How To Get A Portrait Where Your Pet’s...

eyes look alert, an expressions that melts your heart, and a pose that shows your pet to their best advantage.

People love our pet portraits. We have lots of ideas for posing and for eliciting wonderful expressions from your pet, and we will collaborate with you to create a portrait that will always remind you of them and the special feeling you have for each other.

But pet photography is a constant paradox: a paradox of plan plus accident. Before beginning to photograph, it’s best to come up with a plan.

Preparing For Your Portrait – 7 Things To Consider.

By now you have probably read our “7 vital things to know before you or your loved ones step in front of the camera”. If not, click on my logo above, it will take you to the home page. Then click on the information button. Find out:

  • Our guarantee.
  • How our portraits are different
  • How to create personal art.
  • Let's get together and chat.
  • Enhancements-taking an ordinary picture to a work of art.
  • We'll set aside time just for you.
  • Why now? Special offer.
Our complementary consultation is something that is important for you to take advantage of. The more we plan your portrait in advance, the more successful your finished portrait will be, and considering choices is part of the fun. We will help you consider coordinating where you will be hanging your portrait with the available range of portrait possibilities, such as location and background, whether it will be close-up or full-length and props. It will also help us understand your preferences and concerns.

The Portrait Sitting is fun! We'll work with you and your pet to offer you a good variety of poses and expressions. There are some things to think about in preparing for the sitting.

"Dear Barbara,

Thank you so much for making Saturday’s photo session possible.  We feel extremely fortunate that everything worked out so well.  I never would have predicted mid-week that we would have such a wonderful day on Saturday.

The last time we met with a professional photographer was on our wedding day (24 years ago today!).  We both agree that it was much more enjoyable working with you.  You did a great job making us feel as comfortable as possible.  My sense was that you were able to capture some special photos where the overall feeling of the image outshines the fact that Max hasn’t had a professional grooming since his illness 9 months ago and Tommy wasn’t groomed to look like himself.  I don’t think there was much you could do about me looking like the bug-eyed runaway bride from Georgia, but as long as Max looks good I’m happy!

The night of the PAL auction, the display of your work was so beautiful that I could not resist the impulse in my heart that overwhelmed all rational thought the moment I placed my bid.  Shortly thereafter the worries started:  what were the chances Max would still be alive by the time we could schedule a photo session with you; if he lived that long, would he be healthy enough to capture his likeness in a way that we would want him remembered; how was I going to explain that PAL credit card charge to Jerry…

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that less than a week after our first communication, my worries would melt away as Jerry attended a consultation that garnered his full support for my initial impulse and four days later we were actually gathered for a photo session with Max feeling so well.  I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day!  Thank you so much for making time in your schedule to accommodate our uncertain timeframe and for all the effort you devoted to make my dream of a family portrait a reality, through phone calls, emails and the consultation as well as during the photo session itself. You bring a quality to all aspects of your work that I can’t really describe in words, but it makes me want to run out and tell everybody who is considering any kind of portraiture that you’re the person for the job!

Thank you!"
Patty Burke, Bethesda, Maryland

Preparing Your Pet For Portrait Day

  • Make sure your pet is feeling well. If not, call to reschedule.
  • To have them look their best! Have them brushed or properly groomed. However, don't bring them to their session right from the groomer. That would be too stressful.
  • If you have a dog it's a good idea that your pet has been exercised! A pet that has been home alone all day, will be too excited to cooperate during the session. Let them wind down by seeing you for awhile and having a run or walk.
  • It's also important to have them fed and watered. Preferably not just before the portrait session and not too much. Just make sure they are not starving!
  • Think about what makes your cat or dog respond. Do they have favorite toys, treats? If so, bring them, but don't let them know you have them with you.

So once we start the session with the basic ideas and the general composition set, the naturalness of form and surprising expressions of the animal will create the completed portraits. And then you can look forward to returning to see the range of expressions and poses we created on our projection screen! And even see how your favorite poses look in different wall portrait sizes!

Just Call My Studio, And We’ll Chat.

My studio number is 301.565.4900, and you can call any time. If I don’t answer, just leave your name and number at the beep, and I’ll call you back. If you’re thinking of this family photograph as a gift for someone, let me know, so when I call back, I only ask for you, and don’t spoil the surprise!

Remember, there’s no cost, and no obligation to just chat with me, and it will make the whole difference as to how great your portraits will look. Your family portraits shouldn’t be trusted to any photographer who doesn’t realize what a responsibility it is to make sure these portraits are perfect. These are your memories - don’t trust them to just anyone. You’ve nothing to lose, and so many great memories to gain.