Should I be in photos with my pet?!
No, you do not have to be in the photos with your pet.
A pet portrait session is designed around you and your pet, not a fixed formula. Some people want images of just their pet. Others want photographs together. Most people choose a mix of both.
This is one of the most common questions we’re asked, and it usually comes from people who feel a bit unsure about being in front of the camera themselves.
So let’s talk about it properly.
What if I hate having my photo taken?
You are not alone, and it does not stop this being a good experience.
In fact, most people who say this end up surprised by how much they like the photographs they’re in.
That’s because this isn’t about posing, smiling at the camera, or feeling “on display”. The focus stays on your pet. Your role is simply to be with them. Looking at them. Resting a hand on them. Sharing space.
When people stop thinking of it as “having their photo taken” and start thinking of it as spending a quiet moment with their pet, everything changes.
Will it feel awkward or staged?
No, because nothing is forced.
You are never pushed into being in photos if it doesn’t feel right, and nothing happens until you’re comfortable.
Most sessions start with your pet on their own. As things settle, people often step in naturally. If they don’t, that’s completely fine too. There’s no pressure and no expectation.
The photographs work best when people forget about the camera altogether.
Can we have some photos with us and some without?
Yes – and this is what most people choose.
A typical session includes a combination of portraits of your pet on their own, and some images that include you as well.
This gives you flexibility later. Some people display artwork of their pet alone and keep the people-and-pet portraits for more personal spaces. Others do the opposite. Nothing needs to be decided in advance.
What if I don’t look like myself in photos?
The aim is not to make you look like someone else.
The aim is to reflect the relationship you already have with your pet.
People often worry about how they’ll look, but what matters far more is how the photograph feels. The closeness. The familiarity. The way your pet leans into you or looks for you.
Those images tend to age far better than highly styled portraits, because they’re rooted in something real.
Do people ever regret being in the photos?
Almost never.
In fact, what we hear far more often is that people are glad they stepped into a few images, even if they were unsure beforehand.
Years later, those photographs become less about appearance and more about shared history. They show who your pet trusted, who they gravitated towards, and who their life revolved around.
And if I truly don’t want to be in them at all?
That is completely okay.
A pet portrait session is still deeply meaningful without you in the frame. Your pet’s personality, expression, and presence stand perfectly well on their own.
There is no right or wrong choice here. Only what feels right for you.
The most important thing to know
You do not need to decide any of this before the session.
You are not locked into anything.
And you are never pushed into a choice.
The session is designed to give you options, not obligations.
And for many people, simply knowing that is what allows them to relax and enjoy the experience fully.
I hope this has helped answer a question you might have been turning over in your head, and maybe taken a bit of pressure out of the idea of a portrait session.
If you’d like to find out more about what we do, or see how these sessions work in practice, you can check the link in the description. There you’ll find examples of our work and more information about booking your own pet portrait session with us.
And if you decide it’s right for you, we’d love to welcome you into the studio sometime.
