Should You Include Your Pets In The Photoshoot?
Ahh duh… YES, you most definitely SHOULD include your pets in your photoshoot! But incase you need a bit more swaying, I’m here to give you a bit of a low down with some of the why’s and some of the how’s, and by the end of this blog, it should be a no brainer for you!
Wondering if it’s possible to have a photoshoot with your pet involved? Whether you choose one of Perth’s famous dog beaches, Perry’s Paddock or somewhere even quieter, like the comfort of your own home OR A STUDIO, I’m here to show you it’s totally possible.
WHY?
If you have a pet in your household, I’m betting that they’re not just a pet, but they’re a fully fledged family member right? So why is it so hard to know whether or not it’s worth the 'hassle' of including them in your photo session?
Just as with humans, we take photos to remember moments otherwise gone so it only makes sense that we too take photos of our pets for the same reason. They bring us love, joy, comfort, companionship, they’re proven to help with mental health issues, they can teach us about ourselves and about life, they give us a reason to get out of bed, a reason to laugh, a reason to learn more about the environment and how we can help make a change, and even a reason just to get outside and go for a bloody walk. By documenting your pet through a photography session either on their own or with the family and kids, you’re allowing their memories to also live on, long after they pass - because they are one family member you will never want to forget!
DID YOU KNOW?
As of February 5th 2022 Spain passed a new law which makes your pet a legal member of your family! This is in addition to Germany, France, Austria and a few others that already have made this change. This law means that your pet is no longer considered an 'object', but rather a 'sentient being', which acknowledges that they too have emotions and in turn may help to protect your pets future well being.
Pretty cool huh! Do you think they should create this law for Australia and New Zealand too?
HOW?
I get it, this is where things can start to get tricky in your mind, and I understand your fear that simply stops you from thinking about including your pets, instead it just gets dropped into the 'to hard basket' and so you focus on only your human family.
Cats, chickens, rabbits, and all of those smaller members, mean you’d most likely have to have a session in your own home, and if you keep carrying on down this thought path, you can slowly see your visions of a golden sunset session dwindling away, not to mention the mess that needs cleaning and an animal that potentially doesn’t love the idea of visitors either.
I want to put you at ease a little here. I want you to know, that there is never any pressure for your pets to 'perform' for me. I’m a fairly laid back photographer, with a tonne of patience - after all I have to be when working with kids and pets! Your pet needs time to get to know me and even still, it should almost always be on their terms. I say almost, because if they’re anything like my cat, they may need a little extra coaching to pull them out from their hidey-hole, and from their I can start to buy their love with treats or toys.
Indoor sessions with pets are generally rather quiet and slow as I wait for the right moments to happen. I will bring along with me a coloured backdrop which we can attempt to position your pet in front of, for a portrait on their own, as well as working to get a photo with the kids or yourself in a main room for a more lifestyle inspired image. In terms of mess. NEVER STRESS. You’re a hard working busy lady after all, sure give the place a quick once over, chuck it all in the wardrobe if you must but I want you to know, that if anything is in my frame when I want to take the shot, I will simply move it - no judgement here!
And if you don’t have a backyard that let’s all the golden glow fall in as the sun sets, we can simply time it, so that after your pet has been in a few photos, that we leave the house, and head to the beach or an open space close by to spend the last 20 minutes or so outdoors, with just you and your humans.
Ok, so I’ve explained how it goes down with the pets that can’t leave the home, but say you have a loveable pooch, who in fact LOVES the outdoors. He loves it so much he kinda goes a bit hypo, how the heck would you control that? Again, I can see your mind wandering off and all you are envisioning are these photos with your dog jumping all over you, never obeying the 'sit' command and just causing pure chaos.
Let me tell you, while yes your dog may be excited to be out and about, smelling new things, meeting new people, it’s not the end of the world. Just like I do with kids, I let your pups warm up to me. I feed them a small treat or two (with your permission), to help them understand, that I am in fact a friend and that they should listen to me too.
The best advice for helping to keep the dogs calm, is to firstly, give them a big walk during the day to help wear them out by the time our session is scheduled and secondly control the kids - haha - easier said than done I know, but if the kids can understand that I’m in charge of getting your dogs attention where necessary and unless asked, I dont need their help, then I reckon we’ll be all gravy baby! I have a squeaker I can bring along to help get your dog’s attention, and if you let me know some of their favourite catch phrases that’ll make them raise their ears then I’ll give those a go too. Not every photo is going to be about your pet looking at the camera though, and they’ll also get given small breaks throughout the shoot.
We can keep your dogs lead on or take it off and they can be included in all the photos or just some of them. I am quite capable of holding a lead and taking a photo at the same time believe it or not (unless of course your dog is the size of a horse, I’ve not attempted that before). I also love the bonus bonding time with your pet!
Below are a few of the photos I took of a recent session, where it was just the children and their pet Labrador. We focused on photos of all the girls together, some individual ones each with their beloved pet, and then of course, some portrait snaps of their dog on her own too. We chose to shoot this particular session at a big open oval near the Ascot Racecourse. There were a few other dogs taking walks on this particular evening, and when Molly (the dog) wanted to go and greet them, we let her. While there was no one around, we removed the leash, and when other people were passing through, we’d attach it again. She was very spoilt on this session and given lots of treats, and lots of love. The family’s next step now is to choose a favourite so that we can print it nice and big for their wall. Which one would you choose?
So there you have the jist of it all. Obviously, I haven’t gone into every little detail, as it can vary from pet to pet, but if you ever have any questions, or you just want to talk it out to see how we could make it work for your pet in particular, then just send me a message either via my contact page here or a DM on instagram. I hope you can now see my side, and that including your pet as part of your photography session, or deciding to have a solo session just for them, it really is a no brainer.
Sending Happiness and Joy
Chanelle
