I’ve heard this so many times, from people who would love amazing photos of their pet, but couldn’t imagine their pet sitting still. I want to talk about this, because it’s the most common concern when it comes to pet photography and generally holds people back from booking a session.
Did you see the lovely header photo of Audrey? Have you every met a papillon? They’re the quickest, most energetic and crazy little balls of fun. Audrey spent most of the session on leash, chasing a little squeaky ball and had SO much fun! Sure some of the photos we got were completely nuts, but we also captured so many stunning images too!
Striking a pose and below, GIVE ME THE BALL!
I must also say, I have only ever taken photos of ONE single pet that sat still during a session. It was a really chill little guinea pig called Snowflake who was in foster care. He wasn’t getting much interest from adopters, so I did a free photo session and showed off his good sides (because he just kinda was chilling, we had to move him to change it up!) The best part, he was adopted after someone saw his photos!
Other than Snowflake, I’ve never taken a photo of any pets that are still for more than a split second! I’ve taken photos of baskets of semi-feral kittens who just want to all run in 12 different directions, farm animals who are just hanging out in their paddocks roaming around, dogs running at full speed, birds flapping around, snakes climbing, etc.
My ideal, is to capture your pet’s personality and if that’s them running, jumping, playing, rolling, that is how I want them to be in front of the camera!
We do use a few tricks to get those perfectly posed photos of course, such as picking an easier time during the session to practice a few simple things, like placing your pet on something slightly off the ground (like a low rock or log) so they’ll generally pause in a pose rather than sprinting around.
With pets that can be leashed/harnessed, we generally spend the session with you next to your pet holding the leash. This is part for safety and part for making your pet comfortable with you right beside them. The other bonus of you being with your pet is I can capture some great moments of you and your pet, something you might not have, but would cherish forever.
Other tricks I have are using the correct settings on my camera, fantastic lenses and years of knowledge working with animals and photography – these all help me make the session fun for you and your pet and give you wonderful memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
If you’re really worried, always get in touch with me for a chat. I’ve helped so many people overcome their anxieties about how their pet might behave. I own a dog that is fear reactive, another who gets anxious and a third who is so disinterested in the camera it is a challenge. I usually use leashes, friends, even a tree to set up photos, I don’t try to make it harder on myself (usually!)
Here I was walking them on my own and spotted such a pretty spot to take photos. I was in an on-leash only area, so I clipped them to the tree and quickly took a few photos.
Don’t forget! We have a gorgeous private property, where you don’t need to worry about other animals/people or unexpected stressors (for you or your pet!) in Monteith, South Australia. We also have a private studio, which can also be a great option for smaller pets that cannot be easily on a leash. I can easily tailor a session to suit you and your pet.
