How much does it cost?
The cost of a photography
session can be found on the prices page. The session cost includes the
pre-shoot consultation, the pet photography experience, post processing (basic
image processing in Photoshop) and a free password protected on-line gallery that
will be live for four weeks. Check out
the prices pages for more information on special prices.
Where does the session take
place?
A photo session can take
place almost anywhere – as long as all concerned are in a safe
environment. Previously I have taken
photos in customers homes and gardens, on a favourite walk, at an agility event
or at a dog school (school’s permission will be required). The most important thing is that your dog or
pet are comfortable in the environment as happy animals make for great photos!
When do you normally do Photo
Experiences?
Photo experiences normally
take place on a weekend.
How many pets can be included
in a session?
There is no limit to the
number of dogs or pets that can be included in a photo session. The only thing I ask is that the dogs should
all live together and be comfortable in each other’s presence. Of course the more animals in a session – the
less time each one gets to model in front of the lens.
Do you just photograph dogs?
Whilst my main focus is on
dogs I have taken photos of cats and horses and would be happy to discuss any
requirements you may have. In addition
I’d be delighted to include friends and family members in the shots with your
pets – all I ask is for a model release form to be signed prior to the photo
session. NB any shots which include
children will not be used for any purpose (other than in your private online
gallery) without the parent or guardian's written authority.
Can I or my children be in
some of the photos?
Absolutely! I will need model release forms signed for
anyone taking part in the session in front of the camera -if this includes
children I guarantee that such images will not be used for any purpose without
the express written permission of the parent or guardian.
What happens if it rains?
Most of the time rain or bad
light do not help the process of creating those all-important images. Therefore we’ll check the weather forecast on
the day of the shoot and if it looks like rain or bad light may be a problem
we’ll simply postpone the session for another hopefully better day – all at no
cost.
What should I bring along to
the shoot?
I usually ask people to bring
along their dog(s) (obviously), leads, harnesses and the dogs favourite
toy(s). A ball always comes in handy, as
does a selection of training treats (I’ll have some with me in any event – but
I will ask to make sure that your dog can tolerate the contents of my treat
bag).
As for the owners the most
important thing is to have comfortable clothing and “sensible” footwear!
If I have a particular image
that I want captured will this be OK?
I’ll do my best to capture
any of your dogs signature shots – just let me know in advance and I will plan
a way to help ensure we get that all important image.
How do you interact with my
dogs/pets?
I firmly believe in treating
dogs with kindness and respect – the added advantage of this is that this
approach should not stress out my models that will make them easier to
photograph and thereby create better shots.
How far will you travel for a
photo session?
The photo session prices
include for travel up to 30 miles away from Biggleswade. I am happy to travel further afield but will
need to include a charge for petrol – if there is a way of mitigating this
cost, such as arrange two or more sessions in a similar location then I will do
my best to reduce any additional costs – please contact me and we can discuss
your requirements.
Does it matter if my dog
isn’t trained?
Dogs with little or no
training can be very difficult to photograph and this may limit the number of
shots that we can capture during the shoot – a basic level of obedience is
always a good thing and I’d recommend looking at my links page for suggestions
of dog training schools.
I can’t let my dog off lead –
will that be a problem?
There are different ways to
photograph a dog that has a “challenging” recall – including an enclosed
environment or a lead held in the optimum angle to allow the magic of Photoshop
to make it disappear. During the shoot
we can try a number of different shots that make any lead issues fade into the
background
My dog is really nervous in
strange situations or around new people – will this be a problem?
I have photographed dogs with
very different personalities. In all my
sessions the wellbeing of the dog is paramount.
If your dog is nervous of strangers I will make time to get to know them
without getting any of my equipment out at the beginning of the session. If they don’t like the camera or flashes
being in close proximity to them this isn’t a problem as I will simply put a
longer lens on the camera and remove myself from their personal space. This will obviously restrict the types of
shots that I can capture – but an unhappy dog makes for unhappy images.
If your dog or pet is
aggressive with strangers then this may be more problematic as I would not to
put anyone at risk. This situation has
not happened to date – we’d discuss possible options and agree a way forward,
perhaps postponing the session until the problem can be resolved.
How long will my on-line
gallery be available after the shoot?
It usually takes me up to two
weeks to process the photos and then load them on to the website. Once this is done I’ll send you an e-mail
with access information. Your gallery will
remain accessible for a calendar month after this initial e-mail – this gives
you plenty of opportunity to view your photos and make any purchases.
Can I access my photos after
the gallery is no longer live?
Yes – as long as the photos
remain in my archives. There is a small
charge of £25 which will be payable to recreate your on line gallery – the good
news is that this charge can be credited against any purchases you may
make. Please contact me if you’ve already
had a photo session and would like to re-access your gallery.
What happens after the photo
session?
Once the photo session is
complete I’ll process the photos selecting the best images to upload on to my
website into a private password protected gallery. This will usually happen within two weeks of
the photo shoot itself. Prior to
uploading any images I will carry out basic Photoshop adjustments so that the
images are displayed at their best. More
intensive Photoshop work can take place (e.g. montages, cloning out leads or
other unwanted distractions) – these can be discussed whilst your gallery is
available for viewing.
Once your gallery is live I
will send you an e-mail giving you the name of your gallery plus the password
you’ll need to access it. You may also
want to create an account that you may find useful as you browse your
images. I will only send the gallery
details to the person named on the model release form – but if you would like
to forward the details on to your friends and family there is no restriction!
The gallery will remain
accessible for one calendar month from the date of the e-mail. During this time you’ll have unlimited access
to your images to browse, compare and select images to purchase. There are many different products that can be
purchase – check out the prices page for inspiration.
How long will you keep my
photos?
I do not delete client’s
photos after the session; they will all be moved to back up archive
devices. However given the nature of
digital media I cannot guarantee that the images files will be available you
should decide to come back at a later date to request another viewing.
Why should I create an
account with The Dog Photographer?
Creating an account on The
Dog Photographer website will enable you to store your billing and shipping
information to expedite future purchases and you can also save your shopping
cart and favourites for reference later.
I want to buy a present for a
friend – do you do Gift Certificates?
Yes I do – please look at the
gift certificate page for more information
Can I take photos of my own
during the session?
Your photo session is meant
to be an enjoyable experience for you and your dog – plus any other friends or
family members you may bring along. I
therefore request that you don’t bring either a camera or a video camera with
you as this can really detract from the session.