Tag: Photos by Lennah

September 16, 2025

My sister Lennah turns 61 this year, so you get the gooey happy birthday blog.

From Cats to Whippets: A Journey of 45 Years

Lennah was seven when we started breeding and showing dogs. Our parents made a rule that we could each have a dog of our own at eight. Lennah chose a cat. But at sixteen, she found the most cat-like breed she could, and now everyone has whippets.

Her first whippet was Seville—small, not the “best” show dog by conventional standards, but she ran like the wind and had beautiful babies and grandbabies who carried on that same spirit. Lennah named her original kennel Seville because, well, that’s what we all did in the 80s. She now has Winquest Whippets (you’ve met two of them: Smudge and Fuega), and while not a pedigree with any Seville dogs in the background, the Winquest whippets are very much based on the same style and the same kennels. The further back you go in the pedigrees, the more alike the breeding becomes.

She has stayed true to what she believes, and in 2019, she achieved something remarkable: she won Winners Dog over the largest male entry ever at a National Specialty (at that time) with Ryder, Smudge’s dad. As nice as the Winners Dog ribbon was, it was the Best Bred By Exhibitor award that meant the most to her—recognition that she hadn’t just shown a great dog, but had bred one.

She has stepped back from breeding whippets recently to concentrate on her business and help our 81-year-old Mom with the heritage breed American Foxhounds. Mom can still plan breedings and work with the dogs, but Lennah does much of the footwork and showing now.

The Eye Behind the Camera

What is Lennah’s business, you ask? She captures the moments that matter most in the dog world. She takes win photos at dog shows, in-ring candids, and creates stunning animal portraits when time allows. This isn’t just someone with a camera—this is a woman who brings together 54 years of family experience in breeding and showing dogs, 45 years as a whippet breeder, and at least 35 years behind a camera.

She has owned her own photography business, either in partnership or as a sole proprietor, for 25-30 years. This is expertise you can’t fake or fast-track. When you’re working with Lennah, you’re working with someone who understands the split-second timing of a perfect stack, who knows which angle captures a dog’s true character, and who can spot the exact moment when everything comes together for that winning shot.

Visit photosbylennah.com or contact her at photosbylennah@gmail.com to capture your own special moments.

Our Partnership: Art Meets Achievement

Lennah isn’t just my sister—she’s been Sarkanys Rising’s biggest supporter from the beginning. As trophy chairman and show organizer for the Heart of America Cluster and various American Whippet Club events, she commissioned us for trophies that would be worthy of the achievements they celebrated.

We started with “I Love My Dog” pens for specialty entries, then created custom resin and wood lamps for regionals. Eventually, we were crafting pens for breed trophies across all four days of the Heart of America/Leavenworth Kennel Clubs cluster in Kansas City each March. During our toughest years, Lennah saw our potential and helped make it reality.

The Person Behind the Professional

Here’s something non-dog-related and more personal about my sister: she often forgets how old she is because she starts adding years by October. Since this makes me older too, I usually correct her. She’s only 5 feet tall, and you’ll recognize her by the fact that she makes clothing last forever—getting things tailored to her frame is too much trouble.

She works incredibly hard, and like many second-generation dog people, it’s in her blood to the point where it becomes her life. She has a BA in history and maintains a clear-eyed view of today’s world. She lives with our Mom and struggles with seasonal affective disorder, but her dedication never wavers.

We aren’t getting younger, but our shared history makes us exceptionally good at what we do. She has been my best friend and my worst enemy at different points in my lifetime. Most importantly, I love her very much and wish her the happiest of birthdays.

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If you’re looking for someone who truly understands dogs and can capture their beauty, character, and your achievements together, reach out to Photos by Lennah. You’ll find not just a photographer, but an artist who’s spent a lifetime in this world.

Photos by Lennah, LLC
📧 photosbylennah@gmail.com
🌐 photosbylennah.com