Over 200 Pit Mixes Sit for Hollywood Celebrity Photographer for Coffee Table Book
When Peter Michelena rescued his Pit mix puppy, Daisy, he had no idea she would be his bridge into Pitbull love. Now ,10 years later, Daisy is a lovely senior and Peter has gathered Pitbull moms and dads all over his hometown of Los Angeles, to create his coffee table book, The Big Book of Pitbull Headshots from Hollywood. It’s a wonderful book, full of beautiful dogs who are loving additions to their families and communities. And, Peter is donating 10% of proceeds to Pit Bull rescues, primarily Karma Rescue, Angel City Pits, Downtown Dog Rescue and Best Friends NKLA.
BIO:
"As a commercial photographer in Hollywood, I’m often hired to shoot headshots for actors and models and thought it would be fun to do some of Daisy, so I sat her in front of a backdrop and snapped off a few quick shots. I posted them online and it wasn’t long before I started getting requests from other rescued Pit Bull parents wanting headshots of their dogs, too. That was my ‘Aha!’ moment and the idea for a book of Pit Bull headshots, promoting Pit Bull positivity was born. As word spread, I saw a steady stream of Pitties, Staffies, Bullies, Pocket Pits and ‘Low Riders’ (that’s a Pit-Bassett mix).
"When most people hear Pit Bull, they automatically picture a dog that’s mean and scary. News stories of dog fighting and people who train them to be aggressive have led these naturally playful and affectionate animals to be unfairly branded as ‘bad dogs.’ As a result, an overwhelming number are abandoned or end up in shelters with little chance of adoption. Fortunately, in some areas these statistics are improving and attitudes are changing, thanks in part to the efforts of a new wave of Pit Bull advocacy and rescue groups. Aided by exposure from celebrity Pit Bull owner/advocates and the growing trend of social media to create ‘Instagram famous’ pets, people are now seeing that Pit Bulls can make great family dogs that really aren’t scary at all. That’s what this book of Pit Bull headshots is all about and for each book sold, a donation will be made to Los Angeles area Pitbull rescues."