Today we’d like to introduce you to Cheryl Gottschall.
Hi Cheryl , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My Story: From RIT to Rescue Dogs
Well, my journey didn’t exactly start with a “maybe I’ll try photography” moment—it’s been my *thing* since I was a kid. Seriously, I can’t remember a time I wasn’t obsessed with making images. It wasn’t a hobby or a second career; it’s the main act, which is why I was dead set on getting a degree in **Biomedical Photographic Communications** from RIT and even went to Salzburg, Austria to study fine art photography.
The Path Less Traveled
My early career was a bit of a whirlwind education, giving me skills most photographers don’t get. I was working with big-name **editorial and product photographers in New York City**, which taught me how to handle demanding clients and perfect lighting. Then, I took a wild detour into **medical photography in Philadelphia**, shooting everything from clinical details to live surgery. That medical background is a huge part of my secret sauce; it taught me to be fast, precise, and to **get the shot right the first time**—no do-overs on the operating table!
When I moved to North Carolina, I doubled down on the independent spirit. I actually **owned and operated a retail photography supply store** with a custom black-and-white lab for a while. Talk about a grassroots education in small business and community! For the last 20-plus years, though, I’ve been focused on my core passion: **commercial photography**. I love diving into the mechanics of a machine or capturing the fine details of a product; I love how every new client is a chance to keep learning my craft.
From Commercial to *Gott Dog*
The dog portrait work—**Gott Dog Photography**—was a beautiful, happy accident. I’d been a commercial photographer for years, but in 2007, I adopted my first dog, a wonderful guy named Wally. He was eager to please, and one day I was setting up my studio lights for a commercial portrait. Instead of using a mannequin, Wally just jumped right into the client chair and faced the camera.
I realized he was a much more fun test model than a mannequin or me! I started photographing him all the time. It quickly became this amazing **creative outlet** that was totally free of the usual commercial constraints. I get to laugh when a dog sits in my lap or shows off their funny personality. It was just pure joy, and I knew I had to share that, so I spun it out into its own branch.
So, here I am today: a photographer dedicated to both the precision of commercial work and the heartwarming, unbridled personality of dog portraits, all while volunteering locally (like with **For the Love of Dogs rescue** and **Meals on Wheels**). I’ve built a life and a business around my passion, and I still carry my camera everywhere I go—it’s better than a gym membership! 😉
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has It Been a Smooth Road?
Definitely not, and I’d be suspicious of any independent entrepreneur who says it has! The road has been more like one of those old cobblestone streets—beautiful in its own way, but full of bumps. 😉
The Rollercoaster of Being Independent
The biggest, ongoing struggle is the one every freelancer or small business owner knows: **unpredictable income and market shifts**. When I was running the retail photography supply store with the custom darkroom in Raleigh, that was a huge risk and a lot of sleepless nights. You’re constantly trying to manage inventory, keep the lights on, and compete with bigger chains, all while still loving the craft. Closing that business was tough, but it taught me invaluable lessons about finance, community, and what it really means to **pivot**.
Mastering the ‘Right Shot’ Under Pressure
My background in **medical photography**—shooting live surgery—was a massive technical and mental challenge. You have no do-overs. The stakes are high, the conditions are stressful, and you have to perform perfectly, quickly, every single time. It was a ton of pressure, but it gave me a level of focus and execution that serves my commercial clients today. Now, when a client has a tight deadline or a tricky product setup, I can handle it without panicking because, well, I’ve literally worked in an operating room!
The Creative Balance
Another challenge has been balancing the demands of **commercial photography** with the need for a creative release. Commercial work is fantastic, and I love the challenge, but it has constraints. If I don’t feed my creative soul, the work starts to feel like a grind. That’s why **Gott Dog Photography** became so essential. Finding that time and space to just photograph a dog sitting in my lap—to approach things purely from a place of joy and **documentary street photography** instinct—was the solution. The struggle was realizing I *needed* that outlet to stay fresh and keep the passion alive for all my work.
So, the struggles weren’t always fun, but they were the things that forced me to develop the deep skills, resilience, and personal creative balance that lets me do what I do today. I wouldn’t trade them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What truly separates me is the unique blend of a highly technical, deep education and a genuinely small-business, independent spirit:
The RIT/NYC Education Paired with the Mom-n-Pop Experience: I have the credentials and experience of working with renowned photographers and in high-pressure medical environments, but I also know what it’s like to own and operate a small retail business. I understand the budget, the hustle, and the pride that goes into a local independent company, and I bring that empathy to every client I work with.
Flexibility and Resilience: I’m the person who carries her own gear, climbs into a small space to get the shot, and laughs when a dog decides to sit in her lap. My career hasn’t been a straight line—it’s involved shifts, learning, and resilience—and that allows me to be incredibly flexible for my clients.
I think I’m known for a few key things that all come back to my strange, wonderful background:
“The Get-It-Right-the-First-Time” Approach: Thanks to my training in medical photography—shooting live surgery and clinical details—I have a reputation for precision and speed. I don’t “spray and pray.” When I’m on a commercial job, I quickly find the right composition and I execute the shot perfectly under pressure. Clients love that because it saves them time and money.
A Unique Perspective: My documentary street photography approach means I’m always looking for the authentic moment, the small detail, or the unexpected angle. Whether it’s the beautiful mechanics of a large machine or the subtle tilt of a dog’s head, I’m genuinely fascinated by how things look, and I translate that curiosity into compelling images.
The Dog Whisperer with Endless Patience: In my dog portrait work, I focus on capturing the dog’s true, unbridled personality. Owners often tell me that dogs seem to listen to me during a session—not them! I have endless patience, and I just wait quietly until the dog decides to show off its inner self, whether that’s a goofy head tilt or a moment of deep focus, and that’s when I get the shot.
I’m most proud of being able to sustain a career doing what I love for over 20 years as an independent entrepreneur. It’s not easy, but every commercial job I land and every happy dog owner who sees their pet’s personality jump off the print is a huge win.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is the technical perfection and compositional strength of every single image I create.
Why?
My career, from medical photography to commercial work, has taught me that a photo must be technically flawless and structurally sound to be effective. I don’t rely on a series of images to tell a story; I believe each photograph must be an independent masterpiece. The goal is always to create an image that is so perfectly executed and composed that it jumps off the page and instantly commands the viewer’s attention.
For my clients, this commitment to quality translates directly into impactful visuals that genuinely stand out from the noise.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gottschallphoto.com
- Instagram: @Gottschall_Photography and @gottdogphotography
- Facebook: facebook.com/gottschallphotography and facebook.com/gottdogphotography
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylgottschall/
- Other: https://www.gottdogphotography.com
