Pet Portrait Tips

At Willow Street Pictures, we have experience with a wide variety of pets, including but not limited to:

If you have any questions about our services, you can give us a call or fill out our recommendation form to get started!

Q: WHAT IF I CAN’T TAKE MY DOG OFF A LEASH?

Your dog’s safety is a priority. Keeping them on the leash is no problem, as we give you the option to remove all the leashes out of the pictures. We will select the exact area you wish to touch up and by using select technology a member of our creative team will remove the leash or any other distraction.

Q: DOES MY DOG HAVE TO BE OBEDIENCE TRAINED?

No your dog does not have to be obedience trained. If they listen to sit, down or stay that’s nice, but we just let dogs be dogs. They play, run and rarely sit still. You might find comfort in knowing that our studio lighting is specially designed for capturing action and motion.

Q: WHAT IF MY PET DOESN’T BEHAVE IN THE STUDIO?

All of our creative packages provide ample time for your pets to come in and run around in the studio. After they have made their rounds and investigated to their satisfaction, they typically settle into the place. Some pets get so relaxed they fall asleep! We are very good with pets and will tailor our approach to make him comfortable.

Q: WHAT IF MY PET IS AGGRESSIVE OR UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND NEW PEOPLE?

We’ve met a lot of rescues and understand that you may not know your pet’s background. We ask that you let us know if he/she displays any aggressive behavior, so we can find the best way to introduce your pet to our creative team. Many of the staff members have rescues of their own and are very understanding.

Q: SHOULD I BRING MY PET’S TOYS OR TREATS?

We highly recommend it, as smells and tastes from home can make your pet more comfortable in the studio.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU’RE NOT ABLE TO GET ONE GOOD PORTRAIT?

The creative team who will be working with you have amazing patience. Their creative vision allows them to capture stunning images on every photo shoot. What’s nice about working with us is that during the photo shoot we take pauses to review the images created, and we love to hear your feedback. If there’s anything that you want to change or have questions about, we simply go in a new direction that works for your family.

Q: IS THERE A PLACE AT YOUR STUDIO FOR ME TO WALK MY PET?

We have an area right next to our building that is great for walking your pets. Also, there’s a long wide alley behind our building for them to burn off some extra energy.

Q: WHEN SHOULD I SCHEDULE MY GROOMING APPOINTMENT?

If your pet requires grooming, the best time to schedule your grooming appointment is a few days prior to your photo shoot. We recommend not scheduling it on the same day as your photo shoot because it can add extra stress to both you and your pet.

Q: DO YOU PHOTOGRAPH LARGER ANIMALS?

We regularly photograph Mastiffs, Great Pyrenees, and Newfoundlands. We also photograph horses and other large animals.

Q: HOW MANY PETS CAN I BRING?

You are welcome to bring them all. There is no extra charge.

Q: HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO PHOTOGRAPH CATS IN YOUR STUDIO?

We provide a calm, peaceful atmosphere to make cats feel comfortable. We have special cat sound tracks that we play in the studio and tailor our approach to the traits of each individual animal. Most of our staff members have cats as part of their family and love being around them. You may be surprised to learn that we also have a special “cat walk” studio that works very well for capturing the purr-fect feline portrait.

Q: WHAT DOG BREEDS HAVE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED?

We have photographed the most common dog breeds, along with some exotic ones. We have also worked with a lot of mixed-breeds. We are comfortable with all breeds from Pit Bulls to Poodles.

Q: CAN I GET ALL THREE (TWO, FOUR, ETC.) OF MY DOGS/CATS IN ONE PORTRAIT?

We always ask if the pets all get along together and if they do we have had some great success in creating large family portraits. One of our clients brought along 11 dogs to her photo shoot and that was fun!

Q: CAN YOU DO A PORTRAIT WITH ME AND MY PET?

We encourage you to be a part of the photo shoot. Looking back years from now, your artwork will bring back a lot of joyful memories.

At Willow Street Pictures, we have experience with a wide variety of pets, including but not limited to:

If you have any questions about our services, you can give us a call or fill out our recommendation form to get started!

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