Professional Pet Photographer in Greenville SC

Recommendations by the highest rated pet photographer in Greenville SC which cover grooming, energy level, feeding, and training, to ensure you prepare your pet for their photo session.

Beautifying Your Pet for the Photo Shoot

How to Prepare Your Pet for a Photo Session

If you’ve scheduled a pet photography session, congratulations! You’re about to capture some unforgettable memories of your furry friend. One of the most common questions I get as a Greenville pet photographer is, “Should I have my pet groomed before the photo shoot?”

Grooming Tips Before Your Pet’s Photo Session

A little preparation goes a long way when it comes to getting beautiful, natural-looking portraits of your pet. I usually recommend having your pet groomed about a week before your session. This timing allows their coat to settle into a clean, natural look—without appearing too freshly trimmed.

If you decide to book a professional grooming appointment, try to schedule it far enough in advance so your pet looks comfortable and natural in their fur. Fresh haircuts can sometimes appear too sharp or unnatural in photos, especially around the face or paws.

Do All Pets Need Professional Grooming?

Not necessarily! Here in Greenville, SC, many pet owners don’t have their pets professionally groomed at all—and that’s perfectly fine. Every animal is different. Some breeds benefit from a trim, while others look their best with their natural coat.

What’s most important is that your pet feels relaxed and looks clean. A simple bath, gentle brushing, and a quick nail trim are often all it takes to make a big difference in photos. This little bit of prep helps your pet look their best while still keeping their personality front and center.

A Few Final Tips

Brush out loose fur a day or two before your session to help with shedding.
Wipe faces and paws right before photos to remove any tear stains or dirt.
Bring your pet’s favorite treats or toys—these help keep their attention and make the session fun!

Keeping Energy Levels Manageable with the Pet Photographer

Our second recommendation is for pets with a high energy level. You may want to tire your pet out before their pet photography session. If it is an early morning appointment, do so the night before. Your pet is still likely to have a ton of energy during the shoot. Having pictures taken is an exciting event!

Practicing Manners Before the Shoot

The third recommendation is to work on your pet’s training about a week before the session. This only applies if your pet already has training. Untrained animals are usually not a problem since candid shots can often provide amazing pet portrait sessions. A good professional pet photographer is experienced working with many types of animals.

A Note on Feeding and Walking

If your pet has issues with anxiety, you may want to consider feeding them less the day of or evening before their portrait session, which will reduce the risk of regurgitation on the big day. Furthermore, your pet should be well emptied before meeting the photographer to avoid any mishaps during your pet photography session. While it may be funny, you might not want your pet copping a squat when it is picture time!

Always be Prepared

Finally, here are some things you may want to bring to your pet photography session.

Your pet (dog, cat, horse, moose, etc)
Anyone you want in the portraits
A properly fitting collar or harness
A nonretractable leash, plus a backup
Treats and/or food, particularly if your pet has dietary restrictions
Jacket if its cold outside
Favorite Toys
Water and food bowls
Funny costumes (optional)
Cleanup supplies for accidents
Any props you would like to use during your session

Get the Most Out of your Pet Photographer with These Helpful Hints

Work with your pet photographer in Greenville SC to choose your location and background

When working with a pet photographer to select a location to photograph your dog, consider how important the background is to you. Some people do not care about the background and want to focus on closer shots of their pet. Yet others pick locations around Greenville SC they hold dear, so they want the location featured in their pet’s pictures. However, please consider that some public locations require a photography permit to shoot there.

When to Plan Your Pet Photography Session

Technically, a photographer can take pictures of your pet at any time, especially if done indoors. However, the best outdoor images are taken at sunrise or two hours before sunset when the light is the most even and the shadows reduced. Shadows are strongest around midday, so it may not be the best time for pet photography. Time of day matters less if the sky is overcast. If you must schedule around midday, it should be in a location that has many shaded areas such as trees or buildings that can block some sunlight.

Which Day of the Week?

Quite a few sessions get scheduled on the weekend. Many pet owners have weekends free. Also, consider that public areas can be less crowded on Sunday, so they are an excellent option. Any day of the week is available with most pet photographers, but the location often determines the best day to book your session. A photography session in the park is often great on a weekday morning because very few people are there, but weekends are great for sunrise and sunset sessions too.

Let Your Pet’s Personality Shine

What is your pet’s personality? Are they social, reserved, hyper and playful, or calm and collected? Do they have a favorite toy game? Personality is one of the essential things in your pet’s photograph, as you want to show what is unique about your pet and create images showing who your pet is and what they are like when truly relaxed.

Posed or Candid Pet Portraits?

Some pet parents want a perfectly posed shots, while others desire more candid images of their pets. Usually, people want a mix of posed and candid shots, but it does help to know which you prefer before booking your session. Another consideration for pet photography shoots is whether you want your pet looking at the camera or away from it. You may prefer your buddy looking at the camera with a smile or looking away in a candid shot. Either way, your pet photographer will likely capture some of both.

You and Your Best Friend

The last thing to consider is if you want to be in the images with your pet because you can have the opportunity to be in a few of the images. Think about if you want a posed shot looking at the camera, or a more candid shot of you and your dog’s interacting, then just let your photographer know.

Capture Your Pet’s Personality with a Pet Photographer Session in Greenville SC

Scheduling with Your Pet Photographer

People often schedule pet photography sessions months in advance to get their preferred season, day and time, but there are some other reasons why you should consider scheduling your session in advance. The pet photographer will consult with you beforehand to answer all your questions about the session; the location around Greenville SC, time of day, and types of shots you want. The sooner you schedule, the more likely you are to have your pet photography session during your preferred season and location. The photographer will also need to meet your pet and establish a report, so they work well together when the day comes.

Choosing the Season and Time of Day for Your Pet’s Photographs

If you plan on an outdoor pet photography shoot, pick your pet’s favorite season. After all, some like it cold and some like it hot. Some pets will do best in a sunrise session, while others may do better with an afternoon or evening session. Some pets, like their owners, love early mornings, while some like to sleep in a bit. You may also want to consider any rules barring dogs from public spaces in specific seasons or times of day and plan your pet photo shoot around that.

Also consider your schedule as well when booking your session. You may not want to book a sunrise appointment on a weekday if you have to work at 8 am, so plan accordingly. Furthermore, please keep in mind that there are only so many weekends in a month, so if you require a Saturday or Sunday pet photography appointment, please contact a photographer well in advance.

Meeting Your Pet Photographer

Set up your consultation with a pet photographer in Greenville SC that will come to your home to meet your best buddy. There are many things to consider, and you may not know what you want out of your pet photo session yet. At your consultation, the photographer will have some images to show you of their prior work. They will want to interact with your dog and talk about the types of images you would like for your finished product. Meeting your pet will also give the photographer an idea of what kinds of shots, props or poses might work best for your pet. Finally, you can book your appointment and pep your pet for the big day.

Preparing for Your Shoot

As a responsible pet owner, you might consider brushing up on your pet’s manners before the session. An unruly or uncooperative animal will be challenging to work with and will not give even the best pet photographer much to shoot, and any photographer will refuse to work with an aggressive, untrained animal.

Contact Forrest Briggs at 864-336-3554 to schedule today!