Bright modern bedroom with a white bed, wood shelves, pampas grass, and four framed dog photographs on the wall

THE CANINE & EQUINE EXPERIENCE

from first conversation to the day your artwork arrives

Every session starts long before the camera comes out. This is not a drop-in-and-shoot situation. Before anything else, we talk. We plan. By the time the day arrives, everything is built around who they are and the story worth telling. Here is how dog and horse photography sessions with me work, start to finish.

Open blank journal with a gold pen on a wooden desk beside a vase, window, and framed dog photograph

YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

Before anything is booked, ask me everything. How the process works. Which sessions fit. Sunrise or sunset. What to expect from start to finish.

Not everyone books a call, but if you have questions, I want to answer them. No pressure. No pitch. Just a conversation to make sure we're a good fit.

Leather horse halter and coiled navy lead rope hanging on a rustic wooden wall hook

BOOKING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY SESSION

When you're ready, you'll receive your invoice, your contract, and a questionnaire. Session fee paid. Contract signed. Your spot is locked in.

Then the questionnaire, where it gets personal. Their age. Any medical issues. Reactivity. How they do in new places. What you hope to have on your wall. I read every answer before we get on a planning call, so I already have a feel for who they are and what matters most to you.

PLANNING YOUR DOG OR HORSE SESSION

Black-and-white line drawing of a large U-shaped tire tread surrounding an empty center

This is the conversation I look forward to most.

What is the thing they do that you never want to forget? If we captured one image that stopped you cold, what would it feel like?

I ask about your home, too. Your decor. Your walls. The way you live. There's no point photographing a bright, open beach session if everything in your home is dark and traditional.

These images need to belong in your life, not just look beautiful on a screen. We decide where the pieces will live before we decide where to shoot.

From there I guide you to the right location for them, your bond and your home, and we lock in the date and time. Your job from here? Show up. Everything else is handled.

Two people search sandy beach dunes with a dog, backpack, and beach houses in the background.

YOUR SESSION DAY

It rarely looks the way people expect. Some walk in and own the location. Some need time to settle. Some lead the whole session at full speed. I follow them. I read them. I wait for the real moments instead of manufacturing fake ones.

No shot list. Just what's in front of me: the personality, the energy, the way they move with you when they think no one is watching.

Plan on about 60 to 90 minutes. It may go quicker, it may run longer, and we're never on a clock.

They lead. I follow. You just get to be there.

Close-up of a blue-eyed Australian Cattle Dog with speckled fur lying on sandy ground

Hands holding a black leather photo album featuring a woman embracing a black horse

PORTRAIT REVEAL AND ORDERING

One to two weeks after your session, we meet at my studio or virtually, whichever is easier. We book the day when we book your session. This is the first time you see your images, and it's meant to be a big moment.

They won't be fully edited yet. There may be leashes in the frame, a distraction in the background, small imperfections. That's intentional. I want you to see everything we captured before I spend hours perfecting images you may not choose. Every image you select is retouched and handcrafted to completion before it goes to print.

We go through it all together and choose your artwork. By the time we meet, the only thing left to do is feel it.

Framed photo of a couple sitting with their dog above a bedroom nightstand with a vase and dried branch

CUSTOM PORTRAIT ARTWORK DELIVERY

Handcrafted and delivered within four to six weeks. Canvas. Albums. Framed pieces. Work made to be touched, lived with, and passed down. It arrives finished and ready to hang. You hang it, step back, and see them there every day.

That's the whole arc, guided from the first conversation to the day it arrives.

before you reach out

YOUR DOG OR HORSE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT

The most common reason people put off booking is that they think their dog or horse is too anxious, too reactive, too energetic, or not trained enough for a session like this.

I have heard every version of this conversation, from dog owners and horse owners alike. And in almost every case, what the client is really saying is: I am afraid they will embarrass me, ruin the session, or waste your time.

None of that is how this works.

A nervous dog may spend the first part of our session just existing in the space, sniffing, exploring, deciding if this is safe. That is not wasted time. That is the session working exactly as it should. A high-energy dog may lead us through the whole location at full speed. I will follow them. A reactive dog may need more distance, more patience, more time before they can settle. I have one of those at home. I understand it differently than most.

Horses have their own version of this too. New locations, unfamiliar setups, weather, energy. I work with what is actually in front of me on the day, not what I planned for in a perfect scenario.

Dogs and horses do not have to perform to deserve beautiful artwork. They have to be themselves. That is the only requirement.

If you have a reactive dog or horse, an anxious one, or one with quirks and limitations, reach out anyway. Tell me everything. We will figure out the right approach together before we ever show up.

Two playful brown-and-white spaniel dogs jumping together against a white background

Two playful brown and white spaniel dogs posing together on a white background

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK BEFORE THEY BOOK

Black-and-white line drawing of a seated long-haired dog with a spotted muzzle and long tail

Dog sessions take place on the beach, in the woods, on a boat dock, in the city, or in my studio, depending on what suits your dog best and what kind of images you are after. Horse sessions take place at your property, barn, or boarding facility. The studio-style portraits, with a clean black or white backdrop, happen wherever your horse is located too. I bring everything with me. If you have a specific place in mind that matters to your story, tell me. We will figure it out.
Your session fee is $450. It includes your planning call, your session in the studio or on location in Carteret County (plan on about 60 to 90 minutes, paced by your dog or horse), your image reveal and ordering session, professional editing and retouching of your purchased images, and a $250 credit toward your artwork. Artwork starts at $500, and there is no minimum order, but most clients invest $2,500 or more in their pet photography experience. Collections start at $1,300. Digital files are not included in the session fee. Matching digital files come with your artwork.
Plan on about 60 to 90 minutes, so you can plan the rest of your day. Some sessions go quicker, some run longer, and there's never a clock. We work at your dog's or horse's pace until we have what we came for.
Please come be in them! This is the time to capture the bond between the two of you, something you will never have on your phone. These are not cheesy smiles or stiff, frozen poses. They are about how it feels to be together, and how they make you feel. It is not about how you look. I promise to capture it in a way you'll love.
Absolutely! I'd love to photograph the whole crew. We'll do our best to get everyone in one frame. When someone has other plans, a little Photoshop magic brings the whole family together.
Not at all. The barn isn't the subject. You and your horse are. I look for light and texture to build the story and show off your bond. If you'd rather go off-farm, we can. You'd handle trailering and permission for the location.
You don't have to decide alone! On our session-planning call, we'll choose what works best for your dog or horse and for the artwork you want to hang in your home.
Yes, and I'd love to come along! I photograph upland and waterfowl hunts, capturing handlers and their dogs working together, plus those amazing retrieving moments. Tell me where you hunt and we'll plan it.
Yes. Legacy Sessions are for senior dogs and for dogs facing a terminal diagnosis, including end of life photography. The session is gentle, unhurried, and built around your dog's comfort on the day, and payment plans are available.
Yes. Dogs and horses are my focus for commission clients, but I photograph all kinds of animals: ducks, chickens, rats, snakes, bearded dragons, even a macaw. I also photograph wildlife in partnership with a local rehab shelter. Tell me who's joining us and we'll plan around them.
Prints, wall art, albums, and digital files are not included in the session fee. Every session does include a $250 credit toward your custom artwork, and you'll choose your pieces when you order. Matching digital files come with your artwork.
Life happens. Dogs have bad days. Weather has opinions. If something comes up, we reschedule. Simple as that.
I book about 1 to 3 months out, and I always save some wiggle room for Legacy sessions. Reach out as soon as you're interested and we'll find your date.
I'm based on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, and I'm in Charleston, SC and Greenville, SC several times a year. I'm always up for a road trip. Dog portraits, horse portraits, or hunting adventures, tell me where you are and we'll make it work. *Travel fees may apply.

EVERYTHING IS HANDLED. JUST SHOW UP.

let's start with a conversation

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