FAQ

Q. Does my pet need to have exceptional obedience training?

A. This is one of the most common questions I am asked. My answer is a very enthusiastic NO WAY! Please remember, the images you see on my site are a capture of a split second in time captured and the before and after would likely surprise you every time haha! If you have a particularly rambunctious or reactive pet, we can also use leashes in most situations that I can edit out later with Photoshop. Do NOT stress about your pet’s obedience levels, my sessions are fun, dynamic and capture both the prim and proper and the silly, derpy dispositions your pet possesses.

Q. Will I be in the photos with my pet?

A. Pet sessions are mostly photos of pets alone, but I do like to include one or two with “mom and dad.” I cannot and will not force people to be in photos, but I strongly encourage you to come prepared to be in them. I can’t tell you the number of times families have emailed to thank me for gently pushing them to get in one or two shots. After our babies cross the Rainbow Bridge these photos and their significance becomes even more clear. If you hate pictures of you, it’s an image you can keep private if you like, but I have found 90% of the time people are surprised with how much they love these images so just come prepared. If you WANT a session that is mostly human family and just a couple of your pet alone, that would be a session best booked through my other business, Ashleigh Wells Photography. The prints, products and investment are slightly different as I have found the goals families usually have for their sessions in terms of what they’d like to print or hang are different so my collections are customized through my two businesses to reflect that.

Q. When should my pet be groomed?

A. It is not a good idea to book your pet’s grooming too close to the session. Usually pets look best after their fur has settled unless they are a breed that you want photographed to show standard and you do it yourself or you have a groomer you can trust the results from. I recommend 1-2 weeks prior and that way if it happens to be an unfortunate cut, we have time to reschedule your session and adjust as needed. Some people worry the dog won’t look fresh if the appointment isn’t right before. I recommend discussing with your groomer to see if they will provide a quick fluff, brush and tidy the day before or day of your session if this is a concern.

Q. I don’t feel like dying my hair, shaving my legs, putting on makeup, etc…you can fix it in photoshop right?

A. Can I? Yes. Will I? No. Please come prepared for your session. I include basic editing and retouching for things that are beyond our control (the odd pimple for human subjects or a piece of fluff we didn’t see while shooting). Things that are well within our control, I cannot spend hours editing. If you do decide to do this, there is an editing service I can hire and they charge approximately $50/hour for retouching so I can provide custom quotes if for some reason there is something that you do need adjusted later. 

Q. What if my dog pees or poos in your studio?

A. Meh…they won’t be the first, and they won’t be the last haha! I have veterinary clinic grade sanitizing solution, most everything in my studio is washable and the stuff that isn’t I’m prepared to replace. It’s all part of working with pets! Please do not feel embarrassed AT ALL if this should happen!

Q. What location options do we have?

A. I offer studio and on-location sessions. I travel within 25km radius of my Port Moody home studio for sessions. If you would like a location that is further there is a small travel fee, but I do travel for sessions if there is enough notice and I can get there.