Have you ever heard the old adage "never work with children or pets"? It's something that runs through my head often as I talk to my clients. Mostly because I couldn't imagine working with anything other than pets. I love them with all of their quirks and personalities. I love their independence and their goofiness. I love their joy for life and their pleasure in the simple things that we so often take for granted.

When I hear clients tell me that they aren't sure whether I'll be able to get photos because of their pets because of... reason, I always smile because usually that reason is the part of your pets personality that I want to capture for you.

It's those moments when you look at your pet with exasperation and love, and say 'he always does that" that I want to capture for you because it tells the story of your pet perfectly.

Every pet is different, they each have their own unique personality, with their own little foibles but I'm going to address the three main concerns I hear that people have about having pet portraits done.

Top three (3) concerns from clients about their session | Sydney Pet Photographer

You're worried your pet won't sit still

Let me put your mind at ease right now... I don't expect them to. When my clients see that my most popular session the 'Classic Session' usually goes for 2 hours, they grow concerned. They think that their pet has to be on their best behaviour for that entire time and they can't see how they'll ever be able to have them sit still for that length of time when they can barely get them to plant their butts for 5 minutes.

This couldn't be further from the truth. The reason that this session is the most popular is that it allows enough time for your pet to be free and do his doggy thing. In order to get the best photos of your pet, I need them to be comfortable around me and my camera. And that's not going to happen if there isn't enough time for them to be comfortable. They need space to relax, run around and play. Some of the best photos happen when they aren't posed in the perfect sit position.

But rest assured. I can get the 'sit' photo too. I just don't need them to hold it for 2 hours :)

Dog has no recall and can't be off lead

When clients look at the photos on my website and portfolio one of the first things they notice is that there are no leashes in the images. And while marvelling at how great the dogs look, they grow a bit concerned because while they want their dog to look just as fabulous, they know that they can't let their dogs off lead because they don't have great recall.

What you don't see however, is that for the majority of the photos on my website, the dogs were on leash. Through the magic (aka my editing skills) of post processing the leash is removed so that you can enjoy your pet in all their leash free glory.

For the majority of a client session the leash remains on. It only usually comes off if the client is comfortable with it and it's safe for the pet to do so.

Now, that being said, there are some instances where I won't remove the leash in post production. Usually if the image would look strange to remove it or if it's not technically possible but during your Ordering Appointment you'll always be advised if there are any images that can't have the leash removed.

So now you can rest assured that your dog doesn't have to have magical abilities to be professionally photographed.

They’re worried their dog will embarrass them

Another worry that clients have is that their dog will embarrass them. Whether through their behaviour, their antics or their discipline. It can be a major concern for some pet parents.

I just want to say first off - that you aren't alone. A lot of clients have this concern and it's justified. You've never had professional pet portraits taken before and it can be a daunting proposition. You aren't sure of what to expect or how your pet will react in that situation.

But I just want to let you know that you needn't worry. There is no way that your pet can embarrass you. I've had pets bowl me over, stick their noses in inappropriate places and pee on things indiscriminately. There are also many more things that I could name but won't. It's all part of the package when working with pets and something I expect.

Honestly, I think you'll probably be more embarrassed by me than your pet at your session. I've been know to contort myself into the weirdest positions to get the shot. Not to mention the various noises I make (ask me to do my Kookaburra impersonation) to get your pet's attention.

So can rest assured, the only embarrassing person at your session will be me but trust me - you’ll love the results :)

It’s normal for you to feel this way before your session. You aren’t alone. But the best advice I can give you is to relax and just go with the flow.

When you work with pets you need to roll with the punches and have plenty of patience. Things will never work the way you think they will and that's ok. I don't expect your pets to be perfect. In fact, I embrace the imperfect, it's what makes them, them. And it’s what you love about them.

Enjoy it!

Ready to book your own session? Get in touch!

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