How to Choose the Best Pet Photographer in Atlanta for You & Your Pets
When it comes to photographing your dog - you know you want to find an expert.
Choosing the right pet photographer for you can seem like an impossible task. After all you want someone that loves slobbery kisses and doesn't mind a little fur, and someone that will deliver beautiful images while keeping you & your dog comfortable throughout the session. You’ll want to take some time to get to know the artist behind the Google listing.
5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Pet Photographer
1. A Pet Photographer's Experience
For me, experience is the first priority. Pet photography is a specialty genre for a reason.
Of course you’d hire a wedding photographer to photograph your wedding. You’d search for someone who had photographed a lot of wedding before - someone who isn’t surprised about anything that might happen. It’s a once in a lifetime event and you want it to be perfect.
Choosing your dog photographer is very similar.
A pet photographer is working with animals - and not just any animal - this is the furry love of your life we're talking about, and having someone that understands working with animals, posing animals, & posing you with your dog is very important.
Here are some questions you might ask potential photographers:
How long as the pet photographer been working with dogs, cats, horses, etc?
Do they do any continuing education in dog or equine photography?
What about animal training or behavior classes as ongoing education?
Do they enter their work in peer reviewed competition?
Do they belong to any professional organizations?
I’m incredibly proud to talk about my 10+ years working with animals, and my life-long love of horses & dogs. Ongoing education in building my craft is incredibly important and I set aside a budget each year for classes and workshops to improve my camera skills. My dogs and I routinely take classes together at Canine Country Academy in a variety of dog sports and I attend lectures on animal behavior and training. Each year I commit to submitting my work to peer reviewed image competitions to push my creatively and test my skills. And I’ve been a member of the Professional Photographers of America (the USA’s premiere organization for professional photography of all genres), Hair of the Dog, & Unleashed (two pet specific professional organizations).
While experience isn’t everything when choose the right pet photographer for you, I think it should be among your top considerations.
2. Pet Photography Style
The dog photographer’s style will have a big impact on your final images.
Do you like studio images or on location or maybe lifestyle documentary images taken in your home or a combination of them all?
Does the pet photographer you’re considering showcase that style?
If you like studio style images, do you like classic portraits or bright colorful backgrounds? Lots of props? No props?
Do you prefer urban locations or park like settings for on location images?
Or is what you’re looking for really a session in your home capturing the ones you love in the place you love them most?
And once you’ve thought about all that, don’t forget things like editing styles. Some pet photographers photograph dark & moody, or light & airy, or true color.
Be sure to check out their portfolio, blog, and social media for examples of recent pet photography work.
My own work leans to outdoor on location images with a mix of portraits and candid images in a classic true to to color style. I describe my work as dogs on their best days featuring warm, rich colors in natural environments. While I do offer both urban and more natural park like settings, I only offer studio work when I am doing my Pet Portrait Events.
3. The Process of a Pet Photography Session
Your pet photographer should explain the process of working with them.
Some will send you questionnaires or have a consultation before the session to talk about what you want while other pet photographers will just meet you at the time & location selected and start taking photos.
Some pet photographer’s will design a reveal for you to show you your images and help you select the images and artwork for your finished artwork while others will load your images onto an online gallery for you to download.
Neither is right or wrong, but you should consider which will fit your needs best. If you love DIY and printing your own photos, someone offer an all inclusive “shoot & share” model might be a great fit. If you prefer a more custom done for your service, a full service photographer will be a better fit.
4. The Final Product
While we’re talking about process, the finished product is important criteria to consider. This is a completely personal choice.
For me, I love offering a complete done for you custom service where we talk about your dog before the session, create a plan to capture the images that are most important to you, and then I help you choose how to take those digital pixels to real artwork to hold in your hands and display on your walls in addition to digital files.
Presenting my clients with a tangible beautiful art piece is a big part of WHY I’m a pet photographer.
But, maybe you want your images delivered on a disc or gallery online without any physical art, and there are pet photographers that offer that too.
5. Your Pet Photography Budget
As long as the pet photographer is running a legal business and properly insured, there is a pet photographer for most every budget.
Don’t take risks with someone operating under the table without liability insurance or a legal business entity… your pet’s safety is too important.
Pricing for pet photography will vary based on many factors - experience, processes, final artwork, vendors, location, and more all play a part.
Just remember, the price a pet photographer charges usually lines up with the value & experience they deliver.