Planning a pet photography shoot at your home.

/ Terri J Photography/

This week’s theme for the  52 week photo challenge in which I am participating, together with some wonderful dog photographers from around the world, is “No Place Like Home”

Pet photographers usually have their preference of doing photo sessions at beautiful outdoor locations or indoor studios.  But there are of course times when it is not feasible to take a pet out of its home,  or perhaps the owners simply prefer to have their pet portraits done in a familiar place.

Cat photography is usually done at the client’s home.

End of Life sessions, where I take photos of a dog in it’s final stages of life, are in most cases done at home too.

Whatever the reason, there is no denying that there is no place like home!

Girl and her peppy photographed at home in front of a Christmas Tree

This sweet girl had a pet photography session at her home with her new puppy.


How do you prepare for your pet photography session at your home in the Toronto area?

  • Choose a room that has lots of window light. This is especially important if your photographer uses only natural light in her work.

  • Make sure the place is completely free of clutter. Tidy up and put as many items as you can out of sight

  • Be prepared for the photographer to possibly move some furnishings around to better frame your dog or cat or to make use of available light.

  • A day to two before your session, have your pup nicely bathed and groomed. Some people groom their cats too.

That’s it! Now that you have your home ready for the pet photography session, relax, enjoy the session and look forward to receiving your beautiful gallery from which you may choose your print enlargements, custom designed album or stunning wall art showcasing your pet!

This Ontario Minister of the Provincial Parliament, Christine Hogarth, required a picture of herself with her pets for a fund-raising calendar.  I photographed them in the garden of her Toronto home.  The cat did us a favour and stayed for one picture and then took off not to be found again!

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Daisy, a little Miniature Daschund from Pompano Beach, Florida,  was happy to go outside for her photo shoot, but her Mom wanted some at home indoor photos as well. Here she is on her favourite place, the bed




In many cases where a beloved pet is ill, it is difficult to take them out or even move them, so in those cases we take the photos at home. This Rottweiler was old and sick. So I went to their home in Oakville, Ontario for a Christmas pet photography session.  At the same time I took a few photos of his adorable little friend!

THIS CUTE KITTEN, TOGETHER WITH HER SIBLINGS HAD A PET PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION AT HER HOME IN THE TORONTO AREA.

If you would like to enquire about an at home pet photography session in or around the Toronto or South Florida area, please feel free to contact me. I would love to come over and meet your dogs or cats and create some timeless memories.

Thank you for reading and please head on over to check out the next blog in our pet photographer’s circle for more on this subject and some great pet photos.

Jo Lyons Photography, the down-to-earth dog loving photographer for cherished dogs of Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and the Great Lakes Region of NSW