Stunningly Creative Studio Pet Photography
Your Best Friend Deserves More Than a Puppy Portrait
Working in a dog friendly studio space dedicated exclusively to the art of pet portraiture, our award-winning artists are celebrated for their unbridled creativity and ability to create uniquely inspired fine art pieces that any true dog lover will cherish for a lifetime.
Exclusive Pet Costume Designs
Home of the World Famous Paper Hat Sessions
Puptrait is the exclusive home of the Paper Hats collection.
Each of these unique dog costume pieces is personally designed and crafted by our studio founder and master pet photographer, J.B. Shepard. Every Paper Hat is an original creation, painstakingly made by hand over the course of several days from multiple layers of upcycled post-consumer paper scraps.
Paper Hats achieve their unique geometric patterning and coloration from careful sorting and placement of varying tints, hues and shapes of newsprint clippings. This organic process ensures that no two Paper Hats are ever the same and due to the fragile nature of assembly, each hat can only be used in a handful of pet portrait sessions before being retired forever.
Better Photos Allow for Bigger Prints
Creating Large Format Pet Art is Our Speciality
Big prints are a big deal.
Our studio's ability to produce great looking large format prints says a lot about how we work and the quality of dog portraits we create.
When printing in larger formats, you can't waste pixels and your photos can't have anything to hide - as even minor imperfections become glaring flaws when scaled. But more importantly, printing large means that our pet portraits are interesting and engaging enough to merit hanging.
It is this emphasis on printing big that allows our studio to regularly create gallery quality pieces befitting even the most distinguished personal art collections.
How We Work
a Step-by-Step Guide to Commissioning a Puptrait
Schedule a Session Time
Sessions are by appointment only and can be scheduled through our website's digital calendar on a first come, first served basis. Deposit is required at time of booking. Session fees and minimum print commitments are automatically calculated in app based on session location.
Clients may reschedule for no additional charge with 72 hours notice by calling 443.604.0711.
Pre-Shoot Phone Consult
We call all portrait clients prior to their session date to walk through shoot details, answer questions and help ensure everyone is ready for your pup's big day.
Shoot Day
We typically spend the first 15-30 minutes of this time working with the dog without a camera, building trust and getting to know the dog's specific temperament, behaviors and learned commands. Solo pet portrait sessions average roughly 1 1/2 to 2 hours in length. Multi dog sessions and in-home shoots may require additional time. We usually expect to capture anywhere from 200 to 400 frames per session.
Photo Processing & ProofingÂ
We process and edit all photos in preparation for printing prior to proofing. We will curate the hundreds of captures from your session and select the absolute best (typically 12-15 images) photos of your dog. These selection will then be edited, processed in preparation for printing, and uploaded to a password protected proof page.
Please note that clients are free to download and share their web friendly watermarked proofs with friends and on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Print Consult
During this phone consultation we will discuss what images you prefer, where you are thinking of hanging your prints, and walk through our various print and mounting options -- including our various print sizes and mounting options.
Following your print consultation we will email an invoice for you to review. When you are ready to move forward with your order, simply follow the online payment instructions and as soon as we receive confirmation of your order, we will set to work manufacturing your prints.
Free Delivery
All listed print prices include standard shipping to the contiguous United States.
Get Started!
Schedule a Pet Portrait Session Online 24/7
Print minimums and deposit amounts are calculated automatically based on session location.
Questions? Call 443.604.0711 from 12pm - 10pm 7 days a week to speak with a studio representative.
For best results we strongly encourage only ONE dog per portrait session.
"JB came to our house in NOVA on two days notice. He was so patient with our sweet, but independent minded dog. The photos were worth the effort! He puts real creative, artistic talent into every step of the process, and will provide a great one-on-one customer experience."
"He was soooo patient with our photo shoot and all the props. He remained professional at all times and got the job well. We can't wait to work together again. Dogs rule!"
"Not only was the final product even better than anticipated but they spent hours getting just the right shot. They WILL NOT disappoint. "
"We just received our final shots from JB and his team and I have to say I am beyond impressed. Puptrait is the real deal!"
"JB and the Puptrait Studio are true professionals! I highly recommend them and it is really nice to have professional shots of my little guy - something I will always cherish. If you have a fur child, please consider photos through Puptrait studio!"
"10/10 would use again and plan too!! It was not only an extremely fun and positive experience for me, but BOTH my dogs loved him. He has the talent and skill to capture that perfect moment of your animal. Thank you again JB!!"