Protect Your Dog Make sure your dog is up to date on all of its vaccinations and is currently on flea and tick preventatives at the time of your session. Sticking to these guidelines will protect both your dog and all the other dogs that may come into the photographer’s studio.
What to Do Before Your Session Walk your dog 1-2 hours before your session time to expend some energy. A dog whose been tired out a little will be much more obedient for photos. If you’re going to get your dog groomed before the session, try to make that appointment a day or two before the photo session. Doing both in one day might be too much for some dogs, and a stressed out dog doesn’t photograph well. If you have some time, practice sit and stay commands with your dog for a few weeks before the session. Bonus tip: my dog Gracey’s trainer had me teach her the “watch” command for when she barks at other dogs on our walks/makes my cat’s life a living hell. It’s also come in very handy when I want her to look at me for a photo. To teach this command, say your dog’s name and “watch!”. Reward them when they look you in the eye. Point to your face when you say the command if you like to add hand gestures to your training.
Patience is the Name of the Game I have endless amounts of patience. That’s why I am particularly well-equipped for newborn and pet photography. At a mini session event last year, I had an owner tell me “there’s no way we’re going to get a decent photo of my dog, she’s too nervous”. I just sat there, casually throwing a few treats to the dog for a while. Eventually she calmed down and was able to sit, and her photos became my favorite ones from the entire day. A lot of times, the first 20 minutes of the session will just be the dog situating themselves, especially in the studio, which is a new place full of different smells. Don’t get frustrated if your dog doesn’t seem to be sitting still for photos. Most people don’t realize how fast a camera shutter can be. I can catch a beautiful moment that you didn’t even notice happened because it was so fast. Plus, dogs can pick up on their owner’s frustrations and it can make them behave even worse if they feel you getting stressed. Keep calm and have fun and your dog will too! I hope this post helps you and your pet have a really successful photo session! Want this blog in a handy checklist form? Subscribe to my email newsletter here and get access to this and many more freebies! Schedule a pet photo session with me! Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call me at (631)256-7476.
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Whenever I ask my mom what she wants for any birthday or holiday, the answer is always "A day to do nothing but sit on the couch and watch tv.....and nice photos of you two girls!" No matter how many photos she has of my sister and me, she always wants more. It's the gift that moms never get tired of. Being that I'm a photographer, she gets her wish plenty. A lot of moms don't, though. Life gets in the way and families go years without getting professional photos taken. That's a real shame, because one thing all parents know is that kids grow up fast. So if you're still looking for that perfect gift for the amazing mom in your life, I'm happy to offer gift certificates for portrait sessions. You can buy them in any amount, but a purchase of $150 covers a full session fee and comes with a free framed 8x10. Sessions can take place in my Farmingville home studio or a location of your choice within Suffolk County, Long Island. Gift certificates can be issued physically or digitally. Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call me at (631)256-7476 to purchase one today!I'd like to thank shootandshare.com for hosting their 2017 Photo Contest. I'm really proud to say that one of my pet photographs was voted into the top 20% of the Pets/Animals category. In a category with well over 10,000 photos, mine lasted into round 7 of 12. Even though I wasn't the winner of the category, I'm really happy to have placed that highly. It lets me know that my choice last year to expand my business into pet photography was a good one. I'm relatively new to the world of professional photo contests, but this experience has inspired me to join more and keep honing my craft. The photo that placed in the top 20% is one of the photos that started my whole journey into pet photography. When I lost my beloved Basil to cancer, the only thing that consoled me was that I knew I had so many beautiful photos of him throughout his lifetime, and I wanted to provide that same thing to pet lovers in my community. The fact that this photo, taken in the last week of his life, was the one to achieve that distinction makes it mean even more to me. To see more photos, check out shootandshare.com. Schedule a pet portrait session today! Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com
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