Yes! As the father of two little boys and two Labradoodles, I am completely at home photographing kids and pets. I’m also a former social worker, which my wife tells me comes in handy nearly every day at work. I do my best to approach every session with openness, patience and a healthy dose of humor. Because these are not my children, I am able to resist the temptation to bargain, beg, bribe and over-promise in the pursuit of an “authentic” expression, and I ask that you do the same. The more comfortable everyone is, the better the photos will be.

Be sure your dog is well groomed, well-exercised and not well fed. Only feed your dog half their normal breakfast on the day of the shoot because a slightly hungry dog will give me their full attention and will respond better to treats. Bring your pet’s favorite snack to the session in a sealed baggie, without the animal’s knowledge, and hand it to me quietly when you arrive.

Please brush your dog before entering the studio. I have asthma, so excess dog hair flying through the studio will be a major problem. I suggest giving your dog a bath or grooming that morning or the day before. Heavy shedders and high strung animals are best captured outdoors.

It’s very important to maintain a calm tone when arriving. If your dog is high energy, schedule your session late enough in the day to allow for you to exercise them hard – wear them out – and allow at least an hour for them to settle down and reach a calm state before walking into the studio, or at the location where we will shoot.

According to Vince Lombardi, “If you are 5 minutes early, you are 10 minutes late”. Coming late to your session makes everyone feel rushed and it’s really not great for creativity. Please be considerate of the clients who follow your appointment who are likely on a tight schedule just like you. Please leave enough time to find the building, use the restroom, get changed, fix makeup, etc. I recommend arriving about 10 minutes before your scheduled session so we can begin on time. No need to come more than 10 minutes early, or you could end up waiting in your car. All missed appointments without 24 hour notice will be billed the full session fee.

All images seen on the monitor are protected by copyright and therefore all unauthorized photos taken in the studio, even using an iPhone, are in violation of copyright protection.

Absolutely. Once you receive the retouched images, feel free to post them on social media. All I ask is that you tag me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn so the images link back. Also when you tag a photo, please write “photo credit: Rick Bern” in the comments.