When Is the Best Time to Have Pet Portraits Taken?
The short answer? Probably sooner than you think.
When people first reach out about a pet portrait session in our LA studio, they often express a concern over whether their pet is at the ideal age or season for photos. But after years of photographing pets and the people who love them, we've learned that the "perfect time" usually has very little to do with those things.
The best time is almost always when your pet is healthy, happy, and still very much their quirky little selves.
Because what most people are really trying to preserve isn't a specific age; it's the relationship they share with their pet.
Most people don't worry about doing it too early
They worry about doing it too late.
When our clients finally see their pet’s wall art or photo album, nobody has ever said, "We should have waited another few years.” Instead we hear, "I'm so glad we finally did this,” or even, "I wish we'd done it sooner."
And the reason is really pretty simple. Life with our pets feels endless right up until the moment it doesn't.
One day you suddenly notice more gray around your dog’s muzzle, less energy from your cat, or a favorite habit starting to fade. The changes happen gradually, which makes it easy to assume there's always more time.
Until suddenly there isn't.
You don't need to wait for a special occasion
A lot of people plan to have pet portraits taken eventually, but think the experience will be more special if they wait for a milestone, like a birthday, gotcha day, or when they move into a new home.
And those are absolutely wonderful reasons to celebrate your pet, but they're definitely not requirements.
In fact, most families visit our studio for no reason other than, "Our pet means everything to us, and we don't want to forget this chapter of our lives together."
And that's more than enough.
You don't need a special occasion to preserve a love you already feel every day!
Is younger better? Is it too late for seniors?
The goal of our pet portrait sessions is never to capture your pet at their youngest. It's simply to capture them as they are. (You love them the same at each age anyway, right?)
Every stage of a pet’s life has something worth remembering, whether they’re a goofy, untrained puppy, a mature cat whose finally settled into his personality, or a 13-year-old dog whose soft smile and cataracts tell a lifetime of stories.
Waiting for the "best age" usually means missing the age you're currently living with.
And if your pet is in their senior years, we strongly encourage you not to wait. Not because something is wrong, but just because time tends to move faster than we expect.
We primarily photograph senior pets, and their artwork is some of the most meaningful we've ever created, whether the animals were healthy, ill, or in their final days. Their families often reach out after they’ve noticed small signs of aging or received a new diagnosis from the vet. They’re suddenly more aware that these years with their pet are precious and limited. Those feelings are worth listening to.
The best time is while they're still here.
This may sound obvious, but it's truly one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned in our years of photographing animals.
People never regret having their pet’s portraits taken with us. They only regret putting it off and having missed their chance, assuming there would be more time.
If you've been thinking about booking a session for months, or even years, there's a good chance you've already answered your own question.
The best time may not be someday, but rather right now.
Looking for pet portraits in Los Angeles?
At Shuttermutt Photo, we create custom pet portraits for people who love their pets like family, and we’d be honored to guide you through a portrait experience that’s perfectly tailored to your pet’s age, health, and unique needs (even the anxious, high-energy pets out there).
Whether they’re a playful kitten, a distinguished senior dog, or somewhere in between, our goal is to create priceless artwork that celebrates exactly who they are during this chapter of your life together.
Because we know the best portraits aren't about preserving a moment. They're about preserving a relationship.
Words cannot express how grateful we are to Adam and Laura
We commissioned them to take portraits of our beloved dog, Scully, who has since passed away…We are so blessed to have this beautiful artwork now hanging on our wall; it's a constant, loving reminder of our dear dog. If you are looking for timeless, heartfelt photography of your pet, look no further than Shuttermutt Photo.
SHANNON, MOM TO SENIOR DOG