Gracy Obuchowicz (left) and Lara Shipley of Houndstooth Photography. Photo by Michael Bonfigli.

Most people in D.C., despite its being headquarters to the largest “company” in the world, have been affected by the current recession, either directly or indirectly. So common wisdom would suggest that this is not the best time to be starting a potentially risky new business venture, but that is exactly what Gracy Obuchowicz and Lara Shipley did when they formed Houndstooth Photography.

The venture specializes in high end pet portraiture, using classic portrait photographers such as Richard Avedon and Annie Leibovitz as inspiration. Friends since college, the pair separated after school to build their careers. Shipley’s award winning photography has appeared in The Atlantic Online, Mother Jones, La Nación, and the Miami Herald. Obuchowicz served in the Peace Corps in Peru and was the photographer for a Fulbright-funded documentary about maternal health care in the Quechan indigenous culture. The two reunited while Shipley was working for National Geographic, which she still does part time, and Obuchowicz was at a local non-profit. Facing budget cuts and mounting frustration at their day jobs, the two decided to start Houndstooth this past fall.

“I came to D.C. ready to do jobs that were not in photography,” said Obuchowicz, “but if you’re not following your passion, things just aren’t that much fun.”