Where does the inspiration to work in a professional animal photography studio come from? Perhaps years of experience photographing combined with a love of animals and pets? Yes, but there are plenty of aspects to the craft that even dedicated pet owners might not be aware of.
Here at David Amoils Photography, we have over 25 years of experience understanding the complexities and surprising depth of professional animal photography. Here are three fascinating facts:
How Does Professional Animal or Pet Photography Compare to Other Forms of Photography?
Much like baby or newborn photography, there is limited direct communication with our subjects before photographing them. As a result, it takes more effort and understanding to connect with the pets that extends beyond camera settings and backdrops.
Plus, there are many ways to approach professional animal photography. Some photographers focus heavily on getting the perfect angle, lighting and pose; others believe that pets should be captured naturally and that certain parameters can be relaxed when it comes to pet photography. We combine both approaches.
Overall, it’s about making the animals comfortable with what’s happening in the studio. Any forced poses or hard attempts to control them and their discomfort will be obvious in the pictures. Make the event a fun time for your pets, and the final product will reflect just that.
What Special Skills Are Necessary for Professional Animal or Pet Photography?
There’s a reason why being a pet owner is often a prerequisite to pet photography. To ensure a relaxed and successful session, we’ve become used to detecting and remedying stress in our subjects (that is, assessing the pet’s body language and maintaining a healthy comfort level during the session).
Often, we find ourselves empathizing with our dogs, cats and other pets. Animals aren’t familiar with a studio environment, what with all the with lights, backdrops, and props. That’s why detecting signs of mild stress or nervousness is essential to the craft: actions like looking away, drooping ears, and excessive licking of the lips mean potential problems.
Be aware and able to recognize these signs and act accordingly to relax the animal before the shoot. Occasional treats, water or play breaks tend to work wonders.
What Lessons Has Professional Animal Photography Taught You?
Pet photography teaches one patience and empathy. Be mindful of your working environment and your own body language to ensure a fun experience for everyone.
And with pet photography slowly becoming more common, we’ve found that more and more people ask us for our services. We’re glad the animal photography industry is evolving and expanding.
Above all, our 25 years of experience has taught us that every client and their pet is different. Everyone has unique preferences, and working within those parameters, communicating with the clients, and photographing so many beautiful pets has made us able to provide you with a unique and positive experience.
David Amoils Photography | Professional Animal & Pet Photography | Toronto & the GTA
As pet owners ourselves, our professional pet photography is an area we are passionate about. Are you interested in capturing your best friend’s happiest moments on camera? Contact David Amoils Photography today for all your pet, animal, and personal professional photography needs.
Our studio has some of the best lighting and photography equipment in the industry. While most other studios in Toronto focus on outdoor photography, David Amoils has one of the only true studio experiences available in the GTA today.
- Professional animal or pet photography involves many aspects and skills that other areas of photography don’t necessarily include.
- It’s all about understanding your pet’s body language and mood in order to ensure the session is a relaxed and fun experience.
- David Amoils is your go-to professional animal or pet photographer in Toronto and the GTA. Get in touch with us today – we would love to hear from you!