Love your animal? Consider professional pet photography

I love animals, so when I decided to become a photographer I decided one of my primary areas of work would be to photograph your animal by offering professional pet photography.

My initial pet sessions were actually pretty good. I borrowed the back yard of a friend because it was beautiful, and the client brought her cat. She let the cat walk free and I captured photos as the animal explored its surroundings. The favorite photo I got was one of the cat peaking over some stiff leaves from a tall plant.

I don’t do too many pet photo sessions anymore, but I’m certainly open to it. It’s just not something I market because I keep busy enough taking photos of people. But hey – I still love animals and still love taking photos of them.

So, saying that, if you want pet photography I’m giving you a few tips here on how to prepare you for a pet session.

One of the challenges in doing pet photography is getting the animal to sit still in front of the camera. It’s a challenge, but can be done. I have an app on my phone that makes squeaky noises. I turn to this app to get the animal to look at the camera before snapping a photo. It works pretty well. However, it doesn’t hurt if you bring treats or toys that can help get the pet’s attention.

Realize the session may take some time before your pet becomes calm enough to sit still for photos. Be ready to give your pet lots of pets and praise for doing a good job.

Your pet can pick up on your energy and emotions, so you should be relaxed as well when doing a pet session. One idea to keep you both relaxed is to do a session in a place where both of you are comfortable. This could be your back yard, the inside of your house, or a park that you go to a lot.

Your pet photos can be of the pet alone or with you. I encourage some of both. Just remember photos of your beloved pet will be cherished.