Things To Consider Before Booking A Pet Photographer in Raleigh, NC

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing any service. As they say, not all services are created equal.

The same goes for pet photography! Especially pet photography! In fact, choosing someone who works exclusively with pets is a big deal, which we will discuss more in detail shortly.

As a Professional Pet Photographer myself, I wanted to create this comprehensive post, for pet parents just like you, that are looking to hire a pet photographer, but aren’t familiar with what to consider before booking one or why they should book a Pet Photographer specifically outside of a generalist photographer.

In this post, we are going to touch on:

Exclusivity
Pricing
Style
Products
Experience

Let’s talk all about it!

Want to learn more about a Pet Portrait Experience for you and your pups?

Pssst… like this post? Be sure to pin it for later!

Things To Consider Before Booking A Pet Photographer

1 EXCLUSIVITY

The first thing you want to look at when booking a session for your pet is choosing a photographer who specializes exclusively in pets. I know that by saying that in this post, it seems non-sensical, but I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve had that worked with a generalist photographer, who ended up being disappointed with their photos because the photographer didn’t know how to work with their dog.

It’s not that the photos were bad, the dog just didn’t pay attention to the camera, there weren’t many photos of the dog, they didn’t know how to photograph action or tricks, the dog was stressed out during the session, the dogs were out of focus, etc.

So, when considering booking a session for your family and pet or your pet solo, make sure the person you choose is someone who has experience in working with dogs, so they can help you get the most out of your session especially if your pups are going to be a main focus!

In short, hiring a pet photographer means that you and your dog look good in the photos and they aren’t just an afterthought!

2 PRICING

Of course, pricing is another major factor when it comes to choosing a pet photographer. As someone who is artwork based, my pricing can vary widely from someone who charges a flat session fee with images included.

That’s because not only do I offer digital packages to my clients, but I also help my client choose and design custom wall art, albums, prints, and more from their session.

So before you book a pet photographer, consider your budget and what finished products you might want in addition to digital files.

Depending on the photographer, the price could be a session fee with digitals included or a product credit retainer applied to a selection of products after the session.

One kicker to look out for is the amount of editing that goes into the images; my level of editing is removing leashes, collars, people, and more, but not every pet photographer goes to those lengths, hence, my higher end pricing for my digital files due to the sheer amount of time I spend on editing a session.

As the old adage goes, you will get what you pay for, so if you want quality artwork of you and your pet, you are likely going to spend (considerably) more than a couple hundred dollars.

I wouldn’t recommend choosing a pet photographer on price alone, but should be a consideration of all the things included in this post, but hopefully this gives you a better insight into what to look for or think about regarding price before booking.

3 STYLE

Much like with any kind of photography, style matters. I think it’s very easy to see images on Pinterest or social media and assume every photographer can produce the same result - but that’s simply not true! Each person has their own unique process, approach, and editing style.

To help you narrow down what kind of photographer might be best for you, think about:

Do you want in studio or outdoors?
Do you want fine art portraiture or more candid imagery?
Do you want black and white images or color?
Do you want photos of just your pets or you and your pets?
Do you want heavily edited, artfully curated images or basic retouching?
Do you want someone to just show up and take some pretty photos or someone who is going to photograph with the end goal in mind of what you actually want from your session?

Before choosing any photographer, take a look at their portfolio, read reviews from other clients, peruse their social media, etc. All of that will help you get a feel for their overall style and approach to their sessions.

I cannot tell you how many clients I’ve worked with over the years who were unhappy with the result of a previous session with another photographer because they didn’t do their due diligence when it came to figuring out the style of what they wanted from the session.

4 PRODUCTS

I’ve already touched a bit on products earlier when we talked about pricing, but I wanted to mention it again.

Much like how Target and Walmart offer similar yet vastly different products, every photographer who sells physical artwork will have various options, too.

Some prefer massive wall art while others, like me, cherish custom heirlooms like Fine Art Albums. There are also those who cannot speak highly enough about a custom Folio Box and so on. While others just choose to sell digital files and that’s it.

When you are thinking about who to hire and what artwork you might like to invest in from your session, be sure to take a look at their product guide and offerings to ensure you’ll be able to get that beautiful custom product as a wonderful outcome of your session and time together!

Your photographer is there not only as a guide throughout the entire session, but also as your expert in helping you figure out and decide what printed products you want to order and enjoy from your session.

From sizes to finished to product options to design, it’s overwhelming for you, the client. So, before booking a pet photographer, figure out if they offer a more customizable experience, so that you can enjoy your images in person and not just digitally.

5 EXPERIENCE

One thing that is very important when it comes to choose a pet photographer, perhaps more important than anything else I’ve touched on, is experience.

I’ve worked with dogs in various capacities for almost eight years. From dog walking at the shelter to playgroups to private training, group classes, photography, and studying my own dogs. The continuing education never ends.

But, much like with dog training, anyone can put up a flag and say they are a pet photographer.

However, experience is truly important for both comfort and safety of everyone involved.

If your dog is shy, anxious, reactive, or has stranger danger and they are thrown in with a pet photographer who doesn’t understand body language, then it could be a recipe for disaster.

Hiring someone who can understand your dog’s body language and help them have the best experience possible (and even a bit of fun) is vital to the success of a session.

Well, there you have it! Those are just a few, but likely not all, things to consider when it comes to booking a pet photographer. I hope that this quick guide serves you in navigating the booking process in finding the pawfect (see what I did there?) pet photography match for you and your pups!