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April 16, 2020 by Terran Leave a Comment

Directing During COVID: Three Key Tips For Commissioning Great Commercial Pet Photography When You Can’t Be On-site

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us all into the uncharted territory of stay-at-home mandates, self-quarantining, and social distancing. Even after our societal bans are lifted, I have a feeling it’s going to take some time to get back to normal… whatever that new “normal” may actually look like. We must eventually continue on — but how?

You are strategizing how to sell your current products and launch new ones in a time when people are more afraid to spend. Now is the time to focus on creating new marketing and advertising campaigns — and photography is a huge part of that.

The bulk of my photoshoots are done with off-site clients. The following three parts of each project are what make them successful:

 
1. SET EXPECTATIONS WELL IN ADVANCE

Communication is the key for all commercial photo shoots but it’s especially important when you know you won’t be on set and overseeing things in real-time. To keep things running smoothly, ask yourself:

  • Have you put specific deliverables in writing? Shot lists can be great inspiration and give your photographer a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your photo shoot.
  • Did you provide clear instructions on how products should be used or displayed? For example, if your collar has a logo, make sure it is readable when the dog sits down. Or if you have a jacket with a collar, note if it needs to be straight or folded over.
  • What percentage of photos do you need horizontal vs. vertical and what are the main uses for them? Understanding what the image will be used for (website headers vs. social media) will give your photographer the direction she needs.
  • Do you want images that are shot more from a pet parent’s perspective or as a viewer of the overall scene?
  • How should the images make viewers feel?
  • Will the product be in focus in every shot or would you like to capture a more everyday-life scene in which the product just happens to be there and is more secondary?
     

 
2. GET ORGANIZED AND CREATE A PLAN

I truly can’t stress this point enough: the more organized you are on your end, the smoother the shoot will go. If you can’t be on-site, you don’t want to leave anyone guessing about what your intentions are.

  • Make notes beforehand so your photographer knows which dogs should model which products.
  • Send two of everything so if something gets lost, dirty, or breaks, the shoot can continue without issue.
  • For products with different sizes, include the size you think the dog will need PLUS one size up and one size down so you’re sure to get the right fit.
  • If you’re pairing anything together — like a collar + leash + jacket — include clear notes as to what goes together.
  • Review with the photographer what they’ve received. Make sure they open the box of products and confirm they have everything they’re supposed to. Double check size and color variations of every product were included and not forgotten.
  • Let your photographer know if anything needs ironing or to be laid out to relax and re-fluff for a few days before the shoot.
     

 
3. BE AVAILABLE

Be available during the shoot time, even if it’s late. If a question or concern comes up and your photographer can’t reach you, she’s going to have to use her best judgement, which may or may not be what you actually wanted.

  • Keep your phone ringer on high
  • Turn off Do Not Disturb
  • Set a calendar reminder 15 minutes before the shoot
  • Follow up with your photographer beforehand
     

 
How do you feel about being off-site for a photo shoot now that you know the keys to success?
Leave me a comment below!

If you are thinking about your next advertising campaign, need high-quality images for your social media, or need some fresh image content for your website, get in touch and ask me about a very special bonus I’m running through May 2020 for all new projects!

 

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Home » Directing During COVID: Three Key Tips For Commissioning Great Commercial Pet Photography When You Can’t Be On-site

Follow our wild, wild Westway adventures as we travel the U.S. in our Airstream

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Based in San Diego, CA
Traveling the U.S. in 2022
(858) 848-9378
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I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Well, I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Well, maybe don't close them because then you'll stop reading. So, let's just *imagine.* OK, here we go... Imagine you're at the beach with your four-legged best friend just as the sun is coming up over the horizon. A warm summer breeze carries the scent of the salty ocean through the air, the sand is soft between your toes, and things couldn't be more perfect. And then your dog poops. 💩 I mean, that's always a good thing but when you're in this moment, a beach stroll with a bag of poo in your hands isn't exactly the dream. Thankfully, the dooloop exists so you can keep your hands free and keep the moment perfect. ​​​​​​​​
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I've been a fan of @dooloopdogs for years now and am so thrilled to have them as one of our trip sponsors! If you don't have one, you seriously need one. Seriously!
Want to know more about how we are traveling, wher Want to know more about how we are traveling, where we're going, or what it's like living in a small space with your significant other and pup? Where do we stay? Do we have hot showers? What are some of our best memories so far? If you're curious, ask below and your question may be featured in an upcoming post!
SWOOOOON! This gorgeous Florida evening with Jaspe SWOOOOON! This gorgeous Florida evening with Jasper and his mom was absolute magic!!! The sunlight sparkled over the grassy sand dunes alongside the warm Atlantic Ocean as it slowly sunk down into the western sky. Jasper was happy as a little clam as he was rewarded with treats, snuggles, and playtime for being the goodest boy!​​​​​​​​
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A big, huge thank you to @wellnesspetfood for joining us as a trip sponsor of our Great American Road Trip!
Welcome to the wild, wild Westway family, Sibbie!​​​​​​​​
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Named for the American Revolutionary War heroine, Sybil Ludington, we felt like the Airstream who was going to take us on our Great American Road Trip needed to have a very American name. Sybil Ludington and her horse, Star (can you guess the truck's name?), completed a midnight ride farther than Paul Revere's to announce to her father's fellow militia men that the British were coming. She was even thanked by George Washington!​​​​​​​​
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Sibbie is a 30-foot Airstream. She has a full size sofa, dinette with two bench seats, a surprisingly large shower and bathroom, and a great kitchen with a propane stove, oven, and three-in-one microwave + oven + air fryer. She also has an insane number of windows and skylights that make the entire space feel light and bright! 😍 Greg, Roxy, and I fit very well and feel like it's just the right amount of space for the three of us!​​​​​​​​
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Who else out there has an Airstream? Do you love yours? We certainly love ours!​​​​​​​​
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St. Augustine, FL​​​​​​​​
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@airstream_inc #westwaypets #westwaystudio #roadtrip #greatamericanroadtrip #wildwildwestway #airstream #airstreamadventure #airstreamliving #airstreamlife #airstreamlifestyle #nomadphotographer #travelphotographer #travelingdogphotographer
A big, huge, monstrous THANK YOU to my very first A big, huge, monstrous THANK YOU to my very first models of our trip: Julie, Louie, Bella, and Brooklyn! These four totally rocked their photo shoot for our three trip sponsors: @wellnesspetfood, @dooloopdogs, and @petplaysf! ​​​​​​
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Julie and Louie are both incredible photographers so it was extra fun to work with them! I know them from San Diego but when I found out they were in Fort Myers — just 2.5 short hours south of where we were picking up the Airstream — I knew we had to go see them and do a photo shoot!​​​​​​​​
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Isabella and Brooklyn are two of the cutest dogs you'll ever meet. I was warned that Brooklyn would take a minute to warm up, which she did, but once she realized we were there to shower her with attention, we became BFFs.​​​​​​​​
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Thank you, again, Julie & Louie! You guys rock and we had a blast with you!
We are nearly one month in to our big adventure! I We are nearly one month in to our big adventure! It's hard to even believe it! We have seen new places, visited old friends, and photographed a bunch of puppers already! ​​​​​​​​
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The journey began in San Diego, CA and took us to Tampa, FL for about a week. We headed down to Fort Myers and then up to St. Augustine before leaving the sunshine state. After that, we spent a night on a beautiful pecan farm just outside Savannah, GA before making our way to Charleston, Wilmington, and Charlotte (where we spent a few glorious hours floating in Lake Norman). Today, we are headed to a friend's place just outside Asheville!​​​​​​​​
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I promise to introduce you to our new Airstream in some upcoming posts. I will just say here that she is beautiful and everything we hoped she would be!​​​​​​​​
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We'll be in the northeast in a few short weeks & I absolutely can't wait!!!
Nothing says Airstream + Florida quite as much as Nothing says Airstream + Florida quite as much as a pink flamingo... so it's only fitting that we photograph the @petplaysf pink flamingo float toy as we kick off our big six-month road trip adventure in the Sunshine State! Am I right or am I right???​​​​​​​​
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We couldn't be more thrilled that P.L.A.Y. has decided to join us on our journey as a trip sponsor. We are going to have soooo much fun playing with and photographing their amazing products all around the US this year! Thank you, P.L.A.Y.!​​​​​​​​
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Who else's dogs love P.L.A.Y. toys??? 🙋‍♀️
Do you ever find a product that makes you question Do you ever find a product that makes you question how you ever lived without it? For me, that was @dooloopdogs! It's a brilliantly simple leash accessory that holds your pooch's poo bag so you don't have to. We've been using them for years and they're truly something special!​​​​​​​​
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When we began to plan our big road trip, I knew I'd be taking a few dooloops along with me (different leashes call for different dooloops, duh!) and I dreamed of having the company come along as an official trip sponsor. Well, it happened!!! We'll be sharing the dooloop love all around the US, photographing dogs with dooloops, and showing others how a simple tool can improve their daily walks with their pups! Thank you, dooloop! We're so excited to have you along for the journey!
I have some incredibly special clients, let me tel I have some incredibly special clients, let me tell you. They're clients I love working with and who consistently put their trust in me to create photos for their advertising & marketing campaigns around the globe. When I told Wellness Pet about our big adventure, the response was swift and definitive: "count us in!" I'm so, so, so thrilled to have them as a trip sponsor for our journey and to create images for them all along the way. We have used their products for years — Sojos, WHIMZEES, and their WellBites treats — so this partnership couldn't feel more perfect and authentic! Thank you, Wellness!
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