Contemplating Pet Photography
I’ve been thinking about ways to earn a little extra income over the next few months and I hit upon the idea of doing Pet Photography. This is one of those ideas that is still in it’s infancy and not really completely thought through yet. So today on a whim I had a little photo session with Keena to see what would happen. I captured the image above that I really liked.
I happen to be pretty decent with animals. I have 2 cats and a puppy right now and I love both animals and photography with a slant in the artistic direction.
I have a decent (decent for point and shoot) camera that I could use and have patience to play with the animals as well.
Let me show a few of the images I have taken. I only did minimal editing on these.
You have the one above of Keena then here are a few more.
I took this one today as well.
I did this about a week ago when I caught them sleeping together.
This is my puppy Dugal.
Dugal up close and really sleepy.
Hey, it’s an animal right?
and last but not least, one I took at the Zoo awhile back that I am proud of.
These Tigers were a little hard to capture behind the glass, but I think it turned out great.
Nov 24th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
You my friend have captured the essence of cat in that first image. You can’t improve on that one. Anyone who has a cat can relate.
Photographing cats is great because cats have only good sides. They don’t say “oh no, not that side; that’s my bad side.” Or: “your photograph is so sharp it makes me look like I have a lot of wrinkles.” And you answer: “but your are 62 years old Mame and they look lovely on you.”
Cats rock!
John
Nov 24th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Thanks John,
I was just reading your biography again. I noticed something I hadn’t before, that you are a full-time painter. That is more of a dream for me at this stage but I am curious what kind of painting schedule you keep in order to maintain income? You’ve been painting full-time for six years now from what I gathered. Any insights for someone wanting to head in that direction.
Nov 24th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Hey William,
In the last couple years I have not been full-time at painting because I had established an artisan business that brought in more consistent dollars. So while I did that I found myself focusing less on the painting business. I had to give the artisan business up though due to some physical problems. Perhaps my body was telling me something, and I’m trying to listen.
During the time I was full-time at painting, my schedule was approximately 6 hours per day 5 to 6 days per week. Between times of course, being an artist, my mind and spirit were always on duty.
The key for me at the time was to have enough current works of a consistent nature coming out of the studio, combined with adequate representation for the production. I was in three galleries in different geographic locations. That worked for me financially, but during the time I neglected mt art business, I allowed them to slip away. If you don’t keep producing and marketing, you don’t sell.
So here I am now. I am back to my art, but this time I want it to be part of a cohesive multi-discipline strategy. I will be developing another web site to share my thoughts on this, that, and the other, and I will be changing up the art. Somehow the art will be part of the new site, though I am not certain as yet just how. Most importantly, I want to paint the images that I feel deep inside me, more directly and consistently than I have in the past. This is largely a matter of courage.
So as you can see, I am not in a position to offer any concrete advice from my current perspective. All I can say is, “effort produces results.” The other piece of advice would be to, “be kind to others but ruthless with yourself in judging your work.” Always think: “how can I express this more directly and simpler?”
The main thing is to get used to obtaining gallery representation (good ones), and if you like, experimenting with large shows where you rent a booth and set up your display for a weekend and sell your work. Several artists I know make their entire living (and a good one) doing these shows. It all depends where your personality and interests direct you.
The web is good for letting the world know you exist, but quite poor as yet in selling paintings, except at the low end of the price range, i.e. eBay.
Cheers,
John
Nov 25th, 2007 at 12:12 am
That line
poses probably one of the most difficult questions for me. I struggle a lot with my art playing with abstract forms and also more traditional elements trying to find the appropriate voice to portray the visions that I feel churning within me. I’ve dabbled in everything from 3d computer aided design to sculpture and have yet to find what works for me. Photography for me probably is my easy out, because it it just capturing what is there the way I see it but it fails at it’s most basic level of expression. I think I am looking for a way to breakthrough that barrier. I know there is a way. As for gallery representation, I have enough time for that (I think) once I have a concrete form that I can work with and produce the quality of work that I would feel comfortable with. Or maybe I should move in that direction now? Maybe in seeing the reactions to my work I may find some answers too?
Nov 25th, 2007 at 1:56 am
Hi William,
If you are not yet satisfied with your work, then I wouldn’t approach a gallery. It’s best not to use them to get feedback from. The first impression is tough to overcome. You want it to be good. Galleries want to deal with artists who have found their niche, and are consistently producing work in the same style.
For artists who strive to unleash the beauty or beast within, it is a slow process to find the voice. Sometimes a person can benefit by locking themselves away in the studio with a slew of canvases and lots of paint, for a month or so. Even a retreat of sorts in some cabin in the woods where you can be alone and just paint. You might go mad of course :-), or perhaps that inner vision will break out and spill all over your canvas.
I think if you brain-stormed ideas like that to come up with a liberating exercize, you will find a few that might work for you. Some say that working on a series of paintings on the same theme helps to dig deeper into expression and techniques.
The only thing I can say for sure is, don’t begin in a gallery before you are producing what you will want to continue to develop. Galleries, and particularly regular sales, will lock you into that expression. If it’s not THE ONE, you can see how that would be a problem.
Cheers,
John
Dec 18th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Hi William, Photographing pets is a very profitable business for me and many others. It’s really simple and easy to get 10 to 20 photo bookings per week. Sessions take just 20 - 30 minutes to shoot and my sales average is close to $160 per session. My total cost per session is under $20 leaving a profit of $140.00 I encourage you to pursue starting your own part time pet photography business. Very easy to earn at least $500 per shoot day!
Cheers,
Steve Shulenski
Feb 17th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I think you have the talent. I would pay you for photographing our dog. $160, no doubts. So go for it
The tiger photo is absolutely magnificent…
Feb 25th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
[...] is an animal. I know of at least four other cocker spaniels besides my own. Even though I contemplated pet photography awhile back myself, there is a photographer close by in Newark who can do probably a much better [...]