Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio

07/27/2026

🎉 We did it again, all thanks to YOU! 🎉

Strauss Peyton Portrait Studio has been voted Best of Johnson County for the second year in a row!

To say we're honored would be an understatement.

Awards are wonderful, but what this one really represents is something much bigger. It represents the trust you've placed in us to photograph the people who matter most. Your families. Your children. Your parents. Your beloved pets. Your businesses. Your milestones. Your stories.

Every time you invite us into one of those moments, we know it isn't just another portrait session. It's a privilege, and one we never take for granted.

To everyone who voted, shared kind words, trusted us with your memories, or recommended us to a friend... thank you. You've helped a portrait studio that's been serving our community for more than 125 years continue its story, and we're incredibly grateful to be a small part of yours.

Here's to another year of celebrating the people and relationships that make life beautiful.

Thank you, Johnson County. ❤️

🏆 Check out the official Best of Johnson County winners here:
https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/07/22/this-years-best-of-johnson-county-professional-services-winners-3-292113/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTUhKFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFvSFA0NmI0ZTZUUTBYaTVVc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnSBMUwJYVNGjpDc7ZThECObvv9a8FpWrVzkOQCRNzngGYNo1JXUvy074KHS_aem_nUl5rtaG8yx1jJ0-X_7uQA

07/20/2026

We still have spots left for our Tender Tails book!

If you’ve seen Tender Tails in your feed and thought, “Wait, what is this?” here’s the simple version.

Tender Tails is our fundraising project benefiting Great Plains SPCA.
You donate $85, and you receive a custom Photographic Experience that celebrates your relationship with your pet.

Here’s how it works:
1) You apply for a Tender Tails spot (link in comments!)
2) We hop on the phone and learn about your pet’s personality and what you love about them.
3) We create the portraits in a calm, cat-friendly way
4) You choose your favorite portrait
5) You write a love letter to your pet, and we include it in the Tender Tails book
6) You choose the artwork you want to live with at home

We create art that makes your bond with your pets impossible to dismiss.

07/01/2026

Daniel Tiger almost didn’t get this chapter of his story. 🐱

After suffering a serious leg injury, his original owner made the difficult decision that compassionate euthanasia was the kindest option. Before that happened, one of the veterinary technicians caring for him saw something special and chose to give him a second chance. Twenty years old now, Daniel Tiger is still surrounded by love, even with a permanent cast on one of his back legs.

When people call us about their pets, one of the most common concerns is, “I’m not sure they’re up for a portrait session anymore.”

The truth is, they don’t have to be. ❤️

Our job is to meet them where they are.

Some pets move a little slower. Some need extra breaks. Some are happiest resting in one place while we work around them. That’s exactly what we do. Every portrait session is tailored to the individual pet, allowing them to be comfortable while we celebrate the relationship they share with the people who love them.

The goal has never been perfection.

The goal is preserving the love you’ve shared through every stage of life.

Daniel Tiger is proof that some of the most meaningful portraits come from simply meeting a beloved companion where they are.

06/05/2026

If Tender Tails has been tugging on you, we’d love to talk.

We create art that makes your bond with your pets impossible to dismiss.

A Discovery Call is the first step. It’s just a conversation about your pet, what you love most about them, and what you want to create. No pressure. No obligation.

Clients even drive to Kansas City from Wichita and back in one day for this. That’s not because it’s “a lot.” It’s because the love is a lot, in the best way.

Click the link in comments, tell us your pet’s name (cats and dogs welcome) and how they've impacted your life, and we’ll reach out to share the next Tender Tails steps.

We can't wait to meet you.

06/04/2026

There’s a moment every devoted pet parent recognizes.

You look at them and you feel it.
The love is so big it’s almost painful. The routines, the quirks, the way they’ve become part of how you live.

That’s your cue.

Not to panic. Not to spiral. Just to do something meaningful while the love is loud.

Tender Tails is one simple way to say, “This counts,” and help Great Plains SPCA at the same time.

Ready for more info? Click the link in the comments.

06/01/2026

We were honored to have a small part in the Official Portrait Ceremony of Senior United States District Judge Crabtree on Friday. He has moved to senior status after many years of service which means he gets to have a bit more free time in his life. It also means that it was time to have his portrait made for the courtroom displays.

He did choose to make a deviation from court tradition. No oil painting for Judge Crabtree but rather a stunning Strauss Peyton canvas portrait to showcase his photographic likeness. Many were on hand to celebrate the service of Judge Crabtree and witness the grand unveiling by his wife and daughter.

It was a fabulous way to end the work week!

06/01/2026

If you’ve been seeing Tender Tails pop up and thinking, “Okay, tell me what this actually is,” here’s the full picture.

Tender Tails is our fundraising project benefiting **Great Plains SPCA**. You donate **$85**, and you receive a custom Photographic Experience celebrating your relationship with your pet **(cats and dogs welcome)**.

After that, we guide you through a calm, pet-first experience where your bond is the focus, not perfect behavior or forced poses.

Then comes one of our favorite parts: you choose your one favorite portrait, and you write a love letter to your pet. We’re collecting those portraits and letters into the **Tender Tails book**, so these relationships get to be seen, honored, and remembered.

And yes, you can absolutely create artwork for your home too.
We create art that makes your bond with your pets impossible to dismiss.

Ready for more information about our Tender Tails fundraiser? Click the link in comments.

05/29/2026

You love your cats like family, but you feel like other people don’t take it seriously.

And on the hard days, that can feel isolating. Not because you need everyone to agree with you, but because you’re tired of bracing for the eye roll.

If you’ve been carrying that quietly, I want you to know Tender Tails was created for you. For the person who loves deeply, and is done apologizing for it.

For more information about our Tender Tails fundraiser, click the link in comments.

05/28/2026

“S𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨, 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚: 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙛 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪… 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙘𝙖𝙩.”

That’s from the love letter to Boots, written by his momma for the Tender Tails book.

And if you’ve ever felt that deep, steady bond with your pet, the one that held you together through the darkest days and showed up again at the beginning of your greatest adventures, you already understand why this matters.

You feel settled, validated, and unapologetic about your family.

See more about Tender Tails, link in comments.

05/25/2026

We’re just like you. We're crazy about our cats. And we love that they make us work for their portraits. 🐱

So we’re not going to rush your cat, flood the room with light, or expect them to “perform” on command. Our fundraising project, Tender Tails is built around what pets actually need to feel safe, especially cats.

A calm space. Low light. Slow pacing. You close by. Bribery when it helps....like Churus. And if it takes more than one churu? Well, we aren't counting. Ok, maybe we are....there may have been three churus in one of our most recent sessions. But that's what it took and that's what we did. 🥰

Because when your pet feels safe (or well bribed that day), their real personality shows up. And that’s what turns a portrait into proof.

If you'd like to learn more about our Tender Tails project, a link is in the comments.