You're on the hunt for your pet photographer. You know that you want to get gorgeous images of your dog and you're scouring the internet to find the right photographer for you.

This is a good place to start but a lot of factors go into finding the right photographer and as you start scouring the internet to find them, I want you to take a moment to consider what you want out of the session.

In order to find the right photographer for you, first you need to be clear on what you want and the type of images you want to see on your walls everyday. This is the first step you should take when looking for a photographer and more often than not this is the step that’s most likely to be overlooked.

Six (6) points to consider when hiring a pet photographer | Sydney Pet Photographer

At this stage when you’re researching you probably won’t have a clear understanding of what you want. Instead you’ll be drawn to images you like aesthetically as you search for your photographer.

Take note of these as you make your search and you’ll start to see a pattern in the types of images you choose. It’s from these images that you be able to determine some of the factors you’ll need to look for in a photographer in order to get what you want from your session.

The six points to keep in mind while you search are:

Should You Choose A Studio Or An On-Location Photographer?

Sometimes you'll find someone who does both but the majority of photographers specialise in either one or the other. It's not to say we can't do both but rather that we prefer one or the other and have narrowed our offerings down to specialise in it.

What's the difference between the two?

The most obvious difference for you will be in the end result.

Studio photography is exactly as it sounds - photographs taken in a studio setting. Backdrops, light stands and flash are generally used in this type of photography. And depending on your photographer there may be props involved or perhaps it is just your pet on a seamless coloured background.

The result is usually your pet set against a coloured backdrop. This type of photography is great for highlighting the features of your pet and getting those classic images and posed portraits.

On location photography takes your dog out of the studio and into the world. Sometimes this is a place that's special to the both of you and that you visit often, other times it's a location chosen for its beautiful surroundings. Here we let you dog be a dog while all the antics and fun are captured on camera.

You can have photographs taken at the beach, in a park or the city or perhaps somewhere else entirely. Wherever you and your pet enjoy spending your days. The images are often candid and natural with you and your pet enjoying each others company and combine action shots with portraits and posed.

Do You Need A Mini Session Or A Full Session?

Mini sessions are shorter sessions designed to capture your pet in a couple of poses. They usually run from between 10 to 30 minutes depending on the type of mini session and are usually for one pet only.

These sessions are for people who are only looking for a couple of images of their pet and are best suited to confident and outgoing pets as the shorter time frame doesn't allow for any warm up between meeting your pet and taking their photo.

Shyer, slow to warm pets should look into booking a full session instead as that will give them the opportunity to get to know the photographer and trust them before a camera is thrust in their face.

Full sessions are longer sessions that aim to capture your pet in all their doggy glory and give you a lot more images, poses and situations to select from. They usually allow for more than one subject or pet as well as more variety in the location

These sessions allow for posed portraits, actions shots as your dog zooms around the park and portraits of the two of you together, both posed and candid, which will give you a lot more options to choose from when it comes to your image selections.

The longer sessions also allow for time for your pet to get to know the photographer and establish a relationship. The stronger the relationship, the more trust there is, the more likely your pet will co-operate for the camera. It also allows for play breaks between shooting so that your pet doesn't become bored and unresponsive. The best way to keep your pet engaged during a session is to make it fun. Shorter sessions don't cater for that restlessness and is also another reason why there isn't as much variety in your images.

Do You Need A Family Or A Pet Photographer?

I've spoken before about the difference between a family photographer and a pet photographer (You can read the post here) but I'm going to break it down quickly for you here as well .

A family photographer focuses on your human family first. They dedicate the session to the relationship between family members and usually add your pet in for a few of the photographs.

Pet photographers focus on you and your relationship with your pet. They spotlight your pet and capture all their goofy, energetic, lovable ways as well as the relationship between the two of you.

There's nothing wrong with either option but you need to be aware of both so that you can choose the right option for you and what you need.

Studio or on location, mini or full session and a family or pet photographer - As you can see there is a bit more involved in hiring a photographer than you may have previously thought.

So as you start to look at websites and photographers make sure to keep these items in mind so that you can make sure that you pick the photographer who's going to be right for YOU and what YOU need.

And if you're ready to book with me, you can book me here.