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Commercial brand pet photography and rustic-luxury family pet portraits with one-of-a-kind experiences

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A Girl with Grit

A Girl with Grit

Grit. It’s that unwavering determination to do… to be… to achieve… to make a difference.

Howdy, I’m Terran Bayer (sounds like Karen with a T) and my life’s mission is to do good and put joy back out into the world through my art. I’ve got a boatload of grit (not to be confused with cheesy grits; those are different) and I’m not afraid to use it.

I’m totally the Crazy Dog Lady and that’s alright by me. I have connected deeply with animals my entire life and practically grew up in a barn in upstate New York. I was surrounded with dogs, cats, horses — and one very special squeaky little guinea pig — and knew from a young age that working with and for animals was my calling.

My horse Handsome and me in the mid-90s. Notice I had a camera with me, even then.

I thought I was going to be a vet but — surprise! — science is not my thing (although I find it fascinating). I knew I had to listen to my heart and take the path toward being a creative. It led me to build this beautiful life as a dog photographer and graphic designer. I get to bring happiness to my clients through colorful photographs that tell the stories of their animals and bright designs that help grow businesses that are making a positive difference in our crazy world.

I’m a get-out-in-nature kinda girl. I’m happiest high up in the mountains with my hubby and Roxy, surrounded by trees and wildlife. Any day ending with me being covered in dirt is pretty much guaranteed to have been a good day. I love being off-the-grid, cooking over an open fire, and waking up to nothing but the sound of chirping birds and cooing quail.

Photographing the Sequoia redwoods (can you spot me?)

I’m not all hippy, though — I have a bit of a city-girl side, too! I’m a car nut and love to race. It’s especially fun to beat the boys. Girl power! I love all the Fast & Furious movies and dream of learning how to drift one day (*waves to Tanner Foust*).

I’m also a bit of a foodie and love trying new chefs wherever we go. I enjoy cooking but my skills are pretty limited. I’m addicted to Top Chef and Top Chef Masters (*waves to Rick Bayless*). 

Shelter animals are my passion. I love being able to help rescue organizations find forever homes for their animals through my art. There is seriously no better feeling in the world! I volunteer my time with Lionel’s Legacy to photograph as many of their adoptable animals as possible and design a printed calendar every year to raise funds to help the critters.

My #1 rescue, Roxy. Adopted from Helen Woodward Animal Center.

I strongly believe our animals are more than just pets; they are family. We aren’t owners; we’re parents. We don’t just provide our fur-kids the minimum care needed for survival; we feed the best food, take them to specialty vets, and love them more than anything else in the world. We buy them orthopedic beds, allow for ample snuggle time every morning, and happily let them take over our king-size beds. If you feel the same way, the Westway family is most definitely your tribe.

 
I truly feel honored to work with every single one of my clients. I love being able to capture the bond humans share with their animals and to tell every family’s unique story. I also love working with businesses who want to better the lives of our furry family members, whether through design, photography, or a bit of both.

I put my heart and soul into every project, creating art that’s deeply meaningful. If that’s what you’re looking for in a creative, then follow your inner compass — and let it lead you West.

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Home » A Girl with Grit

Follow our wild, wild Westway adventures as we travel the U.S. in our Airstream

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Based in San Diego, CA
Traveling the U.S. in 2022
(858) 848-9378
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There was a small delay with the arrival of our Ai There was a small delay with the arrival of our Airstream but we get to pick her up TODAY! We are so excited to finally begin this new adventure!​​​​​​​​
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Are you following along in our Instagram stories?
How stinkin' adorable is this??? Sweet Riesling ab How stinkin' adorable is this??? Sweet Riesling absolutely LOVED being in the photos with her mom and dad! This photo is one of six that make up a collage of rustic barnwood-framed canvases above their fireplace!
I always love seeing my photos on my clients' webs I always love seeing my photos on my clients' websites! Spotting Arlo's photo on West Paw's was no exception! ➡️ Swipe to see!
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#westwaypets #sandiegophotography #sandiegophotographer #sandiegopetphotographer #sandiegopetphotography #sandiegodogphotographer #sandiegodogphotography #commercialpetphotography #commercialpetphotographer #commercialdogphotographer #commercialdogphotography
I love the little moments like this one, which was I love the little moments like this one, which was captured during our session with Willow this past autumn. It was just a few short months before she crossed the rainbow bridge. I think of her often and wanted to share one of my favorite photos of her with her mom. ❤️ Willow was such a sweet & happy pup who loved her people so, so much.
As we plan our big journey, the question I get ove As we plan our big journey, the question I get over and over is about exact timing of our stops. My go to answer is "I don't know yet but I suspect it'll be sometime around..." ​​​​​​​​
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Here's the thing: with a few minor exceptions, we aren't on a set schedule. If we find someplace we'd like to explore for an extra day or two, we will. If we get in somewhere and think, "this really isn't for us," there's nothing keeping us there. When things go wrong, we will do our best to roll with it and remember that nothing ever goes exactly to plan.​​​​​​​​
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This is a whole new mindset to get used to but we're excited to give it a try! Do you think you could travel this way?
Here's a little Sunshine to brighten your day! ☀ Here's a little Sunshine to brighten your day! ☀️
When Riesling's mom contacted me for a session, sh When Riesling's mom contacted me for a session, she said she really, really, really wanted a silhouette shot. I think we absolutely nailed it with this one! Riesling is a little kangaroo and was having an absolute BLAST running and jumping as we wrapped up our afternoon together!
Do you ever have those moments where everything ju Do you ever have those moments where everything just feels like it is perfectly in place? I know they're rare but they DO happen — and this was one of them. As we wrapped up a very big day of adventure in the Eastern Sierras, Roxy lay down in the cold, sparkling snow just as the last rays of sunshine kissed the mountain peaks goodnight. My heart felt so full and I'm so grateful I had my camera ready to capture this moment + feeling for all time. 
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I have a hard time putting my own personal memories out into the world sometimes (hello, guarded introvert here!) but for Earth Day, I couldn't think of a piece of work more perfect for me to share than this one.
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We love getting out in nature, hiking, exploring, and adventuring. We are grateful for this incredible place we call home and are so excited to see more breathtaking landscapes on our upcoming six-month road trip (which begins in just two weeks)!
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Happy Earth Day, everyone! Let's celebrate this beautiful planet we share!
For the past few years, Greg and I have been dream For the past few years, Greg and I have been dreaming a very, very big dream — but it always felt like it was light years away from ever being possible.​​​​​​​​
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As the pandemic turned the world on its head, though, we realized life was too short to spend just dreaming. We knew it was time to make a giant leap of faith and live our dream of exploring this beautiful country we call home. ​​​​​​​​
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And now, in just a few short weeks, Greg, Roxy, and I are setting off to travel the US for the next six months in our Airstream and photograph dogs all along the way!​​​​​​​​
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We will be starting in Tampa, FL in mid-May and working our way up to the northeast for summer. Eventually, we will head back to San Diego for winter. There's no set schedule; no hard timeline. We are going to see where the road takes us!​​​​​​​​
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I will be posting lots of photos here on the Westway Studio Instagram & Facebook along with monthly blog posts on my website. If you want to sign up for our monthly email newsletter so you never miss a blog post, just go to westwaypets.com and scroll down to the bottom where you can sign up in the green box.​​​​​​​​
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Shameless plug: if you are on our basic route (FL > NY, VT, NH, MA, ME > San Diego (exact route home undecided)) and are interested in a portrait session, commercial project, or private mentoring, reach out! :) If you're in San Diego and would like to get on my 2023 waiting list, reach out, too!
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GIT ALONG LI'L DOGGIES
Follow my adventures with dogs, travel, and ranch life in the Wild, Wild Westway