Published and awarded pet photographer serving the Charleston SC area with seasonal appointments in Northern Virginia.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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. Where might we have seen your work?

A. In addition to panel displays at Dogma Bakery & Boutique in Arlington VA, Parkway Veterinary Clinic in Burke, VA, and local grooming shops and 40+ pieces at Blue Pearl (fka Veterinary Specialty Care) in Summerville, SC, my work has been used in several national print publications, rescue and other web sites, along with features on The Daily Dog Tag. Other notable media use included images in the big-screen premiere of the Stand Up for Pits video, as well as on The Pet Show with Dr. Katy. Large wall pieces are in use at Charleston Animal Society as requested, for their renovated dog adoption space. My rescue fundraiser work has been discussed (with photo features) on Lowcountry Live (ABC 4 News) and featured in South Magazine (spring 2023). Several of my photos have been used as part of a history-making statewide adoption campaign - PickMeSC. You may have also seen my images in some of the local (SC) pet-magazines, such as Carolina Tails, Lowcountry Dog Magazine, Mount Pleasant Magazine, Charleston Living Magazine, the Charleston City Paper, or even the former Mount Pleasant Pets and Sullivans Island Magazines. Images have been used on billboards and in 2019, THE Rachael Ray requested one of my images for corporate purposes! Other fun items include vehicle wraps as well as photos used to create beer can art for Palmetto Brewery and their Rescue Brew product. Collateral images have been used Embrace Pet Insurance and Anicira Veterinary Center, USA Dog Shop as well as other national brand commercial clients, along with local veterinary offices for their web and marketing purposes. I stopped closely tracking this information a while back but I can confidently say it's a fairly long list!

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 the dogs' parents thought they 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 final delivery to you! Prints and products are not included with the session fee unless there is a special offer specifically stating otherwise. In 2024, session rates include three high rez digitals and watermarked copies of the same images that clients select from their proof galleries. 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. In 2024, session rates include three high rez digitals and watermarked copies of the same images that clients select from their proof galleries. Additional items and digital collections are available for purchase as well.

Q. How does this work?

A. Basically, you tell me a little about your expectation and your pet(s). We will discuss your vision and what you hope to achieve from the session. We can then determine a location and schedule an appointment. While I appreciated 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 leash issue in editing. You will receive a Client Guide by email that may have helpful information for your session - please take a moment to read it.

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 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.

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. If your pet is generally on the high-strung side, please take them for a brisk walk beforehand so they can be more relaxed during their session. 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 (usually less) of your session, your proof gallery will be ready and 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 checkbook, 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 and redundantly backed-up so that you can come back to them in weeks, months or even years if needed.

Q. Do you have suggestions for the session day?

One of the BIGGEST things I have found is that the pets are generally fine - they smile, they play, they enjoy the adventure! But what I have also noticed is when people want to be photographed WITH their pets,the best images result when the humans are relaxed too. So don't try too hard. Just relax and go with it. If you are tense or stressed, it will show in the photos - I am not a magician. Bask in the simplicity of your pet having a blast and just enjoy the pleasure of their company!

Q. What should I wear?

I like to encourage people to think ahead to the photos they want - I am not going to dictate what you should wear (although I will gladly give guidance to ensure a good mix depending on your pet's coloring). You are paying for this time and these photos, so if you don't want to forever recall and regret the decision of wearing a graphic tee and raggedy tennis shoes the day of your session, then choose something else.

Q. Who owns the copyright of photos taken?

On ownership of creative works, copyright law is pretty clear cut. A freelance artist who has created a work owns the copyright. Since these types of photos are typically for personal use, a freelancer (me) may offer a client a Rights Managed relationship specifying a particular use and/or time frame in exchange for the payment, but the originator (me) will retain the actual copyright.

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