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The bond between pets and their people

Why Hire a Professional Pet Photographer

It’s over 100 degrees today with humidty!  It’s a perfect day to Blog about a topic I’ve been meaning to share with all of you!  Why should YOU consider hiring a  pet photographer?

REASON ONE: WE’VE ONLY GOT ONE SHOT

These days, anyone with a smartphone can claim to be a photographer. Anyone can snap a shot at the push of a button, save, and share that image immediately. We share our pets all over social media, and even have accounts just for them!  But this isn’t just about taking a quick snap – this is about taking the “right” snap. When you’re capturing a special moment, most likely a once-in-a-lifetime moment, never to be recreated again, you don’t want just anyone behind that lens. You want an experienced professional by your side.

Why? Well, when it comes to documenting something very important in your pet’s life, you want to be completely sure that when the shutter snaps, the person behind it has done this many times before. A true professional pet photographer has taken countless photos in a vast array of lighting circumstances, weather conditions, backgrounds, subjects, and with a multitude of distractions, and yet is still able to deliver a consistent set of photographs. And as we know, our dogs can get distracted very easily!  

The following image is from a “Memory Session” of senior dog, Jerry, capturing the beautiful bond with his mom.  

 
The bond between pets and their people

REASON TWO: IT’S NOT THE CAMERA

A common misconception about any genre of photography is that the outcome of an image is dictated by the quality and expense of the equipment taking it. This couldn’t be farther from the truth; in fact, if you gave an experienced photographer a pinhole camera and an amateur an expensive digital setup, chances are the experienced photographer with the pinhole camera will produce more artistic, pleasing images than the amateur. Great imagery truly has very little to do with the equipment taking it. An experienced photographer’s eye for angles and light will go many times father in terms of producing an amazing image than any special kind of equipment.

 The following image is taken 3 years ago with my cell phone on a hike with my dog Kota.  I didn’t have my camera with me, I still followed some “rules of composition”.  “Portrait Mode” on cell phones didn’t exist  yet, either.  I made sure not to “cut off” her paws and I got down nice and low to take the image. Not terrible for a cell phone image, but I much prefer the camera haha!  
 
Kota Newburyport, MA

REASON THREE: IT’S AN ART FORM

When you hire a professional pet photographer, you’re not just hiring a technician – you’re hiring an artist! Photography as a whole can get pretty technical, but in the end, it’s an art form. When you view a photographer’s portfolio online or during an in-person consultation, you’re most likely swooning over their personal style, which has taken them many years, experimentation, and hard to work to perfect.

Unlike just anyone with a smartphone, you can also expect a professional to reproduce this style again for your images. Only through years of experience can a professional photographer produce a consistent artistic “look”. If you want your images to look like the images you see in a portfolio, your best bet is to hire a professional.

When photographing dogs, more challenges can occur. The experienced pet photographer understands dog body language and will do their best to make a dog comfortable in any given situation.  They will have patience, and they will likely have a bag of treats… and “tricks” up their sleeve to get that perfect pose! 

In the following images, the first one is a cell phone image the client sent to me to share a location she was interested in doing a session.  It’s a great capture with an adorable expression on Buckley!  The 2nd image is the exact same location that I captured her beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog. Notice the light shining into his eyes and the beautifully lit background.  And how about that rockstar pose – priceless! 

Buckley CellPhone
Dunstable Hike
 

REASON FOUR: IT’S A PROCESS

A truly experienced professional photographer of any kind knows that photographing a special event or taking portraits isn’t just about taking pictures; it’s a process. Providing a stress-free, smooth client experience takes time to cultivate. Asking the right questions during an initial consultation to make sure the photographer and client are on the same page is just as important as having technical skills behind the lens. Additionally, a great photographer has experience with interior design and can take photographs with the end product in mind, whether that’s a large wall hanging for your living room or a coffee table album for friends and family to enjoy when they visit your home.

Professional photographers understand that each client has different goals for their images and are able to tailor their customer service experience as well as actual photographs to clients. Professionals can also confidently offer realistic timeframes for deliverables, offer high-quality photo prints and products that aren’t available to the general public, and can color correct images for printing so they look their absolute best on your wall or in your heirloom photo album that’s crafted to last decades. From an initial consultation all the way to delivering a wall hanging, offering a photography service to clients is an entire process that only a professional can deliver well.

The following images display examples of the design process and how we can create art for a space in your home.   The first, a stunning collage trio and the 2nd, a beautiful white barnwood.

Custom wall art
Barnwood Framed Print

Have you ever worked with a professional pet photographer?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post!  Interested in working with me?   Please drop me a line or comment below!   Thanks and have a great day!  

8 thoughts on “Why Hire a Professional Pet Photographer”

  1. Beautifully written, Darlene! Every last word of it. I hope you have a sample of that Bernese somewhere. What a beautiful image! ;O)

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly! The Bernese fit perfectly into this post with the cell phone capture from mom, right to the session. And YES, I will be getting a nice big sample with this beautiful dog!

  2. Excellent written article. You can only do so much with a cell phone and the images captured are basically for social media. An old saying “It’s not the camera but the person behind the camera. There is so much that goes into capturing the perfect image and probably only one chance to get this shot. Photography is truly art.

    1. Thank you so much! It’s amazing what a cell phone can do these days! But nothing like the beauty in the end result and seeing an image framed and displayed – makes all the difference!

  3. I full agree with the need for a professional. I am clueless about photography and only use my phone for pics. I probably break every photography rule there is. You deserve so much credit for all you put into your photo shoots!

  4. Agree 100% with the above comments. It is the thought out, planned, executed personal touch you provide that a cell phone does not capture. The framework and options for those amazing images/pictures is a skill and artist in you!

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