Our expert product photographers were recently asked to hop on board and help new brand Protect My Pet revamp their online images and feel, along with the help of some furry friends!

Taking on a shoot with animals can always be a little unpredictable at times, but product photographers who have done so will tell you that they always make for a fun and memorable day’s work! This high quantity shoot had not one but two furry friends involved, so it was essential we were able to crack on with this project with confidence and the ability to jump through shoots smoothly and efficiently, all while maintaining the fun and friendly branding of the company.

Our most important element in this shoot was to make sure we can produce a high level of content, whilst never compromising on quality – this is the delicate daily balance of every product photographer! It was vital for us to anticipate any challenges that might come our way from the help of our four legged friends, and optimise our time accordingly to secure every detail in each setup, layout and flat lay.

For the shooting location, we were lucky to have two fantastic houses right next door to each other. This made things both easier and more convenient for the team moving equipment throughout the day, as photographing with animals will nearly always include bringing along heavy continuous lighting, to avoid having repeated flash on the day, which some animals may react to. So with two great locations right next to each other – it took away some of the heavy lifting on the day!

For the preparation of this shoot, we were able to configure the shot list together in a way that would be most time efficient, allowing us to simply swap products in and out in order to capture the complete range offered by Protect My Pet. We were able to allocate enough time with each animal model that we could capture flat lays, product shots and even some headshots too towards the end – all including top-notch product photographer Kelly’s fantastic creative vision. This made each individual image different, while ensuring that each one was high quality and something that would stand out to the viewer. Part of the challenge a product photographer faces is finding ways to offer both a variation of shots and a high standard of quality together like this.

With a high number of shots needed on the day, it was a great chance for the team to work on their pet charming skills! We had to become inventive in order to get full attention from the animals on the camera. This involved lots of treats, tricks and toys on the day. With this kind of shoot, we had to ensure that our product photographer and supporting staff would be able to move quickly and easily around the various pieces of equipment that we’d need to bring with us – as if not, that could negatively impact the quality of our images or how efficiently we can work for the client. On this shoot our main shooting focus was inside the building, but we also worked outside using natural light, and on the ground to create flat lays using pet toys from each location to give a realistic and authentic feel.

In our first location on the day, we had a fantastic feline friend called Twinkle to be our model. As many product photographers might, we anticipated this being our trickiest shoot, as it tends to be easier to control dogs rather then cats (they can respond to training and treats much better). However, with a little persuading from her favourite toys and snacks, Twinkle became a wonderful model all around and wasn’t too bothered by us swapping products in and out or putting her in different spots around the rooms. We needed to ensure that she would highlight the product in the image without taking away too much attention from the branding and image purpose, which thankfully she did perfectly!

Our second pet model on the day was adorable 2 year old puppy Lola, who loved being the star of the show and receiving so much attention. Being easily excitable, we had to ensure to not get her over excited or too distracted whilst getting the shots. Product photographer Kelly had to move around quickly on the day to keep up with Lola who didn’t like the idea of staying still too much. However thankfully, this kind of motion and movement in the images worked really well to give the photos some character and to stand out, setting them apart from other commercial pet images that can look a little boring after a while.

When processing the images captured by our product photographer, we worked to keep each one bright, crisp and full of colour to ensure they would enhance the brand’s feel on social media, and on the Protect My Pet website. This was by far one of our favourite shoots (and models to work with) this year and we look forward very much to welcoming Protect My Pet back into the studio very soon!

Feel free to get in touch if we can answer any questions on your new project, or anything related to being a product photographer at Pocket Creatives.

Holly Trinkwon, Produccer

“Fun, innovative and unflappable. Pocket Creatives are great to work with – whether it’s finding the perfect lighting for trifle to capturing GoPro footage on a whisk, they always approach every situation with a steady yet game-changing attitude. I see the whole team as trusted creative partners to make great content together.”

Kitty Aldis, River Group

“I have been working with Steven and the brilliant Pocket Creatives crew for 3 years – in fact since they started out. They have captured in excess of 100 recipes, produced 7 videos including 2 crowdfunding campaigns, their work, professionalism, and commitment to client satisfaction second to none. What’s more is how they have developed, evolved and grown in creativity, experience, and inspiration.
On a personal front the individuals in the team have to most wonderful personalities – an absolute joy to work with!”

Tanya Robertson-Lambert, Tanya’s Just Real

“I worked with Steven and his Pocket Creatives team to create a recipe video, and I couldn’t recommend their services enough! From the ideation stage, through to filming and editing the finished product, at every stage, the whole team were first-class, going above and beyond to create a compelling, high-quality recipe video that generated heaps of engagement. I would definitely work them again.”

Ben Cullen, OLIO