Why you should be the client - hiring a professional photographer, as a professional pet photographer!

Last year I hired Sarah Stangl to photograph my family (myself, my husband and our two dogs) and yesterday, our framed canvas arrived (yes, it's stunning- see below!). It reminded me of all the shoots I’ve had over the years and everything I’ve learned from those as a photography business owner.

One of the strongest examples is from my time at photography school. We had to photograph each other a lot. My fellow student photographers (like me!) were new to posing and we hadn’t yet learned how to put the subject at ease. It quickly became very clear that as the photographer, it’s essential to understand how the client can feel. So all those times in class awkwardly “modelling” actually turned out to be a lesson in itself!

Putting yourself in the client's shoes is not just about the time in front of the camera though- especially for those of you who don’t include people with pets. It’s the entire process!

Here are some things I’ve learned from hiring other photographers:

Why pet photographers hsould sell Framed wall art.jpg

It’s really hard to choose an outfit.
And if it’s hard for us, photographers who have the knowledge to help their clients choose, then it must be really hard for our clients.

Learning: Guide your clients. Send a Pinterest board. Supply a checklist of do’s and don’ts. Encourage them to send you photos as they decide. Suggest they pack a second outfit!
Client’s overthink their dog's personality/behaviour.
As professionals, we know that a leash can be removed in post, and that between treats and squeakers, a pro can work with almost any dog (and most likely you’ve communicated this with your clients too)- but still, I find myself worrying “what if this happens, what if that”. To be fair, one of my dogs is totally crazy, but even Flee’s first photo shoot (the calm dog!) I remember second-guessing the location choice.

Learning: Address the concerns before the client even thinks of them. You can put your client at ease by really getting to know them and their dog. Ask lots of questions without judgment. Let them know WHY you’re asking. And have confidence in sharing the thought process behind any decisions. Furthermore, be approachable so they know they can ask anything too!
You can relate to the feeling of spending too much.
There’s a fine line between spending at the top of your budget and buyer’s remorse. I remember paying cost-price for a framed piece of my sisters and me that my boss created when I worked at his studio. It was a huge wall piece that I gave as a gift to my parents and has proudly hung in their home for over ten years. At the time I was on minimum wage and I literally paid it off over multiple months. Each paycheck I thought “I really shouldn’t have purchased this”. But I never truly regretted it. Today I can’t even remember how much it was, and money never comes into my mind when I see that photograph. Each shoot I’ve had since I’ve also spent at the very top of my budget (or even stretched it significantly).

Learning: Appreciate the client’s budget- but understand it can also be pushed... But not too much! Experiencing that first-hand allows me to recognise it in my clients so I don’t cross a line and allow them to make a purchase that would become buyer’s remorse.
The importance of communication becomes evident.
I’ve had experiences where the photographer communicates super well, and others not well at all- and the impact is huge! One experience in particular that comes to mind is when I bought a gift certificate for my sister for a newborn session. I emailed back and forth with the photographer quite a bit before purchasing. Each time she responded pretty much immediately and always with care. But once I paid, things changed. I didn’t receive a receipt. The gift voucher wasn’t sent within 24 hours as she said it would be. When I chased her up, the reply was extremely slow in comparison to pre-booking. Eventually, it led to such mistrust that I started combing through reviews and found some pretty shocking ones. I cancelled the gift voucher and eventually (after a stressful week), received a refund. This photographer lost the booking purely because her communication didn’t align and instead, I booked another photographer for my sister.

Learning: Be both clear and consistent with client communication at all stages of the experience. The easiest way is to automate your systems. Use something like Studio Ninja to take payment. That way the receipt and emails are sent out automatically. Bonus: You can also track your leads/booking status there so nothing is ever forgotten! (Use PPPI50 to get your first year half price with Studioninja.co)
It can help you value your own work. Even the research stage in deciding who to hire already is a learning in itself. You’re weighing up costs, style and trust. Why did you close the site of a particular photographer? Why did you enquire with one but not book another? Did you push your budget or were you relieved to find out someone you love is actually cheap? Would you have booked them even if they were more expensive? Did the service they give align with the spend? What would have made it more valuable to you? Then there’s the rest of the experience too- the shoot, the ordering, the delivery.

Learning: Pay attention when you make a decision. Going through the customer journey yourself makes it much easier to review your own business with the same eyes to recognise where you might be losing people, why they aren’t paying what you want, or how they could be willing to pay much more! What adds value and what you’re doing that’s completely unnecessary! And that knowledge allows you to believe in your own prices!

I highly recommend paying for the full experience of a photographer you love. On top of all the learnings, you also get amazing photographs! I waited 18 months for a shoot with Sarah, firstly because I had to get my husband on board, next because I needed to save and third because by the time I reached out, she was booked months in advance! But it was worth it! I absolutely love the photographs, even more now having this big one in print. Even my husband said yesterday when the print arrived “this is even more special now because we are moving. We’ll always remember our time here through this” (and remember I had to get him on board in the first place!).

If you’re not in a position right now to hire a photographer- reach out to someone and ask if they would be interested in a swap. You’ll definitely still learn something from that experience! And if you’re coming to The Pet Photographers Retreat in Tuscany next week, you’re in luck because we’re creating branding portraits for you there!

Have you hired a professional photographer before or done a shoot swap? What did you learn?

Co- Author
Kirstie McConnell |

Founder

The Pet Photographers Club

When Kirstie launched her pet photography business in Australia in 2012, the genre was barely a thing. She spent the next years at the forefront of this niche, marketing not just her own business, but the concept of pet photography. Each year she photographed around 100 dogs, cats and horses per year to create wall art and albums for pet-parents.

Now based in Italy, she continues to offer pet photography to her clients back in Australia on return trips, but otherwise spends her energy helping other pet photographers build a business which will allow them to follow their dreams.

Internationally recognized as a leader in the industry, she hosts the podcast, workshops, courses and business events for The Pet Photographers Club which she co-founded.

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