Street in South Boston from 1989 to 2004 and originally focused mainly on corporate photography. When Mainframe relocated to its current Beacon Street home in 2004, the commercial business continued as the original brand, but Symonds needed a “creative outlet” and a new concept to better focus on her vision and creative aspirations.
Thus, Infinity Portrait Design was born as a boutique portrait studio concentrating on family and children’s portraiture, executive women’s headshots and branding, personal and commissioned fine art portraiture.
Since the beginning, Symonds has operated Infinity Portrait Design together with Annie Landry, co-owner, operations director and wife of 20-plus years.
“I take pretty pictures, and Annie does the hard work,” Symonds told this reporter during a recent visit to their Beacon Street studio.
“Supporting businesses and causes that align with my mission has been a huge part of our legacy here in Beacon Hill, said Symonds. “Community involvement and pro bono work for our neighborhood organizations has always been incredibly important to me.”
Infinity Portrait Design has donated its photography services and portraiture to the Beacon Hill Times and Boston Guardian papers, Friends of the Public Garden, the Beacon Hill Civic Association, the Beacon Hill Business Association, the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum, and Hill House, as well as countless other local organizations and causes.
Meanwhile, Symonds was so consumed with her work as a photographer and business owner she now admits she ignored some obvious warning signs concerning her health before her diagnosis with ovarian cancer in August of 2022.
Symonds then had a 19.6-cenimeter tumor she named ‘Large Marge,’ removed only moments before it burst. Had this happened, she was told the cancer would have metastasized in her body, and she likely would have been dead within six months.
Symonds credits living in Boston, which she considers the world’s healthcare mecca, along with her longstanding professional relationship with Mass General Brigham, for her prompt access to the surgical team of doctors who saved her life.
Growing up in “Kodak Country,” a.k.a. Rochester, N.Y., Symonds got her first dog at around age 2 or 3, a French poodle named Charmane that Symonds cared for well into her high school years.
Symonds also credits her paternal grandmother, Dorothy Symonds, for instilling a deep love and respect for animals in her at a young age.
“Gram always had a dog and taught me to care for them…and to always treat animals with dignity and respect,” said Symonds of her grandmother.
Today, Symonds and Landry have two rescue dogs, which were both adopted from a Dedham rescue shelter called Shultz’s Guest House –Taluah, a 7-year-old Husky/ Staffordshire Terrier mix; and Baxter, a 5-year-old great pyrenes/bloodhound mix.
Their previous pair of dogs, Teagan, a red golden retriever; and Lucy, a chocolate lab that had been nearly permanent fixtures at the Beacon Street studio.
With her calm disposition, Lucy occasionally served as “gateway” when photographing special needs children, recalled Symonds, and she was sometimes even included in some family portraits at their request.
Today, Fur Baby Pet Studio occupies a small area that previously served as the reception area for Infinity Portrait Design. The cozy space offers low seating, which allow dogs to feel safe and more comfortable. A piece of pet furniture resembling a miniature love seat sits atop a raised platform and serves as the main stage for the photos shoots.
Symonds has a number of noise-making devices, including a selection of dog whistles and bird calls, and even a deer call, which she and her “Wrangler Extrodinaire- Annie” employ to direct her animal subject’s attention to the camera and create interesting expressions.
“I don’t believe in working with leashes to force pups to do anything,” said Symonds. “I want to connect with these babies, make eye-contact with them, and look into each other’s souls, if even for a moment. I’m very respectful of a dog’s comfort and behaviors, I don’t let my guard down.”
So far, Symonds has photographed approximately 400 dogs, around 25 cats, and one bunny rabbit. Each photography session typically takes around 20 minutes, “sometimes a little longer for [pets] to get comfortable,” she said.
It’s a pet-photography session first and foremost, according to Symonds, while their owners are merely an “add-on.”
“Before I was photographing families with dogs,” said Symonds of the change in focus with her new business. “Now, I’m photographing dogs with families. The humans are secondary.”
The end result, timeless portraits as museum-quality wall art, a curated collection of canvas’s and metal-print options, which Symonds hopes will capture that perfect moment with each pet and live in their owner’s home as a permanent testament to their love for their pets.
“Every dog is perfect in their owner’s eyes,” she said. “I’m trying to capture moments that are precious to people.”
Symonds particularly cherishes photographing service dogs.
“People come in saying, ‘this dog saved my life,’” said Symonds. “I particularly love photographing [service dogs] in their service vests when they’re working, they are so proud and focused.”
For nearly as long as she has been in business for herself, Symonds has volunteered to do work of the heart by photographing events for pet focused organizations pro bono, and with Fur Baby, she hopes to contribute even more.
This past weekend, Symonds and Landry pitched in at Dogtoberfest- by photographing the fund raising event and offering a Fall-themed Photo Booth for “Dogs with their Humans” Dogtoberfest- a fundraising event in Brockton to benefit the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts. She also intends to continue photographing pets for shelters pro bono, with the goal of getting these animals adopted while supporting local shelters.
Looking ahead, Fur Baby will offer limited in-studio holiday pop-up portrait experience sessions planned for November and December by appointment, and in January, the studio will begin offering special concept sessions for “raving sports fans” where folks can get their pets photographed donning gear from their favorite sports teams.
For more information on Fur Baby Pet Studio, visit furbabypetstudio.com, email [email protected], or call 617- 712-2777.