Are you ready to start photographing pets?

Let’s pretend that you are an experienced photographer shooting babies, kids and families.

There are only 100 of us per square mile these days.  How do you set yourself apart from your competition? Start shooting pets, right?  They’re cute, everybody’s got one –how hard can it be?

Think about a few of these scenarios before inviting pets in to your studio:

• What happens if Max, the black lab, refuses to look at the camera and chooses instead to take off after a squirrel?  Chaos follows.  Now you’re watching your profits go flying out the window as everyone takes off after him, messes up their hair and clothing, scaring the baby who erupts in to tears.
• A 50ish couple calls and books an appointment for a session with their elderly Schnauzer. After they arrive, they announce that he’s deaf and almost blind – but that’s okay, right? How do you get his attention, where do you seat the three of them and how do you make all three of them look younger, healthier and blissfully happy?
• Your favorite clients want you to photograph their new baby with their old baby – a 9 year old Golden Retriever. How do you set up the shot?
• The Smiths show up with their three Jack Russell Terriers and want great portraits but they forgot to tell you they didn’t want to be in them.  Now what?
• The young couple down the street wants shots of their Australian Shepherd catching his Frisbee in mid-air, in the park, in the middle of the day on a Saturday. Are you ready?

You’re laughing now because you KNOW one of these things is going to happen to you (or already has) and you know you were unprepared.  So back up a few steps.

There are lots of great reasons to photograph pets and it WILL increase your sales and it WILL bring new clients in your door –but be a professional and do it thoughtfully.

Take a workshop, buy a book, get some practice and build a great pet portfolio that will actually BRING in new clients.

Find out what Pet lovers buy and what you have to charge to actually make a profit.

Then update your website and start marketing to pet lovers. There are all sorts of benefits to your existing business –not to mention puppy breath!

Teresa co-teaches the Unleashed Pet Photography Workshops. Here is a sneak peak:

Dallas is the place to be for the next Unleashed workshop to be held June 2-4, 2012. 

We’ve reserved a block of rooms at the fun new hotel, Aloft. They have a great staff and a super room rate and they’re dog friendly! We’ll be starting a private facebook group for those of you interested in sharing hotel rooms and rides to and from DFW airport

We’re planning two full days of shooting,  a half day of business and marketing AND a two hour webinar a week after you return home.  More details as they are finalized but for now — check out the agenda and start making your plans for June 2-4.
TERESA BERG is a nationally recognized photographer and animal lover. Her Dallas studio specializes in maternity, baby and pet photography. Her emotional images featuring families and their pets are on display and in publication across the country. Teresa was recently featured in a story by Steve Hartman on CBS Sunday Morning for her work with animal rescue –improving adoption rates with professional photography. Visit her blog for animal rescue at www.FocusOnRescue.com

She is assisted in her studio by Flash (a long-haired dachshund) and Maggie (a Pomeranian) both rescued.  She co-authored a book for professional photographers called DOG SHOTS | Tips and Tricks for Pet Photographers, and sells her portraits, fine art prints and calendars. She co-teaches the Unleashed Photography workshops: www.unleashedworkshops.com and webinars for photographers and non-professionals interested in making better pet portraits.

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