Meet Candice
Candice C. Cusic is an internationally award-winning Chicago pet and family photographer, animal communicator, and former Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist. With more than 40 years of visual storytelling experience, she brings depth, intuition, and emotional intelligence to her signature Moment-Driven Photography™—a style devoted to capturing the soul and true personality of pets and the people who love them.
A pioneer in combining fine-art pet portraiture with intuitive animal communication, Candice creates calm, meaningful photography experiences for families and pet parents who value connection over posing. Her portraits are known for their honesty, quiet power, and ability to reveal the unspoken bond that makes pets family.
Beyond her private commissions, Candice is the creator of The See Hear Love Project™, a first-of-its-kind storytelling initiative that pairs photography and animal communication to help shelter and foster animals be seen, heard, and adopted. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: every animal deserves to be understood, and every story deserves to be told.
Want to learn more?
Chicago Pet Photographer
The in between moments are always my favorite.
When no one is performing, just present.
Thank you Andrea for choosing this moment with your sweetheart Guava.
From the shoot to the moment it comes together.
Guava. 💜 #chicagopetphotographer #rescuedog #pitbullsofinstagram
During their animal communication reading, Sam and Frodo thanked their foster, Hilary, for saving their life. They also shared something about their past and their hope for the future: no more cages.
This video is part of The See Hear Love Project — the only project that combines animal communication with fine-art photography to help adoptable animals be truly seen and heard.
These bonded bunnies are ready for a safe, loving home where they can stay together.
Sam and Frodo are available for adoption through @onetailatatime.
SEEN. HEARD. LOVED.
#SeeHearLoveProject #AnimalCommunication #rabbitrescue
Meet Horchata, an adoptable Chicago dog from One Tail at a Time.
She’s part of The See Hear Love Project, where animal communication and fine-art pet photography come together to help foster animals be truly seen and adopted.
If you’re looking to adopt a dog in Chicago, Horchata is ready for her forever home.
Meet Phoebe, a total sweetheart whose expressive eyes say it all. 🐾
It’s always such a joy capturing pets like her—full of love, personality, and the quiet moments that make them family.
#CusicPhotography #ChicagoPetPhotography #PetPortraits #DogPhotography #ChicagoPets #MomentDrivenPhotography
Meet Oliver the Corgi! 🐾
Full of personality and completely irresistible, this handsome guy brought so much joy to the studio. Moments like these are why I love what I do—capturing the bond you share with your pets and creating artwork you’ll treasure for years to come. 💛
#CusicPhotography #ChicagoPetPhotography #CorgiLove #PetPortraits #ChicagoPets #MomentDrivenPhotography
Meet Charlie, the semi-feral cat from @sayvanimalorg 🐾
Thank you to Sayv Animals and foster mom Carol for everything you do to help this sweet boy—and so many others—find safety, love, and a second chance.
Every animal deserves to be Seen. Heard. Loved.™ 💙
#SeeHearLoveProject #ChicagoCats #AdoptLocal #FosterCats #CatRescue
Seen. Heard. Loved.
Candice C. Cusic has launched a powerful new project, The See Hear Love Project™, to spotlight the rising number of animals in Chicago shelters. In collaboration with local rescue groups, she’s giving a voice to animals who deserve a second chance and a loving home.
This one-of-a-kind initiative combines the art of animal communication with Cusic’s renowned photography to help each animal be seen, heard, and ultimately adopted. Follow along to meet them and discover their stories.
Since the filming of this video, Ramona has officially become a proud foster fail—aka ADOPTED! She now spends her days living her best life with her mom April, her dad, and five pig siblings, soaking up all the love, snacks, and belly rubs she could ever dream of. 🐷❤️
#chicago #explore #explorepage #fosteranimals #chicagolandpigrescue
Our location
Located in downtown Chicago.
1821 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, IL 60622
By appointment only
info@cusicphoto.com
Available for travel internationally, for pets & family photography, and education for photographers. Send us a note for details or reach us by phone at 312-248-2939.
