StyleCareer.com
Breaking Into and Succeeding
PET PHOTOGRAPHER
Jennie S. Bev & Eric J. Leech
StyleCareer.com eGuide Breaking Into and Succeeding as A Pet Photographer
Jennie S. Bev & Eric J. Leech
StyleCareer.com eGuide – Pet Photographer
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How to Use This eGuide
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About the Authors
Jennie S. Bev is an author, entrepreneur, consultant and editor-in-chief of StyleCareer.com. Her byline has appeared in a total of 80+ electronic and print books and over 1,000 articles published in tens of international and regional publications in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and Southeast Asia. As an accomplished author, Jennie S. Bev was named an EPPIE Award finalist for excellence in electronic publishing under Non-Fiction How-To category. She holds an MBA from a Southern Californian business school and an MS in Education from California State University Hayward. She also attended professional certification programs in Technical Writing at UC Berkeley and UCLA extensions. She is currently pursuing a doctorate degree and teaching college-level classes for a private university. For her unique perspective in business and entrepreneurial achievements, she has been featured and mentioned by Entrepreneur, Audrey, Home Business, Canadian Business, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Independent (San Mateo edition), Selective, Dong (France/Germany), Your Future in Fashion (MDIS Singapore), Fit (Southeast Asia), Femina (Southeast Asia), Dewi (Southeast Asia), Intisari (Southeast Asia), and Bisnis Kita (Southeast Asia). Jennie is based in San Francisco Bay Area and can be reached at StyleCareer.com.
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Eric J. Leech Born into this world without a GI Joe (with a Kung Fu grip) or silver spoon, Eric J. Leech grew up on the streets of the small town of Grand Junction, Colorado. After high school, Eric found his way to Colorado State University where he attained four degrees in Psychology, Social Sciences, English and Theater Arts. Eric has since put every degree to good use with a variety of career accomplishments. These accomplishments include seven years as an actor/model and Production Assistant for various television and film projects. He also maintained a successful business as the co-owner of an outdoor living structure design company for several years before pursuing his full-time career as a freelance columnist/writer. Since that decision Eric has been featured on such international magazines as the Circle (India), Urban Male Magazine (Canada), UNO (Philippines) and Coffee House Digest (International) and has found a comfortable home with StyleCareer.com. Eric is currently based in the Denver, Colorado.
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Contents
How to Use This eGuide ....................................................................................... 3
About the Authors ................................................................................................ 4
Contents ................................................................................................................ 6
Myths, Realities, and Basics ................................................................................ 9
I’m not a professional photographer but I love photography. Can I? ............... 9
I love pets, but I’m not sure if I can take good photographs of them. Can I? . 10
I heard it is really hard to take a pet’s picture because they constantly move. Any tips? ........................................................................................................ 10
I’m not that artistic. Can I? ............................................................................. 11
I don’t have enough money to rent a studio or a shop in the mall. Can I work from home? Or be a mobile photographer? ................................................... 12
Can I make enough money as a pet photographer to quit my day job? ......... 12
What other services can I offer along side with being a pet photographer? .. 13
Where does this career lead? What’s the highest position of a pet photographer? ............................................................................................... 13
Can I really make enough money from this business that I can resign from my full-time job? .................................................................................................. 14
Photography and Pet-Related Industries in a Nutshell ................................... 15
Industry Statistics .......................................................................................... 15
Photography Products ................................................................................ 15
Photography Business ............................................................................... 16
Dept. of Labor on Income of Photographer ................................................ 16
Dept. of Labor on Income of Pet-Related Worker/Business ....................... 17
One-Person Entrepreneurs ........................................................................ 17
Trends in the Photography Studio ................................................................. 18
Mobile Studio ............................................................................................. 18
Mall Studio ................................................................................................. 19
At-Home Studio .......................................................................................... 19
Digital Studio (using digital cameras and digitized equipment) .................. 20
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Trends in Niche Pet Photography .................................................................. 20
Dogs and Cats in Pet Stores ...................................................................... 20
Celebrity Photo Shoots ............................................................................... 21
Natural (Outdoor) Shoots ........................................................................... 22
Costume (Indoor) Shoots ........................................................................... 23
Pet and Owner Look-Alike Shoots.............................................................. 24
Create Products with Pet Photos (t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc.).......... 24
Pet Portrait Artistic Renderings .................................................................. 25
A Typical Day for A Pet Photographer ........................................................... 25
Getting Started .................................................................................................... 28
Success Traits Required ............................................................................... 28
Human Customer Handling ........................................................................ 28
Pet Customer Handling .............................................................................. 29
Entrepreneurship ........................................................................................ 30
Patience ..................................................................................................... 30
Creativity .................................................................................................... 31
Complaint Handling .................................................................................... 32
Tips and Tricks for Handling Pets .................................................................. 33
Getting Skilled ............................................................................................... 34
Artistic Composition .................................................................................... 34
Basic Digital Camera Skills ........................................................................ 35
Equipment Literacy ..................................................................................... 37
References .................................................................................................... 41
Self-Study Books ........................................................................................ 41
Online Resources ....................................................................................... 42
Top Workshops and Classes (Online and Offline) for Pet Photographers .. 42
Must-Knows and Must-Haves ........................................................................ 43
Tips and Tricks .............................................................................................. 45
Being Successful ................................................................................................ 46
How Much to Charge? ................................................................................... 46
Creative Promotions on Shoestring Budget ................................................... 48
Business Trends ............................................................................................ 49
Door-to-Door to Pet Stores ......................................................................... 49
Door-to-Door to Animal Shelters ................................................................ 50
Networking..................................................................................................... 50
Trade Associations ........................................................................................ 51
Winning Competitions .................................................................................... 52
References .................................................................................................... 53
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Success Profiles ................................................................................................. 54
Lori Fusaro .................................................................................................... 54
Jennifer Greenberg ........................................................................................ 59
Wendy Doscher-Smith ................................................................................... 61
Yesikka Vivancos .......................................................................................... 64
Mary Bloom ................................................................................................... 68
Robyn Kessler ............................................................................................... 70
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Myths, Realities, and Basics
I’m not a professional photographer but I love photography. Can I?
Amazingly, almost every photographer who was interviewed for this book started their business with very little experience and learned almost everything through trial and error. Photography is very much an art and the first thing a professional needs is a little bit of talent, a moderate amount of technical skill, and a whole lot of enthusiasm.
The word “professional” is such a tricky word, because it can pertain to so many different meanings, but in the case of a pet photographer, it mostly refers that you are being paid for your services. There is very little difference between a hobbyist and a professional, and one of the most important factors that drive
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either one to their greatest potential and success will be their enthusiasm for their art and subjects. If you are a hobbyist who enjoys what you do and would like to turn your hobby into a paid profession, then the only thing you are missing is how to find the paying clients.
I love pets, but I’m not sure if I can take good photographs of them. Can I?
Part of the secret to pet photography is having a certain connection and trust with the animal that will give the final product a natural and honest appearance. The best photo of animals are the ones that depict the animals in a state of carefree spontaneity, in which the animal is comfortable in showing their true personality and candor. Even the type of equipment and training is oftentimes less important than the simple love of the subject you are shooting. The animal can sense when they are liked and will become more at ease with that person. The best way to find out if this career is a good fit for you, is by taking photos of animals every chance that you get. Many photographers use their love for their own animals and turn their pets into full-time models. This is a great way to begin to practice your techniques with subjects that you are already familiar with. Once you begin to perfect your style, the next important step will be learning how to gain trust with animals that are not your own.
I heard it is really hard to take a pet’s picture because they constantly move. Any tips?
The person you probably heard this from, was probably either not a true lover of animals, or they do not understand the grandeur of animals acting in their natural form and habitat. It can actually be a good thing when an animal is moving around and being their normal playful selves when you are shooting them. Animals are not people and they certainly are not models. You cannot tell them to pose and sit still, and if you try to, they will be uncomfortable and the pictures will be stagnant.
Many photos where you see the pet calmly sitting are just a quick moment in time of when they were actually sitting still, before getting into something else.
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The beauty of digital photography is that you can shoot a lot of coverage on a particular animal and it will not cost you any more than trying to set the animal up every time for the perfect shot. There was a time when film was very expensive and the photographer had to be careful of wasteful shooting, but that is no longer the case. You will be amazed at the great shots that can come out of the animal engaging in their own behavior.
I’m not that artistic. Can I?
Absolutely you can. We shall repeat what we have been saying once again. Much of what it takes to be a good pet photographer is the ability to show the animals in their natural form and habitat. Even with the most gifted artist, if they are unable to coax an animal to relax, their pictures will lack the natural beauty that clients are looking for today. A very important part of pet photography is the relationship the photographer can gain with the animal. For this reason, unlike still photography, pet photography isn't so much just about the art form itself as much as the relationship between an animal and its photographer.
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I don’t have enough money to rent a studio or a shop in the mall. Can I work from home? Or be a mobile photographer?
This is touching upon a very important question that most beginning pet photographers have. While having a commercial studio is a very good idea for many different types of photographers, pet photographers, for the most part, will get the best results from using surroundings that are comfortable to the animal, which means traveling to the clients most of the time. Your pet photography business will undoubtedly involve some degree of mobile work, so you should be prepared for this in the beginning. An at-home studio will be about all you would need in addition to the mobile aspect. Depending on your business plan, it will not need to be very big if it is going to be used primarily for post production after photo sessions. A mall shop or rented studio would come in handy if you are interested in commercial work and/or a portrait styled photography in a controlled environment. These types of shoots are quick and reliable. They also give the photographer the ability to serve more clients, without the having to travel in between. Your location will be the primary determinant as to whether you would ever want to open a commercial studio, but this will not be necessary in the beginning formation of your business.
Can I make enough money as a pet photographer to quit my day job?
Many of the professionals we spoke to were able to make a good living solely as a pet photographer. Some of them also incorporated other forms of photography into their business, such as children, nature, weddings, etc., but this seemed to be more of an artistic choice than a means for survival. Depending on your current financial situations, you may want to stick with your current full-time job for a while.
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What other services can I offer along side with being a pet photographer?
In the interest of survival, wedding photography is a great source of income as well as portraiture. Artistic and commercial photography takes time to build, as it relies on the reputation of the photographer. StyleCareer.com (http://www.stylecareer.com) also offers a book on the successful preparation of a Wedding Photographer and Videographer business that includes some additional insights on how to combine both services successfully to increase your client and financial possibilities.
Where does this career lead? What’s the highest position of a pet photographer?
The most enjoyable aspect of this career seems to be the freedom as a self-employed business owner, which means you get to choose your own work hours and clients to work with. This in many ways would be considered the highest position you could possibly achieve: the position of being your own boss. For others, however, with more of an entrepreneurial spirit, the formation of a franchise might be considered the highest position. And of course we cannot leave out the fame that can be associated with many pet photographers who are seen in magazines and books across the nation. It really all depends on what the individual considers the meaning of success.
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Can I really make enough money from this business that I can resign from my full-time job?
On average, the pet photographer will make $500 per client for their services. Considering that in the beginning, you will not be working every moment non-stop, we will assume that you will be able to achieve at least two clients per week. This should give you around one thousand a week, for a grand total of $4,000 a month. This would be a moderate living of $48,000 for your first few years in business. This is just the beginning phase however. As your business develops and your name becomes known through word of mouth, many photographers have between one to two clients per day. This ups their weekly income to $2,500 and possibly $10,000 per month. At this point the photographer will be getting into a six figure salary and making a very good living by most standards. Your location, reputation, and specialty will gage much of your highest potential. Commercial photography and high end private clients can make the difference between making $50,000 and $250,000 in the matter of only a few years.
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Photography and Pet-Related Industries in a Nutshell
Industry Statistics
Photography Products
According to the Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com), digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera's are becoming more and more affordable each year. This trend may be good for the average enthusiast, but for the professional, it marks the emergence of more hobbiests owning very capable cameras with numerous features and entering the market in competition with the more established photographers. Anyone can afford to start a photography business today.
On a positive note, with digital SLR at an all-time affordability, manufacturers are continuing to up the ante with high performance features. This year was the formal introduction of Wi-Fi, GPS positioning, improved in-camera effects, and
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ultra high ISO. ISO is the number indicating a digital camera sensors sensitivity to light. The higher the sensitivity, the less light needed to make an exposure.
A digital camera's Megapixels are also currently at an all time high. They are comfortably in the double digits for the commercial market and have even reached the triple digits. Recently, a 500 megapixel camera designed for use with Fermalab's Dark Energy Survey Project (https://www.darkenergysurvey.org) was introduced to the public, who responded in amazement at its capabilities.
Photography Business
According to Dan Heller, a photography industry analyzer, “Industry analysts believe the size of the photo market to be around $2 billion based on traditional survey methods. The size of the stock-photography market is likely around $20 billion based on inference data like sales of pro-level cameras by the major manufacturers and statistics from sub-industry segments within the photo field that are not part of traditional surveys.” The business of photography has changed drastically according to Dan. The Internet and photo sharing has left emerging pro photographers in a position where they do not fit in with the big corporate agencies that already have a set bunch of professionals and the stock photography market is too over-saturated to make a decent living. This leaves one choice for the emerging photographer, go into business for themselves using their own photo site and shift their concentration towards the consumer rather than agency.
Dept. of Labor on Income of Photographer
The US Department of Labor (http://www.bls.gov), claims that photographers held an average of 129,000 jobs in 2004. The majority of these were self employed and found the most work in metropolitan areas. Demand for photographers is believed to grow along with the population increase and remain competitive, but attainable. There is a definite trend towards companies choosing freelance photographers over salaried staff photographers. The staff photographers were found to be employed full-time more often than the freelancer. On average in 2004, a photographer was earning $26,080 a year. The lowest 10% earned only $10,000 and the highest 10% earned over $54,180, with a handful of those earning well into the six figure digits.
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Dept. of Labor on Income of Pet-Related Worker/Business
The US Department of Labor (http://www.bls.gov) claims this occupation to have a greater than average growth rate for the next seven years. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, 172,000 workers held jobs in the pet service industry in 2004. Most of these are self employed. Earnings will vary in this industry depending on the type of job. The top 10% of assistant positions will earn over $13.66. Personal services and sport technicians earn the most, while organizations pay in the middle and retail stores and science departments pay the lowest. Animal trainers are considered to be in a slightly different bracket and earn a median rate of $8.10 and $15.23 an hour, with $7.07 being the lowest and over $20.62 as the highest. At the present moment, the economy is fairly strong and the pet service industry is booming.
One-Person Entrepreneurs
In general, the possibility of a higher income in many industries today comes from entrepreneurship, which is what much of this book will be focusing on. An entrepreneurs' potential depends on the personal investment they are willing to give to their career. Due to the economic reasons, the income of a personally owned business may fluctuate, but in general a good living can be made.
According to the US Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov), there are 25 million small businesses in the US. And more than 10.5 million Americans are self-employed. Small businesses currently employ more than half of the country's workforce and provide approximately 75% of the new jobs added to the economy every year.
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Fifty percent of most small business ventures fail within the first year, but the reason they do, according to studies, is due to the lack of planning, lack of differentiating themselves from their competition, and poor marketing strategies. All points that we will be touching upon in this book.
Trends in the Photography Studio
Mobile Studio
Mary Bloom (New York Photographer) said, “I have a portable studio that I can set up in homes, shelters or wherever necessary. I don’t have my clients come to me; I go to them, as studio work is a very small part of my business. I often shoot celebrities and since they have busy lives I must go where it’s convenient for them. Also I don’t live in a major city so it’s hard for clients to get to me.” By far the most popular method of starting a pet photography business is through mobile studio. There are a number of reasons that this is the number one way to organize this type of photography business:
It is relatively inexpensive. All you will need is a reliable form of transportation, a good camera, lighting, dog toys/treats and a quality laptop.
Client preference. Many clients prefer the ease of the photographer coming to their home.
Animal preference. The animal will be much more comfortable in their own surroundings and will therefore allow for better pictures.
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Non specialization. In the beginning, a photographer might do best to be non-specialized in their expertise, and not having a set studio makes this easier.
Photographer privacy. Many photographers on a budget do not want to have their home advertised or visited by clients, they enjoy their privacy.
Mall Studio
The mall studio was a faze for a time, but at the moment it does not appear to be the best way to find new clients. Even the “glamour shot” mall photography has come down in popularity over recent years. The best way to have a studio and make a good constant living is if you also do commercial pet photography for business as well as private clients. The mall is not a good place to run commercial business and will not be taken as seriously as a photographer in an industrial area. This is not to say that in could not work in the proper market area. The ultimate rent expense and limitation to private clients is what you have to consider when thinking about a mall studio. There is also the problem of many malls having a policy against animals, so you would have to think of a way for the customer to get their animals in and out of the studio efficiently and without breaking mall policy.
At-Home Studio
If you are in a market that would benefit from a studio (such as bad weather, cold, rural), an at-home studio may be just what you are looking for. The rent will be free and you will only need moderate space to have a great studio that is sufficient for pets. A garage is one of the most popular areas that photographers turn into a studio at their own home. They are usually fairly open, spacious, and have tall unfinished ceilings. A few studio lights and a couple rolls of photographers screen/paper and you will have about everything you need to get a start. Side Note: For best results of indoor studio shoots, the animal is going to need to be trained to “sit” and “stay”. Without this basic amount of training under their collars, the animal is going to be next to impossible to shoot in a studio setting and may not be worth the time of the photographer.
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Digital Studio (using digital cameras and digitized equipment)
We did not speak to many pet photographers who didn't work almost exclusively with digital equipment. It is so inexpensive and simple to do today, that it would be highly unlikely for a beginner to not have their own digital studio. We have already made it clear that even an average SLR camera can take professional looking pictures. You can also take an average computer with a decent image software and adjust a few settings to get an impressive final result ready for printing. It is so simple today to not have to rely on a film processor. For one you do not have to trust them with your photos and hope that nothing happens... and two, you are in charge of the whole operation and can adjust as you like on your own and be involved in the entire process from start to finish. You also do not have to wait for the week or two to receive your negatives, as many of the professional processors used to be just a few years ago. A lot has changed over the past 10 years and the digital studio is the way to go if you are on a budget.
Trends in Niche Pet Photography
Dogs and Cats in Pet Stores
Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said,
“Costumes are always fun. Many pet stores offer photo sessions at the holidays. That’s a great place to get started. Head to your local high end store and see if they would be interested in hosting a pet photo day. It’s a great way to bring business into their store and a great way for a budding pet photographer to get their feet wet! Same goes for local contests, get in touch
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with the organizer and become the “official” photographer. You can then sell the photos and let the contest organizer use them for advertising for the next one. Always be on the lookout for win win situations.” Pet stores are a great place to start for just about all the pet service opportunities in the industry and the photographer is no different. This would be a great addition to your private photography business, and the experience and exposure is unmatched. It is hard to come-by free advertising in a setting such as a pet store. You are placed directly in with your target client and allowed to build relationships that will lead to further jobs by word of mouth. This may not be a full-time job opportunity, but it can be a great supplement for almost any professional photographer.
Celebrity Photo Shoots
Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said, “More and more people are pampering their pets. The luxury pet business is booming! Celebrities are being photographed more often with their pets. Today there is so much more awareness about animals: how to treat them properly, how to train pets correctly, the importance of spaying/neutering and adopting instead of buying. Shows like “The Dog Whisperer”, “Funniest Animal Videos”, and the Animal Planet Network showcase our pet’s importance in family life. People love their pets! I think it will only continue to grow.” “For me, I do a lot of celebrity photos with their animals and also art pieces. More and more people want artistic photographs that can be hung in their home. I’ve recently started doing landscapes where the dog is not the main focus but an important element. This is an elegant and contemporary alternative to the standard pet portrait.” Celebrity photos are really hot right now and part of the reason that people love them so much, is that they show these celebrities in a very human likeness beyond their superstar image. The celebrities love them too, as we were told by two of our featured photographers who work with them regularly. The first thing you need to know about this trend, is that you will only be able to follow this path if you are in a metropolitan area, or at least near one.
Celebrities tend to live near where they work, which means, Miami, L.A., New York, etc. Another thing to know is that celebrities generally prefer you to come to their home for the photo shoot. It is sometimes trying for a celebrity to get
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around without being recognized and for that reason many of them prefer to stay within the safe confines of their home. For this reason, a mobile studio would be the preferred set-up if you are at all interested in trying to get into the “celebrity and their pet” market.
Natural (Outdoor) Shoots
Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer) said, “I prefer to get the animals in their element and I utilize a more photojournalistic way of shooting. I'm not so much about stiff studio settings. Animals pick up on energy and, unlike people, they can become stiff when participating in a shoot and they will not care. They have no sense of vanity, bless them, although I have a few Cockers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, etc. that do! So whereas people will truck on, animals will—let you know how they really feel. That is one thing I like about pet photography, it's honest.” This was another popular trend that our featured photographers loved. Animals are not like human models and they will generally become very uncomfortable under hot studio lights in an area that is completely unfamiliar to them for the most part. But if you bring that animal into their element, where they are happy and familiar, they come alive and their personalities flourish and subsequently your pictures will flourish to. One of the trickiest elements you may have to deal with during an outdoor shoot is what the leash law is in your particular area of the photo shoot. Most parks are very strict about this and you will therefore have to shoot the animal with their leash on. By being creative, you can cut out the leash in most of the shots and sometimes you may even be able to incorporate its use of color. For this reason you should always carry a variety of different leash sizes and colors.
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Costume (Indoor) Shoots
Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer) said, “I’m seeing more and more documentary style pet photography. I’m seeing pet photos that really showcase the pet’s personality. Photographers are leaning more towards the extreme angles and fish eye lenses to photograph pets in a more evasive and comical way. Photographers are moving away from the trend of humanizing pets in an invasive way in photographs. For the past 10 years I saw a lot of photos of pets being dressed up in human clothing and put in human poses. Although these photographs are entertaining, the pet is probably not very entertained by having on a dress. It takes imagination to be able to photograph a pet in a human situation without being invasive about it.” From the professionals we spoke with, we heard both good things about dressing animals in costume for photos and bad. On the positive side, a few photographers boasted how much people love to see their pets humanized by costume. We have all seen the result of this on the Internet in the form of funny pet “Halloween” costumes. There is definitely a request for this service and does have its place in this profession. On the opposite end however, are the photographers who see such costumes as putting the animal in an uncomfortable, unnatural situation in which they are not happy and it will show in their photos. Some photographers did not think that such costumes were cute at all, but rather tacky. It appears to be very much a personal preference as to whether you like pet costume shoots.
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Interestingly, on the one hand, there is definitely a trend towards the humanizing of peoples pets. They have day spas, massage centers, salons, fashion stores, and their own lines of gourmet food. So naturally putting them in a themed environment with costume is not too far a stretch. However, on the other hand there is also a trend right now where animals are being depicted in their natural forms, playing, chewing on a bone, leaping in the air to catch a Frisbee, etc. These are two very different viewpoints and neither one is necessarily any popular than the other, it just all depends on the type of client you wish to reach.
Pet and Owner Look-Alike Shoots
Made popular by the many pet/owner look-alike contests they have yearly, this idea is very similar to the costume trend. Unfortunately is has burnt itself out somewhat in many metropolitan areas, although in some of the more rural areas it is still moderately popular. You would probably not want to make these your theme or signature picture, but they can make a nice addition to your portfolio should the idea arise.
Create Products with Pet Photos (t-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc.)
This is another great idea for some. Wendy Doscher-Smith at the time of our interview was selling prints in various form in order to raise money for the vet care of one of her dogs. While this can definitely result in extra money, it can sometimes be a tedious job to spend weekends at trade shows (which is where many people get their start) trying to interest clients in purchasing their work, especially for mass marketing. I most cases, this will be an entrepreneurial aspect that will either be of interest or not to the pet photographer.
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Pet Portrait Artistic Renderings
Another trend right now is pet portrait artwork. The photographer takes photos of the pet and then uses the best one to create a painting, drawing, or charcoal rendering of the animal. There is a unique way to set yourself aside from the typical pet photographer if you have the talent and artistic ability. Dawn H.R. Frederick (a.k.a. “Dawn the Bird”) is an example of a successful business woman who has been working with this idea since 1993 and her client list has been growing steadily. Dawn has received a lot of attention for her painting service, including coverage in Cats, Woman’s Day and an interview with the Fox News Channel’s Pet News. She charges a base fee of $200 for each individual portrait and limits herself to 100 per year, taking the summer months off for other activities. At $200 a portrait, this would create an extra annual income of $20,000+ per year, which is a nice profit for an added service package.
A Typical Day for A Pet Photographer
As told by Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said, “A typical day? That’s why I love it. There is no typical day! But to give you an idea, this is how a typical week plays out. First, I take a look at my inbox and calendar to see what shoots are coming up and what deadlines I may be up against. I do all my own post production, so I usually have a project or two in the editing phase.” “If I’m designing an album, magazine advertisement or Public Service Announcement, I’ll check to make sure I’ve gotten proof approval for all designs. That can take a while since many companies have several people that may need to approve proofs. Almost everything is done via the Internet and email. I’ll follow up with any phone calls and client questions. I also get my information packets ready to mail.” “For any new client or potential new client I send them a packet with a FAQ sheet, prices, what to expect sheet, plus contracts. I have a questionnaire that people can fill out, telling me a little about their dog or cat. (Or horse and the occasional bird). That’s also really important. You want to know as much as possible, so you are best prepared for the unexpected.”
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“Next, I’ll take a closer look at my upcoming shoots for the week. I’ll make sure to note any special requests or locations. If it’s in someone’s home, I’ll ask questions about the layout, the light, and the animal’s favorite spots to hang out. If I haven’t been to the location, I’ll schedule a site survey, so I can get a feel for it.” “This is really important for public spaces. Is it a crowed place? What is the lighting like? Is there a fenced area? No? That probably means the leash will have to stay on. That will affect shots and post production. I have a variety of different colored leashes that I always bring. Always think ahead! You can pick a leash to camouflage into the scenery or one that will be easy to Photoshop out, if that is what is required.” “Animals can be skittish or shy, so it’s best to be prepared for that. Treats work wonders! But make sure you get an okay from the owners or ask them to bring their pets favorite treats from home. The actual shoot is where all the fun and magic happens. I arrive at least a half hour prior. You want to make sure nothing has changed in the environment. If there are a lot of people around, that could affect the dog and also your shooting. Prepare as much as you can, but it’s more important, I think, to plan for the unanticipated. There’s no room to get nervous or freaked out. Not that you won’t feel that! Just don’t show it.” “Once the animal gets there, I take some time to just introduce myself to him/her. Let them get comfortable with me. Scratch their ears, give them a treat. I also have my camera out. So many animals are terrified of the camera. Their ears are so keen, that they hear a lot more than we do. You want to make sure they get used to it, otherwise the photographs will show their apprehension.” “After the shoot, I download all the images into my computer. I shoot raw exclusively. Do not erase the disk at this stage. Believe me, I’ve learned that one the hard way. The first thing I do is get rid of all the trashed images. Eyes closed, blurry, unusable stuff. Each photographer’s work flow is different, so whatever works for you is fine. Next, back-up all the unedited files. Back-up all the unedited files. (Should I say that again? Back up.) Then, I go through and rate them. Definites and maybes. I make minor adjustments to color balance, tonal ranges, and maybe minor cropping if necessary.”
“The next step is renaming and backing up again. (Back-up again! Who wants to reedit if something unfortunate happens?) These are the first proofs. I will upload them to my site and let the client view them. The client will choose their final selections and depending on what the final product is, I will do more editing
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if needed. After the client receives their prints, canvases, greeting cards etc, I then send them a thank you note in the mail, as well as a 'how did I do?' questionnaire.”
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Getting Started
Success Traits Required
Human Customer Handling
Robyn Kessler (California Photographer) said, “Well, I think anyone that is paying for pictures of their pets, is likely to feel a little bit like pets are people so maybe it’s best not to think so differently about them.”
As Robyn put it, there should actually really be very little difference with how you treat the human vs. their pet. And by this I am referring to understanding, patience, and good communication. The greatest problems that arise between clients and the photographer in these settings is miscommunication. The client thought either that they were going to get a certain package that they were not, or they wanted a certain style of photograph that the photographer was either unable or incapable of giving them. This is why it is a good idea to have a first
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meeting with a client to discuss expectations on both sides. A contract should be drawn up and everybody should be clear on what is going to happen on the day of the shoot. As a service provider it is important to stand strong and not let a client take advantage of your generosity, but at the same time, it is usually a good idea to keep a patient and understanding approach towards these misunderstandings. Most customers will back down from a stalemate if they see that the service provider is willing to “give” some to make things right. They used to say that “the customer is always right”, and in a way that is still a good rule of thumb to have, as long as they are not being unreasonable. This is the exact same approach you must have with their animals.
Pet Customer Handling
Understanding, patients and good communication; these are the key ingredients to having a successful photo shoot with an animal of which you are a stranger to. You have to be understanding and patient while you allow the animal to warm up to you and begin to be themselves. An animal who is uncomfortable or nervous will appear so in their pictures. You will need to be open with your communication to get them to do what you are asking, but also be willing to bend the rules a little if they do not want to. The last thing you want to do is punish them or push then too hard. You are not training them as such, but rather catching them being as much themselves as you can. As one of the photographers we spoke with told us, you want the client to say, “that is so ____”, when they are looking at your photos. Unless the customer states otherwise, such as wanting a costume or theme, you should focus on shooting the animal in almost a documentary way, depicting a typical day that the owner would like to remember them by. Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said, “I think the most important thing is a love of animals. With that, comes patience, and being able to make a true connection with the pet. That is key in a great photograph; capturing the personality of the dog or cat. It’s the best compliment I can receive. Being flexible is also really important.”
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“Photographing animals is always challenging and if you are too tense or structured, it only becomes that much more difficult. Also knowing your camera. If you can’t use it well, or adapt to different situations, the photos won’t be good. And you never stop learning. I’m always experimenting on my down time, reading new books, looking at other photographer’s work or playing around with angles and lighting.”
Entrepreneurship
Every business needs to have at least a little entrepreneurial spirit in order for it to survive. You do not necessarily need to be too much entrepreneur, or you may then lose some of the artistic values you have, but you also do not want to be so artistic that you forget about the business and marketing aspect either. An entrepreneur must differentiate themselves from the competition. They are going to need to be innovative and sometimes even slightly risky. This means opening your studio to new ideas, marketing strategies, assistant photographers, new technology, etc. This is also referring to finding opportunity anywhere that you can. Some of the photographers we spoke with have found new clients in line at the grocery store, at gas stations, at a convention, or trade show. The art aspect may be the passion and driving force towards your success, but your strategy and business savvy is what is going to keep you ahead of the competition out there.
Patience
Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer) said, “Patience is important when shooting, more so than when dealing with the clients. Unless the client is a true pain in the (butt) and then you should weed them out to begin with. I have no interest in working with people who like to be difficult. Pet photography is very enjoyable for me and that would ruin the fun.”
“I am not a patient person. However I can sit in a cow field for three hours watching my herd in Miami Lakes and get some great shots. I've got a bovine series I've been working on for over one year. I can take 100 shots of a Weimeramer's (http://www.weimclubamerica.org) paw covered in mud and cucumbers. I find it very Zen to work with the animals and adjust to their schedules. That is the only way to get good shots.”
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This is referring to both, patience with your business as well as with the animals. Any business that is built largely by word of mouth is going to take time. On average, most photographers start with only a few clients their first year, double it the second, and by their fourth or fifth year, they are actually having to turn new clients away. There are a lot of tips and tricks that are going to make your life much easier, but sometimes you are going to have to learn these by experience. We have provided you with the advice of several professional to give you as much of an advantage as possible, but it is still very much a learning process. The other aspect of patience is of course referring to the animals themselves. Animals are by nature sometimes mistrusting of strangers and even though you have been hired to do a job, you may want to spend the first 20 minutes or so just getting to know the animal and just playing around with him or her. Every professional pet and kid photographer knows that if you jump into a photo session without proper introductions and warm-up the pictures will be very stiff and uncomfortable. Think of each photo session as an interview for a job. You are asking for their permission to shoot their true inner beauty and personality. To share with you a part of themselves that only few close people ever get to see. This is asking a lot and deserves some time to earn this privilege.
Creativity
Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said, “My dog and cats have become super models! Do not get overwhelmed you will never know it all. The key is to keep trying new things and techniques. We live in an exciting age of technology. Digital photography is improving every day and it’s changing the way we take pictures.”
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Chances are, as a person interested in pet photography, this will not be an issue. Creativity is what will set apart your work from everyone else in your market area. This is why some people will choose one photographer over another (besides price of course). Don't be afraid to open your imagination to try all kinds of different ideas with your subject. You will probably be working with a digital camera, which means that you will be able to shoot as much as you want without spending extra. Some of the most amazing National Geographic photos have been from a chance shot. As you are dealing with a living, breathing, wiggling, and waggling animal, you are not 'really' going to be able to set up your shots as if you were dealing with a human model. The best shots will probably come from accident. “Happy accidents” as the famed artist, Bob Ross used to call them. Don't forget that sometimes the easiest way to be creative is by allowing your subject to be creative for you, meaning, allowing them to do their own thing. Then you can play off of their creativity with your own and really make some magic happen!
Complaint Handling
This will be one of the hardest aspects of this job, but if you follow all the rules of a good business, you should not have to deal with this very often. As we touched upon with human-customer handling, the best way to deal with any customer issue is to provide a win-win situation. In order to do this, a business can use what is called the “Five Step Process” as developed by Terence R. Traut, President of Entelechy, Inc.
Strategic and tactful. The first step is to decide your goal and identify all the parameters you can provide to the customer that will solve their issue and not cheat any important policies for the business.
Acknowledge. This sounds simpler than it is sometimes, as it means listening to the client, understanding their problem and acknowledging that you may have done something wrong. It takes a big person to say their sorry, but a client will appreciate it.
Clarify. This step refers to repeating what the client has said to you in your own words to make sure that you understand exactly what has happened. This will better enable you to think of a solution that will be appropriate for the situation.
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Present a Resolution. This is telling the client straight forward and honestly what you can and can't do for them. They will appreciate your honesty here. Never tell them something that you won't be able to do in order to calm them down or make them happy.
Ask Feedback. Now that you have told them what you are willing to do, they need to respond back with what they are willing to do on their part to accept your offer and move forward amicably. This makes the customer feel as if their opinion matters and that you care about truly creating a resolution that they will be happy with.
Tips and Tricks for Handling Pets
Wendy Doscher-Smith's (Florida Photographer) cardinal rules for working with animals: “Keep them comfortable and entertained.” “Let them do their thing.” “Work on 'their' schedule.” “Know when they are done, they are done. You may have to re-shoot if you didn't get what you wanted. Respect their needs and temperaments. It's sort of like shooting kids.”
Here are a few other tips to handle difficult pets as found at Dog Training Secrets Revealed (http://www.dog-training-secrets-revealed.com). Difficult pets who are showing aggressive behavior are generally doing so for one of three reasons. They are either exhibiting dominant behavior, possessive behavior, or territorial aggression. Dominant and Possessive Behavior. A pet exhibiting these traits towards you is trying to be the high ranking animal among the relationship. This is generally a result of a lack of obedience training from the owner, but it can be overcome as much as possible by following these rules.
Never let the animal beat you in a game of strength (playing tug-a-war, etc.)
Never let the animal assume a dominant position, such as standing on top of your chest while you are laying on the ground.
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To show you have a dominant ranking over an animal you should never let them eat before you do or go through a doorway or pathway first if at all possible.
Never look away from an animal that is staring into your eyes, it will show both weakness and fear.
Territorial Aggression. This will be very difficult to deal with, as the animal has learned to be overprotective of their territory even when their owner welcomes you in as a guest. This is completely the fault of the owner and there will be little you can do without the owners help. The owner of the animal might be able to ease the dog by showing that they trust you, Important Note: Never try to discipline a dog for any of these behaviors. You should display an outward dominance over the animal, but never in an aggressive fashion. That is not your place. Lastly, if you feel that the animal is out of control or displaying aggression in a way that you feel in danger, immediately end the photo session, explain to the client your concern, and go home!
Getting Skilled
Robyn Kessler (California Photographer) said, “The best place in the world to learn is simply behind the lens. Take your camera with you wherever you can and practice.”
Artistic Composition
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Suite101.com (http://paintingdrawing.suite101.com) offers great advice on composition for all art styles. Here are a few of the most important for the pet photographer: Symmetry. This is the placement of objects in your picture and there are several ways to go about this to give plenty of variety in all of your pictures.
Symmetrical. This refers to having the same number of objects on each side of the photo, in effect giving a balanced appearance to the naked eye.
Asymmetrical. This is when the main object may appear off-centered in the picture with other outside features/objects taking a slight precedence in the photo. This is used to bring interest to a photo.
Light, Shadow, and Perspective.
Light. In general, well lit subjects look bright, happy, colorful, and pure.
Shadow. Dramatic shadow can be very useful when the photographer is attempting to create a mood or feeling with the subject. Such effects can include eerie, dramatic, and bold.
Perspective. A large animal can be made to look small from a high perspective and a small dog can be made to look large from a low perspective. These are fun ways to give a pet a different stature without using a costume or effects.
A great website that offers a few more useful tips in lighting, camera settings, and pet cooperation is the DIY (Do It Yourself) Network's, “Pet Portraiture” (http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hp_digital_photography/article/0,2033,DIY_13956_4201175,00.html).
Basic Digital Camera Skills
Whichever digital camera you choose, you will need to know its basic features before you can use it to its fullest potential. Since today’s digital SLR cameras do almost everything for you, there is little skill left over other than knowing how to work all of your cameras features. You will want to be able to make rapid
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changes in all situations, such as adjusting the ISO, aperture, shutter speed, flash, exposure, zoom, and balance.
All these suggestions are supplied by various professional opinions at All Things Photography (http://www.all-things-photography.com), and will be described further there. The ISO is equivalent to what the ASA used to be. This is the speed of the shutter and will allow you to take fast action photos with a quick speed and detailed shots in low light with a slower speed. The basic settings you will use should be 800 to 1000 when outdoors. This will allow you to catch the animal in full motion. For indoor studio stills, you may find 250 closer to your liking, depending on your lighting situation. The aperture controls the amount of light that can reach the camera’s eye. The lens has an aperture, which is just a variable opening. Modern aperture construction usually consists of a number of blades, seven to nine being the average. These blades can close to form a small aperture or open to produce maximum aperture. The larger the f-number, the narrower the lens opening. For example, an aperture F5.6 has a smaller opening than an F2.8. The most popular setting is around 2.8 as you want to take advantage of as much light as possible in pet photography to keep the animals appearance full, bright, and glowing. For really dark situations, a EF50mm 1.4 can be used and it can sometimes be substituted where a flash would normally be needed. The most flattering way to brighten a subject is to use light sources reflected from bright surfaces onto the subject.
This is where an assistant can come in handy using various diffused lights and/or a reflector, such as a Lastolite (http://www.lastolite.com). There is one time when a flash or speedlight (http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/flash.htm) can come in handy and that is during over cast situations . Zoom is an important aspect of every camera lens and one of the most used outside during action sequences with the animal will be the 24-70. This allows for the easy transfer of ever fluctuating distances while you are shooting the animal moving about in various fashion. 70-200 works well for shots of the animal far away in a more relaxed, slow motion and an all around safe bet for general shooting is 50mm.
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Another simple item to bring to every photo shoot is a good tripod. Occasionally you will find a spot where you will be able to try a 'planned' still shot and the tripod will come in very handy. For studio shots in lower lighting, a tripod will be even more useful to the pet photographer. Beyond these basics there are a few extra goodies that you may want to put on your wish list as your business flourishes:
Polarizing filter. This filter drowns out reflections and will add some sparkle to your color saturation.
Speedlight. Great for fill-in flash on overcast and even bright days.
Softbox. A softbox helps to diffuse the light even more.
Large diffusers. Diffusers are great for controlling the strength of the sunlight.
50mm, 100mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm lenses. These cover just about every shot you would ever want to try.
Underwater Housing. There are a lot of fun shots that can be done with an animal (or animals) playing in the water. It is all about creativity.
Equipment Literacy
Digital or Analog Pros and Cons
Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer) said,
“Although I will always have a romance with film cameras, digital cameras have really proven themselves. It’s an amazing learning tool for anyone starting out.
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When shooting on manual you can completely see how aperture and shutter speed work together. You can learn from your mistakes instantly without having to wait for costly film developing. Personally, I’m a Nikon shooter and highly recommend their digital SLR’s, but if you’re a Canon shooter, by all means, their line is just as extensive for beginners.” The trend in today’s photography world is that Digital SLR is the best way to go for the beginning pet photographer. But there is no hard and fast rule to this. So to be fair with your choices, we are going to give you the basics pros and cons of each and allow you to chose for yourself what would fit your shooting style the best: Digital SLR Pros:
It gives instant results.
There is virtually no cost per shot.
Has the greatest flexibility of changing ISO sensitivity, white balance and other parameters at the click of a few buttons.
Cons:
Generally a bit larger and bulkier.
More expensive and complicated to learn.
Greater power consumption (batteries die quickly).
Wiping off dust from the sensor is a challenge (promoted by changing lenses).
Analog Pros:
Generally smaller and lighter, although the gap is narrowing with the technological advancement of the digital SLR's.
A single battery lasts a long time.
Easier to learn to operate.
Less expensive to purchase.
Cons:
Film dependent
There are film and processing expenses, not to mention the initial cost of the film in the first place.
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Less options when it comes to adjusting the photo, and you can't always tell if your settings were right until after the film is processed.
Top Digital and Analog Equipments
With today’s technology and camera features, you can hardly go wrong with almost any camera. One of the easiest parts about becoming a pet photographer today is finding your equipment. The base camera you should be looking at should either be a 35 mm SLR film camera or 8.0 mega pixel digital SLR. This is the minimum we recommend, because it is the lowest standard that will be capable of producing an A1 print (for a large frame). In addition to this camera and a back-up, you will also need a selection of various lenses. The lenses should range from ultra wide to medium telephoto. You will also want an aperture of F2.8. Cameras of this magnitude can range from $500 (used) to $1,500 (bottom end). It would also be a good idea to have two cameras in case something unforeseen should happen, but this is definitely not a requirement in the beginning. One of the best ways to decide on the best camera is to get advice from the professionals who have used these cameras and know what works for this very specific genre of photography. We asked our professionals what cameras they used and what they would recommend for the beginning photographer and this is what they had to say: Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said,
“I’m a Canon girl, so my first choice for beginners would be the Rebel Xti (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/) or Rebel XT (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos350d/). But I consider the Nikon D40 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/) and D50 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond50/) and the Pentax K110D and K100D (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0605/06052205pentaxk100d.asp) good alternatives for the best beginner digital SLR. All of these cameras are economically priced, and feature consumer-level features. They aren't overly complicated to use and don't have quite as many buttons and dials as the more professional cameras. They also have some more advanced features to get your manual skills going.”
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Jennifer Greenberg (New York Photographer) said,
“I use Tota Lights (http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/flash-and-lighting/continuous-lighting/lowel/PRD_142683_4349crx.aspx), a Contax 645 film camera (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/contax645.shtml) and a Nikon D70 digital camera (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond70/). I'm very low-maintenance with my gear. If you know what you're doing you can use one light and a basic, manual camera to begin with.” Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer) said,
“Well, now I have a fancy camera. It is a Canon EOS 20D (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos20d/). It's way smarter than I! But you don't need a fancy camera to shoot well. My first photo collection and subsequent exhibit I used a $300 point and shoot digital. It's less about the camera and more about seeing what is happening in front of you, being open to ideas, changing your physical perspective, etc.” Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer) said,
“The best outfit you can have to start out with as a photographer will be a digital SLR (http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7603_7-6241014-1.html), a wide angle lens, a telephoto, a 50 mm lens and a TTL (through the lens) AF (auto focus) speedlight (flash). As a pet photographer, I would definitely suggest you get a fish eye and multiple wireless flash units in addition to what I mentioned before. Most professional digital SLR’s on the market right now have wireless flash capabilities, but if you have equipment that is a bit older, they make cables for your off camera flashes that will suffice.” Mary Bloom (New York Photographer) said, “I use Canon digital cameras. I have 2 30D bodies which I use for all my shoots. Since I primarily photograph dog shows and events that require different lenses constantly I must have 2 bodies. If I work in the studio I have time to switch lenses on and off a camera body, but not so with busy events. My lenses are 2.8’s and range from 16 to 200 mm. I feel it’s important to make an initial investment up front and buy less if money is an issue, but (always) buy the best. Then build up your equipment inventory over time. It lasts a long time and will be worth it in the quality of your work in the end.”
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References
Self-Study Books
The Adobe Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers By Scott Kelby Photoshop CS is the updated version of Photoshop and is aimed specifically for digital photographers. Scott Kelly, who is Editor of Photoshop User Magazine, shows his readers exactly how to touch up photos using the proper settings and techniques. He focuses particular attention on correcting, editing, sharpening, retouching, and presentation. Professional Techniques for Pet and Animal Photography By Debrah H. Muska This book touches upon posing, techniques, personality traits, back drops, traits, and camera settings. There is also a section that defines the rules and techniques for working with dogs, cats, horses, birds, ferrets, reptiles, and a few other creatures. How to Take Great Pictures: Recipes for Outstanding Results with any Camera By Ron Nichols This is a great book for the beginner as it focuses on the basics of pet photography, from camera choices to film type. He also includes a section on animal behavior, giving insight into the realm of animal behavior. Creative Canine Photography By Larry Allan For those who are less inclined to creativity, this books gives a lot of great ideas of different ways to capture a pet's personality using lighting, equipment, and personal coaxing (to look a certain direction, make an expression, etc.). Plus tips on the specific techniques needed to have clear and clean photos.
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Online Resources
Adorama Imaging Resourcing Center
http://www.adorama.com For general information, AIRC has a lot of good information ranging from travel bags, computers, film, filters, tripods, and used equipment. All Things Photography
http://www.all-things-photography.com This is one of our favorite photography sites. It covers the steps, equipment and etiquette of the photographer from the initial preparation, the shoot, to the final processing of the pictures. The Pet Network
http://www.thepetnetwork.tv/index.php This is a great website that is sister to the television network in Canada. The photos however are great and they allow you to upload your own and receive comments from visitors. This is a great place to find new ideas.
Top Workshops and Classes (Online and Offline) for Pet Photographers
Unfortunately there are not as many workshops and classes in pet photography as you would think for such a big trend going on right now. Most workshops you will find will be local and organized by a number of different sources. We tried to search for a few big seminars and mostly came up with local versions across the United States.
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A good site to search for workshops and even local clubs and association is PhotoLinks (http://www.photolinks.com/Pet_Photography.html), their Pet Photography section has a wide range of listings.
One of the biggest workshops we came across in our search was The Ultimate Pet Photography Workshop (http://www.thephotographerslife.com/petphoto/21/), held in Hershey Pennsylvania. Three days of fun and intense learning, covering the very basic details of the business, camera and photo editing techniques, tips on working with the pets and how to set-up a very simple and inexpensive studio anywhere. The cost is fairly high at $1,500, but most photography intensive workshops will be.
For the true adventurer, Alaskan Iditarod Tours (http://www.iditarodtours.com/workshop.htm), offer 10 days of workshops and hands on photo opportunity in the beauty of Alaska and its wildlife. Each tour group is kept to a minimum to give the photographer plenty of individual attention and instruction. $2,500 to $3,500 covers their choice of a Yukon tour, Northern Lights Tour, and Iditarod Dog Sled Race. Not your average workshop, but then again, there is no 'average' when it comes to the unique personalities of a photographer. Choose whichever type of workshop fits your budget and interest level. We found everything from free local workshops in photography through local pet stores on up to ultimate vacation package workshops, such as the Alaskan tour above. There is no excuse not to be able to attend one of these if you are truly interested in learning the art first hand.
Must-Knows and Must-Haves
Every photographer has their list of important things to know and have for every shoot and these are a few of the most important that were told to us by our professionals: Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer): Must Know: “You will never please everyone all of the time.” “Shoot from the heart, as corny as that sounds, and you will not go wrong.”
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“You have to feel it!” Must Have's- “Patience.” “Love for animals.” “Genuine desire to capture the animal's essence.” “Basic Photoshop skills if you are doing digital.” Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer): Must Know: “Photography is about art. It’s not about making money, although if you’re good, that’s a bonus. It’s a costly venture that can be very competitive and for the most part, not as glamorous as one may think. In my experience I have learned the following:” Must Know's- “You must know how to conduct yourself with a camera in numerous situations.” “Always change out the batteries in your flash units before a photo shoot just to be on the safe side.” “Trust your talent and your camera completely; otherwise, what’s the point?” Must Have: “A good camera bag is priceless.” “Gaffers tape is the best thing since sliced bread.” “When photographing pets, ALWAYS have healthy treats for your subject and a training clicker.” Jennifer Greenberg (New York Photographer): Must Know: “Don't stress the animals out, it will show up clearly in the photographs.” “Have fun!” Must Have: “Take a business course and learn how to set up the financial end of your business properly.”
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Tips and Tricks
When outdoors, shoot pets in either “sport” or “kid” mode.
For indoor studio shots, simple lighting (single light) usually gives the best results.
If using a flash; point it 'away' from the animal, allowing the light to bounce off another object onto the animal.
The preferred lighting should always be natural sunlight whenever possible.
Never 'force' an animal to do something; they will only run away and mistrust you.
Work quickly, as pets have even less patience than kids.
Keep the photo session short, take lots of breaks if necessary.
Do not become frustrated with the animal, as they will sense this and continue to behave restlessly.
Do not always place the animal in the center of the photo; experiment with positioning and composition.
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Being Successful
How Much to Charge?
To get a general idea of what professionals are charging for their pet photography services, we asked our professionals to give us a sample of their current rates. Robyn Kessler (California Photographer) said, “Rates were definitely one of those trial and error things for me. Deciding on what to charge is dependent on so many factors. Is this your only job? And is pet photography the only type of photography you will be doing? If so, you need to make sure you charge enough to survive. If you want to make 50K a year and you do two shoots a week, that means you have to make $500 from each client. Are people in your area willing to pay that much? Are you supplementing this with other work, either in or out of the photography field? If so, then you maybe don’t need to charge as much to survive.”
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“But how much work will you do to the pictures? Will you just show them all 400 images without having done any work to them? Or will you narrow it down to 30 and do a lot of time-consuming enhancement work to them? How much is your time worth? Will you charge more up front and give them the files/negatives or will you charge less up front and require all reprints and enlargements to be ordered through you, of which you charge more for? I could literally go on and on about all the questions to consider when it comes to deciding on pricing. It is strangely one of the more complicated aspects of my business.” “Basically when I started I didn’t know how much people were willing to spend on their animals. I had a low sitting fee- like $50, and then I had them buy anything they wanted extra. They could buy the set of proofs (about 50) for like $200 and prints ranged from $20-100. I quickly learned that was way too much work for not enough money, and I couldn’t even be guaranteed the money. I played with the pricing for years and am still occasionally changing the way I do things, but basically I now charge $600 for a sitting and that includes the 50 proofs (4x6) and $100 credit toward anything else they want to order. But I’m thinking of changing it again. Also, remember who you enjoy working with the most. Being in an extreme price range limits the range of clients you get to work with.” Lori Fusaro (California Photographer) said, “Prices will vary according to your area. A good rule of thumb is to research the going rate in your area. You don’t want to under price or over price yourself. Also finding your niche is going to be key. I have a range of prices depending on the client’s needs. Session fees for a standard on location portrait start at $250. Editorial and commercial shoots are based on an hourly fee, which start at $250 per hour. It really depends on the final product and how much post production will be needed. Design fees are billed separately and so are prints and products.” Jennifer Greenberg (New York Photographer) said, “My rates start at around $500 per session and go up from there. The first year I barely broke even. I think almost any new business, no matter what the industry, is doing incredibly well if they have an income in the first year. After that the sky's the limit, really. What you put into it is what you'll get out for the most part.”
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Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer) said, “I charge $500 for a half-day.” Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer) said, “Freelance photographers in South Florida have rates ranging from $100 to $250 per hour. Every photographer has their own rate scale. I believe the industry standard right now to be in the range of $200 an hour. There are also different ways you can charge the client. You can have day rates or half day rates. You can charge for the usage. The only time you will not dictate what you are to be paid is when you are on contract with a news agency. Whether it is a wire service or a newspaper, they have their own rates. You choose whether you want to work for them or not.”
Creative Promotions on Shoestring Budget
Promoting yourself can be tricky business, especially when much of your advertising comes from word of mouth. Our professionals had a few good ideas to put the odds in your favor and boost your recognition during the beginning phases of your pet photography business: Wendy Doscher-Smith (Florida Photographer) said, “I think it is all about the hustle and flow, baby. You gotta get your name out there. I use word o' mouth. When I do photography exhibits, I do my own press, usually get quite a bit, and use that as a way to get the pet photography word out. I also am known for my "Paw Mobile" as it is kinda a spectacle.” Yesikka Vivancos (Florida Photographer) said, “I rely heavily on word of mouth. Marketing and advertising is costly, and for those starting out it’s usually not an option. Working for the Associated Press helped me gain public relations contacts, which has substantially grown my clientèle. PR firms often contact the AP bureau for freelancer recommendations when they are having an event, and if they refer you and the client loves your work, they will continue to call you for all events. I often send out information packs to PR firms.”
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“There are many websites that will list your services for free in the genre you choose. For instance, although I don’t aggressively market myself as a wedding photographer, I am listed in several wedding sites that offer free listings. It’s all about letting the world know you exist- otherwise, no one will find you. Anyone you meet could be a potential client. If I’m out shopping and over hear someone talking about their wedding, I’ll turn to them and ask if they’ve picked out a photographer. If they haven’t, I give them my business card. Selling yourself has to be part of the game plan.” Mary Bloom (New York Photographer) said, “Marketing brings the clients to you and talent assures you that they stay. Building a relationship where clients can depend on your skills is very important in this business. You become part of their creative family, which builds over time.” “Marketing depends on your interests. I feel it’s important to specialize. Choose a subject that you are interested in photographing and approach the companies in that area. If it’s dogs, then decide (if it is) pet dogs, show dogs, shelter dogs, dog accessories, and so on. The web is a good research tool. The large bookstores are another. Look at who is advertising their products if you want to be a product photographer.” “Attend trade shows where you will meet the industry first hand. Contact them with your portfolio. If you prefer editorial work, then email the photo editors and ask if you can get on a list of photographers which they maintain and submit your work. Most editors email a monthly list describing the type of images they need for up and coming issues. You can shoot according to their needs and don’t be afraid of asking the editor what is required to improve your material if nothing of yours is getting published.”
Business Trends
Door-to-Door to Pet Stores
We mentioned earlier how pet stores need photographers on occasion and can be a great place to learn for the beginner. There are two opportunities you will find here. Advertisement and holiday photo shooting:
Advertisement. Sometimes a pet store will shoot pictures of their animals to place in advertisements either on the Internet, in catalogs, or in the newspaper.
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This is a great way to get hands on experience with a lot of different animals and also get some free advertising as your name should be credited with all the work. Holiday Photo Shoots. During certain Holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, many pet stores offer pet portraits for their customers featuring a nifty themed background and an assortment of packages with different sized print options. These are as popular as the similar arrangements for kids they have at the mall. Once again, they will provide great experience and allow you to make contact with your future client and hopefully begin to make a name for yourself.
Door-to-Door to Animal Shelters
A good animal photo for animal shelters has become a very big thing recently, as many shelters have turned to the Internet to feature these animals who need homes. This will most likely be a volunteer position, but you will not only be doing a very nice service to these animals, but gaining a lot of experience and photos you can add to your portfolio. Most any local shelter today uses the Internet in this fashion and many of them obviously do not have a professional shooting the introductory photos, but sure could use one. Your name will also be featured on these sites and bring you a little creative promotion from a very well known and popular source to those who love animals!
Networking
Networking is always good. Fellow pet professionals and pet service providers are usually willing to help each other out and send clients their way if they hear
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of someone looking for something in particular. Your best bet is to find a local group in your home town, but there is one national group that can be quite fun
The Pet Network Webring (http://d.webring.com/hub?ring=petnetwork) Their introduction says it best: “The Pet Network is a gathering of pet and family friendly websites - commercial, personal and nonprofit, seeking to establish themselves on the Pet Internet, or to find a medium for getting their word out. The Pet Network not only offers a safe, forward thinking community of people and their animal friends, but also makes available special tools and information to help get the pet friendly word out. This is the place to be for pet businesses and services too!” Membership is basically free with a few small fees should you decide to post a few websites wit in the community to help drive traffic your way.
Trade Associations
Robyn Kessler (California Photographer) said,
“As far as associations, Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (http://www.wppionline.com) is fabulous. They have a big conference and trade show every spring in Vegas and 1000s of photographers from around the world come to it. It’s a great place to network and to see what other photographers are doing. You can go listen to the photographers you admire speak on their approach, and see 100s of award-winning images.” The top trade associations that every pet photographer should be aware of are: WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)
http://www.wppionline.com ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers)
http://www.asmp.org PPA (Professional Photographers of America)
http://www.ppa.com
WPA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) http://www.wpja.com
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APA (American Pet Association)
http://www.apapets.org ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
http://www.aspca.org
Winning Competitions
Another fun way to network, get your name out there, and improve your skills will be through entering your photos in a variety of contests. There are too many of them out there to list them off, but here are a few of our favorites. PADS (People And Dogs Society) Competition
http://www.padsonline.org The Crestock Photography Contest
http://www.crestock.com/blog/photography/the-crestock-photography-contest-2007-57.aspx DP (Digital Photography) Challenge
http://www.dpchallenge.com Photography Corner's “Photograph of the Year” Contest
http://www.photographycorner.com/photograph-of-the-year National Geographic Photography Contest (yes, they have an animal category)
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/photo-contest.html?fs=www7.nationalgeographic.com
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References
Robynn Kessler had a few additional places where a pet photographer could source out good information on this business, plus get some great ideas on boosting creative output.
“Design Aglow (http://designaglow.com), is an online magazine for photographers that has some of the best information I have ever encountered. It is packed with useful information, new ideas, and beautiful bits of inspiration. Digital Wedding Forum (http://www.digitalweddingforum.com). I know it says “wedding” but portrait photographers and wedding photographers are in many ways the same. Most information found on this priceless forum can apply to either.”
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Success Profiles
Lori Fusaro
Culver City, CA Fusaro Photography
http://www.fusarophotography.com
http://www.helpsavetheanimals.com Image © Lori Fusaro Autobiography “Photographer Lori Fusaro focuses on the spontaneity of life. She relies on her skills as a Photojournalist to capture her subjects in action. The results are exciting candid portraits. Lori's gift of getting along with kids and animals has lead to some of the most extraordinary moments ever captured on film.”
“Lori is very enthusiastic about being able to share her love of animals, in her dog photographs. She volunteers for a dog rescue group, Culver City-based Karma Rescue, devoted to rescuing and finding homes for death-row dogs. After meeting many of the dogs and helping out at Saturday adoptions, Lori was
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inspired to do more to help them get adopted and to raise money for their care. She photographs many of the Karma dogs for their website. Lori says, 'A good photograph gets people interested in meeting the dogs. And once they meet them, they fall in love and adopt! If my photography can help find a dog a home, then I’ll continue clicking away!' Lori’s fund raising efforts are not limited to Karma Rescue.” “Lori is delighted to help any animal rescue or group. She started doing “Portrait Parties” to help raise money. She also donates her time to photograph and design calendars, for which all the proceeds go to the rescue group. Rande Levine, the founder of Karma Rescue says, 'Lori has a gift and I am so awed that she gives it away so freely for the animals. Her generosity is amazing. We could never ever ever afford to buy such talent or such services because Lori's gift is priceless—and so is Lori.' Mrs. Fusaro lives in Culver City with her husband, Darrell, three cats, Francis, Jackie, one yet to be named kitten and dog Gabby. All rescue animals (not including the husband)!” Lori represents the pet portraiture aspect of this career, providing her pet photography services to private clients. She primarily works on location, so would also fit into the category of a mobile pet photographer. Let's open up the door and introduce you to Lori, as she tells us a little bit about her business and the advice she has for anyone interested in opening a similar business: Could you describe the nature of your business? “The majority of my clients are private pet owners. Pet portraiture is definitely a luxury for most people and clients tend to be professionals between the ages of 26 and 60. This group spends approximately $26 billion annually for gourmet food, cosmetic services, health care, specialty items. and photography. Today, pets are like one of the family. I’ve photographed dogs and cats for 'adoption announcements', holiday cards, and artwork to hang on the wall. It’s really anything goes.” “In the last year, I’ve added an entire line of products to my business, including museum quality canvases, tile art, mouse pads and even blankets! Pet shows will generate documentary photographs for the organizers of the show as well as publicity photographs for the winning pet owners. Occasionally, an organization, like a rescue group will need animal photography. For rescue groups, it’s a little different. Most are non-profit organizations, so paying for services might be out of reach for them. However, it’s so important for them to have great photographs of the animals.”
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“I donate a lot of my time to these kinds of organizations. I think it’s important to give back to the community and since I love animals, I enjoy doing it. I also get a tax write off for my time and the rescue group gets wonderful photos to showcase their dogs. In addition, more work comes from the people who have adopted pets. It’s a win-win (situation)!” Technically and artistically speaking, what are the attributes that make up a successful pet photographer? “Your style and artistic eye are what will set you apart from other photographers. Begin to develop that. Look at other photographers work, what do you like about it? What do you not like? Do you like black and white? Saturated color? Action shots? Close up? Quirky? Studio? Location? Lots of stuff to consider. Once you get your style, then you can learn how to market it.” “People hire me because they like my style. They have seen my photography and it speaks to them. Finding that niche for yourself is so important. I personally don’t like poised studio photography. My style is more photo-journalistic, capturing the animal’s personality and quirks. I almost exclusively shoot in their natural environment.” “Look at what is missing in your town. What area could you fill? If it’s something you like, then there you have it, a starting place! And practice, practice, practice! Learn from your mistakes and from your successes. Ask yourself questions after each shoot. “What was challenging about photographing outside?” “Could you have done something different?” “What would have made the shoot easier?” Always be thinking about how you could make the next session better.” Are there any additional tips for a new photographer you'd like to share with us? “My biggest tip is 'fly by the seat of your pants!' I tend to bring everything but the kitchen sink to shoots. You never know what you may need. Don’t be afraid of looking weird or trying something new. And wear something comfortable! I’ve been known to get down in the dirt for a great shot.”
“I recently was shooting the dogs for a new Dream Works film and we were on location in downtown LA. One of the dogs was a newbie and completely untrained. He was a stand in until they found the perfect dog to cast. We
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couldn’t get him to do anything. I had to follow his lead, try to anticipate his every move. I needed him to look directly at me. He was doing everything but that! So I came up with a crazy idea… I put some chicken in my bra and it worked! Right in my cleavage! The dog could smell it and now he was focused. The crew thought I was a little nuts, but we got the shot!” “It also pays to know the animal and location you are photographing. If you are scared of tigers, don’t take a job photographing them. If the location may call for something specific (like boots!) by all means take them. If you don’t need them, fine, but if you do…you’ll save yourself some stress. I recently photographed a horse. As I was packing I thought, “maybe I should bring my boots” but it was really hot out and so I said forget it! I wore my flip-flops instead. Big mistake. Turns out the farm was getting some construction work done and we had to go to a different location. One we had to ride to. Through a river. Needless to say, it was quite a challenge to ride the horse in flip flops. But I did it. Still, next time, I’ll bring my boots.” “Another thing I typically do is get down on the animal’s level. Another reason the comfortable clothing can come in handy. On one photo shoot, (took place in an urban park) I was laying on the ground, using my backpack as backrest and photographing the dog running in my direction and jumping over me. Things were going great, and then I got a whiff of something…urine! Turns out the alley we were shooting in, doubled as the homeless’ bathroom and I had been laying in pee. Yeech. Luckily, in my kit was a can of Lysol. I sprayed myself down immediately.” “One of my very favorite stories is about a dog named Jazz. He was a Hurricane Katrina survivor and one of the saddest dogs I had ever met. His story really touched me and I photographed him from the beginning of his saga (being rescued and brought to Los Angeles) to the end (finding a Home). Because I documented his story, I was able to give his new owner a priceless album of photographs. She was so touched by it. Jazz is a remarkable dog. I’m in the process of creating a coffee table book, telling his story in pictures. He’s a true survivor.”
“The bottom line is, if you love photographing animals find every way possible to do it. Don’t think your ideas are crazy or off the wall. You never know what will work or what others will find valuable. Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb or try something new. Practice, have fun and give back to your community. Develop your style and view every situation as a learning experience. If you’re a
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good photographer and love what you are doing, the clients will be attracted to you like a magnet!”
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Jennifer Greenberg
New York, NY
http://www.jengreenbergphotography.com Images © Jennifer Greenberg Autobiography “I was an orthopedic physical therapist for 10 years (and) I attended Ithaca College before making my transition completely into photography. I have taken many photography classes over the years, but am mostly self-taught.”
Jennifer is a private pet photographer who prefers to do her work on location, rather than studio. Generally she finds herself in either the clients home or an on location environment. Jennifer has developed the niche of pet photography over the years and has recently introduced the addition of kid photography in her line-up. She is also well known for her “celebrity and their pets” photos and has some great examples featured on her website (http://www.jengreenbergphotography.com/faces1.html). We spoke with Jennifer about her career and how she sees the future of it progressing. How did you get into celebrity pet photography?
“My celebrity photos came about through working with The New York Dog Magazine (http://www.digandscratch.com/?p=161). I worked with them for two years and loved it. The photo shoots were always fun and inspiring. Animals don't care if you're a celebrity. To them you will always be their owner and playmate, not 'that person on TV'. I love working with famous people because any guise or professional personality they may have had was always thrown out
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the window when they were with their pets. They were just like anyone else, rolling around on the floor with their dog.” What is the most important success traits of a pet photographer in your opinion? “I know it sounds obvious, but to be a successful pet photographer you must truly love animals. In order to take a great picture of something you must appreciate and see the beauty that lies within the subject. Raw talent helps, of course, along with the ability to sense when a great photograph will happen just before it does. Patience is very important. Dealing with pet owners can be a little tricky at times, but for the most part they are very enthusiastic and fun to work with.” What current trends do you see in the pet photography business right now? “I see some really good trends nowadays in the pet industry (in general) and some that make me cringe. More and more people are becoming aware of proper pet care and nutrition, as well as understanding how animals think. It breeds better relationships between people and their pets, which is wonderful. Unfortunately, I also see more and more people using pets as accessories, dressing them up, treating them like children, and carrying them on the red carpet in front of thousands of flashbulbs. It really has nothing to do with what's good for the dog in my opinion.” “Pet photography as an industry has grown tremendously in the past ten years. Pets are becoming more and more like family members. People are choosing to spend money on services, such as pet photography, that may have only included children before. Now even Fluffy gets his own moment to shine. I think this trend will continue, especially now that digital photography has become so popular.” Technically and artistically speaking, what are the attributes that make up a successful pet photo? “Of course technically the light must be well-balanced, no super-bright or muddy low spots. The viewer's eye must go immediately to the subject, not to something overly bright in the background. Mood and expression play significant roles as well.”
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Wendy Doscher-Smith
Miami, FL Apawture Photography
http://www.apawture.com Image © Wendy Doscher-Smith
Wendy has a lot of different experience going into her Pet Photography business, Apawtures. She is also an accomplished writer and has her own full service writing company called, Scribbling Scribes Writing (www.scribblingscribes.biz). Wendy would say that her transition from a journalist to a photographer was not “a large leap”. They both involve observation, accuracy, and the ability to tell a story. Wendy prefers stories with just the animals and sometimes the animals with people, but she especially is intrigued by their paws... hence the name, “Apawtures” Wendy's education and professional training involves a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, from the University of Florida and also attendance to the Society of Professional Journalists Regional, March of 2007. She is involved in many animal related events per year, such as Adoptions Counselor for the Humane Society, Dog Show Judge, and philanthropist for the Wildlife Care Center.
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Largely, Wendy is a self taught photographer who works privately for clients, but she also contributes her work individually for good cause on occasion at Fotomission.org (http://www.fotomission.org). Currently, she is selling her artwork towards a fund to help pay for the vet bills of a mistreated dog she recently acquired at SaveNyla.com (http://savenyla.com). She recently had an exhibit, "Creature Feature: Unexpectedly Eerie Images" at the Miami Beach Cinematheque to benefit these causes. Wendy is a true animal lover and her passion and enthusiasm come out in her photos, which is one of the many reasons for her success. We asked her what those other reasons were in our exclusive interview with Wendy: Do you find it is best to mix several businesses with pet photography? “I do what stimulates me artistically and intellectually. I always have. I feel like I don't have a choice, really. I am driven by what excites or moves me. There are times when I try to be a "normal" human being and it just doesn't work for me because I get bored so easily. I am a kind of a 'Jill of all trades'. Basically, I am useful when it comes to any element of life that requires creativity.” “I have redesigned homes for interior design projects for major TV networks, done fund raising, styled for fashion shows, baked (respect the sugar!), designed greeting cards, written lots of columns, been a PR director, an editor, a dog groomer, a nude model and of course, taken pictures of hundreds of dog paws. Somehow, rather incredibly, I have found a way to apply my pet photography skills to the rest of my talents.” “I shoot for magazines and newspapers down here as a stringer (freelance or part-time journalist). I have 'strung' for The Miami Herald, for example. I often shoot my own assignments so I can be hired as a 'package deal'. I've written stories on animals and animal sanctuaries and shelters and trends and shot the artwork for those. As far as mixing services, I think the above applies to that. Commercially speaking. When it comes to individual pet portraits there really isn't any mixing.” What trends do you see in the pet photography industry now and in the future? “Pets are the new kids. There is no debating that. Pets are cheaper and they 'love you long time'. They don't go through adolescent phases and make you look 10 years older than you are. You don't worry about sending them to college. They appreciate any treat--not just the designer, hip ones!”
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“More money is being spent on pets than ever before and the trend continues, and does extend to pet photography. Pick up any magazine, and I'm not talking pet magazines. Look at Vanity Fair, InStyle, the New Yorker, etc. As the obsession with celebrity continues, their pets are inevitably included in their 'lifestyle' shoots. Paris Hilton and her little dog, too, for example! We will only see more of that.” “The bizarre obsession with tea cup puppies kicked it off, I think, and there is no turning back now. Actually, if you think about it, the kinds of dogs that are popular in cities are tied to the current economic situation. City dwellers can't afford houses so they live in apartments. There is no room for MANLY dogs anymore! (Although one of my four 'girls' (dogs) is a manly Belgian Terveren cross rescue. But that is because I live in Miami in a house so I can afford to have her out back.” Do you have any recommendations on good places to train to learn the skills necessary? “Well let me tell you I don't have a fancy photography degree. I do, however, have a fancy journalism degree, and for that, I took one photojournalism class. We actually printed! I have thought about getting an MFA but I am kinda concerned that school might ruin me. I am self taught. I taught myself Photoshop with a book. I am not a big 'techy' type. I am much more about having the 'eye'. I really respect photographers who are of a technical mind because they can do some great things. However, I have heard that becoming too fixated on the technical hurts capturing the moment and I can see that. I have also taken a few photo seminars.” Can you share your opinion on the different types of pet photographers (mobile, at home, mall studio, animal rescues, etc.)? “Well, for me the most rewarding is any of these. I mean, I don't think I would like the mall studio setting much, as I prefer to get the animal out in its element where it can do its thing. For me the most rewarding experiences are ones that yield an excellent product and, more importantly, an experience that is comfortable for the animal. For example, I am all for dressing animals up, but I would never force a hat on a cat or a jumper on a dog if the animal was unhappy.”
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Yesikka Vivancos
Miami, FL
http://www.yesikka.com Self Biography “I have been a freelance photographer since 2002 working with the Associated Press in Miami as well as other wire agencies including the European PressPhoto Agency and EFE. My photos have been published in TIME Magazine, US News & World Report, the LA Times, New York Daily News, The Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald and numerous other publications in the United States and the world. Her clients include Burson Marsteller, Bob Bomliz Group, Publicis Dialog, Nokia, Perrier, Volkswagen, Office Depot and the renowned Chef, Norman Van Aken.” “My love of photojournalism hits close to home as I am the daughter of the veteran photojournalist, Abdiel Vivancos who worked for ABC News for over 20 years. I grew up in the industry, yet never expressed an interest towards it. I received my Associates in Arts from Miami Dade College and my Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from Florida International University. I planned on going into law enforcement in either the local or federal level. Safe to say, I changed my mind. I am a freelance photographer in South Florida. I run around Miami or wherever my clients send me with my digital SLRs capturing news, moments, landscapes, people, pets or whatever catches my eye really.” “In 2003, I was asked by a friend to photograph her wedding and I obliged. I never thought of myself as a wedding photographer but here I was, doing this for a close friend. I realized that although it is a lot of work, the reactions to my images were overwhelmingly rewarding. The word spread about my wedding photography and although I don’t aggressively advertise myself as a "wedding photographer", the word-of-mouth gets around. In much the same way that I fell into photographing weddings, I fell into photographing pets. I enjoyed photographing my own dog and my friends and family began asking me to do the same for them.”
“In a nut shell, I would say that many photographers specialize in certain genres of photography. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on my preferred genre and/or subject. I’ve shot everything from press conferences, riots and award shows to portraits, travel, and weddings. It really all boils down to what brings me joy. When I was 5 I fell in love with the idea of creating an image and
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having a tangible print to see or to place on my wall and although I’ve evolved into the digital world of photography where all the images are stored on a hard drive, I still enjoy creating that image and placing that print on my wall.” We spoke with Yesikka on the business of photography: What advice can you offer our readers on getting into photography? “Photography is an art in many different aspects. The more obvious being the visual aspect, but it’s also about space and light. Even the darkroom or Photoshop process of photography is an art form in its own right. I heard a lot of advice when I started out—some was useful and some wasn’t. I heard everything from how to shoot, to how to run a business. The bottom line is that the best thing you can do when starting out is to find your own vision and own it. See what other photographers have done and are currently doing. Learn their techniques but then master your own. Learn the basics and then add your own splash of vision into that formula.” “In photography there are basics, which are, light, subject and composition. Formulate that the same way you would take a family recipe and add your own ingredient to make it different. As simple as this may seem, the best advice I ever received was to photograph something using a lens I normally wouldn’t use. For instance, I was assigned to make a portrait of a prominent political figure in my home state. The space was limited given the amount of coverage called to this story. Every other photographer was shooting using a wide angle lens; I chose to use a telephoto although my subject was about five feet away. As cliché as it may sound, think outside the box otherwise you’re just part of the herd.” “Philosophically, photography has been a very personal journey for me and in that aspect, the best advice I can give is advice given down by two of the most amazing photographers to date. I once read a quote by these two amazing individuals and their words still ring in my mind when going into an assignment. Dorothea Lange once said, 'The best way to go into an unknown territory is to go in ignorant'. At first this fact scared me until I understood what she meant and embraced it. Once I became one with that thought the words of Elliott Erwitt became very clear. He was once quoted as saying, 'To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them'.”
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“Once I established myself enough that photography became my livelihood, I didn’t want to lose that gumption that lead me to it in the first place so I would give myself little projects. The one that sticks out the most for me is a series of photos I made of the city I live in at night. Everyday street corners I pass, sidewalks I walk on daily, gas stations and bakeries I drive by on my way to an assignment became my subject. I wanted to see these places, which I pass by daily, in a different way. Once you can do that, you’re closer to honing your own eye.” What are the unique attributes of a successful pet photo in your opinion? “Pet photography, to me, is about the simplicity of the animal. The ability to capture that particular pet’s personality in a frame or in a series of frames. Much like photographing people, I like to make portraits of pets that depict who they are without putting forth too much effort. Otherwise, it looks like the photo is trying too hard. Humor, individuality, unusualness and strength are all attributes that catch my eye. I like to see a breed’s characteristics show through or be the subject of the photo as opposed to the pet itself. For instance, I like to see the contradiction between the height of a Great Dane and the length of a Dachshund, or the hyper essence of a Jack Russell and the utter laziness of a Bassett Hound.” Could you talk a little bit about the transformation from people to pets in this industry? “For me, the difference in photographing people and photographing pets is the communication you have with your subject. With that said, a well trained pet could be much easier than a veteran model. Pets are also easily controlled with treats, whereas people can be distracted by numerous things. Another aspect that makes photographing pets much more difficult is that you have to be extremely quick. If you’re trying to photograph an active pet, you’re going to get a work out! Other than that, you will still be working with people, so for me, the transformation is not so extreme.” Do you have any recommendations on good places to train to learn the skills necessary?
“Being a photojournalist has honed my eye-hand coordination very well. In order to photograph news, you have to think, see and shoot fast. You have to anticipate the behavior of people you don’t know and be ready to make that
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photo. The same is true for animals, and this experience has played a large roll in giving me the ability to keep up with the dogs and cats I photograph.” “Dog training classes can be excellent training for a pet photographer. I placed my Dachshund in training and learned basic commands that have proven very handy when photographing other people’s pets. Knowing how to assert yourself as a pack leader will prove to be a priceless asset in photographing pets.” “As for photography in general, you’re best training will come from experience. You can go to school and learn lighting, chemistry and the math behind aperture and shutter speed, but you can sit down with a camera and a notebook and teach yourself as well. Although I grew up with a photojournalist father, I didn’t teach myself how to shoot until 1995 when I was 22 years old. I learned by shooting with a fully manual Nikon FM2. I kept record of my f-stops and shutter speed on a notebook and then looked at the negatives frame by frame. Trial and error will prove to be your best professor.”
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Mary Bloom
New York, NY
http://www.marybloom.com Image © Mary Bloom Autobiography “Mary Bloom has been a professional photographer focusing on the bond between people and animals, especially dogs, since 1978. Mary has been the official photographer for the Westminster Kennel Club since 1995. In 2002, she was the recipient of the Dog Writers Association of America and United Kennel Clubs Distinguished Service Award.” “Her photography has appeared in numerous publications, including: Life, Smithsonian Magazine, Woman's Day, Family Circle, People, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, and The New York Daily News. Mary uses her camera to demonstrate the importance of dogs in our lives. Her love of her subject is what inspires and motivates her to create photos that show the heart and soul of dogs and how they enrich our lives.” It was a pleasure to find out the secrets to Mary's success, as she is a definite success story of someone who has made it to the top without marketing tactics and PR tricks, but rather a pure passion and love for her subject—animals (and in particular dogs). Sure, Mary knows the ins and outs of marketing and shared her insight on that aspect of the business with us during our interview. But, the one thing that stands out most for us was her drive, commitment, and enthusiasm, which is one of the most important things a beginner is going to need to succeed. Introducing Mary:
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Mary, what do you see the latest trends in pets right now? “The latest trends are designer dogs and the toy breeds like Chihuahuas. People are purchasing the smaller types or mixed breeds mainly from pet stores or the web and many of these owners are purchasing clothing, fancy collars, leashes, bedding, jewelry and other accessories for these small dogs. It’s creating a pet boutique industry that is growing in leaps and bounds. What has made you truly successful as a pet photographer in your opinion? “Success comes from hard work and loving what you do. As well as knowing your subject. Clients like hiring people who are familiar with their subjects, whether it is pure bred cats or doghouses. They appreciate and need to know the photographer understands their needs and this is only accomplished if you are familiar with the subject. Don’t shoot cats if you are allergic and would prefer not to be in the same room with them. Stick to other animals that you care about. If you are interested in homeless animals go to animal shelters and tell them that and see what services they need.” Do you have any other advice you would like to share with our readers? “I can’t say enough times how important it is to not only really love your subject but also know it well. That will help you to “see” beyond your camera. That will set you apart from others and you will over time get the work. Nothing happens overnight. Never stop learning and be patient. I don’t envy those that are starting out, as there is so much to learn. These days it’s easier thanks to the web to find a client base but still it’s a big ocean for a small fish. It’s helpful to talk with pros that are earning their living doing what you want to do for your future.”
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Robyn Kessler
San Francisco, CA
http://www.robynkesslerphotography.com Image © Robyn Kessler Autobiography “I earned a degree in photography ten years ago, but it wasn't until sometime later that I thought more seriously about it as a career path. While I continued to photograph for enjoyment and as I traveled, I had also gone back to school. I received a degree in psychology and non-profit organization management, and was in the midst of applying to grad school. A career in photography was not in the plans, but then we adopted Tatanka. Tatanka changed everything. He was the fiercest, craziest, ugliest, and cutest small brown Pug/Chihuahua mix either my husband or I had ever known, and I fell madly in love with him. He delighted and inspired me, and before long I was taking pictures of him on a daily basis.”
“Around this time, I photographed a couple of weddings for friends which I found to be fulfilling as well as great fun. I realized I was so incredibly happy using my camera in these new found ways that I was spending more time doing that and less time preparing for school. One day, as I was driving from Golden Gate Park, I became so excited at the sudden idea of dropping my grad school plans and becoming a wedding and dog photographer that I almost got in an accident. I called my husband Shawn right then, who, in his usual supportive
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way, said, “Go for it!” Now here I am, four years after that fateful day, photographing dogs and weddings, and I love it with all my heart.” “I feel that this is what I was meant to do, for nothing is quite so thrilling as knowing that I preserved a moment of great meaning to somebody. As I enter people's homes and they let me into their lives for an afternoon, sharing the stories and history of their furry companion, I am continually reminded that I have one of the greatest jobs in the world. It is such a treat to be able to catch these glimpses of devotion and friendship, each one unique, each one the cause of so much happiness in someone's life. Shawn and I currently live in San Francisco with the aforementioned crazy Tatanka and a very silly but charming Husky/Cattle dog, (named) Morgan. We have become partners in our photography business and together we live a very blessed life.” We couldn't wait to hear the secret to Robyn's happiness and satisfaction with her career as a pet photographer. She is traditionally, one of the untraditional who had no prior plans to a career like this. Here is what she had to say: What advice can you offer our readers on getting into photography? “Community colleges. While I myself did originally go to a university to study photography, I ended up taking a 5 year break from doing anything very photography related. When I got back into it, I decided to take a couple of photography classes at a community college and I found it so useful. They are often geared toward people who are not full time students, which can be helpful. They are generally pretty aware of current trends, and it’s just about the cheapest access you can find to tons of great equipment and facilities! You can get essentially free feedback on your work and I found for the most part, I was surrounded by people who were in a similar situation as me.” What are the unique attributes of a successful pet photo in your opinion?
“People love their pets and they are as unique and as special to them as any child is, so I think the important thing is seeing what they see. The wide angles may be fun and interesting, and the crazy backgrounds may be eye-catching and whatnot, but to me a successful pet photo is one where people can recognize the expression on their babies face, one where they say “That is SO Roxy”! I find it useful to talk and meet with people and their pets before the actual photo shoot so that I can hear their story and better understand what it is
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they love about their pet. That helps me to be prepared to know what to look for during the shoot.” How have you marketed yourself as a photographer?
“The first thing I did was go to the dog park and take pictures of random dogs to try to build up a portfolio. I also put an ad on Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) that I would take some photos for cost, again just because I was building up my portfolio.” “Then, the next major thing I did was buy a booth space at a big dog show that comes to town once a year. This one is special dog show in that a big part of it is all the vendors. While the show is going on, guests can wander the other halls that are filled with dog products and crafts and such. So I purchased a booth space there for about $500 and I got about 10 people to sign up that first year and that really got me going.” “I have since put some work up in a little pet boutique store and recently bought some ad. space in a dog magazine, but I feel like it has been the dog show that has helped me the most. All of those people told their friends who hired me and then they told their friends and so on. Since word-of-mouth is the least expensive type of marketing you can do, I highly suggest it.” “Just about a month ago I got a storefront studio for my business. I’d like to say this has been the next big step for me, but only time will tell. If you can’t find me on the Internet in a year or two, you’ll know it was a bad idea.” What types of equipment do you use and recommend for the beginner? “It’s hard to be able to afford all the best equipment up front but I would spend your money on the lenses. Buy a less expensive body to start with and go for one or two really fast really high-end lenses (2.8 aperture).” What is the yearly income potential of a pet photographer in your opinion?
“I think this career can bring in anywhere from a supplemental 10,000 a year to 150,000-200,000 a year with a high-end approach. Remember too, that all of this information is dependent on whether you work in a studio or on location and if you travel across America or have people come to you. There are many
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different business models in this field, but I think there are several different ones that, in the right combinations, all work.” Is there anything else you'd like to share? “Remember that in order to call yourself a professional, it helps not only to be a better photographer than the average enthusiast, but to be able to offer things to your clients that they can’t get on their own. Get a business license and a resale license and get connected to some wholesale distributors of albums and frames and jewelry, etc. Work closely with a 'good' lab that you can call your lab. Make sure they know you. Make a small studio meeting space in your home to show them their images. Have samples of your work as hanging art.”
