Betty Brodie took home hardware from last month’s International Pet Photography Awards.
Betty Brodie unapologetically leans into the cat lady trope with both paws firmly forward.
She owns them, photographs them, adores them and wouldn’t mind establishing a second career off them.
Simply put, every day is Caturday in Brodie’s world.
And the world is taking notice, as the longtime Richmond resident was awarded as a finalist in the feline category in the International Pet Photography Awards (IPPA) last month.
To put Brodie’s accomplishment in perspective, the IPPA is the world’s largest professional pet photography competition — think of them as the Grammys or Oscars of the pet photography world complete with cash prizes and trophies.
More than 4,220 entries were submitted from 48 countries in front of a panel of 12 judges.
The online gala even got ink in Forbes.
“I was shaking, I was nervous and my hands were sweating,” Brodie recalled as the moment of truth arrived. “I worked so hard and it was really exciting. I was over the moon.”
The recent accolades are not a first for Brodie. She was also a finalist in the feline category last year and took home gold in the WPE International Photography Awards, along with a crystal for Top 100 in the world in the pet category, in 2025.
Brodie also achieved her associate accreditation with the IPPA this year.
“Composition really makes for a great photo, along with really focusing on the subject,” she said. “You have to capture the emotion that a photograph brings and that’s why I really love (photographing) people with their pets. I really love the connection between animals and humans.”
That Brodie only took to photography four years ago is a feat in and of itself. She retired from the optician field in 2022, got a camera and some fancy lenses and off she went. Brodie is almost entirely self-taught outside of some online courses and groups.
“I have cats and I had a dog growing up. One day they’re gone and you don’t have beautiful photos of them that you want to hang on your wall,” she said. “I wanted to start capturing memories that will be forever, that are beautiful, that you want to hang on your wall and that people can have as mementos.”
Brodie’s portfolio now sees her photographing mostly cats, but also dogs, horses or other pets alongside their human companions or sometimes just the fur baby itself.
And while it’s not her sole source of income nor her second career just yet, getting to that point would be the cat’s meow for the 57-year-old.
“Cats have unique personalities and they are so lovey,” Brodie said. “They’re cuddly and I just love coming home to them. I am definitely a cat lady.”
Brodie’s work can be seen on her website or via Instagram.
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