I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST...
Whenever photographers start talking about the value of professional photos, it's easy to roll your eyes. "Not another annoying photographer hitting me with a sales pitch!" I get it, but hear me out...
When I tell you that you truly can't replicate or compete with a skilled eye, years of experience, understanding lighting in all different scenarios, and not to mention working with dogs... it's the absolute truth.
Every ethical puppy litter begins a long time before the pups even arrive. Their health needs to be checked, the breeders need to plan ahead, there are many sleepless nights, stress and round the clock cleaning - not to mention the veterinary care to ensure all puppies are in optimal health prior to being sent off to their new homes for life. To say breeders pour their heart and soul into these puppies to ensure they get the best start in life is an understatement.
When it comes to photos of the puppies, it's my job to make sure that your quality care, passion, dedication and above all else - the LOVE you have given to this litter from day one, shines through in every single photo I take. These are the first images potential families view that are considering welcoming the pups into their home, and it's so important for all of these aspects to be highlighted. Their character, individual personalities, condition (ie fur, eyes etc) can all be seen much more clearly from a professional camera setup compared to a smart phone image.
And don't get me wrong, the smart phones of today have some incredible capabilities and have come a long way, but... let the above images speak for themselves. While they are both CUTE, the personality of this beautiful 8 week old Boston Terrier puppy and her overall condition just doesn't quite shine through for me as it does in the first professional image. Her eyes are so bright, she's engaging with me, I can see her beautiful colouring and fur extremely well. The ability to be able to edit the images post photoshoot is incredibly important too, which makes the puppy stand out even more.
1. First impressions matter
As we discussed above, these are the images your potential families will be seeing to see if the pup looks like a good fit for their forever home. Clear, beautifully lit images immediately make a litter look loved, well cared for and above all - professional.
2. put their personality on show!
Professional photos are such a powerful way to show off a puppy's personality - whether they are looking relaxed, curious or confident. And not to mention those gorgeous little head tilts when they are trying to figure out new sounds in their new little world. It all makes a potential family connect with the puppies in the litter before even viewing them.
3. build trust with potential owners
High quality images offer consistency on your feed and reflects the amount of undeniable care and love you put into these litters. They can see that you invest time and care and only want the best for their long, healthy lives ahead.
4. memories for you to cherish
And don't forget the most important one of all - once these gorgeous bundles of love head off to their new homes, those early images become memories, but more importantly part of your legacy as a breeder. You can look back on these images, continue to share them on your pages and build up your own albums of past litters.
5. quality content for your platforms
Whether it's for Instagram, Facebook or your very own website, a single professional photography session can provide photos for all the platforms that you showcase your litters on. This makes your pages look consistent, professional and show all of the investment that you have put into these puppies.
so...
Next time you hear us photographers talking about the importance of professional photos, don't disregard us just yet ;) There really is so much more happening behind the camera than just simply pointing it at the puppy and clicking a button.
