Life & Work with Courtney Bryson of Rutledge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Bryson.

Hi Courtney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Dogs have shaped my life in a really literal way. They’ve been my bridge to community, my reason to show up, and the thing that makes everything feel meaningful when the world gets loud.

I actually started learning photography in the early 2000s, learning how to photograph prom dresses for a national prom marketing magazine—images designed to make high school girls want the dress. But it wasn’t until I brought my camera home and started photographing my foster dogs to help them get adopted that everything clicked. For the first time, photography wasn’t just about making something look good—it was about connection, emotion, and telling a story people could feel.

My wife and I now run a nonprofit rescue focused on medically fragile flat-faced breeds, and that work has shaped everything about how I photograph dogs. It taught me how to read body language, how to slow down, and how to make safety and trust part of the process. That approach is fully baked into the client experience.

As the business grew, I made a deliberate decision: this isn’t about handing over a bunch of pretty images. It’s about creating finished artwork—custom albums and wall pieces that are proudly displayed in a home and celebrate the relationship people have with their dogs. That’s how I got here: combining high-end portrait work with a calm, dog-first experience, and delivering artwork people are genuinely proud to live with.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I photographed my first dogs for clients in 2018, and by the end of 2019 I made the decision to go all-in on this as my full-time career. Then 2020 hit. Overnight, the “normal” way of running a business changed—sessions, communication, sales… everything. I had to rebuild my process fast, get really clear on what mattered, and create a client experience that felt calm and seamless even when the world wasn’t. That season forced me to get better at systems, boundaries, and serving clients at a higher level.

The other challenge has been personal: I’ve had to walk through big seasons of grief after losing a few of my own animals over the years—my horse Ginger after 32 years together, then Bella, my first ever dog as an adult, and most recently Lira, my soul’s dog.

When you make your living photographing pets, it can be hard to pick up a camera right after your own heart takes a hit to photograph someone else’s. It’s a strange contradiction: I have thousands of photos of my own dogs, and still there are moments where it feels like you can’t photograph what you wish you could hold onto.

But those experiences also sharpened my purpose. They reinforced that this work isn’t just about pretty images—it’s about creating artwork that matters, and giving people something tangible they can live with every day. The challenges pushed me to build a business with more intention, more depth, and a stronger “why” behind it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional dog and equine photographer, and I specialize in creating polished, museum-quality portraits that feel like memory—elevated, intentional, and still unmistakably them. Most of my clients want artwork: framed pieces for their walls and custom albums that live on a coffee table and get pulled out for years.

I’m known for a calm, easy experience—especially with dogs who are reactive, anxious, older, or… otherwise creatively uncooperative. My background in rescue & years of dog training have taught me how to read body language and build trust quickly, so sessions feel structured but not stressful. I’m also very “finished product” focused. I help people think through where their favorite photos will actually live, design the artwork around their home, and deliver something that feels complete—not just a folder of files.

What I’m most proud of is the combination of craft and meaning: creating images that are genuinely beautiful and creating an experience where people feel taken care of. Seeing a client’s face when their album arrives or when their wall art goes up—when it stops being “photos” and becomes part of their home—that’s the point for me.

I’m building artwork with intention, and I’m doing it with the kind of calm leadership that makes dogs—and their people—feel safe. That’s where the best images come from, and it’s why the final pieces have the impact they do.

How do you define success?
Success, to me, is when the work is excellent and the business supports a good life. It’s creating artwork I’m genuinely proud to put my name on, delivering an experience where clients feel taken care of, and getting to the end of the week with enough energy left to enjoy my own life and animals. When a client sees their dog’s portrait as finished artwork—something that belongs in their home—and it hits them in the chest a little… that’s the win. I’m not trying to be everywhere or do the most sessions. I’m trying to make meaningful work, consistently, with care. If my clients love what’s on their walls, my calendar isn’t chaotic, and the business is healthy and sustainable—that’s success.

Pricing:

• Session Fee starts at $1,490 (includes planning, the photo session, and a design & ordering appointment)
• Custom artwork collections start at $1,800 (wall art + albums available)
• Most clients invest between $3,500–$8,500 for finished artwork for their home
• Larger home installations and multi-piece wall collections are available for clients who want a more extensive design

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cmbryson.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmbryson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmbrysonphotography
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-bryson-a400573a/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cmbryson

Image Credits
All images Courtney Bryson of CM Bryson Photography