Rangefinder Magazine
July 2005

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Profile: Mercury Megaloudis by Peter Skinner
Award-winning Aussie’s Pet Portraits Are a Hit

Rangefinder readers probably will remember Mercury’s great image of Jabber the cat, featured in “The Last Word” of the September 2004 issue. That dynamic shot of his friend Lesley Downie’s feline (a tight shot, emphasizing one of Jabber’s bright blue eyes) has won wide acclaim and appears to be on the verge of becoming a highly lucrative stock image, but it is just one in an impressive portfolio of pet portraits that have boosted the Melbourne, Victoria, photographer’s reputation as a portraitist. Even though animals and people are different species, they share many characteristics, commonalities that an experienced and proficient portrait photographer such as Mercury can highlight.

Mercury, who now shoots entirely with digital equipment (at this writing Canon 20D and accessories), points out that his pet portrait business is a small adjunct to the core portrait, wedding and commercial operations of his studio. But it’s growing and realistically could explode into a much more significant facet of the business if interest in his animal portraits continues to accelerate at the current rate. In fact—pun definitely intended—it could one day rain cats and dogs on Mercury’s studio. (By the way, although he does prefer dogs, he gets along just fine with felines.)

The key to this photographer’s pet portraiture, apart from great rapport with the subject, is working close and tight, using lenses in the 50–100mm range and getting right down at the subject’s level. “When I am shooting kids, I become a kid; when I’m photographing pets, I become a dog or a cat. I become what I am photographing, and it seems to work,” he says.

Also, tight portraits eliminate backgrounds, and because Mercury usually shoots on location, distracting backgrounds can be an issue. That problem is best resolved by tight cropping in camera or, if necessary, by computer after the fact. He tries to simplify technical aspects, using ambient light, shooting JPEGs, lens wide open to emphasize specific points of focus, and often handholding the camera so he can move quickly. When light levels get too low and space permits, he will use a monopod.

“The great thing about digital is that it works so well in low light, and you can see what you’re getting immediately. Obviously, you try to get it right the first time in camera, but corrections can be made later on the computer. I will shoot until I get the image I want. Sometimes it might take three shots, and at other times it will take 150. If you can’t get the shot—what I call the “hero” shot—by then, you might as well quit. I have never come away without what I wanted,” he says.

Mercury’s portfolio of pet portraits is not too dissimilar from one of people portraits. Expressions, character and personality resonate from the photographs conjuring up mental images of the personalities behind the visages—humorous, quizzical, haughty, dignified, curious, bored, disdainful, playful, friendly or aloof. And Mercury usually doesn’t have to resort to tactics such as ripping the cigar from the subject’s clamped jaws (as Yousuf Karsh so famously did to get his “hero” portrait of Winston Churchill) to get the look he wants. However, he does make the occasional strange noise—I am told he is capable of making a high-pitched screeching sound—to get a subject’s attention. More often, he simply establishes a rapport and focuses on the job.

However, one could reasonably expect that it would take different approaches to get cooperation from animals with disparate personalities. After all, a friendly, bubbly Golden Labrador is a vastly different character from a self-centered, haughty Siamese cat. But, and this is probably no surprise given he is an accomplished portrait photographer who can elicit the best from people, Mercury reckons he has never had a problem with any animal, regardless of size or breed. Working by himself and getting so involved with the subject that a great rapport is soon established has enabled him to consistently produce memorable pet portraits. The principal reason he works alone is that many years ago an assistant locked the keys and all the equipment in the car. Mercury had to smash a window so the shoot could be done—an unsettling and unforgettable experience.

As with creating most niche markets, Mercury’s entry into pet portraiture was serendipitous. He noticed that at most home portrait sessions and at many weddings, animals were often around or underfoot.

Being a master salesman, he capitalized on the opportunity to either include the pets in the people shots—not always successfully, especially if the pets or owners could not cooperate simultaneously for the camera—or make portraits of the animals themselves. The latter course invariably was a winner, and in short order Mercury found that his pet portraits were in demand, both by the owners and for commercial clients.

For example, a veterinarian who had seen Mercury’s portraits wanted a gallery of black-and-white pet portraits for his new clinic. Mercury had photographed the wedding of a friend of the vet and had also done some portraiture for the family. The vet saw examples of Mercury’s pet portraits and commissioned a set of black-and-white photographs for the lobby and walls of his clinic. Many of the images came from Mercury’s files—he gets releases on every animal he photographs and has full rights—but gaps that had to be filled required a foray to the annual Royal Melbourne Show where thousands of dogs compete for canine honors. Not only did he photograph what he needed for the veterinarian’s clinic gallery, but he also added to his own stock files.

However, while pet portraiture is a growing niche within Mercury’s business, he is quick to point out that clients will still spend more on their own portraits than they will on a pet’s. “Being realistic from a business point of view, I am better off making a portrait of a person than I am of their pet. But if the opportunity presents itself, I will sell the idea of a pet portrait, and people are usually surprised at how good their pets look when photographed properly,” he says.

As mentioned previously, one of the keys to successful pet portraiture is to consistently create memorable images. That applies to all portraiture and undoubtedly is why Mercury has become one of the leading portrait photographers in his home state of Victoria, garnering numerous awards at local, national and international level. He credits that technical and artistic consistency to the training he received from one of Australia’s leading photographers.

Years ago, at age 12 when first bitten by the photography bug, Mercury had no aspirations to be a portrait photographer—he just wanted to make photographs. Access to a cousin’s darkroom facilitated his learning to develop and print, and as his love of photography grew, he leaned towards specializing in shooting sports. His Greek family did not really encourage the budding photographer, and urged him towards a career in an office—any office, as long as he didn’t end up working in some factory! (For a time Mercury did work with Ford Motor Company.) However, he stuck with his long-held ambitions and was taken on by the esteemed Melbourne wedding and portrait photographer Michael Warshall, who produced stunning work and charged accordingly. “He was a brilliant teacher, and as well as drumming all the technical stuff into me, he taught me how to run a business and charge what you’re worth,” says Mercury.

From Warshall, Mercury learned more than one valuable lesson, but one which really stuck was the need for technical competence and complete control of the photographer’s tools—film, light, equipment—before being imprudent enough to break the rules. “I think too many photographers rely on the labs to correct problems that should’ve been solved in-camera or well before the shot was taken. I was lucky enough to have learned from one of the very best photographers, and I know what I can do and get away with, from a technical aspect. All the technical stuff I learned years ago I simply apply to what I’m doing today with digital technology,” he says.

Mercury also learned the business of the business and that grounding stood him in good stead when he opened his own studio in 1990. Having just returned from traveling overseas to the Greek Islands and beyond, Mercury was blissfully unaware that in 1990 a recession was taking place. He put all his energies and talent into his nascent business and forged on. In hindsight, it was not the most opportune time. Nevertheless, he not only survived those first tough years, but he also went on to build a thriving business that today has more work than he can handle.

He credits his involvement with photographers’ trade associations—the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and others such as WPPI—for taking his business and technical skills to higher levels and urges other photographers to become involved in such organizations. “Through AIPP I have developed a network of friends and colleagues in Australia and New Zealand, and WPPI has helped me do the same in America. I make a point of attending seminars and never miss the opportunity of learning new stuff,” he says. In recent years, Mercury has become a popular speaker on the international lecture circuit.

He has also figured prominently in these associations’ competitions. In 2004 he was named the AIPP Victorian Portrait Photographer of the Year, and in 2003 he claimed first place in WPPI’s Animal/Pets category (with a studio portrait of a white cat named George). One of the award-winning images of which he is most proud—and justifiably so—is titled “Rain Dance,” a photograph of a little girl carrying an umbrella and running out of the rain. In 2002 this shot became the only one to ever win gold (scoring more than 90 points) in Australia, New Zealand and America. There have been numerous other wedding, portrait and album honors awarded to him over the years.

At a time when the Internet is becoming a pivotal marketing tool for photographers worldwide, Mercury still likes to use more traditional methods of meeting and working with clients. Oh sure, he has a web site that features his work and awards and invites contact, but he likes to have clients visit or call him. This personal approach complements his other marketing methods—such as including a client’s portrait on Mercury’s own business cards, which he sends to that client. His personal approach has helped him create and maintain a loyal customer base. He strives to capitalize on referrals and, in his own words, he “will do what it takes to sell a portrait sitting.” Salesmanship is definitely one of Mercury’s strengths.

Also, he listens to brides and what they want. In fact, among the key words that he espouses are descriptions such as simple, humorous, romantic, unobtrusive, spontaneous, relaxed, fun, natural, elegant, capturing emotions, friendship and touch. These are not words Mercury plucked out of the air: They are the most common requests from brides for the sort of photography they want. “I am often told they like the subtlety of my work—it looks natural,” he says. And if the many dogs and cats—and some horses—Mercury Megaloudis has photographed could talk, chances are they would echo that same sentiment.

To see Mercury’s work: www.mega.com.au/.

Freelance writer, photographer and author Peter Skinner has more than 22 years experience in the photo industry. His magazine articles and photography have been published internationally and he has co-authored or edited numerous publications and books. He recently collaborated with the late Don Blair on The Art of Seeing Light (Amherst Media). He can be reached at: prsskinner@bigpond.com.