How to prepare your pet for their photoshoot
Every pet is wonderfully unique. What brings out the best in one may not work at all for another, which is why we’ll always put our heads together to create a custom plan for your specific pet.
That said, there are some general tips that help most animals feel comfortable and look their best on photo day.
Get you pet looking their best
If your pet requires regular grooming, book their appointment a few days before the photoshoot. This gives their fur time to settle back into its natural shape. Fresh haircuts can sometimes sit a little fluffy or overly brushed straight after grooming.
If professional grooming isn’t necessary, simply follow your usual routine. Bathe them if you normally would. Brush out knots. Trim where needed. Then try to keep them relatively clean in the days leading up to the session — perhaps skip the sandy beach adventure and opt for a calmer neighbourhood walk instead.
For pets with longer fur around the eyes, a gentle trim can make a big difference. Clear visibility of their eyes helps bring their expression to life in the final artwork.
Prepare your environment & supplies
The exact setup will depend on your pet, but some helpful things to have ready include:
Favourite treats
Toys (especially ones that capture their attention)
A collar and leash (I’ll edit it out)
Their favourite seat or perch, positioned with enough space for a light stand to one side (around half a meter), and enough distance in front for shooting (approximately half a meter for head-and-shoulders portraits, or 1–2 meters for full-body shots depending on size)
An enclosed area that allows flexibility in shooting positions while preventing escape missions. For dogs, this might be a gated outdoor area. For cats, a contained indoor space works best. It’s worth minimising crawl spaces under sofas or beds to avoid unnecessary hide-and-seek.
Get them in the right mood
We’re aiming for the sweet spot:
Not too tired. Not bouncing off the walls. Somewhere comfortably in between.
For energetic pets, a moderate walk beforehand can help release excess energy without exhausting them.
For more relaxed pets, allowing them to rest beforehand is ideal. If they have certain times of day when they’re naturally more alert, we can schedule around that rhythm.
Food also plays a role. We don’t want them too hungry to focus, nor too full to be motivated by treats.
Feeding about half their usual portion on the day of the shoot generally works well.
Prepare yourself (just in-case)
Even if you’re not planning to be in the photos, it’s wise to dress as though you might need to step in briefly to steady or position your pet.
A neutral, solid colour outfit that closely matches the backdrop works best. Whites, creams, browns, and black are ideal. Brighter colours like red or green can cast unwanted colour onto your pet’s fur due to reflected light, and they’re far more difficult to remove naturally during editing.
Even if you end up loving a photo that includes you, wearing something that blends into the background keeps your pet as the focal point.
And because the photoshoot takes place in your own home, you can always change outfits if needed.
These small preparations help the session run smoothly and allow your pet’s personality to shine through! If you’d like to read more about the overall process, you can learn more about my pet portraits in Wellington here.