Olive Paw Photography — Where wagging tails and muddy paws meet art
Professional pet portraits with personality, nestled in the heart of Cumbria.
Our Story — Who We Are
We’re Olive Paw Photography: one guy, one diva dog, and a whole lot of passion for pet portraits.
Based in Sedbergh, Cumbria, we believe every pet deserves to be celebrated — with their quirks, their playful moments, and yes, even their muddy paws.
Photographer Dave Forknall has always loved animals. Rescue dogs, cats, Birds of Prey — you name it. His photography journey took him from e-commerce car accessories to astrophotography (yes, stars!) to creating Olive Paw. When Olive the cocker spaniel screeched into his life, it became clear this was the dream job.
How We Work & What Matters
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We capture the real pet — not just a posed portrait. Sniffs, zoomies, floppy ears — all welcome.
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We care about quality — from lighting to print materials, nothing overly done, everything thoughtful.
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Friendly, stress-free experience — every session is built around your pet’s comfort. Treats, breaks, and plenty of patience.
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Your home, your memory — our photos are meant to be enjoyed in your home, not just saved on your phone. We offer bespoke wall art, albums, and framed pieces that feel like part of your story.
Meet Olive & Dave
Olive Verstone Hwit Ealswith
A.K.A “Olly Pops,” “Lady Olive,” and sometimes simply “the destroyer of tennis balls.” Pedigree pup, explorer, champion carrot cruncher. Lives to sniff out the next perfect photo op.
Dave Forknall
Principal Photographer. Designer of light & lover of fur. Former studio & e-commerce shooter turned full-time pet portraitist. Educated in photography & video, star-gazer (astrophotography) and extremely likely to drop everything for a dog running full stride.
Why Choose Olive Paw
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Stunning landscapes & local settings: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, natural backdrops.
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No pressure. No hard sell. Just you, your pet & great photos.
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Decades of experience, professional gear, high standards.
What People Say
“Would highly recommend Olive Paw photography! Fun and easy experience and quality of photographs is amazing.” — Kayleigh Nicholson
“Excellent experience from start to finish with Dave. Absolutely love the photos he got of our 2 labs. Highly recommend.” — Stephanie Dowker