pet portrait of golden retriever puppy, copyright Anne Lord PhotographyAnne Lord Photography

Tips To Prepping Your Pet For Their Big Photoshoot

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Pet photography is all about celebrating the moments with your pet that matter the most to you. It is a way to enjoy your pet now, as well as holding onto those special memories with your most hairy family member later. Anne Lord, as an avid pet lover herself, enjoys capturing those moments and unique relationship between pet and family member. Bringing you and your family a special way to honor your love for your special pet through her photography. 

So maybe it’s your first time having a pet professionally photographed. Maybe you’ve had it done before and loved the photos so much you wanted more. Whatever the situation, the day is quickly approaching for your pet’s big photoshoot! Here are 4 quick tips to help prepare your pet for the camera.

Tip #1  Gauge your pet’s energy

If you have a high energy furry friend getting some exercise is especially important. Taking them out for playtime, or a walk before your session can help your pet be more relaxed and focused during their photo session. However, if your pet is an older one, they may need some extra rest, maybe even a little nap, before their big moment. You know your 4-legged friend best and what would help them feel relaxed, so you can plan accordingly. 

Tip #2  A few of their favorite things

Prior to your pet’s photoshoot, take the time to collect a few of their favorite treats and toys. Some various treats to help direct your animal’s attention when posing is immensely helpful! Pick out some of their favorite toys, and maybe pick out some new ones in a color that would pop. Toys can always help encourage your pet to make some of their adorable or playful expressions in front of the camera. It might also be a good idea to bring a long your furry friends brush for grooming, waste bags (just in case) and anything else that you think best for your pet!

Tip #3  Grooming needs

Depending on your pet’s breed, grooming needs can vary. Whether you groom your furry friend at home or take your pet to a groomer, plan ahead to have your pet groomed and trimmed before your photo session. For example, if you pet has that scruffy look with hair that can cover the eyes, a trim will help frame their face, and make it easier to capture their facial expressions when hair is not in the way. 

Tip #4  Most of all have fun! 

The most important tip is to have fun with your pet! This allows to get those great shots of expression of love and joy between you and your pet. To capture your unique and special relationship with your furry friend in images that will last a lifetime!

Choose Anne Lord for your photography needs today

If you are interested in pet photography in the Leesburg, Virginia area, would like high quality photograph as well as a great experience capturing special moments with your pet, then let’s start a discussion. Call (703) 435-5292 or email Anne@annelordphotography.com for more information on pet portrait sessions.

Golden puppy sitting in grass | Northern VA Family Photography | Anne Lord PhotographyAnne Lord Photography

Tips for Including Your Pet in Your Next Family Photo Session

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With any photography session, there are simple preparations you can follow to ensure a fun time and successful results. The same holds true when you want to include your pet(s) in your family portraits. Family and pet photographer, Anne Lord, is an avid pet lover and enjoys including furry 4-legged family members well! 

With over 21 years of experience in photography, Anne has a few tips and tricks up her sleeve to help you prepare your pet for your next family photo session.

Practice commands and tricks 

When planning a photo-op with your pet, it is always great to brush up on commands your pet knows to helps things run smoothly. Although not entirely necessary, a “sit”, “stay”, or “down” can go a long way with helping the success of a portrait session.

If your pet has a special trick or cute pose, you may want to include it in photographs as well. Practicing it with your pet beforehand will keep the trick fresh in your pet’s mind.

Golden puppy leaping from stone wall | Northern VA Family Photography | Anne Lord Photography

Exercise your pet before the session

It is so important that your pet, especially dogs, have an opportunity to release their energy (some people call it “zoomies”) to get it out of their system before the session. Long walks, a jog around the block, a chance to run around at the dog park with other pets, all can make a difference. This will help your pet to relax, be focused, and not bounce off the walls in excitement.

Owners also should prepare for the session

Animals are very sensitive to our emotions and attitudes. If owners go into a session with a calm, positive state of mind, it will set the stage for how your pet and the rest of the family will respond. One thing to remember is to be flexible. It is ok if things don’t go exactly as planned. If you go with the flow, your family and your pet will too. Anne also has the experience to bring a level of calm to the session, which will help as well.

Whether you are preparing for a pet, family, or combined session, you will probably already have picked out your outfit or a family theme. If you are also including your pet, you will want to also prepare his or her “look”. Start with a good grooming, a bath and/or trim if possible. Clear any debris around the eyes of your pet, especially breeds that get tear stains. If your pet tends to get dandruff or shed, give them a good brush over before your session. 

Golden puppy running with purple toy | Northern VA Family Photography | Anne Lord Photography

Bring toys and treats

Another way to prepare your pet for a session is by bringing their favorite treats and toys. It is great to bring those special treats, the delicious ones that your pet may not get very often. The kind of treat that your beloved furry friend will want to work for as a reward. If your pet has a favorite toy, bring it. Sometimes the best images can be of your pet enjoying that special toy! However, if your pet is very toy motivated, wait until your photographer asks you to bring the toy out. Otherwise, your pet could lose all focus and motivation.

Using a squeaker toy, or a toy that catches your pet’s attention can be very helpful to capture those head tilts and great expressions. However, you may want to use sparingly. Just like the favorite toy that could cause your pet to lose total focus, overuse of a squeaker toy or trigger phrases like “want to go outside?” or “where is mommy?” can cause your pet to become disinterested. 

Capturing expressions and interactions

Golden puppy on woman's shoulder | Northern VA Family Photography | Anne Lord Photography

Leesburg, Virginia photographer Anne Lord knows sometimes it is important to get down at eye level when posing clients with their pets to capture those special interactions and moments. If you are unsure what to do with your hands, pet your furry friend! A gentle hand on a pet looks great and is a natural interaction that can be captured and enjoyed for years to come. After all, the important thing is that your family and pet are captured forever in those happy moments between pet and owner, where tails are wagging, and smiles are from ear to ear.

Contact Anne Lord Photography for a fun, creative, family and pet portrait session

Immortalize your family with your special furry family member! View our pet portrait gallery and to learn more about your family and pet photography options, please contact Anne at anne@annelordphotography.com or 703-435-5292.

Outdoor pet photo shoots that are fun and creative through Anne Lord Photography in Leesburg, Virginia.Anne Lord Photography

Have A Fun, Creative, And Professional Photo Session With Your Special Pet This New Year!

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We all like to get professional photos taken with loved ones –  spouses or families. So why not also capture your beloved pet with a quality shoot as well! Our pets enrich our lives with their wagging tails and fun personalities. Whether you just got the most precious gift of a pet for the holidays or are ready to capture some new memories with a pet that has been by your side for a while, having professional portraits done of your beloved pets will be a memory you can keep forever.

Fun

If you received a new pet this holiday season, why not get a new photo shoot done with your pet every couple of years? Like yearly baby photos, it is a fun way to always have those precious moments from every phase of your pet’s life.

When we feel nostalgic, we like to return to our photos. Memories are priceless. They tell the story of our lives, and our animals are a part of our lives. Animals don’t last forever, no matter how much we wish they did. It is great to be able to get photo opportunities while we have these special family members with us and are able to see their special personalities shining through.

Creative

Just like getting a family portrait, you can get creative and have fun with your animals photography session. Decide what kind of images you want; do you want casual outdoor photos? Would you like studio photos that will sit nicely with the kids’ school photos? Maybe you want to surprise a loved one with fun pictures of their pet dressed up for a holiday like Valentine’s day or St. Patrick’s day. Or you just want some fun action shots of your pet playing games or interacting with your family. Leesburg, Virginia pet photographer, Anne Lord, is an avid pet lover able to capture images of pets and their special personalities.

Professional

With professional family photos that include your special pet, or portraits of just your four-legged friend, you can have unique and personalized decor for your home. There is no store-bought photo that can mean more than having a custom-made piece of art that is your cat or dog.

Another benefit of having a professional take your pet portrait, is if you are usually the one taking the pictures of your pet. Having a pet photographer lets you be in the picture and your relationship with your pet be the focus.

A professional photographer will also have the training, equipment, and experience to produce gallery quality portraits. With an experienced pet photographer, such as Anne Lord, local to the Leesburg, Virginia area, you can expect images with great lighting, details, and softness. By using an experienced photographer for your pet portraits, you can get finely tuned, high end, striking images that display you and your pets personality and bond.

Anne Lord Photography for a fun, creative, professional pet portrait session

You will always want to take your own photos of your pets in the moment, but for the purpose of creating important keepsakes or immortalizing your special furry family member, only a Leesburg, Virginia professional pet photographer can bring you the quality you desire. Anne is scheduling outdoor, seasonal, and fun photo sessions for January and February. To learn more about your pet photography options, please contact anne@annelordphotography.com or o703-435-5292.

anne lord pet photography christmas photosAnne Lord Photography

Has your pet ever been professionally photographed?

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If you are a pet owner, then you most likely are an animal lover. Our pets enrich our lives with their wagging tails and fun personalities. Just like we want to have professional pictures of the loved ones in our lives, whether a family portrait or a wedding, having professional portraits done of your beloved pets will be a memory you can keep forever. Experienced Leesburg, Virginia wedding photographer, Anne Lord, loves to capture images of pets and their special personalities.

A professional touch

Most people take photos, but don’t think or have the skills to print images from phones, or even digital cameras. The results are sometimes iffy, too. A professional pet photographer on the other hand will ensure that you get amazing photographs of your favorite furry friend that showcases their personality and has them looking their best.  With the technique and creativity that Anne Lord brings to engagement and wedding events, you will be sure to get the very best images of your pet that you can hang with pride among the rest of your family portraits.

Get creative

As with a family portrait, you can get creative and have fun with your animal’s photography session. Decide what kind of images you want: Do you want casual outdoor photos? Would you like studio photos that will sit nicely with the kids’ school photos? Do you need show photos of your pet for their portfolio? Or how about some fun action shots of your pet playing games or interacting with your family? Anne Lord, a local Leesburg, Virginia photographer, is an avid pet lover and has years of experience producing the best images of her furry clients. If you are not sure you’d like your pet to look in the photos, don’t worry, Anne’s artistic vision will produce images and memories of your pet that will last a lifetime.

Don’t wait until it is too late

The sad fact of life is that we usually outlive our pets. When your pet is no longer with you, having professional photographs of your loved one brings comfort during the grieving process. No matter the age of your pet right now, if you have not tried professional pet photography, now is the perfect time to start. You may also want to consider a portrait of you and/or the rest of your family in the pet portrait. Having a professional picture that captures your special bond and relationship with your pet is a keepsake you will never regret having captured with a camera.

Anne Lord Photography, fun pet portrait sessions

Anne Lord enjoys photographing pets and capturing their unique personalities. Outdoor sessions in the Leesburg, Virginia area are ideal right now. Consider a pet portrait for holiday greeting cards and gift giving. To learn more about pet photography with Anne, please contact me at anne@annelordphotography.com or 703-435-5292.

Anne Lord Photography

3 Reasons To Schedule Your Pet For A Portrait Session

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We all love to take pictures of our family pets when a cute or playful moment presents itself. However, high end photography is hard to achieve when taken with your personal camera or smartphone. It is also impossible to achieve the same quality resolution that a professional photographer can.

Anne Lord is not only a Leesburg, Virginia wedding photographer, but an avid pet lover, who enjoys photographing pets and capturing their unique personalities. Here are three reasons to schedule your beloved pet for a portrait session.

1) Your pet is a part of your family

Pets – they grow up with us, share everyday with us, they are a part of us. Whether you want to capture your playful puppies or kittens before they grow up (which they do all too fast) or have a portrait taken of a faithful pet who is nearing the rainbow bridge; have a professional photographer capture your furry family member’s image.

We all like to get professional photos taken with loved ones, like spouses or families. So why not also capture your beloved pet with a quality shoot as well! If you are usually the one taking the pictures of your pet, sometimes it is hard to be in the photo yourself. Having a pet photographer gives you an opportunity to be participate in the picture and your relationship with your pet be the focus. Pet photography may seem like a little bit of luxury. However, once you capture those special moments and bit of personality with your pet, you will have value them forever.

2) Gallery quality pet portraits

With professional family photos that include your special pet, or portraits of just your four-legged friend, you can have unique and personalized decor for your home. There is no store-bought photo that can mean more than having a custom-made piece of art that is of your cat or dog.

A professional photographer will have the training, equipment, and experience to produce gallery quality portraits. With an experienced pet photographer, such as Anne Lord, local to the Leesburg, Virginia area, you can expect images with great lighting, details, and softness that a point-and-shoot camera or smartphone cannot achieve. By using an experienced photographer for your pet portraits, you can get finely tuned, high end, striking images that display you and your pet’s personality and bond.

3) Priceless memories of your pet that are forever

When we feel nostalgic, we like to return to our photos. Memories are priceless. They tell the story of our lives, and our animals are a part of our lives. Animals do not last forever, no matter how much we wish they did. It is great to be able to get photo opportunities while we have these special family members with us. Why not get a new photo shoot done with your pet every couple of years, when they are still strong and healthy, so that when they do pass, you will have those precious moments from every phase of their life.

Anne Lord Photography for a fun, creative pet portrait session

You will always want to take your own photos of your pets in the moment, but for the purpose of creating important keepsakes or immortalizing your special furry family member, only a professional pet photographer can bring you the quality you desire.

To learn more about pet photography options, please contact me at anne@annelordphotography.com or 703-435-5292.