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When it comes to photographing your animals, you know you want to find an expert. You want someone that loves animals and has the skills to capture beautiful images. Let's simplify the entire process with a few simple questions to ask to make the right choice.
Photographer's Experience
Experience is a priority when you're seeking a photographer for your animals. You want specialized experience and understanding working with animals, posing animals, and posing you with your animals.
Ask your photographer about their experience:
- How long have you been working with dogs, cats, horses?
- Do you take continuing education in photography?
- Do you take continuing education in animal training or behavior classes?
- Do you belong to any professional organizations?
Photography Style
What type of images do you like? Is your preference for studio, location, lifestyle documentary images, or a combination of all those styles? Is the photographer you're considering shooting the type you prefer?
- If you like studio photos, what style do you want? Traditional portraits or bright, colorful modern look? Do you want lots of props in the image or no props?
- Do you like your location images to be gritty, urban style, or more of a parklike setting?
- Maybe you want a home session that shows your day-to-day life?
Once you've thought about location, look at the photographer's editing style. The personal styles run the gamut from actual color to highly stylized editing. If you're looking for dark and moody images, you probably aren't looking for a light and airy photography style. Check out the photographer's portfolio, blog, and socials for recent animal photography work examples.
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Pet Photography Session
Ask your photographer to explain the process of working with them. How you learn about your session depends on your photographer. You photographer may use a questionnaire, have a Zoom or telephone call, email with details, or meet you at the time and location selected.
After your session, some photographers will have an image reveal (in person or via Zoom) and help you select your images and artwork for your finished product. Other photographers may upload your images to a gallery for you to choose your favorites. Any method is acceptable as long as it fits your expectations.
Finished Product
How you "consume" your finished products is a personal choice and should be part of your decision process.
I have my favorite images printed on canvas and hung on the walls in my own home. As an animal photographer, I specialize in creating artwork from the images we create together. I enjoy creating wall art galleries, bound albums, images boxes, and digital files for my clients.
I love presenting you with a beautiful, tangible product to display in your home. Still, if you prefer your images in an online gallery for downloading, that works too. Make sure your photographer fits what you are looking for in the finished product from your session.
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Photography Budget
There are photographers for almost every budget. Please use a photographer running a legal, legitimate business, your pet's safety is too important not to. Your photographer should, at the bare minimum, be adequately insured.
Pricing for animal photography varies based on many factors. Experience, processes, vendors, locations, and more, all play a part. The adage that you get what you pay for applies well to pet photography.
Let's Shoot!
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