Do I Need To Be In The Pet Photos During A Session? | Sydney Pet Photographer
Pet photography sessions are just that. Pet photography sessions. The focus is and always will be on your pet first. My main goal of a session is to capture images of your pet that you love and images that express your pet's personality.
Many of my clients are happy to be included in the images too and many others do not want to be in them at all.
Either of these options is fine. I'm happy to include you if you want but I'm just as happy to leave you out of them if you prefer it.
The choice is up to you.
That being said the following are 3 reasons why I will always encourage a pet parent to jump in for a photo or two.
1. It captures the relationship between you
If you're anything like me, than your relationship with your pet is a fundamental part of your life. Pets aren't just someone to keep you company. They are your friend, your confidante, someone you love. As such it's important to realise that your relationship with them is an important part of your life and to celebrate it.
Regardless of whatever it is that's holding you back from wanting to get photos with them, whether it's the fact you don't like your hair or you wish you were wearing a more flattering top, it's important to note that your pets don't care.
They don't care about the fact that your hair's a mess - they just love you.
And that's an amazing thing. It’s something you should celebrate and commemorate. Even if it only is one or two photos.
Plus the worst case scenario - you just don't pick those images at the Ordering Appointment. Problem solved :)
2. These images will be more meaningful to you later on
Despite the fact that I don't want to think about it, I know that at some stage my cat, Moxie, won't be around any longer.
It makes me extremely sad to think that there will come a day when she won't jump into my lap and demand cuddles and purrs.
A day where she won't be draped across one of my legs at night time.
A day where she won't wake me up in the middle of the night, insisting to come under the covers because she's cold.
But unfortunately, that's the reality when you own a pet. You know at some stage - they will leave you.
Now that might make some people not want to own a pet at all, because they fear the potential loss. But I say - it just makes me love them harder while they are here.
I couldn't imagine not having Moxie because I was worried that I wouldn't have her forever. The time with her is infinitely better, no matter how short, than if I never had her at all.
But... since I know that that day will come (whether I want to face it or not) I want to be able to remember her after she is gone and remember our time together.
And that's easier to do if I have photos of her. Even better, if I have some photos of us together.
I guarantee you, you won't care about how your hair looks in a photo after they are gone. You'll just care about the fact that you have these memories to hold on to at all.
These images that you're getting now - will have much more of an impact later on.
3. I can include you in the photo creatively
Maybe you're happy to be in a photo with your pet without any coaxing but maybe being in photographs makes you feel completely uncomfortable and nervous (I feel you! P.S - it's totally normal).
That's cool. I would never want to force you to do something that makes you completely uncomfortable. But perhaps you would like to be in the photo, but not completely in the photo.
That sounds weird but let me explain... Perhaps you want some images of the two of you but you aren't comfortable showing your face.
In that case I can be a little more creative in the types of images I get of the two of you. Instead of portraits with the two of you looking into the camera lens, perhaps I take a photo of your pet laying at you feet instead.
Of I can take a photo of you both walking down the beach away from me. Or a photo of your hand resting on their head. Or an image where they are in focus in the foreground and you are out of focus in the background.
There are many ways that I can creatively arrange a photo that will include you but to a degree that you are comfortable with.
And often, these are some of my clients favourite photos. These are the photos that they pick first when they are ordering.
So don't let the fear of being in a photo stop you.
Know that there are ways to include you so that you feel comfortable.
Most of my clients fall somewhere between the two extremes. They want to be in a few of the photos but not all of them.
In fact, the majority are mostly looking to get one or two photos of them with their pet and are happy to leave the rest as just their dog or cat.
But in the end the choice is up to you because as I said, this is a pet photography session and while I love to capture images of the two of you together, your pet is always going to be the focus.
Are you thinking about booking a pet photography session?
Get in touch, I'm happy to answer any questions.
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