Why did you decide to become a pet photographer?
I’ve always been drawn to animals, and I always knew I wanted a career working with them. I stumbled upon the concept of pet photography in 2008 during one of my many soul-searching, “what the heck do I wanna do with my life” episodes. I felt like I finally found the perfect way to live my dream; I had an Oprah-esque “Ah-ha” moment. I embarked on this journey by enrolling in several photography courses, and attending a unique pet photography workshop. I am in complete joy when I am in the presence of animals (big or small, wild or domesticated). I find them fascinating, and they give us insight on how we should live our lives. Our pets are loving, resilient and intuitive creatures. Capturing their essence is my ultimate goal.
Why should I invest in your services?
Simple. If you consider your pet to be an integral part of the family then you should definitely consider this unique opportunity. My job is to honour your pet by capturing his personality through photographs, and to offer you beautiful mementos that will last a lifetime. My goal is for you to be completely satisfied with the whole experience from the actual photo shoot, to the in-home ordering session, and the final packaged products.
Can you explain the whole process?
Sure! Here it is!
- You contact me by email or by phone to book your session. We will go through some of the details of the shoot, what your expectations are, chit chat about your pooch or kitty, etc.
- I will call you a couple days before the shoot to confirm that everything is a GO.
- On shoot day, I will ask you to sign a standard model release detailing copyrights and liabilities. I will also collect my pay at the beginning of the shoot so that I don’t forget amongst all the excitement! It has been known to happen ;)
- Then the fun part begins…I play with your pet for about 1 to 2 hours all the while taking amazing snapshots. You can definitely join in the fun too! I encourage it. We may decide to go to a second location to get more varied shots.
- About a week post shoot, you will be able to view your photos (20 to 30 of the best shots) in a private on-line gallery. You can share the link and password with friends and family. I will send you an email to notify you as soon as they are on-line. Also, you may get a sneak peak of the session on the blog before your gallery is posted.
- You will have 1 week following this notification email to book your in-home ordering session, during which I will show you sample products and we can order whatever products your heart desires; such as a fabulous photo book or a canvas. Remember that you have a $100 product credit included in the session fee, so don’t delay!
- Finally, the products you’ve been anxiously awaiting arrive at your door!
How do you justify your rates and prices?
My rates and prices take into account all the time and resources I spend travelling to and from the photo shoots, photographing pets, communicating with clients, post-processing RAW files into display-worthy photographs, creating private on-line photo galleries, in-home ordering sessions, ordering custom products such as photo books, and personally delivering the finished products to the client’s home. You will find that my prices are very similar to those of a portrait photographer’s, if not less expensive. Also, in many ways this service can be seen as an investment since most products (which are of the highest quality) will last a lifetime. It truly is more than just an 8×10 print, it’s a great experience and a chance to honour your pet in all their wonderful, happy-go-lucky glory. Ten to twenty years down the road, as you flip through your photo album admiring the images of your furry friend, you will thank yourself for capturing those precious moments.
Can you shoot several pets at once?
Of course I can! I accept the challenge. I will usually shoot each pet individually, and then try to get group shots depending on the situation (perhaps Mugsy the cat doesn’t appreciate getting sniffed by his canine brother Scout). Just keep in mind that there is an extra fee of $25 for each additional pet after two.
If anything is unclear, please do not hesitate to ask me a question! Just click on the “Contact Me” link above and fill out the drop-down form. Thank you for your interest :)
