PITBULLS AND PEANUT BUTTER RAISED $12,000 IN 2024!

a labor oF love and smiles

70 Dogs, 400 Photos, Months of editing,

Several jars of peanut butter = 1 Coffee table table book, Countless laughs and $12,000 Raised for shelters

When I photographed my pitbull, Jack, enjoying peanut butter, it launched a year-long journey of love and laughter. What began as a fun studio session grew into a portrait project to raise funds for animal rescue and challenge stereotypes about pitbulls.

Through humor and heart, this project aims to shift perceptions and support rescues—one lick at a time.

NEED A GOOD GIGGLE?

BUY THE BOOK

The Coffee Table Book

Over 120 pages and 400 photos of adorable, derpy pitties guaranteed to make you laugh. The photos are accompanied by heart warming, humorous and sometimes profound stories of the fur babies featured.

BUY THE BOOK

See our cover beauties

THE VOTING CONTEST

CHOOSE A WINNER, RAISE FUNDS

One of the more fun things we did in 2024 was the cover voting contest. This was a blast and raised a huge part of the overall funds. Check out the cuties here.

SEE THE VOTING

can we raise $20,000 next?

JOIN US IN 2025

The Photoshoot

All participates receive a private customized in-studio portrait session at our Pt Richmond location. For a $200 participation fee you get 60-minutes in our Pt Richmond studio, 1 beautiful 5x7 print ready for framing and the charity gets a $100 donation.

Join our waitlist - sessions will start in early 2025. We are looking for shelters and private client dogs to be featured in the book.

Are you ready to be 1 of the 100 featured in this year's book?

The Artwork

While no purchase is required, why not take home a piece of art that celebrates the bond between you and your fur baby, and showcase the beauty and joy they bring to your life?

For participating you will receive a 5x7 print of your choice OR a $200 artwork credit. As a guide our 8x10 Fine Art Print package starts at $855 before any discounts.

The Book

The outcome of the peanut butter pics will be a beautiful coffee table book where each dog gets their own full page spread. The book is not included in the participation fee.

Rescue or Shelter?

If you are an interested rescue or shelter on the West Coast that would like us to come in and photograph your pitties, please reach out and let's discuss how we can work together.

Hey there, I'm Cyndi - your new photographer bestie!

Like many little girls, I wanted to be a veterinarian when I grew up. but when I was 16, I discovered photography and knew that was my passion. Being able to combine my love of pets and photography is what brings me joy. Be able to create images that tug at your heart strings and make you laugh out loud is my super power.

When not working you can find me on the beach, or painting watercolors or binge watching the latest Netflix series. Oh and I almost forgot-cake-I love cake, lemon, chocolate, carrot...yum!

LOVELY WORDS FROM CLIENTS

What Others Say About Us

"This is our 3rd session with Cyndi. She is fantastic and her photos & ordering options are great. She works wonders with humans and dogs alike to put everyone at ease. We couldn't be happier with the results."

LORELEI p

"Loved working with Cyndi! She was so much fun and my dog was absolutely enamored with her. We are SO impressed with how the initial photos came out and we JUST got back the final edits! IN LOVE to say the least! Highly recommend Cyndi and her services!

Alexa H

"I first had Cyndi take photos of my dog, Rosie, 10 years ago. Now that she is a senior pup we went back and had a very fun experience during our session. And the photos are beautiful!! I highly recommend Chickpea Photography!

jennifer k

Ready to Experience the Magic?

Witness the magic as we capture the essence of your pet's spirit. Allow us to create breathtaking portraits that will tug at your heartstrings every time you lay eyes on them. Join our waitlist and be part of this fantastic journey in 2025.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You have questions, I've got answers

Why are you offering these sessions?

My morning starts each day with a little nose lick from my pibble, Jack. It is part of our morning routine. I get my cup of Earl Grey steeping and go over to his favorite spot on the couch to greet him. He lifts his head, licks my nose, and proceeds to go back to sleep until his breakfast is ready.

As a pet photographer for the past 14 years and a pitbull guardian, I am on a mission to correct the misperception that so many have of these lovable dogs. That is where the book 'Pitbulls and Peanut Butter' comes in. The book will feature stories and photographs of your pittie licking peanut butter, looking goofy, and will be sold to raise funds for pitbull rescues.

But this isn't only a fundraiser, it is also an opportunity for you to get some great images of your furry (and non-furry) family. The focus of this session will be capturing images for the book, but we will also have time for you to include other family members in a portrait too. And, yes of course bring any non-pitties you live with and I'll take their photo too. One of my favorite things is capturing the bond between dogs and their hoomans, so I encourage you to come prepared to be in some photos yourself.

I have other dogs that aren't pitties, can they come too?

Absolutely, I encourage you to bring the entire furry pack into our studio. And you get in some of the photos too. Capturing the bond between humans and their dogs is my favorite thing to do.

Where can I see more of your work?

Chickpea Photography is an up-market portrait studio specializing in modern, fun portraits of pets, kids and the families that love them. Cyndi Kuiper is a Bay Area native and lifelong dog lover. Please check us out on Instagram for latest work - https://www.instagram.com/chickpeaphoto/

Where is the studio located?

We are thrilled to have a spot in charming and historic Point Richmond, the hidden waterfront city of the East Bay. Many clients enjoy hanging around in Point Richmond after (or before) the session to grab lunch or dinner, enjoy the cute shops, the art gallery, grab a beer at the local pub or head to the beach. You can learn more about what this hidden gem has to offer HERE.

Our address is 125 Park Place, Suite 122, Point Richmond.

What does the participation fee cover?

The participation fee covers your donation to the charity, your photoshoot and the 5x7 print or $200 artwork credit.

What is included with the session?

All who participate will receive a photo session by award-winning portrait artist, Cyndi Kuiper, of Chickpea Photography located in charming and historic Point Richmond (total value $500) and a 5x7 print or $200 artwork credit.

What will the book cost?

We are still working out those details , but it is likely to be around $100 depending on final size and options.

How much do prints cost?

You can choose from fine art prints, metal and canvas wall pieces, and stunning acrylic portraits, in addition to digital image files. Individual prints start at $495 and on average clients invest $1200 on their products.

To give you an example of one popular option - a collection of 10 archival quality prints ready for framing with the matching digital files is only $124 per print before applying any studio credit.

Will you photograph shelter dogs?

Yes, part of this project is going into various shelters and photographing the pitties waiting for adoption. How can anyone say NO to adopting one of these love bugs when they see that derpy face?!