PET PORTRAIT FAQ-S
- My cat/dog is black and really hard to photograph. Can you get good pictures of him?
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Yes I absolutely can! Black animals are a challenge to photograph, because they're either look gray instead of black or they're pitch black without any details in their coat. Not good. Black animals need special lighting techniques and editing to bring out the shine of their luxurious coats. I like a good challenge and my favorite thing is to photograph them on black background to add drama to their portraits.
- I have multiple animals and I'd really like to have a great group picutre. Can you do that?
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Yes, I can! Be prepared for a workout and chaos though! The most pets I've photographed at once was 9 puppies and their mom! I can easily photograph 2 pets. If you have more than that or they're high energy, most likely we will have to photograph them separately (on the same background) and I'll composite them together in photoshop. *Fun fact: Every year, before we go on a family vacation, my kids request to do a group shot of all our animals. (whose numbers are always growing, haha....) This year we will have to photograph 5 cats and a puppy.
- My dog won't sit still for a minute, will you be able to get great images?
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Of course! I highly recommend my adventure sessions for your pup. That way he can let that extra energy out and have fun exploring during his session. Otherwise, I recommend taking him on a nice walk just before his session to calm him a little. I always allow plenty of time for the session so he can get used to me so he don't get extra hyper every time I say his name.:) We often use leash during the session and I photoshop it out. My camera is also very fast which allows me to freeze his movements.
- My cat is super shy, she always hides when I pull out my phone.
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I have one of those too! She is definitely a challenge and she has better days and worse days.... with your help, there's a very good chance that I'll be able to get great images of your shy kitty. I have feather toys and a laser pointer and catnip in my bag of tricks. and treats, lots of treats! During your consultation we will talk about what she likes (maybe a little tuna or ham???) and what makes her scared. I can hang out further back and shoot with a long lens so I don't have to go close to her. Are you up to the challenge? I definitely am!!! No worries, if we don't get anything you love, I'll gladly refund your session fee!
- Do you photograph pets other than dogs and cats?
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Yes! So far I've photographed a donkey, some goats and chickens and a super cool banana ball python!!! Oh yes....and a Unicorn! I'm hoping to photograph more exotic pets in the near future, so don't hesitate to call!
- I see al of the dogs are off leash in your pictures. I'm not comfortable letting my dog off leash.
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Actually, most dogs are always on leash during their session, I just coach their parents on how to hold the leash so I can easily photoshop it out. You know your dog the best, if you feel he cannot be off leash, I'll trust you on that and work around it. It's worth to mention, I have a couple of options, like a dog beach and also my favorite nature park, where most pets will be able to go off leash. we will discuss this during your consultation and decide what's best.
- My pet is older and has always dirt around his eyes.
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Don't worry, I'm an expert in photoshop, I can easily clean him up!
- How long is a session?
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I set aside 2 hours for a cat session, just because they're usually harder to work with. Dogs rarely need more than an hour, but if they do, we have the option. I never rush my sessions (pets or humans), I always say, the first half an hour is just the warm up and after that is when the magic happens! I never book multiple sessions a day so you and your pet can have my full attention and I stay as long as I need to or until it's obvious that the pet had enough. Usually it's worth to try to give them a break and see if they will cooperate after that.