Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Deltuva.
Hi Janet, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Janet Deltuva traded flight plans for fur prints — and somehow made both look effortless. After a 23-year career in the United States Air Force that culminated with retirement as a Colonel in 2013, Janet might have chosen a quieter life. Instead she followed a lifelong itch: photography. Using the GI Bill, she returned to school in 2014 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Photography with honors from The Art Institute of San Antonio in 2017. From there she launched Ares & Emzy Pet Photography in Boerne, Texas, building a business that tells the tender, funny, heroic stories of animals and the humans who love them.
Janet was “that kid” who found and fought for animals. Growing up with two brothers, a sister, and a household full of pets, she made it her mission to reunite lost animals with their families or find them new homes. Her penchant for rescue was equal parts stubbornness and compassion — and it produced a few legendary moments. On an early date, she spied a loose gerbil in a pet store, handed off her purse and declared, “Hold this,” before catching the escapee. Years later, while a Captain at a training seminar, she calmly scooped up a mouse that had sent the room into a panic. Because military protocol requires a salute outside, she faced a two-star general with a rodent in her hand and no cover (hat) to salute with — the explanation was absurd enough that the general simply smiled and waved her on.
Those stories aren’t just good cocktail-party fodder; they show the through-line of Janet’s life: a natural instinct to protect animals, a readiness to act, and a sense of humor about it all. She brings that same approach to her work as a storyteller through images. “I shoot to capture the relationship, not just the pose,” she says. Her photography celebrates the everyday intimacy between pets and people — the trust, the quirks, the unguarded moments that reveal character.
That approach has earned international recognition. Janet was named Top 100 — Open Category in the 2020 International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards and took home three Bronze medals in 2023. In 2025 she added two Bronze awards and a Bronze with Distinction to her shelf. Her work has graced magazine pages, including People and Scene in S.A., and filled the pages and cover of the book, Warrior Pups: True Stories of America’s K9 Heroes. Her photographs were also featured in a high-profile interview highlighting multipurpose K9 Bass and handler Retired Marine SSgt Alex Schnell.
Janet self published two books donating over $42K to the United States War Dogs. The first book, a run of 250 copies, was published in 2021 and was called, The Tails of the Alamo City: A dogs Adventure Guide. The second book, a run of 500 copies, was called The Tails of the Hill Country: A Dogs Adventure Guide. The final 200 copies were purchased by the public to donate to the first responders of the tragic Kerrvile Floods on 2025. These book projects were a labor of love and proof that impact can exceed scale. It’s the kind of result that sums up her philosophy: creative work should do more than look good; it should give back.
Running Ares & Emzy isn’t just about awards and publications. Janet is an advocate: a member of Professional Photographers of America and the Hearts Speak Global Community of Artists, she uses her platform to support shelter animals and encourage the public to recognize the value of every animal life. Working on location in San Antonio, Boerne, and the surrounding area is where technical skill meets storytelling — whether she’s coaxing a shy rescue into a soulful portrait or finding the perfect light for a mischievous terrier mid-leap.
Her background in the Air Force informs her business in subtle ways. Discipline, attention to detail, and a calmness under pressure translate directly to on-location shoots where timing and trust make or break a session. But she’s quick to point out that she left the stiff formality behind. Her sessions are warm, witty, and collaborative — a little bit military precision, a lot of heart.
Janet’s path from colonel to creative felt inevitable in hindsight. She always loved animals; she always loved stories; photography gave her the language to join the two. Today she’s known for images that feel intimate — portraits that say, in a single frame, who a pet is and why they matter. She keeps chasing that feeling, one rescued pup and one proud owner at a time.
If you meet her, you might hear her laugh before you hear her camera shutter. If you read her work, you’ll see why: Janet’s photos don’t just freeze a moment — they open a door into a life lived with loyalty, chaos, and a whole lot of love.
Ares & Emzy Pet Photography — Boerne, Texas
Website: www.aresemzyphotography.com
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Having three professional degrees before starting my Bachelors of Fine Arts gave me a solid academic foundation. Plus, my military career taught me discipline, working under tight deadlines, multitasking, and handling high-stress situations, which made working with people and their pets a real joy and more like play than anything else. But the book projects were a whole different ball game. Even with my best plans, I started both books 24 months before my publication date, and in each case, I was photographing and writing the text with just a 14-month window. I had two amazing pet photographers, Kim Wallace and Rita Garcia from Rita Marie Studios in Austin, to help with Tails of the Hill Country: A Dogs’ Adventure Guide Book. Kim and I focused on the east to central and west parts of the Hill Country. Rita also contributed amazing photos from the north-central areas. The other challenge with the second book project, Tails of the Hills Country, was getting sponsorships. Again, angels! Candace McLerren and Javelina Harley Davidson were our Key Sponsors, hosting events and promoting the book during the photography and book sales. Other angel sponsors included Herbst Veterinary Hospital, Magnolia Turf, Fickle Pickles, Seven Oaks Kennels, Shopping with Siobhan, Wagmore Pet Resort, Teamwork Financial, and Creekview Veterinary Hospital.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m really inspired by Cesare Pavese’s quote, “We don’t remember days, we remember moments,” and it’s so true—the special moments we share with our pets are what truly matter. Our furry friends bring us joy every single day, no matter how old they are.
Our pets are forgiving, they keep our secrets safe, and they never argue with us. We can even look back on a chewed-up shoe as a cherished memory.
And honestly, we might even miss those early morning hairball alerts from our cats!
In short, our pets brighten our lives every day.
Looking back, we have such pure memories of our time together, free from any negative feelings. My photos ensure that you’ll always remember your fur-kids “fur-ever.” Every time I look through my lens at a pet and their owner, I realize I’m capturing a special moment—the head tilt, the loving gaze, the playful tease during playtime, or the tender hug for a final goodbye. My work means a lot to that pet owner, and to make sure I provide the best, I invest in my skills through online workshops, juried competitions that offer feedback, long-term mentorship, and ongoing skill development through pet photography communities. You asked me, what sets me apart? First, I enjoy composite/fantasy phtographs as shown in the image with the corgi and the fairies. Second, I am a perfectionist. One time, while working on the first book, I was especially stressed getting images edited for several clients while aslo submitting images for competition. A colleague said, “You are too fussy, they will never know (about the edits).” I replied, “I will know, these pets matter.”
How do you define success?
In this complicated world, I like to keep things simple. There is a session fee of $275. and you have me for as long as it takes to get the photos we need to capture your memories. I don’t believe in “nickel & diming” for additional time for a session, or if the session does not produce enough images, and we need to reschedule. Simply put, the session lasts as long as we think we need to get enough images to meet your goals, and if we need to reshoot, we will reshoot the session at no additional charge. Products such as wall art in canvas, metal, or acrylic, albums or folios, and/or digitals are sold separately. I also have specially priced events such as Model Calls, a “How to Photograph Your Pet” class, and Limited Edition Themed Events scheduled throughout the year. Also, I know firsthand, many times over, what it means to have a critically ill or very senior pet. I have a reduced rate of $175 for a Tribute Session. Call me if you are in this circumstance, and I will do my best to work you into my schedule ASAP.
I define success by delivering images that bring chills or tears of joy to a pet owner. Images so striking that they can’t decide which ones to leave behind. And once the client decides upon the images they would like in their collection, I provide perfection in all aspects: the image editing, the product quality, and a 100% satistfaction guarantee. Basically, to provide the same type of service that I would expect.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aresemzyphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aresemzyphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aresemzyphoto/
