Meet your pet photographer

ABOUT

Allison, a professional Denver pet photographer, smiling and holding a Canon camera while standing on a nature trail with the Boulder mountains in the background.

Calling my dogs “pets” doesn’t sit right with me

We tend to reach for words like fur babies and dog mom, because there isn’t a specific label for the connection we have with our “pets” that truly does it justice, so we settle for the closest thing we know. Innately we desire to nurture them, but they aren’t children. And lucky for us they’re so much less complicated than humans. They simply want our company and our affection (and our food). 

Despite being a whole other species with countless unknowables, we’ve found a way to connect and communicate. Our love is so intertwined. We want to give them a part of our life and consequently shape it around them.

That mutual love and selflessness is what makes them family.

Allison Mae sharing her camera with curious children in the Colombian Amazon, reflecting her warm, patient, and connected approach to photography.

Global experience meets Denver dog photography

My work has taken me from the humid, high-stakes environment of the Colombian Amazon, where I documented community vet projects in the rainforest, to the high-alpine ridges of Switzerland and the glaciers of Iceland. I’ve trekked through the red rocks of the American southwest to learn how light and landscape can transform a "pet photo" into a piece of art.

These travels have taught me how to be a quiet observer in unpredictable environments. Whether I'm navigating a remote village or a rocky Colorado trail, I’ve learned how to read the subtle body language of dogs and their people immersed in the natural world.

Elevated dog portraits for Colorado’s wildest adventure seekers

I bring that same candid spirit back to our Colorado trails. Because I’ve navigated everything from rainforests to alpine summits, I know exactly how to stay calm and creative when things get real on a shoot, whether that's a sudden mountain rainstorm, a muddy puppy, or an easily distracted senior dog.

My work has been seen in…

As seen in Boulder Life and AKC Family Dog: Featured pet photography by Allison Mae, an adventure dog photographer serving Boulder,Denver,and Crested Butte,Colorado.

Me & my pack

It’s uncanny how our animals reflect our personalities, but given our tight connection with each other it makes total sense!

While they haven't picked up my love for travel sketchbooks or reality TV (yet), we are perfectly aligned when it comes to the important stuff: long days on the trail, the thrill of a roadtrip, and the search for the perfect mountain light.

All of this has me thinking… Maybe if you learn about them, you’ll learn a little about me too.

Ansel, an energetic and friendly adventure dog, exploring a mountain trail during a photography scouting trip in Telluride, Colorado.

Meet Ansel

  • Energy Level: High. Think "cupcake-fueled toddler.”

  • Brains: Too smart for his own good; he’s the reason I’ve mastered my action shots.

  • Personality: A professional greeter who has truly never met a stranger.

Zuzu, a red merle Border Collie and adventure partner for Allison Mae Photography, sitting by a mountain lake at sunrise.

Meet Zuzu

  • A True Ride-or-Die: She wears her heart on her sleeve and is a total mind-reader.

  • All Heart: Deeply intuitive and a master at the quiet, connected moments.

  • Boss B: Rules with an "iron paw" (and I wouldn’t have it any other way).

Allison is a rare combination of consummate professional and 'kind soul'.

“Allison recommended Chautauqua's hiking trails as the backdrop and, in very short order, she was able to capture our dogs’ distinct personalities in a series of both still and action shots. There were so many great images that it took several days to decide which ones to print.” 

— Dave, Skye & Blue