About Ellen Zangla

Pet photographer Ellen Zangla with one of her dogs, Lola, sitting outside at their home.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love animals. I can’t walk past a dog without stopping to pet them. I absolutely adore cats. And I have a soft spot for lizards—I think they’re super cool.

I’ve loved photography for as long as I can remember, and it’s been a big part of my life.When I’m not photographing pets, I’m often out with my camera photographing wildlife. If I’m lucky, that means wolves, bears, or owls.

Wildlife photography has become another passion of mine over the years. If you’d like to see some of my favorite wildlife and nature photos, you can visit my Nature and Wildlife gallery.

Combining my love of animals and photography felt like the obvious path. I’ve been a professional pet photographer since 2009, and it’s the best job in the world for me.

Professional Credentials

I’m a Master Photographer, Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer through Professional Photographers of America, and a Master of Animal Imagery through Animal Image Makers.

I’m also active in the professional photography community, where I serve in leadership roles, teach other photographers, and help organize image competitions.

Awards and Recognition

My work has earned numerous awards, including:

  • 2025 and 2026 Team USA member for the World Photographic Cup

  • Multiple-time medalist in PPA’s International Photographic Competition

  • Multiple-time Photographer of the Year (overall and category) for my state photography association

  • Additional honors at the state, district, and international levels

You can see some of this work in my Award-Winning Photos gallery.

Meet My Family

On a personal note, I live with my husband, our two-legged son, and six four-legged family members: Alfie and Griffin, our first set of “twins” and foster-fail cats from 2014; Lola, a rescue Boxer mix; our second set of “twins,” cats Panther and Storm; and Aeneas, an American Staffordshire mix rescue.
You can learn more about them and see their photos here.

A Few Random Facts About Me

  • I start every morning with a hot oat milk latte—even in the summer.

  • My first pet was a lizard named Cocoa. I didn’t get my first dog until my 20s or my first cat until I was 30. (My dad was allergic to dogs and cats, so we didn’t have them growing up.)

  • Even though I get cold really easily, the Arctic is my favorite place to photograph. The wildlife there is extraordinary—wolves (my absolute favorite!), polar bears, Arctic foxes, Arctic hares… just to name a few.

  • I love to read. Anna Karenina is one of my favorite books, but I also gravitate toward anything animal-related. If you haven’t read The Soul of an Octopus, I highly recommend it. Actually, I have a long list of animal-related books I love. Just ask or you can read six of my book recommendations here.