CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FURRY KIND, LLC
CLERMONT, FLORIDA

Close Encounters of the Furry Kind, LLC is a small, family owned, but full scale stock photo agency, with hundreds of thousands of images. Our specialty has been working with dogs and puppies for over 30 years. Our knowledge of our subject is what sets our photos apart. We offer cats and other domestic animals as well in our libraries. If you don't find what you are looking for please ask. We have just moved our website to a new platform so we are diligently working on resolving any bugs and reloading images that were uploaded years ago by uncaring staff and have the false appearance of inferior work. We are color correcting, editing and rescanning images as needed to rectify that issues. It is a very time consuming project, so we appreciate your patience as we work through those challenges. We won't offer any images on the the site where the original is inferior in quality, but some of the uploaded files don't give an accurate representation of the original. Thousands of images have not yet made it to our website and more will be added as soon as possible, along with many new images. We continue to add work on a consistent basis to keep your products fresh. Our goal is to provide the highest quality images available, whether shot digitally or from our vast library from over 20 years of work. We have converted everything to a digital format now and our latest equipment is superior to anything we've ever owned. Although we have changed to digital technology, we stick firmly to the belief, that photography is an art and in its purest form is not “digital artwork”. We don’t take mediocre images and later “fix” them to look acceptable. We try very hard to do it right to begin with, separating ourselves from many of the so called professional photographers we see in print these days. We want only the best, sharpest images to bear the Close Encounters name on them, quality is always first. Over the past 24 years our work has been published in a number of medias including multiple magazines, greeting cards, on various gift items, as well as thousands of dog calendars from some of the top publishers in the industry. We believe that our work will give your products that "awe" appeal that makes people come back for other items for years to come. The main philosophy of Close Encounters of the Furry Kind, is to produce a quality product combined with integrity of business. We strive to operate our company in a manner that is of the most professional level without losing the personal feel of dealing with a small, family owned operation. We love what we do, working with the animals and meeting amazing people. Years ago we decided that if we ever got to a place where we no longer enjoy our work, then it's time to retire our cameras to the closet. History of Close Encounters of The Furry Kind In 1988, I began Close Encounters of the Furry Kind as a small dog grooming business in Baltimore, MD. I was known then as Jeannie Kidd. Much to my dismay after just two years my now flourishing business had to be closed after I developed severe tendonitis in my wrist and was forced to retire from grooming. I knew that I would only be happy working with animals again so I began searching for my niche in the animal industry. Learning photography was something that had always been an interest of mine, but was an area in which I had little skill. While developing my photographic skills, I worked in portrait studios, a camera shop, as a receptionist and for several veterinarians. These experiences helped me develop the skills necessary to become a professional photographer who works with animals. In 1991, I submitted my first selection of images to Dog Fancy magazine and much to my delight; the first image was chosen to appear in print. This was a big breakthrough in showing me that is was possible to fulfill what had only been a dream up until this time. The rebirth of Close Encounters of the Furry Kind had begun. Over the next several years, my then part-time business blossomed and new clients came to me on a regular basis. In 1993, I met Bane Harrison at the camera shop where I still worked full-time. A friendship developed and Bane occasionally joined me on photo shoots trying to help where he could. Bane had been working on a degree from the New York institute of Photography and soon became an accomplished photographer himself. During the next couple of years Bane and me each went through a lot of very painful personal challenges and major changes in our home lives. We experienced a major breakthrough in 1998, when we stepped out by Faith and began working the business full-time. This was an exciting, but somewhat trying experience. We knew that it was sink or swim. We chose to swim! Since that time Close Encounters has continued to grow and prosper. We relocated several times. And are now located in central Florida where we continue to do photos and now offer in home pet sitting. The Harrison household consists of two dogs, a shih tzu “Fuji”, a wiry pound puppy “Sozo”, and two guinea pigs. Completing the Harrison household is our precious daughters Lyndsay who we were blessed with in 2005 and in 2008 our daughter Charis, both from The People’s Republic of China. Our dream is for them to one day continue the legacy of Close Encounters and take over the family business. We are grateful for the opportunities we've had to work with all the owners and their wonderful dogs and to be able to get our work in front of the eyes of the public for their enjoyment. The talents we have been given are not taken for granted and we don't forget that these are gifts that the Lord has given to us to use to bless others. We now take our photography into the mission field where we teach others about the amazing love of God and share with them our gift of photography. That is our intention and we hope you will be inspired by our story. Remember God is no respecter of people and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!