For clients who desire the most images from their pet photography session, fine art albums are an obvious go-to; however, with the ability to include so many portraits, knowing where to begin when choosing which photos to include in your album can feel overwhelming, but it certainly doesn’t have to be.
In this post, I’m sharing five stress-free and actionable tips for choosing album photos following your pet photography session.
1. Complement The Cover
Choosing your cover image first makes it easier to then select your luxury linen color from 16 available options. If you prefer to choose your linen cover first, evaluating the tones and colors of the images you have to work with will help you design a beautiful album from front to back.
For example, with Katana’s fine art album, her mom started by picking her favorite portrait of Katana for the cover. Given the earthy, seasonal shades of the location, she could have easily gone with any of the 10 more neutral linens, but she ultimately opted to bring out the pops of pink in Katana’s bandana.
2. Highlight Favorites Large and In Charge
A prime place to feature a favorite is across the first two pages as a lead image. A strong lead image captures its viewer’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of your album. It’s the portrait that creates the curiosity and desire to turn the page. A captivating landscape-oriented photo works especially well as a horizontal lead image, but if you prefer a portrait-oriented photo that requires a vertical layout, you may consider combining two side by side, each on a dedicated page of its own.
Think about highlighting your best-loved pet portraits large and in charge as full spreads throughout your album as well to add variety and visual interest to your pages.
3. Consider the Story
The beauty of a fine art album is how incredibly well its photos tell the story of your pet’s photography session. In order for the storytelling aspect to remain strong, however, the images you choose should blend together in a cohesive structure. Avoid including images that have little or no relation to others, especially on the same spread. Conventional storytelling is at its strongest when the photos guide the viewer through a visual narrative that includes a beginning, middle, and end.
4. Mind the Details
One of the easiest ways to shape this story is to incorporate detail shots. Physical features of your pet that you find particularly adorable, for instance, enhance his portraits and expand upon his story by focusing on the little things that may otherwise go unnoticed: his dark thick eyelashes, snow-covered whiskers, and the hilarity of his unusual-placed markings.
By choosing album photos that capture these details from a variety of angles, you’ll also fill your album with the small moments in time you won’t want to forget such as the way the light caught those amber-colored eyes as they lit up with joy and eagerness upon hearing you speak his name.
5. Consider Candids and Bloopers
You know you love ’em, but maybe not as a statement piece on your wall. I’m talking bloopers and crazy candids. Those derpy expressions, hilarious mid-air action shots, and even the silly in-between moments when you think your pet is being embarassingly awkward all make great candidates for album photos. Remember, it’s often these very photos that capture the things you love most about your pet.
Do you want to learn more about fine art albums or the Bark & Gold Photography experience? Let’s connect today! Choose your adventure below to begin.
Did you enjoy this post? Great, there’s more coming your way because it’s part of a photography blog circle featuring photographers specializing in a variety of niches! To see more content like this and what the next photographer is sharing for our weekly theme, “Choosing Album Photos,” check out Gretchen Decker Ciccone with GCiccone Photography, capturing special moments and sharing tips for selecting photos for your wedding album. Continue to click the link at the end of each post in the blog circle until you eventually find your way back here.
Thanks again for sharing and promoting this!