Andy Karol is a pet photographer based out of Chicago, IL. As a kid, she spent all of her paper route money on her pets. And today? Nothing has changed. Here, Andy shares her thoughts—loves and woes—about animals and the photography industry.
Finding my creativity again in Savannah—how new places revive us and help us come back to our creative selves
Oh, how I love Savannah! I recently was here and made the most of my time taking in the beauty of the city and, of course, getting in some dog photography. I happily left the dreary and chilly days of Chicago behind to bask in the hot sun and fawn over the Spanish moss. Sure, I had my goals in mind: photograph dogs and enjoy some touristy fun like a ghost tour and delicious eats. But I also had a much bigger goal: come back to my creative self.
Oh, how I love Savannah! I recently was here and made the most of my time taking in the beauty of the city and, of course, getting in some dog photography. I happily left the dreary and chilly days of Chicago behind to bask in the hot sun and fawn over the Spanish moss. Sure, I had my goals in mind: photograph dogs and enjoy some touristy fun like a ghost tour and delicious eats. But I also had a much bigger goal: come back to my creative self.
There’s something about getting out of your normal hum drum life that helps get the magic flowing. Your everyday demands are lifted off your chest, and your heart and soul can breathe again. I know this is cheesy, but walking down the street on my way to Forsyth Park made me feel so in touch with who I was. I felt connected to the world around me.
As a photographer, my job is to take notice of, well, everything. I notice the light, the tiny bugs, and the ferns overtaking the brick. And all of it is glorious. It made my eyes tear up a bit. This noticing—and being moved—is really the ticket to being creative and, dare I say, being a creative.
New places can help clean your creative slate and let you notice more. The same scenery you’re used to gives way to wild abandon before your eyes. Your comfort zone becomes an uncomfortable push into trying something new. And this discomfort leads to more growth. More creativity.
I came home with more than my luggage. I had fresh ideas on how I can expand my pet photography business and even new ways to photograph dogs. And here I am back in Chicago, ready for my next client session and looking forward to creating—more.
Personal note: Savannah is definitely becoming one of my favorite places to create pet portraits. If you’re interested in booking a dog photography or family photography session for the next time I’m in Savannah, GA, please contact me through my website at www.andykarol.com.
Tags: #SavannahPetPhotographer #SavannahPetPhotography #AtlantaPetPhotographer #ChicagoPetPhotographer #SavannahDogPhotographer
Common mistakes people make when photographing their pets (and how to avoid them)
If you’re anything like me, your phone is full of snapshots of your pets. As a professional pet and family photographer, sometimes I have to remind myself to not worry so much about composing a great shot and to just get the dang shot! That cuteness isn’t going to stay in that purrfect position for much longer. Sometimes 1.3 seconds is all we have!
You want that photo to look good, even if it’s only going to live on your phone. But how can you avoid blurry shots of your loving fuzzball flying halfway out of the image?
As a professional pet photographer, I have some tips to help you get better shots of your pets using your phone’s camera so you can “heart” more and delete fewer.
If you’re anything like me, your phone is full of snapshots of your pets. As a professional pet and family photographer, sometimes I have to remind myself to not worry so much about composing a great shot and to just get the dang shot! That cuteness isn’t going to stay in that purrfect position for much longer. Sometimes 1.3 seconds is all we have!
You want that photo to look good, even if it’s only going to live on your phone. But how can you avoid blurry shots of your loving fuzzball flying halfway out of the image?
As a professional pet photographer, I have some tips to help you get better shots of your pets using your phone’s camera so you can “heart” more and delete fewer.
1. Capture personality instead of forcing poses
The Mistake: Trying to get your pet to pose like a human—sit still, look at the camera, maybe wear a costume they hate.
The Fix: Let your pet be your pet. The magic of pet photography is in capturing them as they are. That goofy head tilt, the way their ears perk up when they hear your voice, or how they sprawl belly-up on the couch—those are the golden moments. Keep your camera ready, and let their personality lead.
2. Put your flash on pause
The Mistake: Relying on flash indoors or in low light, which often results in red-eye, startled expressions, and a very unhappy animal.
The Fix: Use natural light whenever possible. Big windows are great for this. Figure out ahead of time where the flash setting is on your phone, and set that to “off” so it won’t flash unexpectedly the next time you grab your phone for a spontaneous photo.
3. Keep your distance, then move in slowly
The Mistake: Shoving a phone/camera in your pet’s face as soon as you pick it up.
The Fix: Give your pet space, and if you still can’t get the shot, try your camera’s zoom feature. If you’re still too far away, slowly move in. Speak calmly, and don’t rush it.
4. Keep your background in check
The Mistake: Snapping a photo with dirty laundry, clutter, or distracting elements behind your pet.
The Fix: Keep your background simple and clean. Think about how the setting adds (or detracts) from the mood you’re trying to capture. You can also now change the f-stop/aperture in your photo in your editing settings. A smaller f-stop will blur the background more, helping make it less distracting.
5. Get on your pet’s level
The Mistake: Taking all your photos from standing height, looking down on your pet.
The Fix: Get waaaayyy down! Literally. Kneel, crouch, or even lie on the ground to see the world from their point of view. This brings an intimacy and connection to the photo that feels authentic and respectful of your pet’s experience.
6. Keep their focus
The Mistake: Having several people at once trying to get your pet’s attention.
The Fix: Have one person only get their attention and try to hold it. It never helps to have several people yelling a dog’s name, then wondering why they started doing zoomies instead of sitting for a photo. Pets can easily get overly excited, so keep it calm and cool.
In the end, the best photos are the ones that make you smile. If you have a library of images you love to browse through and get excited to share your pet’s photos with other pet lovers, then you’re on the right track. Keep these guidelines in mind, and before you know it, you’ll have to get more storage for all the photos your heart makes you keep.
Tags: #PetPhotographyTips #ChicagoPetPhotographer #ChicagoFamilyPhotographer #SavannahPetPhotographer #SavannahPets #PhotographyStyle
5 tips to help you choose a photography studio that fits your style
So, you’ve decided to finally get photos made of your family and have actually said this out loud to your friend over a happy hour rosé. This means you’re really going to do it. For real this time. There’s no going back. You know that Melissa is going to ask to see your photos the next time you get together. You must come through.
The next day, you Google your city + photographer + family. You come up with pages upon pages of photography studios. Options are great though, right? But then you realize you aren’t exactly sure what you’re looking for. You go to a couple of websites and quickly know, you’re not looking “for that.” Or “that.” You start to realize this is about finding, not just any photographer, but the right photographer.
So, you’ve decided to finally get photos made of your family and have actually said this out loud to your friend over a happy hour rosé. This means you’re really going to do it. For real this time. There’s no going back. You know that Melissa is going to ask to see your photos the next time you get together. You must come through.
The next day, you Google your city + photographer + family. You come up with pages upon pages of photography studios. Options are great though, right? But then you realize you aren’t exactly sure what you’re looking for. You go to a couple of websites and quickly know, you’re not looking “for that.” Or “that.” You start to realize this is about finding, not just any photographer, but the right photographer.
We can easily get into all the things—cost, experience level, etc.—but today we’re only going to focus on style. This is probably the very first thing you notice when you visit a photographer’s website. You’ll notice that it will have a certain style to its design elements, down to its font choice. But the real heart-grab should be the photos.
When you look at them, you’ll want to take note of what you like, or maybe don’t like. It’s okay to be discerning. No one will know what you’re thinking. I won’t tell a soul either—promise. These will be your images that you’ll hang on your walls for years and years. You want to be sure you love them.
Below are some tips to help you find your photographer match, so you end up with the style that suits you best and keeps your head turning for decades to come.
1. Check out lots of photos and photography websites
Click into several websites to see what style draws you in the most over and over. Do you tend to prefer moody images? Urban images with a raw, high-def effect? Light and airy? Take this a step further and decide if you like real scenic images (on-location) or classic studio portraits. If studio work pulls you in, do you prefer bright, colorful backgrounds or subtle, dark, and classic backgrounds? Knowing what you’re drawn to can help you understand the style of photographer you’d want to hire.
2. Look around your own home
The key to what types of photos you’ll like lies in your home décor. This probably isn’t a time to push your aesthetics into a totally new area. (But, hey, maybe you can surprise even yourself by not playing it too safe.) If the artwork on your home’s walls tends to be pop art, you may want to look at studios that tend to use bright, bold colors with a conceptual spin. If you’re into realism or baroque artwork, you may opt for less cheesy, forced smiles (please, please do this anyway) and more classic or fine art styles.
3. Choose studio or on-location
Whether you love studio work or locations out of the studio you can’t go wrong. In fact, I do them both because of the variety they offer. But not all photographers do. You may have your own reasons for choosing one over the other: Your kids tend to be better behaved when in a new place. Or your senior dog would be less stressed during a photo session if they could stay at home. Whatever your reasons, they’re valid, and there will be a photographer who fits your needs.
4. Decide on posed or candid images
Whether your family is looking right at the camera or not is a huge style choice. I’ll tell you a secret: Some photographers hate having to pose people, so they only tell people they photograph candid images. I love to mix it up a bit during my sessions, capturing you looking at the camera and also at your beloved dog. Usually a photographer will state the type of posing or not that they do on their website. If not, the images in their portfolio should give you a good idea of how they tend to direct their subjects.
5. Talk to photographers
I know, I know, no one “likes” to talk on the phone nowadays. Truth be told, anyone who likes my work enough to call me to inquire about a session has me excited to talk on the phone! You want to give me an opportunity to photograph your adorable pup? Call me now please!! Here’s the thing—you may hear my voice on the other end of the line and be ready to book. Or you may find me too casual, too “whatever” for your liking. The point is, you want to be sure you can jive with your photographer for that hour-ish session. You want to like the person with whom you’re investing your time and money. This is also one reason I try to be open about who I am—so people know who they’re hiring. If you like your photographer, you’re going to feel more at ease during your session and have better images.
BONUS TIP: You can use AI to help you search for a photographer near you who has a similar style to an image you find online that you love.
Hopefully, these tips come in handy when you’re searching for your next portrait photographer. If you love my style and are interested in booking your own session with me, please send me a message at info@andykarol.com.
Tags: #ChicagoPetPhotographer #ChicagoFamilyPhotographer #SavannahPetPhotographer #SavannahPets #PhotographyStyle
Let’s get real: AI won’t replace me as your pet photographer
Someone asked if I’m worried AI will take my job. I’m not. AI can’t capture your pet’s real personality — that quirky look, that specific sparkle in their eyes. It might create a polished image, but it’s not your dog, cat, or horse.
What I do isn’t random. It’s intentional, personal, and real. And real beats artificial every time.
A friend recently asked me if I was scared of AI taking my job anytime soon. First off, I assure you that this is me writing to you. This feels pretty personal, so I figure I should keep it that way.
I can usually tell when AI has been used. I bet you can much of the time too. So many posts out there are feeling so much the same. Sometimes it’s easy to spot why and other times not. You know that it’s just…not them. It’s not their voice. You’re reading strangers’ words. So…strange.
Just this week, another pet photographer posted an AI generated image of a dog they asked AI to make into “a professional portrait” from a snapshot they’d taken on their phone. Sure, at first glance it looked pretty decent. But if you looked closer, you could tell that was not the same dog. This new AI-generated dog had different characteristics and even a different emotion in their face. It’s hard to fake that certain quirky look your dog gives you. You know the one. If I were the owner, I would definitely not be fooled. I’d know it’s not my dog but a representation of him.
My job is to photograph your dog as they are. Or cat. Or horse. If you’re paying to have your pet photographed and will hang their portrait on your wall (heck, even keep as your phone’s wallpaper) you want that to be YOUR pet through and through—not some random AI-generated image. That’s the thing: Nothing I do during your photo session is random.
I use my expertise to create the images I want to capture with my camera, selected lens, lighting, and scenery. There’s not a thing about a session that’s random.
So, am I scared of AI replacing me? Naw. As long as people want reality, I’ll be here to give that to them. What’s real is true, and true beauty is where it’s at.
