commercial dog photography Archives - Fur and Fables

Why choosing the wrong photographer could hurt your pet brand (and how to choose the right one)

Kerry Jordan — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:33:08 +0000

Surely choosing a photographer for your pet business is fairly simple? Find someone who takes lovely photos, check they’re available and book them. I’m afraid not! At least that’s my opinion, and here’s why….

Firstly, let me say, I am not dismissing other photographers, far from it. I work with and recommend some very talented commercial photographers who work in the pet industry.

But photography is a huge industry with lots of different specialisms. Someone can be an incredible wedding, portrait or landscape photographer but that doesn’t necessarily mean they understand commercial photography, working with animals, or what those images actually need to do for your business.

You’re not just paying for pretty pictures – those images could be the first thing someone sees when they land on your website, spot you at an event or discover you on social media. They could end up in a catalogue, press article, product launch, award entry or even blown up across the side of your trade stand. These images will be representing your business, sometimes for years after the shoot has finished. So choosing the right photographer matters.

Your pet brand photography is telling a story

If you’re an outdoorsy brand but everything feels overly polished and staged, there’s a disconnect. If your whole ethos is centred around happy, relaxed dogs but the animals in your imagery look uncomfortable, that’s a BIG disconnect. And if the photographs don’t show how your product or service fits into real life, you’re making your customer work much harder to understand why they need it. None of those things necessarily mean the photographs themselves are bad – they could be technically brilliant. They are just not right for your brand.

That’s why I think one of the most important things to ask when looking through a photographer’s portfolio is whether you could imagine your own brand within it. Does their style reflect how you want your business to feel? Would it connect with the people you’re trying to reach?

Why understanding the pet industry makes a difference

Working within the pet industry brings another layer of understanding to a commercial shoot, you start to understand the little details pet owners notice, the conversations happening within the industry, the ethics that matter and what customers are likely to connect with.

I work with pet brands I’d happily buy from myself, and quite often already have. I think that makes a difference because I’m not coming to a shoot completely cold. I understand the world my clients and their customers live in. Your photographer doesn’t necessarily need to own pets themselves, but I do think they need to understand the audience they’re creating the imagery for.

Does your photographer understand animal behaviour?

Then there’s the very important matter of actually understanding animals. I’ve seen examples where a photographer has allowed a situation to go too far because they haven’t recognised that an animal is stressed or uncomfortable. Aside from the obvious welfare issue, that discomfort is going to show in the final photographs too. Your customer might not be able to tell you exactly what’s wrong with an image, but a dog with a tense face and uncomfortable body language probably is going to make them stop and question why it’s making them feel off.

There’s also the reality that animals aren’t able to read the shot list 😂 You might have a beautifully planned shoot and a dog who normally has the obedience of a Crufts champion, only for them to decide on the day that they’ve never heard the word “sit” before in their life – and that’s normal!

Working with animals means knowing when to adapt, when to pause, when to try something completely different and occasionally when to accept that the shot you had planned simply isn’t happening and just going with the flow if the dog decides that stealing the treats is more fun! Knowing the limitations of the animal in front of you is just as important as knowing how to use the camera.

Commercial photography needs to work for your business

This is another area where choosing someone with commercial experience can make a huge difference.

Before a shoot, I always discuss and check to see what the images are going to be used for. Do you need website banners? Images with negative space for text? Portrait crops for social media? Something that can be enlarged for an exhibition stand? Are you launching a product, pitching to the press or creating a catalogue? All of that influences how I approach the shoot and the shot list.

A beautiful photograph isn’t particularly useful if the composition means your website designer can’t put any text over it, or you’ve got 50 variations of essentially the same image when what you really needed was a versatile image library.

It’s also worth asking about licensing and usage before you book. Make sure you understand where you’re allowed to use the photographs and whether that matches what you need them for.

The shoot itself might only last a few hours, but the right images can support your business for years.

The opportunity cost of choosing the wrong photographer

It isn’t only about the damage poor or unsuitable imagery might do, it’s also about what the right imagery could have done for you.

I’ve had clients use images from our shoots for websites, social media, product launches, PR, magazine covers, award entries, catalogues, email marketing and trade shows. They’ve appeared in major publications and helped businesses show up professionally when opportunities have come their way.

If you’re investing in commercial photography, you want to come away with imagery that can do as many jobs as possible. That’s where planning beforehand becomes so important.

How to choose the right commercial photographer for your pet brand

So how do you choose?

Basically, reverse all of the above!

Look for someone who understands commercial photography and has experience working with animals. Spend some time looking through their portfolio and ask yourself whether you can imagine your products or services being photographed in that style.

Read their client testimonials too. A portfolio tells you what a photographer can create, but testimonials tell you what they’re actually like to work with.

I’d also look at their ethos. Do their values align with yours? If animal welfare is central to your business, does the way they work reflect that? Do they seem genuinely interested in understanding your products, your customers and what you’re trying to achieve?

And importantly, do they ask questions?

I don’t think a commercial shoot should start with “what photos would you like?” It should involve conversations about your audience, your marketing, where the images will be used and the story you’re trying to tell. From there you can think about the right locations, animals, people and shot list to bring it all together.

Because the right photographer shouldn’t just make your products look good. They should understand your business, your audience, your animals and the story you want your imagery to tell. And preferably know that when the dog says they’ve had enough, they’ve had enough.

If you’re planning a commercial shoot for your pet business and would like a photographer who’ll help with the thinking before the camera even comes out, feel free to get in touch. I’d love to hear about your brand.

Drop me a WhatsApp to 07810 541 685 or pop me an email to kerry@furandfables.com

Professional photographer working Worldwide with Pet Businesses

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TAGS: #pet business photography, award winning, commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, commercial pet photographer, dog business photographer

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How to create an awareness day for your pet business (And why it’s worth it)

Kerry Jordan — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:15:50 +0000

There are a lot of reasons to create your own awareness day, I should know, I created National Dog Photography Day in 2017 and launched it in 2018.

Back then though, I didn’t realise that it would eventually lead to media coverage, podcast interviews, speaking opportunities, brand collaborations and years of ongoing visibility for my business.

The Benefits For Your Business When You Create An Awareness Day

A few weeks ago, I was invited to give a talk about to a Pet Industry networking group how I created National Dog Photography Day and what I’d learned from the experience. It made me realise that although I’ve spoken about the day itself many times over the years, usually people are intrigued about how I created it, but I’ve never really talked about what happened as a result of creating it. So I’m going to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way, and how the awareness day has helped my business over the years.

It Started With Procrastination: The beginning of National Dog Photography Day

Like many business owners, I was looking for ways to raise awareness of what I did. I didn’t have a huge marketing budget, I wasn’t running big advertising campaigns, and I certainly didn’t have a PR team behind me. What I did have was an idea and a willingness to try something a little different and not worry about whether it would work or not.

And so National Dog Photography Day was born!

If you aren’t sure what an awareness day is, they are designated dates which encourage people to celebrate, recognise or raise awareness of a particular topic.

The idea wasn’t born out of a clever marketing strategy, in fact, it started when I was supposed to be working and I was flicking through a content planning calendar trying to plan my social media. As I was looking through the list of awareness days, one particular entry caught my eye: Ugly Trucks Day and I got to thinking : who comes up with these things? And then I started wondering, if someone created that, could I create one too? And what would I call it?

That question sent me down a rabbit hole of awareness day registers, PR calendars and media databases. The more I researched, the more I realised that many awareness days aren’t created by governments or huge organisations, they’re often started by individuals, charities and businesses who are passionate about a particular topic. At the time, I was working as a pet photographer, and it didn’t take long before the idea for National Dog Photography Day began to take shape.

Why National Dog Photography Day?

The strongest awareness days are built around something that genuinely matters to both you and your audience. For me, that was simple. I loved helping people celebrate their dogs through photography, and I could see how much dogs were becoming part of people’s lives in a way that goes deeper than ‘just’ having a dog. Instagram was growing rapidly, dog accounts were everywhere, and people were sharing more photographs of their dogs than ever before.

Creating a day dedicated to celebrating dogs and encouraging people to take better photographs felt like a natural fit. It wasn’t trying to solve a global problem, it was simply bringing people together around something they already loved (like celebrating trucks for their character and dependability rather than their appearance…)

Treat It Like a Launch, Not a Date in the Diary

One of the biggest misconceptions about awareness days is that the work happens on the day itself. In reality, if you want an awareness day to gain traction, you need to treat it like any other launch.

This was one of the biggest discussion points when I gave my recent presentation, several people commented that they hadn’t realised how much preparation goes into building momentum before the day arrives.

Think about how you would approach launching a new product or service. You’d probably work backwards and create content, contact collaborators, reach out to the press, build anticipation and make sure people knew it was coming – an awareness day is no different.

The more effort you put into the lead-up, like connecting with journalists, other businesses which compliment yours, getting your audience involved before hand – the more likely people are to engage when the day finally arrives.

The Visibility Opportunities Afterwards

When people ask me about awareness days, they’re usually interested in how to create one, what they don’t often ask is what happens afterwards. Although the engagement on the day was great, the visibility it created afterwards was even better, it led to radio interviews, podcasts, newspaper articles, speaking opportunities and collaborations that simply wouldn’t have existed otherwise.

I have no idea why this is the only photo I have from the speaking gig!

National Dog Photography Day has now been running for several years, the first few years as a pet photographer and I have had so many amazing opportunities because of it including:

Reaching number one trending on Twitter/X and with big brands and even HRH The Queen getting involved.
Speaking at a business conference in front of a room of entrepreneurs
Podcast appearances
National and regional radio interviews
Increased social media traffic
New client enquiries

Even with the change of direction of my business from pet portraits to commercial pet photography it continues to generate engagement, reach and conversations. Below are some of the figures from 2025 when I did a small brand photoshoot giveaway.

More importantly, it gets my brand to people who would never have discovered me otherwise and instead of competing for attention in a crowded social media space, I had created something that people wanted to talk about and participate in, so the awareness day has become part of my marketing strategy because it’s an annual event and each year it creates new content opportunities, new PR angles, ways to engage with my existing audience and ways to reach a new audience.

Create Opportunities Instead of Waiting For Them

A big lesson I’ve learned through running National Dog Photography Day is that sometimes you can’t just hope to get noticed – you can’t wait for journalists to discover it or for somebody to invite you onto a podcast or ask you to speak at an event. Instead of waiting for opportunities, I created something I was happy talking about and pitched to people who’s audience might like to hear about it.

That doesn’t mean everyone should rush off and create an awareness day tomorrow. It does mean that there is value in thinking beyond traditional marketing and asking yourself what you could create that would genuinely bring people together. If you don’t want to create your own day, you can always find one which is about something you love and figure out a way to get you and your audience involved instead.

Interviews on radio & podcasts as a result of creating an awareness day

What I’d Do Differently If I Started Again Today

I’d start planning earlier! I launched the first National Dog Photography Day with far less preparation than I’d recommend now, mainly because I didn’t know what I was doing as there were no check lists on how to create your own awareness day! If I were doing it again, I’d spend much longer building anticipation and creating resources before the day itself.
I’d involve more collaborators – the biggest growth comes when other people have a reason to share the message. I’d spend more time identifying complementary businesses and organisations that could help amplify it.
I’d keep up the momentum – the awareness day created opportunities, but I wasn’t always strategic about capturing them. Today I’d be much more focused on email sign-ups, follow-up content and turning the increased visibility into relationship building.

If You Want To Create Your Own Awareness Day

If you’re considering creating an awareness day for your own business, I’d encourage you to start with something simple – think about what you care about, what your audience cares about and how people could easily participate.

Choose a simple name, one that a 10 year old would understand without explaining and pick a date carefully – avoid big events like Wimbledon and Comic Relief as your day will get lost and if you want to get press coverage, your day will be low on the list.

And give people a reason to get involved and make it easy for them to share and get involved!

Most importantly, don’t get caught up in the idea that it needs to be perfect before you start – you can use your first year as your testing phase while it’s still new and has less eyes on it! National Dog Photography Day certainly wasn’t perfect when it launched, at the time I think I was the first small pet brand to do something like this – I didn’t know anyone else who had done it so I had no resources to pull on, I was basically winging it but I learned as I went along.

Free Resource: Create Your Own Awareness Day

After speaking about this recently, I’ve put together a free quick-start guide for pet businesses and small brands who are interested in creating their own awareness day. Inside you’ll find prompts, planning tips and practical first steps to help you turn an idea into something people can get behind.

You can sign up for it here: Create your own awareness day tips

Let me know in the comments if this has inspired you to create an awareness day of your own.

Kerry x

Featuring in the national press was a highlight

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TAGS: AI photography, award winning, commercial dog photography, Create an awareness day, dog blogger, dog business photographer, dog Photographer, How to create an awareness day, pet brand photography

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Letters from the field

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kerry@furandfables.com
07810 541685

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kerry@furandfables.com
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What Makes a Good Dog Model for Commercial Photography?

Kerry Jordan — Wed, 20 May 2026 10:13:41 +0000

If you think that a dog model has to be perfectly behaved, endlessly obedient, or able to perform a long list of tricks on command, then you couldn’t be more wrong. In reality, that’s not what makes a great dog model at all.

Some of the best dogs I’ve worked with have been wonderfully goofy, slightly chaotic, sensitive, or full of personality. What matters most is whether the dog is comfortable, happy, and the right fit for the type for the brand.

Over the years, I’ve built a dog model database across the UK, working with dogs of all breeds, ages, personalities, and energy levels. And one of the things I’ve learned is this: a successful dog modelling shoot is far less about perfection, and far more about pairing the right dog with the right brand, environment, and managing expectations.

Personality is key in a dog model.

What Makes a Good Dog Model?

When I put out a casting call, there are a few core things I usually look for.

A dog doesn’t need to be “competition trained,” but having some basic skills makes shoots smoother, safer, and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Typically, I look for dogs who:

Are well socialised
Can settle around new people and environments
Are able to do a sit and wait at a short distance
Have reliable recall
Don’t resource guard food, space, toys, or people
Are comfortable being gently handled
Can cope with short periods of focus and repetition

If a shoot requires specific tricks or skills, I’ll always mention that clearly in the casting call beforehand.

The more cues or tricks a dog knows, the more flexibility we have creatively during a shoot, but honestly, personality and comfort matter far more to me than perfection.

Your Dog Doesn’t Need to Be “Confident”

This surprises people sometimes. I don’t actually need every dog to be ultra-bold or overconfident. In fact, sometimes that can make shoots harder.

What I’m really looking for is a dog who feels safe enough in the environment to engage, explore, and work with us at their own pace.

I’ve worked with anxious or sensitive dogs before because they were absolutely the right fit for the client or campaign. Sometimes a softer expression or calmer body language suits a brand far better than an hyper alert, energetic dog – it’s about matching the dog to the story we’re trying to tell.

For the shoots with My Anxious Dog, we used the face of the brand Bella who can be people reactive.

The Dog Always Comes First on My Shoots

This is probably one of the biggest parts of my process, and something many clients mention in testimonials afterwards – no image is more important than a dog’s wellbeing.

I pay very close attention to canine body language throughout a shoot. If a dog is uncomfortable, overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, or simply not enjoying something, we stop and reassess. Sometimes we pivot completely, take a break or sometimes we change the shot idea altogether.

That isn’t failure, it’s simply working with dogs in a realistic way – there are dogs who usually have a solid sit and wait who just decide on the day that isn’t something they would like to do!

I also stagger my shoots carefully so dogs aren’t left waiting around unnecessarily or crossing over with lots of unfamiliar dogs. That keeps the environment calmer and more manageable, especially for sensitive dogs.

The goal is always for the shoot to feel fun and positive for the dog as well as the owner, because I really believe you can see the difference in the final images. Relaxed, engaged dogs create far more authentic photographs than stressed or uncomfortable ones ever could.

It’s good for dogs to have a good skill set like ‘hold’ as this can lead to more bookings.

Why the Right Dog Matters for Commercial Brand Shoots

This is the part many people don’t think about before booking a commercial shoot -n ot every dog is right for every brand, and that’s completely okay.

When I’m planning a shoot for a client, I’m not just looking for the right breed, I’m looking for dogs whose personalities, energy levels, skills, and comfort zones suit the products and campaign.

For example:

Treat Brands

For treat companies, I usually look for dogs who are food motivated, but not so obsessed with food that they become frustrated or overwhelmed during the shoot.

Toy Brands

For toy campaigns, I need dogs who genuinely enjoy play and interaction. If a dog naturally loves tug, chasing, or engaging with toys, the images immediately feel more dynamic.

Clothing and Accessories

If we’re photographing dog coats, jumpers, harnesses, or accessories, it helps massively if the dogs are already used to wearing products comfortably beforehand – a dog freezing or looking uncomfortable in clothing translates straight into the final images.

Action Photography

For brands who ideal client is outdoor/adventure and need running or action-heavy shoots, dogs need to physically enjoy that style of movement and be able to safely participate. Age, fitness, and enthusiasm all come into play here. Same with brands who want to sure their durability in water – if I need to photograph dogs in lakes, rivers, or at the beach, I specifically look for dogs who genuinely enjoy water. You can’t fake that kind of enthusiasm.

You can’t fake this kind of enthusiasm on a shoot!

Why I Built a UK Dog Model Database

One of the hardest parts of commercial pet photography is finding the right dogs for the right projects which is why I have gradually built a dog model database across the UK. It allows me to match dogs to brands, products, campaigns, and locations rather than simply using whoever happens to be available nearby.

It also means I can accommodate a huge variety of briefs, from high-energy outdoor adventure campaigns to calm lifestyle imagery, cosy cottage scenes, senior dogs, puppies, scent work, water-loving dogs, and everything in between. The right dog genuinely changes the outcome of a shoot. If I’m shooting for a larger brand, they sometimes would prefer to use agencies like Urban Paws who have a larger database, or Pets on Set who can train animals specifically for a brief.

I couldn’t do my job without the amazing dog models!

Thinking About Applying as a Dog Model?

If you’ve ever looked at a brand shoot and thought, “My dog could never do that,” there’s a good chance you’re being far harder on yourself than necessary.

Most commercial shoots aren’t about creating perfection. They’re about capturing genuine personality, connection, and emotion in a safe and positive environment and often, the little quirks are what make the images memorable.

If your dog is happy around people, enjoys new experiences, and can manage some basic cues, they may already be far more suitable than you realise.

And if I ever think a dog isn’t the right fit for a particular shoot, that’s never a judgement on the dog or owner. It simply means the brand, environment, or campaign requires something different.

Good commercial pet photography is about finding the dogs who naturally fit the story already being told. Want to be considered for my dog model database? Drop me a WhatsApp to 07810 541 685

Professional photographer working Worldwide with Pet Businesses

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TAGS: #pet business photography, AI photography, award winning, commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, dog blogger, dog business photographer, dog Photographer, pet brand photography

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Letters from the field

A place for stories from life behind the lens - dogs, landscapes, and the moments in between.

JOIN LETTERS FROM THE FIELD

kerry@furandfables.com
07810 541685

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kerry@furandfables.com
07810 541685
Lake District Dog Photographer

The post What Makes a Good Dog Model for Commercial Photography? appeared first on Fur and Fables.

Is using AI imagery damaging your pet brand reputation?

Kerry Jordan — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:03:22 +0000

I’ve been noticing AI generated imagery creeping into pet brand content and I kind of understand…when it first came out, I had a little play too. It’s fun, it’s clever, and it feels like you can create almost anything you want in seconds. Especially as a creative person, it’s hard not to be curious about it. But the more I see it being used by pet businesses, the more it makes me uncomfortable.

Not because I think AI is going to replace photographers (I genuinely don’t and I’ll reveal why later), but because of what it can do to a brands reputation.

There’s an emotion in real photography that AI just can’t replicate.

Why real images matters so much for pet brands

When you’re using AI imagery, you’re not actually showing your real product or service in a real moment. Even when it looks realistic… it still isn’t real. And whether people consciously realise it or not, something can feel slightly off.

Sometimes it’s obvious; five legs, two tails, paws appearing from nowhere, but even when the mistakes are subtle, there’s often still a disconnect that people pick up on instinctively.

If someone realises the imagery is AI generated, it can feel a little like they’ve been duped. And if they don’t realise immediately but later discover it wasn’t real in the first place, that trust can take a hit and in the pet industry especially, trust is everything.

People care about what they buy for their dogs and other pets. They want to know something is genuine, tested, loved and used in real life, not just generated to look aesthetically pleasing or ‘perfect’ online. I have to admit, I muted notifications on one pet brand recently because every image was AI generated and it just didn’t connect with me.

Those real moments are what people connect with.

How AI imagery can affect trust and brand perception

The danger with relying too heavily on AI imagery isn’t usually immediate. But over time, it can start to chip away at how professional your brand feels, how believable your products appear, and ultimately how much people trust what they’re seeing.

Because great brand imagery isn’t just about creating something visually impressive. It’s about showing how a product or service genuinely fits into real life, all those imperfect but honest moments that make something feel relatable. But don’t take my word for it….

What people actually think when they AI images in a pet brand

Don’t just take my word for it though. I recently asked the question ‘how does it make you feel when a pet brand uses AI’ across my social media platforms, and the responses were very clear – people don’t like it. Only 9% of people said that they couldn’t really tell, the rest said either that they could tell, or that most of the time they could.

And how did they feel about it? Cheated, wouldn’t buy from the brand, felt it was disingenuous and a lot saying that they didn’t understand why pet brands would do it.

Real pet photography vs AI-generated content

This why real animal photography still matters so much. Animals don’t perform perfectly. They react to their environment, their emotions, their handlers and the moment they’re in and that unpredictability is actually part of what makes the images feel believable – some of my favourite shots are ones that weren’t actually planned! And this is what people respond to.

Is AI bad for pet businesses?

I don’t think AI itself is inherently bad, like any tool, it depends how it’s used. I use it to help plan my week, refine my content (as I know I can ramble a bit!), and to pull ideas together. But I do think pet brands need to be careful about relying on it too heavily, especially in an industry built so strongly on connection and trust.

The chaos of a dog with a new toy is something worth capturing.

What kind of imagery actually connects with pet owners?

The imagery that tends to resonate most is usually the imagery that feels honest – those moments where people can recognise themselves and their own pets in your brand, and it’s very rarely perfect! It’s those slightly chaotic moments of real life.

Final thoughts: should pet brands use AI imagery?

For me, this conversation isn’t really about whether AI is “good” or “bad”, it’s about authenticity, trust and what your imagery is saying about your brand, because your photos aren’t just there to look nice, they’re there to help people believe and understand what you do.

If you want real photos that connect, feel free to get in touch, I’d love to hear about your brand.

Kerry x

Professional photographer working Worldwide with Pet Businesses

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Letters from the field

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kerry@furandfables.com
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Is your pet brand imagery telling the right story?

Kerry Jordan — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:24:39 +0000

How many times have you landed on a pet brand’s website or social media and before you have read a single word, you already have a feeling about that brand. Whether it feels trustworthy, professional, calm, fun or a little bit unclear, and whether you want to investigate further is usually decided within seconds, and almost all of that comes from the imagery.

Dicky Bags showing a real life example of their products being used somewhere poo bins aren’t always available.

How pet brand photography tells a story

Your photos aren’t just showing what your product looks like, they’re telling people how it fits into a dog’s life and yours. A lead becomes part of the morning walk whether it’s a stroll through a park or a hike in the fells. A treat becomes that moment a dog engages and looks up at their human, and a toy becomes an interactive moment of bonding. Whether you’ve planned it or not, your imagery is always telling a story.

Why storytelling imagery builds trust and connection

That matters more than people often realise, because when someone discovers your brand, they’re not just deciding whether they like the product. They’re asking themselves, often without even thinking about it, whether it feels right for them and their dog. If your imagery reflects their world, their lifestyle and how they see their dog, they’re far more likely to connect. If it doesn’t, they tend to move on, often without quite knowing why.

Who does your brand cater for? Let them instantly know in your images.

How to decide what story your pet brand should tell

This is where a lot of brands get stuck. It’s easy to jump straight into “we need some photos” without stepping back and asking what you actually want people to feel when they see your brand. Do you want it to feel calm and considered, outdoor and adventurous, fun and full of energy, or more premium and refined? The story you’re telling through your imagery should reflect that consistently.

Who doesn’t look at this image and want their dog to feel like this in their dog bed? Emotion led photography helps people understand what you do.

Examples of strong pet brand imagery in practice

It’s something I see done really well by brands like East Ruston Cottages, where the imagery is not only recognisable, people know as soon as they land on the website that dogs are at the centre of what they do. It’s not just the setup, it’s the consistency in how the brand feels across everything you see. The same goes for The Innocent Hound, where the imagery carries across social media, catalogues and trade shows, all reinforcing the same story. It’s not about having more images, it’s about having the right ones and using them well. Have a think about the last time you found a brand and thought ‘that’s for me’.

The Innocent Pet Company have used images like this on their website, trade stands and marketing materials.

How to create pet brand imagery that actually works

When you approach a shoot like this, it becomes less about what looks nice and more about what makes sense for your brand. Thinking about how your product is actually used, who your audience is, what their day-to-day life looks like, and how your product fits into that makes decisions around locations, dog models and overall style much clearer. You’re not just creating images, you’re building a visual story that your audience can recognise and connect with.

Sunnyside Cottage in Robin Hoods Bay showing that dogs are allowed on the bed.

Is your pet brand imagery telling the right story?

First impressions happen quickly, and your imagery is doing more of that work than you might realise. So it’s worth asking yourself what story your brand is telling right now, and whether it’s the one you want people to remember.

If you’re not quite sure what that story is, or you’d like a hand shaping it into something more intentional, feel free to get in touch – I’d love to hear about your brand.

Professional photographer working Worldwide with Pet Businesses

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TAGS: #pet business photography, award winning, commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, dog blogger, dog business photographer, dog Photographer, pet brand photography

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Letters from the field

A place for stories from life behind the lens - dogs, landscapes, and the moments in between.

JOIN LETTERS FROM THE FIELD

kerry@furandfables.com
07810 541685

WANT TIPS AND OFFERS? [mc4wp_form id="158"]

kerry@furandfables.com
07810 541685
Lake District Dog Photographer

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Why getting a portrait of yourself matters for your pet business

Kerry Jordan — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:18:22 +0000

Something happened at Crufts this year that which really stuck with me; I came across a brand with a huge, impressive stand – but I’d never heard of them, and being in the pet industry for so long I was curious so popped over for a a chat. I found out that this was their first full year of trading, which made it even more mindblowing, how do you launch a brand at that scale!?

But when I asked how the brand started, there wasn’t really an answer and when I looked them up later, there was nothing on their website either. No founder story, no insight into who was behind the business, no sense of why it existed in the first place, and for me, that felt like something was missing, it actually made me a bit suspicious. Maybe it’s just me, but as a dog owner who cares who I’m buying from, it’s important to know the reason for a brand existing and people don’t just buy products, they buy the people behind them. Or as Simon Sinek says “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it”.

Taylor – one of the founders of Fettle Pet Supplements

People buy from people

Most pet brands don’t start in a boardroom, they start with a dog, a problem and an idea which solves that problem. That story is often the reason the brand exists at all. When you can see the person and the story behind the brand, understand what they care about, and why they started, it creates an immediate connection – it builds trust and makes people be able to relate. Take that away and even the most beautifully packaged product can feel a anonymous.

Your story builds trust (before your product does)

When someone lands on your website or social media for the first time, they’re making a decision quickly – not just “do I like this product?” but “do I trust this brand? Founder imagery helps answer that question almost instantly – seeing a real person (you!), with their dog, in a genuine environment, tells your audience that your brand is personal and in a market that’s becoming more saturated, that kind of trust is incredibly valuable.

Sarah – Founder of Send a Dog a Bone postal treats

Founder photos create connection quickly

We’re all used to scrolling quickly which means your audience isn’t always going to read your full story straight away but they will connect with how something feels and a simple image of you with your pet or working within your business, can communicate far more than a paragraph of text ever could. It gives your audience a human connection, and that connection is often what makes someone pause, explore further, and ultimately choose you.

Rachel – Pet business coach & dog friendly holiday cottage owner.

Especially for small pet brands

If you’re a small or independent brand, this matters even more, you’re not competing on scale. or trying to outspend bigger companies – what you have is your story, your values, and your reason for doing what you do. And your story is what sells.

Thinking back to that brand at Crufts, it wasn’t the size of the stand that stood out to me, it was the absence of a story because without that human connection, it’s much harder to engage, no matter how good the product looks. Or is that just me??

If someone landed on your website today, would they know who you are, and why your brand exists? And if not, it might be time to start telling that story a little more clearly.

If you’d like a hand bringing that to life through imagery, feel free to get in touch, I’d love to hear about your brand.

Professional photographer working Worldwide with Pet Businesses

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TAGS: #pet business, #pet business photography, award winning, commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, commercial pet photographer, commercial pet photography, dog blogger, Dog Brand, dog Photographer

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Letters from the field

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Travelling with Dogs to Europe

Kerry Jordan — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:21:13 +0000

From the Fells to The Netherlands: My First European Pet Brand Shoot

A while ago, I set out some some long and short term business goals, one of them to do a European commercial shoot for a pet brand.

I had no clue as to how it would happen, but I am a firm believer in the power of writing down your wishes. Fast forward a to October 2025 and that dream became reality with a commercial shoot in The Netherlands for The Canine Menu.

This wasn’t just another photoshoot for me, it was a milestone. A mix of excitement, logistics, mild panic, and a lot of learning along the way!

Setting the Scene: Planning a Pet Brand Shoot Abroad

When The Canine Menu reached out about creating lifestyle imagery for their new campaign in the Netherlands, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to take Fur & Fables international.

But….I’d never driven abroad before… and I was bringing my two whippets, Bertie and Shadow. I’d taken dogs on the Eurotunnel years ago but that was before the B word changed everything and made travel with pets a bit more complicated.

So, I dove into organisation mode (a skill I honed working for CEO’s in my pre-photography life). Here’s what the planning looked like:

Researching ferry routes and pet-friendly cabins: The Canine Menu had just launched on P&O so the Hull–Rotterdam overnight crossing looked like a good option as they had pet friendly cabins.
Prepping the paperwork: Getting the dogs’ Animal Health Certificates, rabies jabs, and worming schedule in order.
Sorting gear and props: Everything needed to fit neatly into the car alongside two dogs, camera equipment, and enough coffee to fuel a small village.
Finding a vet in the Netherlands: This needed to be booked in advance for the worming treatment before our return (a requirement for re-entry to the UK).
Sourcing travel-safe dog food: Since raw meat products are restricted when crossing borders, I packed air-dried fish food from The Innocent Hound and insect treats from Pawcura both brands I know and trust.

Thanks to ChatGPT I had a great timeline and checklist so by the time I packed the car, everything was in order (or so I thought…).

The Ferry Fiasco

I boarded in Hull without a hitch, the dogs were scanned at passport control in the UK, paperwork checked – they asked me to put on hazard lights when driving onto the ferry so I could be directed to the pet parking section.

I was looking forward to wandering a dog-friendly deck, relaxing with a nice dinner boys lounging beside me…

But nope.

Dogs were only allowed in the cabin or a small metal “exercise area” with a bench and a splash of green paint.

Lesson: check which ferry routes actually have dog-friendly decks!

Thankfully, I’d given the boys some PAWD drink and used Pet Remedy spray on their bedding, so they were perfectly content and once they settled, I dashed to Costa (where I was very happy to see they served pizza and prosecco – result!), watched a film, and turned in for the night.

The cabin had two single beds, which worked out perfectly as the boys claimed one, and I took the other. Bertie needed a bit of encouragement to toilet somewhere that wasn’t grass, but otherwise, they were brilliant travellers.

Vet Visits & Rotterdam Rush Hour

Because worming must be done by an EU vet 24–120 hours before returning to the UK, and I was coming back within that time, I decided to sort it on arrival.

I found a great clinic near the ferry, but what I didn’t check was that it was in central Rotterdam.

Cue: navigating rush-hour traffic, on-road parking, two whippets, and one photographer with no sense of direction doing a good impression of staying calm.

It all worked out fine; the visit cost €130 for the pills and updated Animal Health Certificate but it was good reminder that “near” doesn’t always mean “convenient.”

Tip: Plan your EU vet visit route in advance. City centres are beautiful, but not ideal when you’re juggling paperwork, parking, pets and a faulty internal compass!

Driving Abroad

Once I got going, driving on the right was surprisingly easy, I stayed behind the lorries in the slow lane and took my time.

Roundabouts were straightforward, and the only real eek moments for me was learning to cross two lanes to turn left.

By the time I reached the gorgeous venue, the anxiety had gone and I felt pretty good about the experience.

Feeding the Boys: What are the Restrictions

Because meat and raw food are restricted when entering the EU, I stuck to air-dried and insect-based options for the dogs on the ferry. I called P&O ahead of time to double check and they were great, confirming that these were okay to bring.

It was also because I wasn’t sure how confident I would be about driving so wanted to make sure I had a backup, but when I was there I was able to stock on meat up in good old Lidl.

Some followers told me they’d brought raw food abroad in chillers before, but I didn’t fancy explaining a suitcase of frozen mince to customs officers!

Tips for travelling abroad with dogs on the ferry

A few things I’d pass on to anyone planning a similar trip:

Dogs:

Start paperwork early – Animal Health Certificates must be signed within 10 days of travel. There’s a lot of paperwork so I’d recommend contacting your vets at least 2 months before you travel just in case any issues come up. You can get your AHC online which works out cheaper but it still requires a vet visit to scan the chips and get the rabies jab
Check what jabs the actually need vs what the vets tell you – I was horrified at the huge list of jabs and pills the vets listed out, but when I queried them, they were ‘suggested’ but not actually ‘have to have’.
Book pet-friendly cabins early – not all ferry routes have them, and they sell out quickly.
Plan your abroad vet visit in advance – pick somewhere accessible (maybe not a city centre if you haven’t driven abroad before!).
Double-check import restrictions – especially around pet food and supplements.
Bring familiar comforts for your dogs – I know it sounds simple, but having their bedding, toys etc can make all the difference.
Keep your dog calm – even if your dogs are normally confident in new situations like my boys are, if they haven’t travelled before it’s worth starting to use some natural calming products ahead of time just in case
Find out the check in details – On the way there, the boys were scanned in the car at passport control so I thought it would be the same on the way back but I had to head to the main office to get their documents and chips checked. Thankfully I’d arrived early.

Car & Travel:

Check what you need to have on & in your car – travelling to Rotterdam I made sure I had a triangle & fluorescent jacket in case of break down, head torch, stick on adapters for my lights, a UK sticker.

The ‘just in case’ things – check your insurances (car, pet etc) to see if you have cover abroad. I added on a breakdown cover for the days I was there at a small cost, but peace of mind.

Print out copies of all your documents – if you need access for any reason, it’s easier to have them all in an envelope rather than trying to search through your phone or email.

Clean your car – I saw this last minute but I’m glad I did. For Rotterdam at least they ask that your car be pretty clean, they don’t want contaminated mud or bird poop coming into the country and it’s possible you would get refused if they think it’s a risk.

Beyond the Logistics: What This Shoot Meant

The shoot itself went brilliantly, we created lifestyle imagery that celebrated dogs and places which welcome dogs with open arms.

But what made this trip truly memorable was what it represented: proof that the dream I’d written down years ago was completely achievable.

I left The Netherlands with more than photos, I left with renewed confidence, and a vision to continue offering pet brand photography across the UK and Europe.

If you’re a pet or lifestyle brand looking for photography that captures your story, wherever you are, I’d love to chat.

Let’s make your brand look like a big player, one photoshoot at a time.
Email me at kerry@furandfables.com or visit www.furandfables.com

UK Commercial Pet Photographer working Worldwide with Pet Brands

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TAGS: award winning, commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, commercial pet photographer, commercial pet photography, dog blogger, Dogs abroad, European Pet Brand, Ferry Travel Dogs, pet brand photographer, pet brand photography, Travelling Abroad with Dogs

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What’s the difference between a product photoshoot and a commercial photoshoot?

Kerry Jordan — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:36:02 +0000

I recently had a shoot with a client who had a lot of great business experience but had never worked with a professional photographer before.

After the shoot, they made a comment that made me realise something I’d overlooked, something I assumed that I probably shouldn’t have.

Most of my clients and I work closely together before the shoot, so they understand my style and how I can help them. But this particular client came to me a bit more ‘cold,’ and I hadn’t explained the key differences between a product shoot and a commercial shoot.

So, what is the difference between a commercial photoshoot and a product one?

Well, here’s what I think, but I’d love to hear your thoughts too!

A product shoot focuses entirely on showcasing the product itself. The backgrounds are simple and clean, the colours need to be accurate, and the details are shot from multiple angles so potential buyers can see exactly what they’re getting with no surprises. The ‘white background’ setup can work really well here. This is not something I offer as it’s a very specific skill set and needs to be done well – I know a few photographers who do a brilliant job of it who I have referred clients to so I don’t feel the need to branch out.

A commercial shoot, on the other hand, is where the storytelling and lifestyle element come into play. While the product is still featured with different angles and close-ups, it’s shown in more real-life scenarios. The product doesn’t have to be the main focus but instead contributes to an emotional or aspirational story. It’s about creating an image that allows people to imagine themselves using the product in their own lives.

It’s funny how something so simple as explaining the difference between a product and commercial shoot can make such a difference in client expectations. It’s a good reminder that clear communication is key, especially when working with new clients who haven’t had a professional photoshoot experience before.

Which style of photoshoot should you choose for your pet brand?

Ideally, both! Each has its own unique purpose, and they complement each other well. However, if you need to choose just one, I recommend looking at what’s most important for your brand right now. Whether you’re focused on showcasing the details of your product or telling a deeper story about your brand, that should help you with your decision.

If you have any questions about how a commercial shoot for your pet brand can help you, feel free to drop me an email to Kerry@furandfables.com – I’d love to hear from you!

UK Commercial Pet Photographer working Worldwide with Pet Brands

Letters from the field

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How to woo your first pet brand photoshoot Bridgerton Style

Kerry Jordan — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:05:10 +0000

If you are a pet photographer, it’s likely that what you are doing right now is photographing, well, people’s pets! But have you every looked at pet brands and wondered – I love that brand, how do I get to photograph for them?

I’m a commercial pet photographer who has worked with pet brands for over 8 years; photographing for brands like Natures Menu, I have covered luxury dog beds, high end treat companies, dog coats, herbal pet supplements, dog drying robes, canicross companies and everything in between, and I’m going to let you into how I book & keep my best pet brand clients.

So what’s Bridgerton got to do with anything?

Well, there are two ways you can go about landing your first commercial pet brand. One is send them an email asking to work with them. The other is old school ‘court’ them. Let them know how much you like them, invest time (and sometimes money) in them, become a super fan, make it all about them. And do all this, without once asking for their hand in marriage…I mean, asking them to pay you to work with them.

Why go through all courting to get your first pet brand client?

Here’s what I’ve learned. Cold email, or social media messages, rarely work. Why? The brand don’t know you, they have no idea what you have to offer, and even if they did, they don’t know that you are the right person for them or they just might not be ready. Respect them – their time is precious, and you have just taken away several minutes of it by pitching to them out of the blue. Historically, by first building a relationship with the brands I work with, I end up work with the majority or them. This is a long term relationship, not a fumble in the parlour room.

So how do you woo your first pet brand?

Firstly, find a brand who you genuinely want to work with, you love their products or services – I’d start small, so maybe a solo entrepreneur or a startup. I put genuinely in italics for a very good reason, working with a brand who you love will excite you and that will show in the final results.

Don’t kid yourself into thinking you can work with a brand who doesn’t align with your values – it WILL show in your images. As an example, I will never do a shoot for Pedigree Chum despite the fact that it would pay 3 months worth of bills – I don’t agree with their food and I would get the ick doing a shoot. Give me Paleo Ridge though and I would be over the blinking moon – their food and every part of their ethos makes me jump for joy and I can SEE the images I would want to create for them (by the way, I have been wooing Paleo Ridge for a while 😉)

What’s the next stage of courtship to photographing for your chosen pet brand?

Engage! In the massive world of the pet industry, it’s so important that brands have engagement on social media, that they are seen.
Comment on their posts, like, share or if you see someone asking for recommendations, be the first one to tag them if you think it’s the right fit. Ask questions that you as a potential client, would like to know. Set a time in your diary to spend a few minutes every other day to do this – that is time spent becoming their number one fan.

Use your dowry to buy into the pet brand you want to work with.

If you can, buy their product or service. Photograph yourself using it or putting it into practice. It doesn’t have to be a professional photograph, but if you have the time, why not. Even better, take a few short ‘user generated content’ videos. Tag them in your posts or to level up, do a recommendation post with why you bought it and why you love the brand. Want to go all out? Do a blog post with backlinks (same as I have done for Paleo Ridge, see!) and then share that on your social media. I am lucky enough to work with The Innocent Pet Company, I loved their luxury treats so much that I asked if I could have trade prices so that I could give all my clients and dog models a goody bag with their treats in, and we have now worked together for several years.

If you aren’t able to buy it then recommend it to people you know both in passing and on social media. Word will eventually get back to them.

Be chivalrous – offer your help and photography knowledge.

A lot of pet brands will run a photography competition. If I see a brand I want to work with doing this, I ask them if they want me to send some top tips which their followers can use to take better photographs, or I ask if they would like a photographer (me) to judge. Have a think about easy quick ways you can help them.

What happens if they don’t respond to your wooing?

That’s okay, you are now on their radar and that’s the main thing. I’ve had brands who I’ve engaged with who have taken years to book me because they weren’t ready at the time, but when they do, they keep coming back because that relationship has always been there.

Don’t ever expect anything in return.

Here’s the thing, if you go into this expecting anything at all in return, you could come away feeling frustrated, wondering why they haven’t responded, why have you wasted your time when you only wanted to help them etc etc. Stop that right now.

If they are the right fit for you, they will come. If they say no – it could mean not right now. If they go with someone else – be thankful that they have found a fit which is right for them which means that wasn’t you – much better to find someone who REALLY appreciates you and your work.

If you go in expecting something, it will show and they will just be constantly waiting for the hard sell. Not the best way to build a relationship.

Popping the question.

So you have been courting your pet brand for a while, you feel like you are a good match, when is right to pop the question? Well if you are lucky, they might get in their first and ask you!

Otherwise, be vulnerable, tell them how you feel! Let them know that you love their brand, and have wondered how you would go about photographing for them. Be honest, let them know it’s not something you have done before, ask if you can test out a commercial shoot for them for a reduced rate so that you can get feedback from them.

By this time, you will have built up a rapport and they will appreciate your honesty. Come to an agreement on something which works for you both. Don’t be afraid to charge – you are already a photographer, most brands would jump at the chance to have high end images at a reduced price.

Before the big day!

So you have landed your brand! Congratulations! The ring is gorgeous. Bear in mind that a commercial shoot is very, very different from photographing someone’s pet.

Do some research on how a commercial shoot works, what you need to photograph, create a timeline of everything you want to shoot. Think about how to structure your cost, whether everything is included or a shoot fee and image usage on top. How are you going to find dog and pet models as you need ones which will be comfortable in different situations.

I am thinking about doing a masterclass on this, so if it’s something you are interested in, drop me a message!

Kerry

Commercial photographer for pet brands Worldwide.
kerry@furandfables.com

The post How to woo your first pet brand photoshoot Bridgerton Style appeared first on Fur and Fables.

The fundamentals of great commercial photography for your pet brand

Kerry Jordan — Sat, 04 May 2024 13:12:16 +0000

Commercial photography isn’t just taking a pretty picture for your pet brand, there are quite a few elements that you will need to think about to make sure you are making the most impact.

The things I cover in this blog are based around how you would need to think about a commercial photoshoot for your pet brand, but it can also be really useful for you when you are just out and about making content for your social media!

Commercial pet photography which doesn’t just sell, but tells a story

If you want to have a bank of images for your pet brand then I’m going to walk through the fundamentals of what creates an image which doesn’t just sell, but tells a story – hopefully this will start building an idea in your head of the kind of images you want to achieve when you book a professional commercial pet photographer.

Being able to achieve a personal connection to your product or service with storytelling means not only will your audience want to buy with you, but because they have been able to insert themself into your story, they are more likely to stay with you.

(I mainly talk about dogs in the blog, but all the elements apply to any kind of commercial pet photography)

Telling the right story in an image will help your audience understand your brand in a second. Who doesn’t want their dog to be treated like this in a pub or cafe?

What story do you want to your clients to see?

I’m not a big fan of the ‘client avatar’, but by understanding your audience, their likes and dislikes, your photographer can help you create images which will allow your audience to imagine themselves wanting your product or service, to insert themselves into that picture. If you are dog walking company in the UK, then having images of people walking along a white sandy beach in the Seychelles is not going to work (although if you want to book me for that shoot, I’m absolutely up for it! 😉)

Reg & Bob specialise in colourful, practical dog accessories for outdoor adventure dogs so pristine dog & human just wouldn’t have attracted the right client.

Location of your pet brand photography

Which leads me nicely into location, location, location. If you are making a biothane dog collar for active, adventure dogs and their humans then you would want to organise a photoshoot which shows the aspirational side of your product – happy, health dogs exploring the great outdoors with a majestic landscape – photographing a dog snuggled up next to a roaring fire will only confuse your target audience.

And if you are creating high end dog coats, you will need to show a location or a scene which speaks directly to where your audience will be walking their dog, which leads nicely into the next two sections….

Combining not only the right type of dog, but also the right location means that your ideal client will know that what you offer is exactly what they need!

Show who your pet product or service is for

Going back to the people you really want to attract, what is the reality of their life? What is it about your product or service makes it easier for the human to aspire to want it?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a commercial photograph for a bejewelled collar where the dog model is a spaniel (I’m sure spaniel owners wont mind me saying this) – that’s because a spaniels favourite pastime is crashing round in the undergrowth and throwing themselves gleefully into every body of water, no matter how small or muddy! It’s just not something a spaniel owner would be able to imagine as it’s so far removed from what they would buy! Pop that bejewelled collar on an Afghan hound lounging on a sofa, or the Spaniel doing scent work, then the images will more likely match the reality.

Choosing the right dog model for your commercial photoshoot

Lets talk fur – any kind of collar or harness is going to be quite difficult to photograph on a really hairy dog! Similarly you make any kind of dog bowl or food and want to have a shot of a dog enjoying their dinner, having a dog with really long ears means you have the issue of the ears constantly getting in the bowl, or covering the bowl (sorry spaniels, I’m looking at you again here!) Shorter ears & even shorter fur too means that you will be able to get a clear shot of the dogs face and the product.

Similarly, if you are a canicross teacher, a chihuahua might make a great running buddy but wont be the right dog to appeal to your wider audience.

Making sure you have the right dog for your product or service will help your ideal client be able to imagine their dog in that scene.

Making sure you have happy dogs in your commercial shots

The great thing about working with a commercial pet photographer is that you know that they will have had lots of experience working with animals. They will know the limitations, that regular breaks are needed, and how to pivot when even when the most well trained animal decides that trick they do just isn’t going to happen today. The reason this is so important is huge – the happiness and comfort of an animal should be the absolute top priority, and knowing the signals that they are worried means the difference between a shot which will sell, and a shot which will make your audience uncomfortable – even if they can’t put their finger on the exact thing, believe me, they will know.

Making sure the colours compliment and don’t clash

Look for colours for your shoot which will either compliment, or contrast in the scene. If you have a pink harness or product packaging, that would really pop against a green background of woods or trees if you are a more rural brand, but equally would look amazing in an urban scene. Subtle little nods of the same colours will help pull the image together too.

Think about how the colours will not only look in the image, but also on your website and social media as a whole.

Think about how your colours can be highlighted by either contrasting or complimenting the location will help draw the eyes in to what you want to highlight.

Making sure you have lots of clean space

You will want to use your commercial shots for a whole heap of things! Marketing materials (flyers, adverts, roller banners), social media, website, business cards. Commercial images need two things to help you be able to use them to their best advantage:

A ‘clean’ background – you will need an uncluttered background, and one that doesn’t have too much contrast (too many light and dark elements together).
Lots of negative space – space where there aren’t any important elements in.

Why? Lots of reasons! Text overlay is a prime example, if you or your graphic designer want to have some impactful words over the top of your image, then you will need that clean space so that the words can be clearly seen.

Another thing is, cropping for banner bars, Instagram and a whole heap of other things. Having lots of clean space means that cropping wont look odd or cut bits out of the image.

Graphic Designer Kate Hendry from Finbo Studios says “Commercial photographers give consideration to the brand style, space around the subject of the image and also the usage of the image itself. For designers this makes the job much easier and the overall design more aesthetically appealing to the intended audience. This could be the difference between your marketing materials capturing attention or not!”

Kate Hendry from Finbo Studios was able to easily overlay text on the My Anxious Dog photographs

Lighting for your commercial images

This is the one of the most important things you will need to consider because it will change the whole look and feel of the images you want your photographer to create.

External source lighting

This usually means either flash or continuous lighting. You can get really creative with external source lighting, it means you will never have to worry about where the light is coming from and you can create a setup where your images can be really evenly lit.

Both have their pros and cons. Flash can be very portable and easy to move around and you can be very creative with it, but it’s also very easy to go wrong if you don’t have someone who specialises in it. Continuous lighting is easier to use as you set it up and that’s it, but it can be bulky and you will need some kind of power source with you.
The downside is that it’s an extra element on shoots which you need to control.

Natural light

This is my favoured source and I’ve worked for over a decade learning how to use it to its best advantage, both inside and out. Again, there are pros and cons.

The pros are that there is not an extra thing to carry and move round on shoots, which can be a pain, especially when working with dogs and other animals when not in a studio. It also means you are super flexible, you can move with the dogs in seconds without having to worry about changing settings on the flash or moving the continuous light source.

Cons are that whether inside or out, you are relying on where the light is coming from, but a good photographer will understand that and know where to position the dogs, the products etc and themselves to make the most out of it.

I specialise in natural light commercial photography, although I know how to use it external source, I’m much more comfortable with natural light and the style of my photography reflects that. Please do check out Rowan at Pooch & Pineapple if you think your pet brand story would benefit more from externally lit images, she knows her stuff!

I hope you has helped you build an idea in your head about how you want to tell the story of your brand through visual storytelling. Any questions, please do drop me an email to kerry@furandfables.com or a WhatsApp to 07810541685

Kerry x

The post The fundamentals of great commercial photography for your pet brand appeared first on Fur and Fables.

Behind the scenes of pet product photoshoot

Kerry Jordan — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 19:32:20 +0000

When I work on a photoshoot or a commercial dog brand or company, the shoot is actually pretty close to the end of the whole process! I thought it would be nice to give you a little insight to one of my recent brand shoots for the fantastic Dicky Bag

A well established relationship

Now I’ve known about Dicky Bag for years – I can’t actually remember but maybe around 8 or so years ago. If you haven’t come across them already then you are in for a treat! Their original product is a neoprene holder for used poo bags. It’s sealed so it doesn’t smell, comes in lots of designs and can clip on to your bag / belt / dog lead so that you don’t have to walk around with a poo bag in your hand, or worse, try and remember to pick that one up that you left for your route back. I love Dicky Bags so much that I actually had a load of branded ones made up which sold out! So you could say I was a fan.

Making Contact

When I was looking at brands to approach to help them with their commercial dog photography, Dicky Bag was high on my list, not only because I already loved their product, but because it solves a solution for not only dog owners, but the environment – no more leaving poo bags at the side of the path, or, as some people seem weirdly fond of, hanging from a tree…

I already had been in contact with Mandy, the owner, so this felt like a natural progression. It’s not always that way though, it can be difficult sometimes when you really want to work with a brand and help them but don’t get a response!

Thankfully, when I dropped a message to Mandy it was perfect timing. She and her partner had literally just been sat down talking about the fact that they needed new marketing images – they actually wondered if I had their house bugged it was so uncanny!

The Plan

Once the date was all agreed we chatted about the kind of images they would need and like; showing the products in use, lifestyle images where the product isn’t too obvious to show the versatility and product shots on their own. As Dicky Bags are based in Cornwall, we decided that it would be lovely to do the shoot there and have a mixture of woodland and beach images. One of the things we had to take into consideration was it would be the height of summer when the shoot was taking place, so we needed to make sure the dogs were comfortable and booked in early times for both the woods and the beach which we had researched and decided on.

Top Dog Models

After the plan was agreed, then came one of the fun parts – dog models! As Cornwall wasn’t one of the places on my dog model database, I did a casting call – Dicky Bag were pretty flexible about the types of dog, not needing anything breed specific, the thing we were more looking for was different sized dogs to compliment the different sizes of their poo bag holders and other products. As always, we had lots and lots of dogs wanting their moment in the limelight, all had to match the criteria of being able to do a sit and wait, be good with other dogs, and no resource guarding. Organising dog models is probably one of the most time consuming jobs, after lots of emailing back and forth with the owners, the final few were chosen – more than I needed actually but a couple really really wanted to take part and I basically couldn’t say no!

I’m very grateful to Cornwall Search Dogs (who are also fans of Dicky Bags) for supplying the dogs for the forest shoot!

Showing the versatility of a Dicky Bag

Choosing the right products

So off I popped on the 430 mile trip from Cumbria to Cornwall! I gave myself time in between arriving and the shoot to recover from what was an 8 hour drive. The day before the shoots I went to Dicky Bag HQ to plan which products would work with location. Dark products wouldn’t work too well with the forest location which was going to be all about showing how a Dicky Bag worked, so we chose products which were brighter and lighter. The beach shoot was much easier to style for. We had decided to do the shoot over 2 mornings for a few reasons, the main ones being that it was Summertime and I was conscious of the fact that it could get warm after a certain time, also there were two locations and LOTS of dogs so it could have ended up being a very long day!

The days of the shoots

Day 1: What happened to summer? Our initial location was going to be a lovely quiet path on the Camel Valley trail, however the weather had other ideas, it seemed like I’d brought the Cumbrian forecast with me! Instead we huddled up in my friends house until there was a break in the rain, and then venturing out to the field behind their house where we could quickly retreat again if needed. It still worked well, part of the job is being flexible as you never know what’s going to happen on a shoot! The Cornwall Search Dogs were absolutely brilliant though (thankfully no whippets in the shoot, there are some things I wouldn’t be able to do, and making a whippet look happy in the rain is one!), as were the humans – they must have worked in much harsher weather so were very stoic about the whole situation!

Day 2: Beach day! The day was fairly gusty but we found a lovely little secluded cove at Daymer Bay which shielded us and it was pretty quiet. Thankfully the temperature wasn’t too high, so we had a brilliant but intense morning with the rest of the dog models. One got stuck behind a tractor on route (if you have never been to Cornwall, the lanes are very narrow so no way of overtaking), but as luck would have it, while we were waiting, Mandy and her eagle eyes spotted a lady on the beach with a Dicky Bag! Never one to miss an opportunity, I ran over and accosted said lady and she very graciously agreed to do some action shots with her gorgeous dog! Never a dull moment, and sometimes the unplanned moments in photography are the ones which create the most memorable images.

After the shoot

Part of my job as a commercial pet photographer is to make sure I understand the needs of my clients – the real people behind the brand. As well making sure that the product is represented well, and I’m fulfilling their brief, some of the things I have to think about is : making sure that the background isn’t too cluttered so that text can be overlayed for marketing, also shooting slightly wider than I would on a private client shoot to make sure they can be cropped for social media and website banner bars.

Then comes the editing and making sure the colours are as true as possible. On private client shoots I can have a bit of creative licence with colours, but on a commercial shoot, particularly with a physical product, I need to make sure the colours are ‘true’. I try to get as much as I can right in camera, but if, for example, I have a black and white dog, I shoot slightly darker to make sure I get the details of the whites – it makes editing so much easier!

And then it’s almost a wrap – I edit the images which can take a few days depending on how many shots we took, back them up, and upload them to a gallery to deliver to the client so they choose their images!

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TAGS: commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photography, commercial pet photographer, commercial pet photography, Cornwall, Lake District, professional dog photographer, professional dog photography, UK Commercial pet photographer

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The Difference between Commercial Dog Photography & Portrait photography

Kerry Jordan — Tue, 30 May 2023 14:18:37 +0000

Commercial Dog Photography vs. Portrait Dog Photography

My journey into dog photography started back in 2014 (eeeek, over a decade ago!!) after getting my first whippet – at the time I’d been photographing weddings and families.

My now good friend Debbie, from Redhound for Dogs, had seen my ‘Whippet Snippets’ page and reached out to me about doing some product photography for her brand of dog attire, of course I said yes! Little did I know at the time how much of a difference there was between private client shoots and commercial or brand photography, which is usually used for marketing, PR, websites, and of course social media

A Tail of Commercial Dog Photography

The main difference, and it’s quite a big one, is that in commercial dog photography, the focus isn’t always the dog (the shock of it!) With private clients, it’s all about capturing the personality and essence of your dog in beautiful surroundings and the images are mainly just for you to love; with commercial dog photography you have to add in the product or service, the brand ethos and how they want to make a potential client feel, how the location and props work with the brand colours, as well as the little details that can help sell the product or service.

All this then needs to translate to thousands of people who need to know quickly what the image is telling them when they first see it.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Another thing which is difference is scene setting. When you are doing a commercial dog photoshoot, it’s not always about positioning the dog in a nice environment and taking the shot, you will often need to create a bit of movement. Now of course who doesn’t love an action shot! But rather than having a dog flying full on to the camera (which is sometimes the right image to have!), commercial photography needs something a little bit more subtle, like a hand which is obviously going to a treat bag, or a shot of a dog mid-way being put in a drying robe.

Even though photography is static, you can still give a sense of movement, and that’s something which takes practice, and patience with dogs (and humans!) as it may need to be repeated several times.

I need some space!

It’s okay – we aren’t breaking up! One of the fundamental things differences when composing an image for a commercial shoot vs a private client shoot is make sure there is a lot of space around the dog or scene. Why? Text & cropping – images for brands are at some point going to be used for marketing or advertising, or they might need to be cropped for social media or website banner bars.

So where on a portrait shoot, I would compose the images thinking of how this will look in a frame or on a wall, on a commercial shoot I would put, much more space at the bottom, top and edges of an image so it can be used in multiple different crop types.

Also thinking about the background – anything too cluttered is a big no-no for being able to overlay text! (or in some instances, overlaying a product) Below is an example of how a horizontal image with plenty of space means it was easy to crop to a square format with still enough room to overlay plenty of text.

The one thing which is the same on a commercial dog shoot and a private shoot

Regardless of what type of shoot I’m on, the thing which is of the upmost importance is that the dog is comfortable and happy. There have been many times where a dog who usually is happy and confident doing what they are asks, decides today is the day that they aren’t happy doing it.

Gorgeous Freckle was on a shoot for The Innocent Pet Company who needed some imagery of dogs looking happy and healthy in nature to overlay their products onto. Usually, Freckle does a good sit and wait, so I found a gorgeous spot for her, but she just wasn’t happy with it so rather than keep trying to get her in that location, I just let her move around and relax, and when she was in a good position, made a funny noise, which got one of my absolute favourite images from the day.

Since 2014 I’ve photographed for drying robes, pet food brands, treat companies, interactive toys, dog walkers, dog beds, dog coats to name a few and the images for my clients have been published in the likes of The Times, Town & Country and many more.

I hope you enjoyed this brief insight to the differences between a commercial dog photography shoot and a private client shoot – I could go on about location scouting, creating shot lists, sourcing dog models, working with multiple dogs, timescales and more but I’ll leave it there otherwise you could be here a while!

Is this for you?

If you are a pet business and you’d really want to elevate your images and reach your ideal clients, drop me an email to kerry@furandfables.com – I’d love to hear from you!

Kerry x

(ps I’m always looking for dog models for brand shoots, so if your dog can, at a very minimum, do an excellent sit/stand & wait, is well socialised and good with other dogs, has solid recall and doesn’t resource guard, feel free to pop me an email at kerry@furandfables.com – I’m based in the Lake District but I travel all round the UK for client shoots!)

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TAGS: commercial dog photographer, commercial dog photographer uk, commercial dog photography, commercial pet photographer, innocent hound, innocent pet care company, lake district commercial photography, luxury dog treats, outdoor commercial photographer, uk dog photographer, yorkshire commercial photography, yorkshire dog brand

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Letters from the field

A place for stories from life behind the lens - dogs, landscapes, and the moments in between.

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kerry@furandfables.com
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07810 541685
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The post The Difference between Commercial Dog Photography & Portrait photography appeared first on Fur and Fables.

commercial dog photography Archives - Fur and Fables

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