Pet Photographer in York: What Does a Pawtrait Session Cost?
A pet pawtrait session with me in York costs £250, £350 or £450, depending on how many digital images and prints you’d like. Every package includes up to an hour of shooting in my studio or at a location you love, photos with you included, and a fully edited private online gallery. A £50 booking fee secures your date and comes off the total.
I’m Julia, a pet photographer in York, and alongside weddings I’ve spent years photographing cats, dogs, horses, bunnies and even the odd lizard around York and North Yorkshire. I’ve got two cats of my own (they’re painted on my Doc Martens, so yes, I’m that cat lady!). Pricing is one of the first things people ask me about, so here’s everything laid out honestly, with no surprises.
How Much Does a Pet Photoshoot Cost in York?
My pet pawtrait packages are £250, £350 and £450. The session itself is the same in all three: what changes is how many images and prints you take home.
- £250: 10 high-resolution digital images on USB and 10 matching 8×6″ luxury prints
- £350: 15 high-resolution digital images on USB and 15 matching 8×6″ luxury prints
- £450: all the high-resolution digital images from your session on USB, 20 8×6″ luxury prints of your choice, and £50 towards wall art or an album
You can see the full breakdown on my pet packages page.
What’s Included in Every Pawtrait Session?
Every session includes up to an hour of photography, a pre-shoot questionnaire, photos with owners, and a private online viewing gallery of fully edited images. Nothing important is held back for the bigger packages.
The questionnaire is my favourite bit of preparation. Before we meet, I ask all about your pet: their quirks, what makes them nervous, the toy they’d do anything for. It means I walk in already knowing that your spaniel goes daft for a squeaky ball, or that your cat needs ten minutes under the sofa before she’ll say hello. We take breaks whenever your pet needs one, and you’re very welcome to jump in front of the camera too.
Every image gets my fine art finishing touch. I keep the colours true to the day, then add a timeless feel, so the portrait looks like your pet, kooky little traits and all, rather than a posed stranger.
Which Pet Package Should I Choose?
If you want one or two favourites for the wall, the £250 package is usually plenty. If you know you’ll struggle to choose (most people do!), the £450 package gives you every image plus money off wall art.
Here’s what I’ve noticed over the years: owners with more than one pet, or a pet with lots of personality, tend to end up with far more images they love than they expected. You’re not limited to one animal either, so if the dog, the cats and the kids all want in, the bigger packages make a lot of sense. The £350 package sits nicely in the middle for most single-pet families.
Where Does the Photoshoot Take Place?
Sessions take place in my cosy studio near York (postcode YO32 9RH) or at an outdoor spot your pet loves. Location and home shoots include travel up to 20 miles from the studio, and anything further may have a small travel fee.
- Dogs: the studio, or a favourite walk, field or woodland
- Cats: I can come to your home, where they feel safest
- Horses: equine sessions happen at your stables or paddock
Cats are close to my heart. When I worked on my Master Craftsman panel with the Guild of Professional Photographers, I photographed 20 different cats in their own homes, using minimal kit so nobody got spooked. That panel earned me the Master Craftsman title, which fewer than 50 photographers in the country hold, and it was the first cat-focused panel the Guild had seen.
What Are the Forget Me Not and Twelve Months of You Sessions?
They’re two special sessions for very different chapters of your pet’s life. Forget Me Not sessions are gentle, unhurried shoots celebrating everything your pet means to you, priced the same as the pawtrait packages at £250, £350 or £450.
Sadly, our pets aren’t with us forever, and these sessions can take place in the studio, at home or at a favourite outdoor spot, wherever your pet is most comfortable. For a brand-new pet, Twelve Months of You is £700 for three sessions across your new pet’s first year: gotcha day, around six months, and their first birthday or anniversary. Each session includes 10 digital images and 10 matching prints, and you finish with a framed collage of your three favourites. Trust me, they don’t stay tiny for long!
Are There Any Extra Costs?
The only costs outside your package are optional ones you choose, plus travel beyond 20 miles or any venue entry fee, which we’d agree upfront. The £50 booking fee isn’t extra: it’s deducted from your package, and the rest is due by the day of your shoot.
After your session, some people like to add wall art or an album. Trifold frames start from £80, luxury albums from £275, and birch prints are handcrafted from FSC-certified ply, with a tree planted for every birch piece ordered. Payment plans are available for wall art. There’s no pressure at all; you can browse everything on my wall art and extras page.
Why Choose a Pet Photographer in York Who Specialises in Animals?
Because photographing pets takes patience, timing and a genuine love of animals, and that’s where I come alive. I once photographed a whole litter of puppies (a LOT of patience needed!), and I’ve had dogs who don’t usually like people warm to me within minutes.
In 2024 I was placed 5th in the Guild of Photographers’ Top 10 International Pet Photographers, which still makes me smile. If you’re wondering why I care so much about this, I wrote about why every dog owner should get a pet portrait, and my pet photoshoot FAQs cover what to bring and wear.
I photograph pets from my studio near York and on location across North Yorkshire, with travel up to 20 miles included. If you’d love to treasure your furry family member forever, get in touch and tell me all about them. I can’t wait to meet them!
