Demand for professional images is being fueled by the growing number of animal lovers

Driven by his love of animals, Zhang Tianhang pursued a master's degree in photography at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom even though it was against his parents' wishes.

His goal? To one day become a professional pet photographer.

"My family didn't support my decision to become a photographer, much less a pet photographer," he said. "They didn't think it was a decent job."

Zhang's parents have since changed their minds as their son is currently one of China's most popular pet photographers. His services are in such high demand that the 33-year-old is booked for jobs until 2022. The Beijing native said the first photography job he was compensated for was a shoot he did for a stranger he met in a park in the UK.