Tricks, Treats, and Feathers - A PVC Halloween Event (Austin)

with Paulina Gwaltney

ABOUT PAULINA:

Paulina Gwaltney is a stylist and photographer with a passion for helping fellow creatives elevate their work — beautifully and affordably. She's known for teaching photographers how to create powerful, styled portraits without breaking the bank. Many attendees have gone on to apply and even expand upon her methods in their own work. 

Get your camera ready—you’ll be photographing live birds during this hands-on workshop!

Not every animal is a trained model, and that's exactly what makes photographing them so challenging and rewarding.

In this specialized photography workshop, Paulina will teach you how to create powerful, intentional portraits of exotic animals, unusual pets, and other non-traditional companions that don't respond to standard posing commands. Live birds will be featured as photographic subjects during the workshop, giving you a unique opportunity to put these techniques into practice and create striking images of animals with personality, movement, and presence.

Rather than trying to force an animal into a pose, you'll learn how to work with its natural behavior, energy, personality, and connection with its owner to create refined, artistic imagery.

Photograph Live Birds in a Creative Portrait Setting

One of the highlights of this workshop is the opportunity to photograph a model posed with a live birds up close in a controlled portrait environment.

Birds bring an entirely different set of challenges and creative possibilities to portrait photography. They move unpredictably, react to their surroundings, and don't take direction like a traditional pet or human model. You'll learn how to anticipate their behavior, work with their natural movements, and create compelling compositions even when you can't control the subject.

This is your chance to photograph something truly different—and walk away with unique, portfolio-worthy images of live birds.

Work With the Animal, Not Against It

Photographing exotic animals requires a different mindset. The subject may not sit, stay, look at the camera, or repeat a pose on command. It may move unexpectedly—or barely move at all.

You'll learn how to turn those limitations into creative opportunities.

Paulina will demonstrate how to build an entire portrait session around an animal's natural behavior while creating images that feel polished, intentional, and cohesive. You'll learn to observe, anticipate, adapt, and make the photograph around the subject rather than trying to force the subject into the photograph.

What You'll Learn

• Photograph and light live birds to reveal texture, detail, personality, and character
• Light unusual and unpredictable animals in a way that enhances their natural features
• Create strong compositions without relying on traditional posing
• Anticipate animal movement instead of trying to control it
• Build a complete gallery of compelling images from unpredictable subjects
• Create styling and set designs that complement both the animal and a model
• Photograph the connection between animals and their humans
• Direct owners without disrupting the animal's natural behavior
• Recognize behavioral cues and know when to adjust your approach
• Adapt quickly when an animal doesn't behave as expected
• Prepare clients for a successful exotic-pet portrait session
• Turn unpredictability into creative opportunities for fine art storytelling

Create Portraits Around Connection

When an animal and its owner share a genuine bond, that relationship can become the heart of the photograph.

You'll learn how to position and direct the model so their connection with the animal feels natural rather than staged. Through composition, body language, proximity, and interaction, you'll discover how to create portraits that communicate personality, emotion, and relationship.

Safety Comes First

Working with live birds and other non-traditional animals requires preparation and awareness. Paulina will cover essential safety practices, including environmental control, handling awareness, stress reduction, recognizing behavioral cues, and creating a calm, controlled environment that prioritizes the wellbeing of both the animal and the people involved.

A True Hands-On Photography Experience

This isn't a sit-and-watch presentation. You'll be photographing live birds and putting the techniques into practice with your own camera.

You'll have the opportunity to experiment with composition, lighting, camera settings, timing, and interaction while learning how to respond when your subject does something completely unexpected.

Bring your camera, your creativity, and your willingness to adapt.

By the end of the workshop, you'll have a new approach to photographing animals that aren't "trained models"—and, most importantly, you'll have the experience of photographing live birds in a creative portrait environment and creating images you can be proud to add to your portfolio.

Bring your camera and be ready to shoot!