Questions about dog photography in Brooklyn and Manhattan
Plain answers to the questions people ask before, during and after a session. If yours isn't here, ask it in your inquiry.
Before you book
Where do sessions take place?
Sessions with Puparazzi Brooklyn take place in one of three settings: a home studio in Williamsburg, outdoors in Brooklyn or Manhattan, or at the client’s home. In Brooklyn, on-location and in-home sessions cover Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick and Park Slope; in Manhattan, Central Park is the obvious place for an on-location session. If you live elsewhere in Brooklyn, mention it in your inquiry.
Do you photograph dogs in Manhattan?
Yes, Puparazzi Brooklyn offers on-location dog photography sessions in Manhattan, and Central Park is the obvious place for one. Studio sessions take place at the home studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and in-home sessions are in Brooklyn only.
How much does a dog photography session cost?
Puparazzi Brooklyn has three packages, from $450 to $1,250, and each one includes everything: the session, the editing, your digital files and the framed artwork you take home. There is no separate session fee and nothing more to buy afterwards. The first ten clients get the Signature package for $500 under the founding client offer. Every price is listed on the pricing page.
Is there a deposit?
Yes, booking a Puparazzi Brooklyn session takes a deposit of
How far ahead should I book?
Book a dog photography session about Weekends and the weeks before the holidays fill first, so book earlier for those dates, and earlier still if you want holiday cards.
Do you photograph cats and other pets?
Yes, Puparazzi Brooklyn photographs other pets as well as dogs, including Most sessions are with dogs, so describe your pet in your inquiry.
Where is the studio?
The Puparazzi Brooklyn studio is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The studio is a room in my home, so its street address isn’t published; I send the address once you’ve booked.
Do you offer gift cards?
Yes. You pick a package, or a holiday mini-session while the pop-up is running, and I send a printed card or a digital one by email. The card does not expire and there is no fee for holding on to it, so they book whenever they like. A holiday card that goes unused becomes credit towards any other session. They redeem it by emailing me or mentioning the card number in the booking form. Printed cards have to be ordered by 18 December to arrive in time; a digital one can be sent at any point. The gift cards page explains how to buy one.
Preparing for your shoot
What should I bring to my dog's photo session?
For a dog photo session, bring your dog’s favorite treats, a toy that reliably gets their attention, and the collar or harness you want in the photographs. For long-coated dogs a brush helps, and for an on-location session bring your usual leash.
Which type of session should I choose?
Choose a studio session if your dog settles quickly indoors, an on-location session if your dog is calmer outside, and an in-home session if your dog is older, anxious or doesn’t travel well. If you’re not sure, choose “Not sure yet” on the booking form and describe your dog. Each session is described on the sessions page.
Should I groom my dog before the session?
Groom or bathe your dog a few days before a photo session, not on the same day, so the coat has time to settle. Trimmed nails and clean eyes show in close-ups; anything more is optional.
Should my dog be tired or hungry before the session?
Walk your dog before a photo session, but skip a long run and a big meal. A slightly tired dog settles well, and a dog that hasn’t just eaten still works for treats.
What should I wear if I'm in the photographs?
If you’re in your dog’s photographs, wear plain clothes in muted colors that don’t compete with your dog’s coat, and avoid logos and busy patterns. Choose clothes you can sit on the floor in, because many photographs are taken at your dog’s eye level.
Can a nervous dog still have a session?
Yes, a nervous dog can still have a good photo session. Mention your dog’s nerves in your inquiry: an in-home session often suits anxious dogs, and the session starts slowly so your dog can get used to me and the camera.
During the session
How long does a session last?
That depends on the package rather than the place: 60, 75 or 90 minutes, depending on the package. The longer sessions leave room for you to be in the photographs alongside your dog, and for moving between spots.
What if my dog won't sit still?
A dog that won’t sit still is normal and doesn’t spoil a photo session. Sessions move at the dog’s pace, with breaks and treats, and many good photographs are taken while the dog is moving. If your dog is nervous around strangers or new places, say so when you inquire so I can plan around it, for example with an in-home session.
Can other dogs or people be in the photographs?
Yes, other dogs and people can be in the photographs. Mention them in your inquiry so the session can be planned for everyone;
Will the leash show in the photographs?
The leash is kept out of the photographs wherever possible, by choosing spots and angles that hide it. Bring your usual leash; working around it is my job, not yours.
What happens if it rains on the day of an on-location session?
If weather rules out an on-location session,
What happens if my dog has a bad day?
A session can be moved once at no cost, as long as you tell me at least 48 hours beforehand, which covers most bad days.
After the session
When will I see my photographs?
You see your finished photographs at your viewing, within 7 days of the session. There you choose which photographs go in the package you booked; the framed print, and the magazine if your package has one, are made to order and arrive two weeks later.
What happens at the viewing?
The viewing is the appointment after your session where you see the finished photographs and choose which ones go in your package. I take you through them and help you pick the frames that suit your walls. Nothing is sold at the viewing: your package was paid for when you booked, so there is no decision about money to make while you are looking at pictures of your dog.
Do I get digital files of my photographs?
Yes. Every package includes digital files of the photographs you choose: five with Essential, fifteen with Signature and thirty with Heirloom. Keep one of them on your phone too: a clear, recent photograph of your dog is the most useful thing you can leave with a sitter, which is why it is on my checklist for finding a dog sitter in Brooklyn.
How long do prints and magazines take to arrive?
The framed print in your package, and the magazine if it has one, arrive two weeks after your viewing. Each piece is made to order. A holiday mini-session works differently and is quicker: the photographs arrive 3 to 5 days after the session, and the printed cards 5 to 7 days after you pick the one they are made from.