Betty Brodie took home hardware from last month’s International Pet Photography Awards.<\/p>\n
Betty Brodie unapologetically leans into the cat lady trope with both paws firmly forward.<\/p>\n
She owns them, photographs them, adores them and wouldn\u2019t mind establishing a second career off them.<\/p>\n
Simply put, every day is Caturday in Brodie\u2019s world.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
To put Brodie\u2019s accomplishment in perspective, the IPPA is the world\u2019s largest professional pet photography competition \u2014\u00a0think of them as the Grammys or Oscars of the pet photography world complete with cash prizes and trophies.<\/p>\n
More than 4,220 entries were submitted from 48 countries in front of a panel of 12 judges.<\/p>\n
The online gala even got ink in Forbes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shaking, I was nervous and my hands were sweating,\u201d Brodie recalled as the moment of truth arrived. \u201cI worked so hard and it was really exciting. I was over the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Brodie also achieved her associate accreditation with the IPPA this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cComposition really makes for a great photo, along with really focusing on the subject,\u201d she said. \u201cYou 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have cats and I had a dog growing up. One day they\u2019re gone and you don’t have beautiful photos of them that you want to hang on your wall,\u201d she said. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brodie\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
And while it\u2019s not her sole source of income nor her second career just yet, getting to that point would be the cat\u2019s meow for the 57-year-old.<\/p>\n
\u201cCats have unique personalities and they are so lovey,\u201d Brodie said. \u201cThey’re cuddly and I just love coming home to them. I am definitely a cat lady.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brodie\u2019s work can be seen on\u00a0her website<\/a>\u00a0or via Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udce3 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter<\/a> or email your thoughts or story tips to [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf2 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcac Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.<\/p>\n