Why hire brand photographer & why hire me?

The last 10 years or so has seen the pet industry boom and people, quite rightly, are treating their dogs as part of their family and not only want the very best for them, but also want to buy high quality products that last. So how do you help your dog brand stand out from your competitors? One way, is of course, imagery. We live in a very visual world, and when you have professional photography, it helps the whole look and feel of your brand feel elevated!

Why hire me? As you can see from the testimonials on this page, I’ve worked with dog brands for over 8 years now, and build up a close relationship with the brand owners so that I get to know exactly what they need from a shoot. I’ve also worked photographing dogs for over 10 years with private clients too so have photographed 100’s of dogs. Even if you don’t hire me, please don’t make the mistake that, for example, a wedding photographer can photograph for you, although they will know about the general elements of photography like light and composition, working with dogs is a whole different ball game! It’s the reason I would never do newborn photography, it’s a whole different skill set. You will need someone who has patience and understands an element of dog behaviour to make sure the dog models are comfortable and happy – which in turn will give you the best possible images. 

You aren’t local to me, can I still help your dog brand?

I often get dog brands contacting me, wishing that I could help them with their photography but thinking they are too far away. Here’s the thing, I work with a lot of brands remotely!

If you are wondering how that works, it’s quite simple, here’s brief overview.

We get to know each other.

I’ll send across my pricing proposal so you can see how I work and which package is best for you. We then have a call to a) make sure we are the right fit for each other and b) figure out the style and feel of the images you would like to achieve. Every brand is different, and whether you want fun, elegant or natural, we work together to make sure the shoot matches how you want your images to portray your brand message. If it helps, you can set up a pinterest board of images that think relay your company style.

Send your products to me.

Send a selection of your products to me via courier, the products which best emphasis your brand and your ethos and I’ll source dog models based on your target client and away we go!

I am a service based dog brand, can you still help?.

Yes, absolutely! Drop me an email as I travel round the UK a fair bit so I can try and tie in other shoots with yours. Same if your dog is an integral part of your brand and needs to be in the shoot, we can usually work something out!

What happens next?

I’ll organise the shoot models, location, and times and when the shoot is over I’ll select the best images and you’ll be sent a gallery link where you can choose your favourites based on how many images in your package, and choose to purchase more if you want.

If you’d like to know more – you can see why I think you should work with me here: https://www.furandfables.com/shoot-overview/brands/ 

Or drop me a message to kerry@furandfables.com, I’m here to help 🙂

Yesterday we went on our first beach walk since lockdown, and on the way out of the car park, on the road leading out of the beach, I noticed a little dog close to the edge of the pavement coming out of a side road – it took a few seconds to see the owner as he was several meters behind and the dog was on a retractable lead.

Why I don’t think you should own a retractable lead.

I have pretty strong feelings about retractable leads – I don’t think any dog owner should have one, and here’s why:

When we first adopted Boo, her recall was non existent so I thought a retractable lead would be a good idea so she could roam around a little. I was on a walk with a friend when Boo took off and because she was able to build up speed because of the length of the lead, the handle snapped out of my hand and went with her. Thankfully, a few seconds later she was stopped by the fact that the handle got caught round a fallen tree branch. What terrifies me though is if that would have happened further out into the woods where I wouldn’t have been able to see her – she would have been stuck and unable to get back to me.

Dented pride.

Did I learn my lesson? Oh no! When Shadow had an small injury and needed to be walked on lead, I decided to dig out the retractable lead again. The same thing happened as I bent down to pick up poop, Shadow spotted a dog he wanted to say hello to and because my attention was on cleaning up after him, he got to the end of the lead before I knew it, and because he built up speed, pulled me right off my feet, knocking the wind out of me and denting my knees and my pride.

Suffice to say, we now have long bungy leads (by Ruffwear) if one of the dogs ever needs to be on lead as it gives a little spring rather than a hard stop, and when we were training Boo, we used a long training line instead.

As well as my personal experience – I have had to swerve from dogs running into the middle of the road when the owners couldn’t stop the lead quick enough, seen people get tangled off and pulled over and a multitude of other accidents. I’ve also heard horrific things about burns on hands when the ‘brake’ fails on the handle, not to mention that if the dog is on a collar rather than a harness and they are able to build up speed only to be stopped suddenly as it reaches the end of the line. 

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on this? Have you only had positive experiences with retractable leads? Or have you had a similar experience to me? Do you have other options you are think are better?

Kerry x

Professional dog photographer covering Surrey, Sussex & Hampshire.
kerry@furandfables.com

Meet Monty. Monty is a coated Xolo – a breed I hadn’t come across before! Monty is smart, funny, has a plethora of gorgeous expressions. Monty is also anxious and a little skittish. He is pretty wary of new people and definitely doesn’t want to be touched if he doesn’t know you. He’s also very food motivated.

I learned all this on my initial call with Monty’s mum, so I knew to go into our shoot with some yummy roast chicken and a calm attitude (very difficult for me when all I wanted to do was cuddle this gorgeous boy). Before long, Monty was clambering on me to get to the chicken, and I knew we were going to be okay!

During the shoot, I kept my distance and kept calm, eventually though he was readily running up to ‘the roast chicken lady’ and even let me scratch his chin. The best feeling in the world though was when we moved location to a few minutes down the road to capture Monty in the red ivy in one of the gorgeous streets of Midhurst. When he saw me walking down the street, he almost pulled his human off her feet to come and say hello (I’m under no illusion that the chicken was the main event for him! 😉

Isn’t it amazing that dogs can make us feel so loved just by wanting to say hello!?

So if you are worried about how your dog would respond to a photoshoot, it will honestly be fine! I have had owners who think their dogs are too ‘naughty’, too nervous, are anxious of other dogs. By talking to you, we figure out the best way for the shoot to happen to make sure you are both completely relaxed.

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or drop me an email! You can find full details of the packages I offer here: www.furandfables.com/shoot-overview/dog-photography

I’m based just near Haslemere, Surrey, which borders West Sussex & Hampshire.

Kerry x

It’s taken me a while to put this post up, over a year in fact. Mainly because I wasn’t quite ready, which seems ridiculous as this didn’t happen to me, but what did happen to me was that I broke a little bit, and even now, sat here writing this, I can feel that tingling in the nose which means I could tear up at any moment. So I’ll hand you over to Amy, who wrote this post, and you will understand my emotional response. –

Professional photography, and why a mobile camera is never enough.

By Amy Wilton
August 2019.

So I have been thinking about writing this for a long while. We are so fortunate that in this day and age we have so many ways and devices that can capture moments. From top of the range DSLRs, simple compact cameras, tablets, and mobile phones. The list goes on!

We’re so lucky to be able to capture snapshots of life so readily. My phone is absolutely full of photos! However I also do photography myself, so whenever I can, I always ensure I take good quality photographs of my beautiful hounds (and family, when they’ll cooperate) on my camera. I used to be better at ensuring I made time to take photos for me, but the last year or so life has got in the way in one way or another.

That said, I did have thousands (and I mean thousands) of photos of my beautiful dogs. Especially of my special oldie dog Holly. We rescued Holly when she was 7 years old; she’d spent all those as the victim of unscrupulous breeding. She’d been pushed from pillar to post, each one breeding another litter from her. By the time we had her, she was a poorly skinny scrap of a dog. Her teeth were rotten and you could see most bones in her frail little body, and yet, she was the sweetest little thing with a heart of gold.

So there began her rehabilitation, and our bond. Immediately, I was the one out of the whole of my family she bonded to. Anywhere I’d go, Holly would follow. Another room, the bathroom, my sweet shadow would follow. A few months in, she then started to be able to detect when my blood glucose levels were going out of range (I am a type 1 diabetic) and would warn me before I got symptoms.  Her story was then shared and she won the Daily Mirror’s Animal Hero Awards for ‘Caring Animal of the Year’ in 2015, and then appeared on ITVs ‘The Secret Life of Dogs’ in February 2017.

I always made sure I took many photos of this special girl on my camera, but equally I wanted photos of Holly and I together. Sometimes handing your camera over to someone else, no matter how hard you both try, just does not quite work. Not quite the angle, the focusing being a little off, despite the amount of times you try to explain ‘Put the square in the view finder on the eye…back button focusing.” Etc.

So you then resort to phone photographs, which are great. They’re instant, easy to set up and you can just hand it to someone to point and shoot. You can share them straight to social media, even better. However, if you do photography, you’ll know the quality in the photo just never quite compares.

So I knew at some point I wanted to commission a professional photographer to take photos of Holly and I. Someone I could put complete trust in, and I knew would take the photos that I was truly after. Along came Kerry. I had long admired Kerry’s work and after winning a family photoshoot a few years ago, and her becoming a friend. I just knew I wanted her to take some of Holly and myself together. To help capture and put into a photo, that bond that we had.

The shoot was booked in for the Sunday and had been for a while. I then got a hospital app through for the Wednesday prior to have my troublesome wisdom teeth removed, and I thought, “Yeah I’ll be fine!” Actually, I was released the same day then readmitted to hospital on the on Thursday with a huge infection.

I managed to leave hospital late on the Saturday, but of course didn’t tell Kerry, or reschedule. I still looked like a hamster with very puffy cheeks but I thought, time is not on our side. If I rearrange, I don’t know when the opportunity to do this will be. Driving over, we had road closures that made us over half an hour late, so arrived rather frazzled. But we still went ahead, despite everything.

I am SO glad we did. Just over a month later, my poor girl had to be let go at age 15 ½ years. Those photos became invaluable. So many memories and emotions tied to them. My heart broke in two; this sweet little girl who had been there for me throughout my teen and adult years was gone.

It meant choosing photos was hard. Really hard. I couldn’t actually choose until nearly a year later. The photos were so beautiful; but it was so painful to look at that them when it was so raw. But when the time came Kerry was there, understanding and supportive. I am over the moon with my photos.

So all I can say to anyone thinking of doing a photoshoot is don’t hesitate, book one. Phone photos just don’t compare. You never know when you’re going to lose a loved one. Once they’re gone, they are the things you truly cherish.

October 2019

 So I finished the above post, not long ago and had been meaning to send it to Kerry. But I hadn’t, for one reason or another. Again, life gets in the way. So, as I hadn’t, it wouldn’t be right to send it without adding the following. It has the made the above even more poignant, and tinged with ever more sadness. But some things need to said. 

 A week or so ago, I messaged Kerry in floods of tears. My Grandad was right at the end of his life. He was young really as far as Grandad ages go, at only 72. But the chemo that was supposed to help knock the cancer back had done the opposite and caused his kidneys and liver to fail in less than 2 days. I knew when I saw him in hospital; it would be for the last time.

 I had to go back home, and through tears I started going through photos of the happier memories, and the way I wanted to remember my Grandad. Not the very poorly, weaker version of him I had seen the previous day. When photos are important to you, you seek solace in times similar to those. So that is what I did.

 Then I came across some of the first photos Kerry had taken for my family. I won one of Kerry’s competitions back in 2014 for a family photoshoot. So we packed up the family, including my Grandad as he was visiting with the hounds, and had this shoot on the beach with Kerry. To this day they are still my favourite of all five of us (plus the hounds!) together. The ones especially of my brother, my Dad and my Grandad are truly special.

 So I guess this is a thank you to Kerry. Three loved ones she’s taken photos of for me have now been cruelly taken away from me. But I have some beautiful photos to remember them by. Thank you doesn’t really quite cut it does it?

 So if you’re reading this and are thinking “Maybe I should book that photoshoot…” please don’t delay and remember time is precious. The memories captured are priceless.

I’ve been photographing dogs for about 6 years now, and I’ve lost count of how many clients have contacted me to say their dog has passed, not all old either, some in the prime of their life. Every single time, it breaks a little part of me. Firstly because I bond with the dogs I photograph, but secondly it reminds me that my own dogs wont be around forever. If you’d like to know more, or want to book a shoot, drop me an email to kerry@furandfables.com and lets create memories. 

Kerry x

Last season on my podcast ‘For the Love of Dog’ I chatted with some super smart people about how to easily become a more eco friendly dog owner.

So if your new years resolution was to make little changes to be more eco friendly next year, I hope these super simple tips will help!

1.  Via Ben from Adios Plastic: Compostable & plastic free poop bags

I had no idea that biodegradable poop bags didn’t have to state how long it takes for them to break down – it could be decades! I was also fooled into thinking that biodegradable means good for the environment but a high percentage of them are actually still made of plastic.
Discount code FUR10 on your first order!

Website: https://adiosplastic.co.uk/

2. Via Keri at The Dog and I: Use dog soap instead of shampoo in bottles.

Did you know that if just 1% of dog owners used soap instead of shampoo in a bottle, it would mean there would be 85000 less plastic bottles?

And if that doesn’t convince you, Keri hand makes the most amazing smelling, foamy soap which is easy to rinse off AND kind to your dogs skin and fur. I’m a convert for sure!

Website: https://www.thedogandi.co.uk/ 

3. Via Charlotte at Lamina Animals: Think about how & where your dog accessories are made.

Charlotte is to making the most beautiful linen collars & leads where she can trace back all the materials to make sure that they are ethical & sustainable.

Website: https://laminaanimal.com/ 

4. Via Chichester Council: Don’t flick it!

Until this year, I was under the impression that flicking dog poop under a bush if we were off the beaten path was probably easier on the environment than popping it in a bag. After talking to Chichester Council, who are one of the local councils who run The Green Dog Walkers Scheme, I have since found out that the amount of poop not being picked up can change the balance of the nutrients in our soils. I live in the South Downs where apparently the soil is nutrient poor, where as poop is nutrient rich so it could be quite damaging to the landscape.

Website: https://www.chichester.gov.uk/greendogwalkers 

5. Via Hattie at The Cornish Dog: Litter pickup on your dog walk

I read an upsetting blog post from Hattie about how much she has found on her local beach, even picking up 3 pieces can make a huge difference if you do it every day. There are even organised beach walks with a litter pickup, maybe you could organise your own! Hattie also had the great idea about buying toys and treats and supporting local suppliers rather than shipped in from abroad.

Website: https://thecornishdog.uk

6. Via Monty Dogge: Educate the next generation

Monty has an amazing book called Monty and the Ocean Rescue which turns education on plastics into and adventure! A great idea for a gift too.

Website: https://www.montydogge.com/

7. Via Aneisha at Scrumbles : Buy treats from the UK in compostable bags

I was really impressed that Scrumbles have tried really hard to find an alternative to plastic for their dog treats & dog food packaging. I have seen quite a few of the smaller brands doing this, so they should be easy to find!

Website: https://scrumbles.co.uk/ 

8. Via yours truly! : Reusuable coffee cups

There’s nothing I love more than an early morning dog walk, than an early morning dog walk with a really good coffee. When I added up how many of those reusuable cups I’d get through in a year, it terrified me, so I created my own travel mug because I could’t find any that I liked. The #prettylittlemug movement started, and there are now nearly 150 out in the world! 

Do you think you will try any of these next year? Or do you already do most of them? I’d love to know – drop a comment below.

Kerry x

There are so many reasons to book a professional photoshoot of your dog; memories – as a nation of dog lovers, we all want to make sure we have something to remember our dogs, our furry family members,  when they are no longer with us. Other reasons could be capturing that puppy stage, or the later years. Whatever the reason, there’s something inside you that longs to have a piece of photographic art, something more than a camera phone snap.

What happens on a dog photoshoot

Firstly, we have a call about the personality of your dog way before the shoot. That way, if you have eg a nervous dog, I wont go in for cuddles straight away, you can relax knowing that I’m aware of all your dogs likes and dislikes so that they can have the most comfortable experience possible. Rest assured though, your dog will be adored – friends have lost me on countless occasions when I have made a mad dash to see if I can say hello to a dog so to call me a dog lover is an understatement! #crazydoglady

What to bring on your shoot

You don’t need much! If your dog has a ‘Sunday Best’ collar, that is always great. Any of their favourite toys, poop bags, and high quality treats (although I bring them too) and of course a lead. I encourage you to be in at least one image, whether it just be your boots or your hand, or an image of you walking and interacting with your dog. Most people don’t like themselves in photographs, I would prefer you to have this  this kind of shot than to not have it. So maybe wear your best walking boots, just in case!

On the day of the shoot

In the pre shoot call we talk about the best location for your dog. If they are nervous, I know about out a plethora of beautiful places that are either secure, not very well known or both. Otherwise, the sky is the limit, the below above was taken at Chiswick House in London where gorgeous Ezra spends many of his days. 

If your dog isn’t able to go off lead, no problem! The image below of beautiful Monty was on lead!

How we get the shots

Once we arrive at the location, after getting your dog accustomed to both me and the camera (some dogs find a big black box being pointed at them a little intimidating), we start with a few very basic & easy shots, moving up to more difficult ones once your dog is comfortable and happy, this is where you will probably getting into some odd positions on the floor!

I use different methods depending on your dog and it’s personality but it usually involves manoeuvring into position with treats or toys and then either I make one of many unusual sounds to get your dogs attention, or if we have more than one family member, they can stand behind me as a focus point. In 6 years of dog photography, I have found ways to always get the shot! 

But what if it rains?

I know that some dogs love water, however my aim for the shoot is to make it fun for everyone involved, humans too. The weather forcast is usually very changeable so I usually make a judgement 24 hours before the shoot as to if the weather is too bad for your time slot, and we will either rearrange for a different time that day, or a different date. 

What happens after the shoot?

After the shoot I give you your goody bag! I’ll always try and have products samples with me so that you can check them out and have a think about what will be best for your home. I’ll then choose the very best images of each setup we have done, and then edit them to a high standard – either 25 or 35 images for your gallery depending on your package.  About a week later I’ll call you to talk you through your online gallery and how to use it and give advice on any products you have been thinking about. 

So what are you waiting for! Click here 👉🏻 shoot details to choose your session & lets get you booked in!

Kerry x

Working with Dog Brands

This year I have been doing more dog brand photoshoots and I have been LOVING it. There was one thing I promised myself when I decided to help brands with their product photography, whether it’s collars or beds, I knew I wanted to make sure that I only work with people who had a similar ethos to me, who’s products I personally really like.

Choosing who to work with

Because I share so many of my images on social media, I felt that if I were to put something up of a product that I personally wouldn’t buy, it would feel a wrong, especially if any of the people who follow my pages or blog bought something which was substandard.

Say Hello to Ollie & Co

With that in mind, welcome Ollie & Co, the newest brand to be photographed by Fur & Fables!  After speaking with Kirsty, I really liked her enthusiasm and clear vision of what she wanted for her brand. Not only does she make luxurious velvet collars & bow ties, she’s also branching out to provide you dog owners out there with products for the home too, from dog grooming to gorgeous smelling candles.

Tailoring the photoshoot

In our initial chat, as well as some indoor shots, Kirsty thought that her collars were suited for a more ‘town’ environment so I stepped away from my usual locations in the countryside and turned to a couple of the pretty cafe’s and streets in Midhurst & Haslemere. I have to say, I’m super happy with how the photographs turned out! 

Although I have a dog model database & can source other breeds, Kirsty decided my hounds would be all she needed, and they did me proud! In particular, Shadow really is nailing the modelling malarky, he is so enthusiastic about working for treats.

If you have a dog brand and you’d like to raise yourself above the competition and would like to work with me, drop me an email to kerry@furandfables.com. I can send you my pricing plan and we can set up a chat about how I can also help with your social media reach. You don’t even need to travel for the shoot if you are happy to send me the products like Kirsty did! Kerry x

Dog Photographer based on the Sussex, Surrey & Hampshire borders.

A few weeks ago, I asked my lovely Facebook community a question; ‘If you were to book a dog photoshoot, how would you like to view your images?’. The options were either at home and I call to talk you through your gallery, or in my She Shed where you can relax with a cup of tea or a Gin & Tonic and view products too. 

Welcome to the She Shed

The overwhelming response was to have the viewing in the She Shed! I love the fact that people wanted a place where they can physically see the products because, more than anything I want for my lovely clients to have all the information they need before ordering products.

Dog Friendly!

The great thing is, the garden is completely secure so you can bring your dog to the viewing too! There’s plenty for your hound to sniff or just chill out in one of the chairs while you sit, relax with your drink and see your images for the first time.

 
Making viewing easier

At the moment the viewing takes place on an iPad – I’m thinking a medium wall mounted screen may make viewing easier. A couple of clients have been brilliant and agreed to write up any improvements I can make. But overall, I’m super pleased with the setup and being  with you as you view your images for the first time is pretty special! 

Want to book a shoot? You can order vouchers direct from the website or drop me an email to Kerry@furandfables.com if you have any questions! I’m based on the Sussex, Surrey & Hampshire borders. If you are further away, don’t worry! I have people booking from all over the UK, if you have your shoot local to me, we can pop into the She Shed and you can view the products on the day. 

Kerry 

Dogstival Dogs Gallery

Meet some of the hounds who visited the Fur & Fables stall over the weekend. Did you go? What did you think? I have to admit, I’m exhausted but loved every single second! Kerry x