With cell phones – and the cameras that go along with them – becoming ubiquitous, you have the ability to capture the ins and outs of day-to-day running a pet business. Those cute little snapshots, quick little videos – right there in your pocket! But what about when it comes to your brand? The face you present to your potential clients? Your website? Banners and other marketing materials? Print ads? When it comes to marketing and branding your pet business, that’s where a commercial pet photographer can be invaluable.
A commercial pet photographer is a niche within the pet photography genre. It’s a photographer that works with brands and businesses in the pet industry.
Here are 6 reasons why a commercial pet photographer will benefit your pet business.
Pet Photographers are all about Animals
When considering hiring a photographer to capture the essence of your pet-based business, look for someone who is completely immersed in the animal world. After all, as the owner of an animal-based business, you are surrounded by the pet world yourself.
You need someone who understands the love that you have for animals, the beauty of them, and the gift these animals bring into the lives of their owners.
In short, you need someone who gets it.
Pet Photographers Study the Connection between Pets and their People
Photographers are not interchangeable. Everyone has specialties.
And, not everyone can capture the bond between pets and their people from behind the lens. Pet photographers have studied the connection between pets and their people. Often, they have continued their education on this very subject matter for years.
Is seeing the connection important? Of course. If you want to draw a reader into a story having images with emotional impact are a great way to do that.
A study by 3M showed that people process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. In other words, a business can relay information to potential clients faster using visuals rather than text.
They tell Visual Stories
Professional commercial pet photographers help you to tell the story of your business.
Using both visuals and text to tell the story of your business, you have the potential to cement your business into the minds of many more people. The Social Science Research Network released a study that shows that 65% of people are visual learners. Want people to remember your business? Tell them about it visually.
In a world that gives you about 5 seconds to hook a viewer to your website before they leave, images with impact will keep a viewer on a webpage longer and have them looking around for more.
Your potential clients need to know that when it comes to your segment of the pet industry, you are a leader. That you have authority. Custom photography for your business goes a long way to help cement your position in their minds.
Consider the last few websites that you have visited. Which ones are you more likely to trust and look around longer? Ones that look old and dated with tiny, blurry images? Or ones with big, sharp bold graphics that speak with authority?
A professional commercial pet photographer can work with you to develop a custom plan for your business. Exceptional-quality imagery can make potential clients notice what makes your business special.
Ability to Work with the Rest of Your Team
If you hired a web designer or a graphic designer to work on your marketing materials, they might be unfamiliar with animals.
A commercial pet photographer:
- Knows how to make animals look their best
- Works with your designers to make sure your marketing materials have the right images for the project
- Understands what releases and paperwork is needed for the project
Safety
As a pet business, I’m sure you carry insurance in case something happens. Professional pet photographers (should) carry insurance as well. If you don’t know if they do, ask them.
Dogs are sweet animals. They give kisses and snuggle with their people. They can also growl and bite when they are in an unfamiliar situation or are scared. Putting someone with little to no knowledge of animal behavior in a situation where anything can happen is a recipe for disaster.
A professional pet photographer with knowledge of animal behavior and the ability to read the pet’s intention can make the difference between everything being fine and an accident.
Capturing the Mood of the Businesses and Brands
If you are a fun-loving dog walking business that spends most of your day laughing with your clients about the goofy antics of their pups, you want your brand images to match that feel.
If you are a high-end accessories brand for super spoiled cats, you want your images to match the mood of a serious, wealthy, exclusive brand.
Capturing the mood is a combination of lighting, location, models, animals, and more. But, if your images don’t convene to your potential clients your brand vibe, they won’t know if your brand will work for them and their lifestyle.
In Conclusion
So, there you have it. 6 reasons why a pet business would benefit from a commercial pet photographer.
Take a look at your website, printed marketing materials, and online presence. Are they lacking? If so, consider boosting your business with custom brand images that your customers will not only notice, but also remember.
Ride the Sky Equine & Pet Photography is here for all your pet photography needs. Set up a custom shoot designed specifically for your pet business and let’s work together to create a custom image library for all your marketing needs.
Betsy Bird of Ride the Sky Equine Photography spends her days doing insane things to make animals look at her. Clearly, she’s desperate for attention. Betsy is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) with the organization Professional Photographers of America (PPA). The CPP designation is held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and is a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism.
Ride the Sky specializes in on-location photography for equines and pets, and has the option of bringing the studio to the stable. Additionally, Ride the Sky provides works with equine and pet brands and businesses to provide commercial photography for their advertising and marketing needs in both the digital and print spaces. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Ride the Sky Equine Photography works on location in Tennessee, North Georgia, and beyond.