Pet Photography London Ontario

Sure you have a bunch of photos on your phone of your dog with a funny expression or sleeping in a weird position but how many really nice photos do you have of yourself with your pet? When was the last time that you got dressed nicely and captured this furry friend and yourself interacting? So many times the answer to the last two questions are none/never. We are here to change that. Pet photography is one of the types of session we are most passionate about. Our pets aren’t on this earth as long as we are so capturing some really great portraits of them for you to have and also some great candid shots of you enjoying each other’s company are what we find our clients treasure most. We would love for you to watch the slideshow of our portfolio above (takes a few seconds to load). Typically how a pet session works is we would go to a location with minimal distractions, while the energy is high we would get a bunch of candid playing shots, photographing any tricks they might do and getting some great action shots of them. Towards the end of the session we would capture a few more posed portraits and throughout the session we would try and capture as many of your pets different expressions as possible (or in the opposite order depending on their personality).

See the BEST OF pet photography sessions. 

Location

Selecting a location for a Pet photography session generally comes down to 2 options- ‘In Studio’ which is as simple as it sounds and ‘On location’ which can be a location of your choice be it your own home or backyard, a park or a variety of other fun ideas. Studio sessions are generally more formal, or themed for special occasions with props and ‘On Location’ sessions are generally a bit more relaxed and less posed, they allow for a lot more interactive shots of you and your pet running, jumping etc.

Time of day

The best time of day for a pet photography session is when the location you would like to use is going to be most distraction-free, or doing the session in the hour before sunset can make for some gorgeous golden light in your portraits.

Clothing

If you are going to be in the photographs with your pet it is good to think about what clothing to wear. Colours will depend on season but in general we recommend not to wear anything the same colour as your pet. Also try to not be too matchy-matchy but certainly colour co-ordinate and be aware of not wearing clashing patterns. If you have chosen a rustic country location don’t wear super formal clothing that you might wear in a studio. We recommend not to wear any slogan tshirts or any really ‘fad’ fashion as it will age your portraits. Most importantly, wear something that fits well and you are comfortable wearing! Other things to think about are wearing clothing that is form fitting- not baggy and not too tight. For women having definition in the waist by adding a belt and think about accessories. It is also important to wear form fitting under garments that will enhance your figure and that will not be seen in your clothing (bra straps etc). When viewing your photographs, the eye will be drawn to patterns, lines, lace or textured detail, large chunky accessories, contrast and rich/bold colours. Avoid these things in areas that you don’t want the eye drawn to, and use them in places that you do want the eye to be drawn!

Props

Props for these sessions can certainly be incorporated but are not necessary, however, anything from a simple blanket to cute shot of your pet in a bow-tie or tiara. We love working with themes so if there is a certain theme that would go well with the décor in your home or would express who you and your pet are, make sure to chat with me about how we can bring that into your session.

What to do with the images

Now, you’ve had this wonderful experience and have a bunch of images you know you will love, you don’t want these images looked at once digitally and then buried under the mountain of food and pet pics! We really love making special collages for pet sessions that can be printed in a large size and framed for your home. Otherwise making a special wood, metal or canvas print or a professional album can be a great way to preserve the photos and also make great gifts!

Other tips-

– Nothing is worse than being sick during photos so if this happens chat to me as soon as there are any signs so that rescheduling the session can be a possibility.

– We have lots of tricks for getting your pets attention but if there is a certain toy or ‘magic word’ be sure to let me know.

– Have your dog groomed before your portraits and don’t forget about their collar and nails.

– If your dog is obsessed with a certain toy that will distract them from the session, please leave it in your car and at the end of the session we can incorporate it to capture your dogs interaction with it.

– If your dog has a lot of energy, going for a big walk before the session will allow us to be able to get a few sitting/laying down shots.

Special thanks to TJ Media Services for helping me with this behind the scenes pet photography video!

Pet photography London Ontario pricing starts at $150+hst for a 20 minute mini session at certain times of year/themes or $275+hst for a 1 hour session with 10 images at a time and location of your choice.

Pup-Cake smash packages

Do you have a fur baby with a birthday on the way or do you just want to celebrate your pets sweet tooth? Lets have some fun and capture your furry friend having the time of their life eating a doggy safe Pup-Cake from the amazing local Max’s Homemade Dog Treats. This session can be added onto your full pet photography session or can stand alone. Contact me now for a custom quote.

Click here to book your session online.