FAQs
Let's start with the Top 10!
Q. What areas do you serve?
A. I serve the entire Charleston area including, but not limited to, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Folly Beach, West Ashley, Johns Island, Goose Creek, Summerville, Moncks Corner, and Mount Pleasant areas of SC. Special exceptions can be made for other local travel - please call to discuss. I continue to travel to Northern VA seasonally for sessions and accept assignments in Fairfax City and Fairfax County (Falls Church, Herndon, Centreville areas), Arlington and Alexandria while I'm there. To inquire about or be waitlisted for a Northern Virginia session, please contact me.
Q. How long have you been in business?
A. I first opened a freelance creative business in November 2002 in Fairfax, VA, and began taking pet photos for a local shelter in January 2003. I was hooked and my client photography focus has been exclusively pets (and their people and pet events) since 2007. Now, more than two decades years later, I have met and photo'd literally tens of thousands of client and adoptable pets, had the amazing fortune to photo celebrities like Grammy award-winning Dan + Shay, Dean Felber of Hootie and The Blowfish, Brandon McMillan of CBS's Lucky Dog, Jackson Galaxy (the cat guy!) as well as local notables and prominent community members. And while that's all great and very cool, my favorites are the pets! (Sorry, humans!)
Q. My pet is a monster and I'm sure they won't behave for you! I have to keep Fluffy leashed at all times so she doesn't run away. How on earth would I do this?
A. Here's the thing. I've been doing this a long time and while the photos I post on socials or in the portfolio galleries may show off-leash dogs in open fields, or up on rocks, or romping in the surf, 90% of the time those owners thought their dogs were monsters too! Those pet parents were convinced their dog wouldn't do well in a session ... but we proved them wrong! Having worked with animals as long as I have, I have learned how to interact properly, and how to create a comfort zone for them. Unless we are in a secured space, I will have you keep them leashed and I'll worry with removing the leash digitally on any finals you select. Their safety and comfort level during a session are my main concerns.
Q. What is included in the session fee?
A. Custom photography session fee includes local travel to/from the appointment*, our shooting time, meticulous editing of your images to create a proof set, walking you through your selection process, along with the time associated with refining the images for your wall art, albums or prints/other products, ordering through my pro labs, quality checking upon arrival of products and preparing for final delivery to you! Prints and products are not included with the session fee unless there is a special offer specifically stating otherwise. In 2025, session rates include two upsized high resolution digitals and watermarked copies of the same images that clients select from their proof galleries. Clients then have the option to place additional orders for prints, products or other digitals. What you see is the hour we spend together, but what many people don't realize is that each session is usually a minimum 5-hour investment of my time before we even work on your order. (*A nominal travel charge may be applied for more than 40 round trip miles incurred in the Charleston area, or 25 miles round trip in the Northern VA area during seasonal appointments.) Also, certain Charleston area locations will incur a location premium charge for weekday morning sessions. Location options will be provided at the time you reserve your appointment. I have found that pets' attention spans don't last much longer than an hour - we will take the extra time if we need it, but it's usually not necessary. Shipping and handling, and state/local sales taxes are not included in special offers or session fees, but will be charged separately as required.
If there are park entrance fees or permits required, dlients will have the obligation to ensure these are paid for their session and the members of their party. I will, however, pay for my own park entrance and any associated parking fees I may incur. So basically, we are going Dutch!
The session ensures your pet will be the center of attention. They will earn healthy, natural treats and be showered with my affection, with your permission, of course.
I have had people inquire as to whether they would receive all their proof images as part of their session fee. Some have requested RAW images. The answer to both of these requests will always be NO. First, I don't develop all of the images shot, only my favorites. Then I pare it down even further before finalizing the proof gallery. Once I develop your images, your edited photos are safely stored and redundantly backed up, but the RAW files are then expired and no longer accessible.
Q. How does this work?
A. Basically, you tell me a little about your expectation and your pet(s). We will discuss your what you hope to achieve from the session. We can then determine a location and schedule an appointment. While I appreciate a secured (fenced) location so the pets can feel free to express themselves unrestrained, we have so many beautiful spots locally to consider. If we are in a park, it will be "safety first" so I will ask that they remain leashed and I can then deal with any leashes in editing. When you reserve your calendar spot, you will receive a Client Guide by email that may have helpful information for your session. Please take a moment to read it when you do.
If you are bringing two or more pets, you may be asked to bring a friend or handler to help manage them during the session.
A $50 deposit is required to hold the calendar slot for your session. I do accept cash, check, Venmo and Zelle as free-to-you payment mechanisms; credit cards and Paypal are options too, but will incur a service fee. I do not store credit card information. The only amount due at the time of the session will be the balance of the session fee or, if participating via a special offer, whatever that promotional amount is. Payment plans are available for orders, if needed - I'm happy to discuss this.
When the sitting day arrives, I'll take a few minutes to get to know your pet so they are comfortable and enjoy the experience. It really is true that a human's energy and anxiety can affect a pet's mood (and the session). If a human is anxious or worried that their pet is not exhibiting model behavior in public, or they are too demanding of the animal (i.e., repeatedly yelling at him/her to sit or stay), the pet won't enjoy the session (neither will you) and this will be evident in the photos. I have an infinite amount of patience when photographing pets so just relax and enjoy the experience with your companion!
Within two weeks of your session, your proof gallery will be ready and viewing access sent to you. Clients who feel indecisive or are not sure about sizes, etc., can invite me over to see their wall space, review the proofs together, and we can go from there. It should be noted that I don't begin editing until a session is paid, so if you forget your wallet, your proof set clock won't begin until payment is received.
Q. How long will you keep my images?
As part of my process, I edit the RAW files from your session to produce my favorites and this set becomes your proof gallery. At that point, RAW images from your session are discarded. Period. There is no going back. HOWEVER, the images you see in your proof gallery are safely stored so that you can come back to them in weeks, months or even years if needed.
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Commercial projects within the pet industry are welcomed! To learn more about my current projects and commercial references, or to discuss your project and photo needs, please contact me.
(c) 2008-2025 Jeanne Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.