Terms and Important Information

Your photographer will require a clean, adequately-sized working space inside your home, or reasonable conditions if we will be shooting outdoors.

The average living room usually is adequate but please keep in mind that a few furniture items might have to be moved out of the way to provide for equipment setup.

Please allow plenty of time for your photo session. Bear in mind that your photographer will have to set up all the equipment and then repack it after the shoot. Set up and tear down typically takes from 30 to 40 minutes each and the photo session itself can take up to an hour or longer, depending on how "cooperative" the animals are. Then your photographer will upload digital pictures to a laptop, edit them, and then download them onto CD for you. One 8"x 10" photo will be printed out on site. All of this takes time. Please be prepared to commit about four hours to your appointment. While it usually takes much less time than that, we require whatever time necessary in order to deliver to you, our valued customer, the first-rate photographic package you deserve. Please help us help you!

Out of consideration for our clients, your photographer [and any assistants] will wear "shoe covers" to keep your floors and carpets clean. We try our best to "leave it as we found it."

Please be mindful that to get professional results your photographer needs professional equipment. It takes both time and working space to achieve favorable results. The photographer will quickly set up the backgrounds, all lightstands, folding table, stool, electrical connections, etc., but please know all this requires time to assemble and to disassemble and pack up following the shoot.

Every effort will be made to "get in and out" as expeditiously as possible but the old adage that haste makes waste is certainly true in photography. The equipment needs to be set up both securely and correctly, and the creative process also cannot be rushed. Please remember that we are working with animals that have "minds of their own" and don't comprehend the art of photography. Patience is a virtue for everyone from the photographer, to the owner, to the animal. Please keep this in mind so everyone will have a fun, pleasurable experience.

Your photographer will have a small bag of "attention getters" to help capture just the right look and expression from your pet; however, please know that no animal will be photographed ideally in every picture, just as in human photo sessions. Therefore, your photographer will make as many photos as necessary in order to get several quality, pleasing shots.

You are encouraged to interact with your pet, both to help obtain the best photographs as well as to keep the animal under control during the photo shoot. However, please take care not to disrupt the photographer during shooting, but please do work with us to keep your animal focused as much as possible.

Animals quickly tire, lose interest, and get sleepy under hot lights so it's best to keep the animal at bay while the equipment is being set up. If your pet is friendly, he can be brought in as soon as everything is ready. If your animal takes a few minutes to warm up to strangers then it might be wise to allow the animal into the room while the photographer is setting up but kept under restraint.

Also, if you have an animal that bites please let your photographer know this right away. No one wants to be bitten by any animal, and we want to be forewarned of the danger. You will be asked to handle your own animal if it is not friendly to strangers as well as take every precaution to prevent biting and damage to equipment.

An important note: Photographic equipment is expensive. Please don't allow children or pets free reign around the setup area. Besides the 35mm camera on a tripod, the background and its stand, and photo lights and umbrellas on their stands - all of which can be knocked over very easily - there will be electrical cords, very hot surfaces, power strips, backgrounds draped over the modeling table, a stool, etc, and all of these are potential hazards to you, your children, and your pets. Please keep everyone well away at all times. We want a fun experience for everyone, but, even more, we want everyone safe at all times.

Please be aware of the many potential safety risks including falling equipment, fire, and electrical shock hazards. The photo shoot is perfectly safe when everyone practices "every day, common sense" prevention. There is no need for undue concern or alarm: the photo shoot is not as dangerous as the routine maintenance chores done in and around your home regularly. Just please use caution around hot lights, tripping and falling hazards, etc. However, for your piece pf mind and safety's sake, your photographer will have a small fire extinguisher handy in case anything combustible should happen to come into contact with hot lights. Please rest assured this is highly unlikely. We take every precaution to keep everyone safe and to ensure there is no damage to property, and your photographer will have a small fire extinguisher on hand strictly as a precaution. Please rest assured the photo shoot is completely safe. Just as mowing equipment on your property is completely safe when used properly so is the photographer's equipment. You wouldn't put a curtain or other combustible near a hot lamp and neither will we. We just want everyone to be aware that the set up area is no place for children and animals to be.

Your understanding and cooperation in these very important areas are greatly appreciated.

Outdoor settings might be an option under the right weather conditions, easy and safe access to an electrical outlet, etc. A level work surface for setup that ensures the camera, background, and lights will not tip over are mandatory both indoors and out. All areas must be clean and free of water or any moisture that could cause electrical shock. However, we will gladly photograph your horses, livestock, etc, in their natural environment but inclement or adverse weather conditions may delay or postpone your outdoor photo session until a more appropriate time.

Your photographer will require close access to a three prong ("grounded") electrical outlet. This is to accommodate a heavy duty electrical cord that will be the only feed to all the lights and computer equipment. Should you not have such an electrical outlet, please mention this during your initial conversation with PET SHOTZ so that we may come prepared.