7 Reasons to Hire a Professional Pet Photographer

by | Apr 7, 2020 | Pet Photography | 0 comments

Reasons to hire a professional pet photographer
If you are an animal lover most likely you have a million snapshots of your pets on your cell phone. You document little videos of them doing cute or playful things. Snap quick pictures of them being adorable or goofy. So with that many snapshots, you probably wonder what is the point of hiring a professional pet photographer?  Here are seven reasons to consider hiring a professional pet photographer to capture images of your favorite pet.
 
 
 

 

Technology moves Fast

 
 
 
Even if you already have a million cell phone snapshots of your pets, you need to take a minute and think about how quickly technology moves.
 
You snap pictures of your pet, keep them on your phone until the next cute moment comes along. And then we delete the old to make room for the newest snap!
 
Or you copy them to a thumb drive or a hard drive or even the cloud where they sit and languish forever…or at least until the next new type of technology comes around.  Remember slides? VHS tapes? it won’t be long before thumb drives, hard drives and the cloud make room for the next big thing.  
 
Maybe you post them on your Instagram feed or your Facebook page. If you are lucky, Facebook will eventually show them to you again in their memories. Or maybe, you can scroll back throw 1000s of posts to find the one that you are looking for. And what happens if Instagram or Facebook just decides to shut down one day? Or start charging for their services?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Time passes Faster when it comes to Pets

 

 
 
Twelve years may sound like a long time but it can pass in the blink of an eye. A pet’s lifespan is so much shorter than a human’s.
 
And while we can protect our animals from weather, or injury, the one thing we can’t save them from is time. One day, the only thing you will have left are your memories of that sweet animal who brought you so much joy.
 
I recently had a client who booked 4 separate sessions – one for each animal. She lost her previous dog before having any high-quality professional images of him and it was her biggest regret. He got sick and was gone in a very short time which didn’t allow time for them to get images taken. She didn’t want to make that mistake again. So she booked individual sessions for each animal for her peace of mind.  
 
Don’t shy away from taking pictures of your dog when they are a senior. But also, don’t shy away from taking images throughout their lifespan.
 
 
Great Pyrenees puppy in front of flower bed in spring in Chattanooga, Tennessee
 
 
 

 

Dogs Grow Quickly

 

 
When Nitro was a puppy, he was the cutest!
 
But that puppy stage was over in the blink of an eye. By 12 months he was as tall as he was ever going to be. By 2 years of age, he had filled out to as wide as he was ever going to be.
 
I know I’m not alone when I look at pictures of puppies and melt.  We all wish that we could hold that puppy again. Like newborn baby photos, puppy photos are so cute. Who wouldn’t want to capture the adorably sweet and snoozy puppies?
 
Capturing moments of puppyhood can help you to remember that phase when your dog is an adult or a senior.  The phases of life for a dog pass so you need to capture them while you can. 
 
 
 
 
Puppy wearing crown
 
 
 
 

Pets are Family

 
 
 
Let’s be honest here. If you are reading this post, you already believe that pets are not pets but rather furry family members.
 
And what better way to honor your pet’s place in the family than with professional portraits? We take portraits of our kids, or grandparents, and our spouses. We hang their images on the walls and store them in the heirloom albums. Should a pet be any different?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Picture or Art

 
 
Professional pet photographers capture images designed to display on your walls.
 
If you look around at the walls of your house, how much of the art on the walls is custom and unique to you?  Is your house full of things that you bought at a mass discounter?
 
Professional pet photography isn’t stock photos or artwork produced for the masses.
 
It is unique, personalized, and custom art featuring a subject that you know and love.
 
Photos of animals make some of the greatest pieces of artwork. Why spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on artwork featuring animals that have no personal connection to you? Instead, consider choosing art that speaks to you. That has a connection to you. That features someone you love.  
 
 
 
Framed Portrait of Puppy on Bedroom Wall
 
 
 
 

Photography takes skill

 
 
 
A professional pet photographer has training and skills beyond the typical person. They understand animal behavior and safety. They have professional equipment and training.
 
A professional pet photographer has knowledge of the materials and supplies necessary to produce a gallery-quality portrait.
 
They think about things like color, light, composition, fur details, and more. They spend years honing their craft. Pet photographers take advantage of continuing education to continue to improve their skills.
 
You might take some great snapshots, but they won’t have the professional touch to them.
 
A quality piece of artwork requires more than a quick snapshot of the moment. It requires the fine-tuning that only a professional pet photographer can provide.
 
 
 
 

 

Memories are priceless

 
 
 
There is not a doubt that professional pet photography is an investment.
 
But, once that those images are hanging on your wall, you’ll have them forever and will have no doubt of their value.
 
Photographs immortalize moments in time. They capture feelings and emotions.
 
In many ways, they are the only thing that proves we were here. That we not only existed but that we lived, that we loved, and that we were loved in return.
 
 
 
 

 

Now What?

 

If you are interested in professional pet photography for your pet, I suggest you read the blog post about how to choose the right pet photographer for you.

You might also consider the post on Questions to ask a Horse Photographer before Booking Them. Though it specifically refers to hiring a horse photographer, the same questions apply to pet photographers. It even has a free guide you can download to help you know what to ask when evaluating professional pet photographers!

And lastly, if you would like to know more about Ride the Sky and how we can help you to capture professional images of your favorite pet, visit our Pet Portrait Page for additional information or send a message here.

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. When she’s not celebrating the stories of the amazing equines and pets in her clients’ lives, she invests time and energy into perfecting her photography skills and growing her business, hanging with her favorite rescue dog, Nitro, and planning her next big adventure. She also tries to spend some time educating and entertaining her fans and potential clients by blogging and posting on social media about whatever catches her fancy at the moment. 

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. Based in Chattanooga, TN, Ride the Sky Equine Photography works in Tennessee, North Georgia, and beyond.

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