# To be a dog photographer or not?



## tecboy (May 24, 2017)

So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?


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## limr (May 24, 2017)

Do you want to be a dog photographer? Then do it. 
If not, then don't.


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## tirediron (May 24, 2017)

What she ^^ said.  If you want it, go for it.  Just make sure you go into it with your eyes open and realizing how much it will cost to get started and how much time is required to be devoted to business and how little behind the camera.


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## pixmedic (May 24, 2017)

what kind of dog photography are you talking about?

lifestyle style?



labrador portrait by pixmedic, on Flickr




DSC_4559 by pixmedic, on Flickr

or formal style?



 






honestly though...i have no idea what sort of answer you are looking for. 
approval? startup ideas? whether or not we think the idea is even feasible?

heres the best i can do...
its easy for other people to say "hey, start a dog photography business". 
do you ever have a good meal cooked for you and then tell them they should open a restaurant?
do you tell every friend that bakes they should start a cookie or cake business?
are any of the people saying you should start this photography business knowledgeable enough about both photography _*and *_the dog photography market that they are making an informed suggestion?

are you planning on doing this in accordance with your local business statutes or strictly under the table?
have you done any research into what you will need to do dog photography? will you only photograph dogs or will you branch out to other pets as well?
do you have a price model yet? where will you do the photography? will you need additional equipment from what you already have?
do you understand animal grooming or will you outsource that? is there a viable market in your area for pet portraits? have you worked out a CODB so you can set your rates? 

before you can even ask yourself if you _*should*_ start a dog photography business, you should already have those questions answered, because many of those questions will make or break a business plan. 
of course, this only really matters if you actually _*want*_ to do pet photography. 

if this was a tl;dr post and you skipped to the end to see if there was a golden nugget waiting in the last few sentences, here it is. 

if you want to do dog photography....do it. 
you're not quitting your job to try it, so it won't cost you your livelihood to give it a go. 
if you think there's a legit chance to make some money, I say go for it. 
just make sure all your business bases are covered because it will only take one irate, irrational, and vengeful customer to throw a legal monkey wrench in your little endeavor.


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## Designer (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> ..people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?


Right.

People who know very little about the professional dog photographing business.

Right.

IMO, if you get really good at it, the ones you'll be photographing are show winners who post their dog's photo above the price for fees or puppies.  That's when you'll have a business that will be profitable.

Meanwhile, don't quit your day job.  Dog lovers (pet lovers) would be happy to have a good photograph of their pets, but probably would not be willing to pay you well enough to compensate you for your time. 

Think of it as a fun sideline that would help you meet girls.  If you volunteer for a dog shelter (free photos) then you will have more girls than you need.


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## tecboy (May 24, 2017)

pixmedic said:


> what kind of dog photography are you talking about?
> 
> lifestyle style?
> 
> ...



My pics are better than yours, tbh.


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## pixmedic (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> pixmedic said:
> 
> 
> > what kind of dog photography are you talking about?
> ...



cool. then you should make way more money than the meager $250 sitting fee I got for mine.


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## smoke665 (May 24, 2017)

Here's a thought for you to get some experience and to get your name out. 1 get some business cards printed 2. Contact the local animal shelters in your area and offer to do free photos of the pets up for adoption once per week, in return for you being allowed to leave your business cards. Word will get out, you'll gain valuable experience working with strange animals, and you'll be doing something good. 

Once you feel ready see if the shelters will let you do a photo day, where people can bring in their pets for a photo package, with part of the profits going to the shelter. The shelters generally advertise these type of events on their web site and people share the crap out them on FB. After a few of these you should be able to start booking on your own


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## tecboy (May 24, 2017)

smoke665 said:


> Here's a thought for you to get some experience and to get your name out. 1 get some business cards printed 2. Contact the local animal shelters in your area and offer to do free photos of the pets up for adoption once per week, in return for you being allowed to leave your business cards. Word will get out, you'll gain valuable experience working with strange animals, and you'll be doing something good.
> 
> Once you feel ready see if the shelters will let you do a photo day, where people can bring in their pets for a photo package, with part of the profits going to the shelter. The shelters generally advertise these type of events on their web site and people share the crap out them on FB. After a few of these you should be able to start booking on your own



Been there, done that!  I used to volunteer at my local shelter, but forbidden me to take pictures of there dogs, because I used flash.


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## smoke665 (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> Been there, done that! I used to volunteer at my local shelter, but forbidden me to take pictures of there dogs, because I used flash.



Outside or natural light??


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## jcdeboever (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> smoke665 said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a thought for you to get some experience and to get your name out. 1 get some business cards printed 2. Contact the local animal shelters in your area and offer to do free photos of the pets up for adoption once per week, in return for you being allowed to leave your business cards. Word will get out, you'll gain valuable experience working with strange animals, and you'll be doing something good.
> ...



Don't use flash


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## tecboy (May 24, 2017)

smoke665 said:


> tecboy said:
> 
> 
> > Been there, done that! I used to volunteer at my local shelter, but forbidden me to take pictures of there dogs, because I used flash.
> ...





jcdeboever said:


> tecboy said:
> 
> 
> > smoke665 said:
> ...



It was a long story.  There was a lot of debates going on in this shelter.  I asked them there are several ways to take good pics without using flash.  At least, I had a privilege to volunteer for a year.


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## smoke665 (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> It was a long story. There was a lot of debates going on in this shelter. I asked them there are several ways to take good pics without using flash.



Sounds like more that just the flash as an issue. Always other shelters.


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## smoke665 (May 24, 2017)

@pixmedic being a life long dog lover, I've never seen a picture of a fur kid I didn't like, but the last two in the series are my favorites. Especially the last one with the flag, I may have to appropriate that idea!


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## pixmedic (May 24, 2017)

smoke665 said:


> @pixmedic being a life long dog lover, I've never seen a picture of a fur kid I didn't like, but the last two in the series are my favorites. Especially the last one with the flag, I may have to appropriate that idea!



not like I have a patent on it or anything, so appropriate away!


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## table1349 (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?



My thoughts are, if you believe that you truly are prepared to do so, have sufficient talent and enough business knowledge to do so then do so.  Just don't be dog photographer, rather be a photographer that will shoot dogs if someone wants them to.  One of the problems with so many people that want to start a photography business because they love photography these days is they see one niche, learn a little about it, start their business and get stuck in so many ways. 

A photographer should be able to shoot just about anything competently.  They will have their interests and or fields that they prefer to shoot.  As with anything they will most likely excel in those preferred fields because the get more practice, but a well rounded photographer will have a much better chance in the business world than single focused person. 

Good luck and don't keep any dog treats in your pocket.


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## Braineack (May 24, 2017)

tecboy said:


> So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?


I suggest starting a poll here and do what the majority polls...

That's how I make my best life choices.


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## table1349 (May 24, 2017)

Braineack said:


> tecboy said:
> 
> 
> > So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?
> ...


Yeah, and we still haven't forgiven the guy that told you to go with that gray button down sweater as a turtleneck.


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## fmw (May 26, 2017)

I once had a horse association as a client so I did a lot of horse photography.  People love their animals and are anxious to have portraits of them.  Try hooking up with a local kennel club.


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## chuasam (May 26, 2017)

tecboy said:


> So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.


This isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.
just like a lot of people think that Orange is a great colour for a President.


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## dennybeall (May 27, 2017)

What can you offer the pet owner that they can't do for themselves?


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## TamiAz (May 27, 2017)

Most people don't know the technical side of photography and think any picture taken of their pet is amazing. There are a lot of portrait photographers out there that call themselves professionals, but in reality, they aren't. You should be asking experienced photographers for C&C if you want to improve and step up your game, but you better have a thick skin. I've been slammed plenty of times, but I took the advice given and used it to improve.


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## JoeW (May 27, 2017)

I have some experience with dog photography (and no, that does not mean "I've taken pictures of some dogs and people liked them.")  I also know a couple of photographers who do this (dog photography) as a profession.  Here is my advice:

1.  It is almost impossible to make a decent income just taking portraits of dogs.  If you're going to be a dog photographer, you need to shoot a lot more than just portraits.
2.  If you want to make enough money for the possibility of this being a profession, you need to get involved in canine sports.  That means...shooting agility, fly-ball, nose works, barn hunt, and other formal competitions.   So you're shooting a lot of action shots.  If you don't know what these sports are, then you need to do a LOT more research.   All of the canine photographers I know told me they got most of their portrait bookings from competitions where someone achieved something major (like their Masters title or a big Grand Prix win) and would pay for the action shots plus portraits to commemorate the special event.  I used to compete (in agility and nose work).  I never got any portraits done.  But I got action shots of my dog in 5 different agility trials.  So yes, canine photographers will make money selling portraits but they get those portraits by shooting competitions and they make most of their money (at least the ones I knew) from shooting competition/action shots of dogs.
3.  Shooting competitions means being wired in to those sports and circuits, traveling on weekends (usually overnight).  The three dog photographers I'm thinking of all have RVs or will pitch a tent (b/c most of these competitions run 2-3 days from sunrise to sunset or even midnight).


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## tecboy (May 28, 2017)

TamiAz said:


> You should be asking experienced photographers for C&C if you want to improve and step up your game, but you better have a thick skin. I've been slammed plenty of times, but I took the advice given and used it to improve.



Few years back, I was just talk.  It was amusing how members pissed off easily.


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## Dean_Gretsch (May 29, 2017)

" Pissing people off " is not something you want on your resume if you intend on making a living from photography. Likeability would serve you better.


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## JPI (May 30, 2017)

JoeW said:


> 2. If you want to make enough money for the possibility of this being a profession, you need to get involved



Even if it's just to get the shot one should be involved.  In almost any kind of action sport foreknowledge is a key element, it help in the timing of what's to come. ( my opinion )


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## bratkinson (May 31, 2017)

As mentioned earlier in this thread, making a profit is critical to the existence of a business.  In my opinion, making a career of dog photography or any other kind of photography is perhaps 50% photographic knowledge and skills and 50% business skills and savvy.

Like countless others before me, I've been told I should go into business taking pictures.  Only thing, 35 years ago I started my own business as a mainframe computer consultant and struggled just to have enough to eat.  It didn't hurt that I had a couple of semesters of college level accounting under my belt, either.  Two deadbeat non-paying customers that I had significant out-of-pocket expenses for sunk my company...sunk me, too...I lost everything but my car, computer, and furniture.  I had no choice but to go back to working for a contracting firm.  Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned was that marketing skills are far more important than technical skills, and even business skills.  I didn't have the money to hire any sales staff, and my 'business' was mostly due to my previously established reputation as a  programmer/analyst.

While it may seem like a good idea to be able to 'write off' expenses like a new lens, or a faster computer for editing your photos, they are all a part of a total business budget that includes everything from equipment costs to supplies to keeping the IRS happy.  Oh...getting PAID is a major issue, too!

It's hard to believe it's been 4.5 years already, but perhaps the best treatise I've found on making a business out of photography was written by a former TPF member, mleek (whatever happened to her?).  I bookmarked the thread and present it here.   Finding your CODB and your hourly rate...   Read it and consider all your costs.


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## dennybeall (Jun 3, 2017)

Great reference information. Another take on that is doing a formal BUSINESS PLAN. The data gathered in mleeks post all becomes part of the Business Plan.
The folks that fail are frequently those that do a Business Plan and then don't trust the plan. If you do the Plan well and it says the business is not viable THEN THE BUSINESS IS NOT VIABLE as planned.


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## rosh4u (Jun 7, 2017)

tecboy said:


> So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?


People do get attracted to animals like cat, dogs, etc.. a great deal and it shows from the fact that many of the top notch organizations use pictures, videos ad GIF's of animals to go Viral

So i guess you should go ahead with it. It will help you out a great deal  Hope it helps!


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## taking_moments_captive (Jun 7, 2017)

tecboy said:


> So, a lot of people who don't know anything about photography actually like my photos especially the nonprofit organizations.  They even call me a professional photographer.  Few years back, many of you slammed me real good.  Those of you who remembered.  I have not started my own bussines, yet.  I still have my current job and thinking about having a part time job as dog photographer.  I posted a few dog photos for critique.  I got a few likes, and I think that is a good thing.  However, people outside of the photo forum encourage me to start my own business as a dog photographer.  What is your thought in this?



My thought is that you seem like you want to do it so you should! Everyone has their critics. While I wouldn't advise giving up another job to pursue this...being a part time thing could allow you some time to experiment with how successful this endeavor may or may not be.


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