How to Photograph Pets in the Studio with Carli Davidson

Enjoyed Carli's realistic approach to trying to shoot pets in the studio.

I purchased to learn about the technical aspects, like where to set up the studio lights and how many to use, etc. as I've been training dogs for competition since 1989. Although I wish there had been a lot more technical content, the course offers good value for the price. One thing I did notice is Carli handles dogs with a high food-drive much differently than I would.

Carli does a great job working with the pets, and you can see it's tricky and requires a ton of patience. Trying to getting the pets attention, and teach at the same time is hard enough, but it was fun to watch and re-affirming that my pet shoots are not much different. Having helpers is imperative, and lots of treats, pet toys and noise makers is a must. She mentioned that shooting 10 frames per second causes some dark frames due to flash duration at full power. I think she meant to say flash recycle time. Other than that, she's great with pets, and I enjoyed watching.

I liked this class as much for what *wasn't* said as for what she actually discussed. I could see how she set up the lights, although she didn't talk about it. There are plenty of other classes that will discuss lighting. She spent her time interacting with the dogs and the owners. I could see her camera settings on the shots as they came up. They weren't all perfect! That, in itself, tells me that it's OK to have misses. Sometimes her lights hadn't recycled for each shot - yeah! Something that happens to me. I was quite happy to see her just shoot dogs, unlike other reviewers. However, I wanted to see what she did with untrained puppies. No puppies on set, though. Dang. Nonetheless, this class is worth what I paid for it (discounted) and the time I spent on it.

This course is true to how chaotic it really can be when photographing animals. There is good information in the content.

I'm a big Carli Davidson fan and to be able to see her behind the scenes setup and how she worked with the animals and the advise she gave well worth the cost of the course. Carli is a success pet photographer and I'm glad this course was offered. The investment was well worth it.

If you look at the cost of this course compared to others it is the least expensive. I agree it was a lot of just watching her in the studio shoot dogs. One thing I did learn that even if you are a beginner ( like me) or a seasoned pro like her...dogs are dogs and you have to learn to go with the flow with them. What she experienced with them was no different than what I experience with them. Also, it game me some insight into her studio setup. I'm still glad that I purchased it.

I enjoyed this class. I've been reading books on Pet Photography and felt this class was a great complement to my reading. It was nice just to watch her interact with the animals and get a feel for how a pet shoot might flow. It was also comforting to see that my two dogs are not the only ones who walk toward the camera when being photographed. I liked Carli. She was laid back and had a good demeanor for working with animals. For a short class, I feel it was very worthwhile. You will not be able to watch this video and then call your self a professional. I liked how the EXIF information was on each picture as it displayed on screen. Definitely worth the cost of the class.