I would love to come to your studio–but I live far away!
This is a phrase I have heard before but now it is not a problem like it was in the old days of film. Like the commercial that talks of the ‘easy button’ I like to call my studio the one stop shop.
My clients only have to come here once because we take the portraits, show them shortly after the session on a big screen in my digital showroon and then make selections. It is so exciting to see the portraits after the excitement of the session. Seeing 50 to 100 poses and making selections is a fun challenge for my client. I always tell them that “my job is to make it as hard as possible to decide” and their job is to decide. Everyone always chuckles after that statement because indeed it is the American Way.
My clients that live close by enjoy coming back to receive their portraits but the long distance ones know that I will ship the portraits safely to their home.
Remember it is so much more fun to say “I’m glad I did” than “I wish I had.” It is my mission to get people to ACT on something (having pet portraits made) that they really want to do but like many things in our lives–we procrastinate.
Patrick Nau
I am the Minnesota Dog Guy–but I photograph cats too!
While it is true that the great majority of the pets I photograph are dogs I do photograph cats, too. There is a whole different psychology in photographing cats. First off, the various noisemakesr and squeekies I use with dogs are generally ineffective and useless. Plus the various barking sounds and growls I use with dogs really don’t work either. Cats tend to respond to visual cues or really interesting sounds that are out of the ordinary and unique.
Patrick Nau
They tend to fall into 2 types of reactions to having a portrait made. Relentless efforts to run and hide or what I call ‘freezing up.” That is almost becoming statue like which allows me to take a variety of portraits from a lot of slightly different angles that really show off the individual beauty and grace of the cat. Of course, with the really active cat the wrangler’s job is to keep the cat on the table while I work to capture great expressions in the split-seconds when the cat is perfectly still.
In my studio I try to keep the hiding places to a minimum so a nervous cat can’t easily hide. I coach the owner or owners to be quick , active wranglers and to not give up and I will do the rest to capture with my camera those nice portraits that the owner(s) will love.
Qualities of a good pet photographer
There are many qualities that a good pet photographer must have to insure that that the portrait experience is enjoyable for the client and their pet(s) and the finished portraits are great .
The list is long, but the first and most obvious is patience. Understanding the different temperment of dogs and using the appropriate techniques that experience has taught will work the best. Next, state of the art cameras, lighting and the knowledge how to capture the split second poses that are absolutely great. It is critical to show great detail and sharpness in the blackest AND whitest fur.
A variety of squeeky toys and the ability to make a wide variety of vocal sounds that dogs find fascinating and work wonders to get those ears up.
The most important skill of a good pet photographer is ALWAYS being ready and able to capture that split second expression that is the essence of a dog or a group of dogs. It is always exciting and is one of the qualities that separate a good pet photographer from a mediocre one. If you miss that perfect split-second pose chances are you will not see it again!
Also important is confidence in ones ability and creativity, the ability to give subtle but specific directions to the ‘wranglers’ (those who help arrange and control).It is very important to NEVER become frustrated with the dogs or their people if it is a hectic session.
These observations and ideas are the backbone of my pet photography business. I have used them with the hundreds of dogs I have photographed. They have served me very well.
MinnesotaDogGuy