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February 1, 2022 by Terran Leave a Comment

What Your Photo Shoot Location Says About Your Pet Brand

 
What’s the secret for building brand credibility and loyalty? It’s the million dollar question every business owner asks themselves.

I’ll tell you…

It starts with telling your story to your target audience. And Literature 101 tells us that every story needs a setting.

Here’s what your photo shoot location is saying about your pet brand:

Indoor Settings

Indoor settings have more versatility than one might expect. For example, our shoot with P.LA.Y. was done in a comfortable home with beautiful finishes that mirrored the quality of products we were shooting. On the other spectrum for indoor shoots we have our lifestyle photography for JustFoodForDogs, where it was less about capturing the product (although still highly important!) and more about honing in on the relationships humans share with their companion pets.

If your brand represents cozy, comfy, family, relaxation, and happy everyday life and that’s the audience you’re storytelling too, then an indoor setting should fit your brand!

 

Outdoor Settings

Is your audience seeking adventure with their dog? Do you want them to see your brand and be reminded of how thrilling it is to hike with their pup?

Outdoor settings tend to inspire adventure, exploration, and travel, but they can also represent quality, everyday time outside with your dog, like a walk around the neighborhood or a daily jog to the coffee shop.

Two things to do if an outdoor shoot is calling your brand’s name… use that contact form below to get in touch and then hop on over to this guide for outdoor shoots for pet businesses.

 

Seasonal Settings

This is a big one for a brand’s story setting! Having a variety of looks in a variety of seasons ensures you can use your imagery year ’round. I’m a bit biased, but there is a benefit to shooting in California: we’re capable of doing a spring product launch in the middle of January.

In San Diego specifically, we can get spring and summer looks at varying times of the year and can get autumn looks in the summer months. Just because I’m a California girl doesn’t mean this is the only place to shoot in the “off season.” Florida, Texas, Arizona… there are so many great places you can shoot warmer weather settings in colder months. And if you’re looking for snowy, winter photos, we have that covered, too. We have some incredible snow-covered mountain locations within a day’s drive!


Ready for the another piece of the drool-worthy brand photography puzzle? Check out my piece on Creating Unique Branded Photography Through Your Brand’s Aesthetic.

Filed Under: commercial blog post, commercial pets

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Based in San Diego, CA
Traveling the U.S. in 2022
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This is a common question we get about our travel! This is a common question we get about our travel! Yes, we are absolutely able to shower in the Airstream. We have a surprisingly large shower for a travel trailer — meaning, it's still small but it's a lot better than many we've seen.​​​​​​​​
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It's super-easy to shower if we are hooked up to water and sewer so we don't need to worry about our gray tank filling up or running out of water. ​​​​​​​​
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When we are off-grid camping or don't have a sewer hookup, we will take the fastest showers imaginable and turn off the water while it's not absolutely necessary. ​​​​​​​​
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My favorite is when we're "moochdocking," though, which is staying with friends or family on their properties. We get all the benefits of having our home but can also go inside for hot showers!
Happy boy Cooper loves adventure, going for walks Happy boy Cooper loves adventure, going for walks with his people, and exploring nature — and what better way to do all that than with a weekend trip to Vermont in the Airstream?​​​​​​​​
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Who else loves weekend adventure getaways???​​​​​​​​
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Thank you @wellnesspetfood for sponsoring our road trip journey!
Growing up, I can't remember ever seeing fields be Growing up, I can't remember ever seeing fields being irrigated in the northeast. Perhaps I was just never paying close enough attention or perhaps it's because the drought this year is seriously impacting our food supply.​​​​​​​​
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I thought this scene was so visually beautiful with the way the sun was sparkling in the sky and illuminating the water — but it's also a stark reminder of how dependent on the weather farmers are. The ability to grow crops is their livelihood and I truly feel for them during this dry, dry summer. I'm certain it's not an easy job.​​​​​​​​
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Greg and I have been enjoying visiting the small farms, businesses, and farmer's markets along our road trip route. We like supporting local families by buying directly from the people who are working hard to feed us all!
Everyone poops. Even Charlie. 😆🤷‍♀️💩 Thank goodness his mom now has a dooloop to carry it thanks to our trip sponsor, @dooloopdogs!​​​​​​​​
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These two were serious rockstars at our session together. We had a blast! (And can I just say: LOOK AT THAT SPARKLE LIGHT! 😍)
Did you know we're searching for dog + human model Did you know we're searching for dog + human models in all the different areas we are traveling? We're currently casting for next month’s shoot in Maine! Just visit westwaypets.com/model to fill out an application!
Successful commercial photo shoots don't just happ Successful commercial photo shoots don't just happen by accident. *Every* aspect is planned. I'm talking model selection, locations, time of day, clothing, hair, dog grooming, collars, and so much more... every detail needs to work in harmony to pull together the story we want to tell!
Christmas lights in the middle of the forest? No, Christmas lights in the middle of the forest? No, my friends. These are fireflies. They put on a show every night for us that is more beautiful than any holiday light display I've ever seen. Moments like this are exactly why we decided to leave life in San Diego — we wanted adventure, new experiences, and the opportunity to see more of this beautiful country than just our little corner of it.​​​​​​​​
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We are two months in to living full-time in our Airstream and we L-O-V-E it!​​​​​​​​
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Upstate New York
Max flipped for the treats at our photo shoot for Max flipped for the treats at our photo shoot for Old Mother Hubbard! This goofball absolutely loves being held like a little baby puppy... probably because he knows it gets him love and treats!
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Thank you, @wellnesspetfood for sponsoring our road trip across America!
I get lots of questions about our trip. Here's one I get lots of questions about our trip. Here's one! ​​​​​​​​
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"What has been your favorite stop of the trip so far?"​​​​​​​​
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We've had so many amazing stops! My favorite places to stay have been backed up to water or parked snuggly under the trees. There is one place that stands out, though: my aunt Joann's. Not only are we are tucked under the trees at her house in the country, but we have the most important thing of all while we're here: family! We get to spend time together every day, eat dinner together every evening, and play cards with my Nana (who lives 10 minutes down the road). An added bonus: the fireflies put on an incredible, magical show each night as they light up the forest beside us. It's quiet and peaceful here with chirping birds, gentle breezes, and the smell of fresh green growth. Roxy is so, so happy and so are we!
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