You love the cat portraits I create, and you’d love one of your own cat on your wall. But you already know it would never work, because your cat has never done a single thing anyone asked of them.
“Come here”? As if. “Stand still”? No way. They’re a cat, and cooperation was never on the table.
Or maybe your cat is a sensitive soul who tries their best but can’t get past the fear (relatable), and you’re sure they’d spend the whole time under the bed.
Either way, same conclusion: “This isn’t possible for a cat like mine.”
Plot twist: I can photograph your cat (really well, actually). And the very thing you’re worried about might be the thing that makes your portraits extra special.
Everything you’re probably worried about, answered:
Seeing your cat’s real personality
Here’s the truth: the way your cat behaves around strangers is NOT the cat you know and love. You do not want a portrait of your kind hiding behind the couch. You want to see the cat you actually know, and so do I.
The key to achieving this is in helping your cat feel confident and safe. Here’s how.
Choosing the right location
We choose your session location at your Planning Consultation, based on your cat’s temperament.
For shy or nervous cats, we usually photograph your cat in your home. Being in their own territory will set nervous cats up for success because they’ll immediately be comfortable. I bring my mobile studio for professional and timeless portraits in the comfort of your home.
And if your cat is already comfortable outdoors, we can spend a few minutes outside for portraits in nature. We stay on the property and your cat stays on a harness and leash. *Outdoors is only ever for the cat who already likes being outside, never a test we spring on one who’ would’d rather be inside.
How I win your cat over
I treat them like the most insecure boss you’ve ever had. Let me explain.
Have you ever had a boss or colleague like this? You have an incredible idea, but to get them on board, you have to present it so they think it was their idea in the first place. Your cat is kind of like this (which tracks, since your cat is basically your favourite boss).
So I never force anything. I help them feel safe, make suggestions, and show them that they really do want to hang out and take some photos. When your their caution softens, they’ll feel like the photo session was their idea.
If your cat is a hider
Here is the honest picture. When we arrive and your cat vanishes, I wait. About fifteen minutes, because most cats talk themselves into coming out to investigate once they decide we are boring and no threat. Curiosity does a lot of my job for me.
If they are still tucked away, you block off or remove the hiding spots in the room and bring your cat out to explore. From there it’s all treats, toys, love, you right beside them, and a pace slow enough that they warm up on their own terms. When we can, we work in a closed room with the hiding spots already out of the equation, so it stays small and calm.
How a session actually goes
A session runs about 2-3 hours, but your cat sets the pace. With more than one cat, we make room for each of them, together and one at a time.
We start slow and quiet. The first portraits are often lifestyle ones, just your home and your furniture while your cat patrols their territory and pretends they haven’t noticed us. We set up the mobile studio in about fifteen minutes, and then they get to sniff and inspect every piece of it.
From there I coax them where I want them with treats and a bit of play, a feather wand, a laser, catnip, the good tube treats, and even a little cat couch of their own. They get rewarded for showing up, and they get a break the second they want one.
How’d it go with Couscous, the aggressive (spicy) cat?
Patricia has two cats, Couscous and Cheetos. Couscous is genuinely nervous around strangers. When he feels he has to, he gets protective of his mom and turns a little aggressive about it. On paper, exactly the cat you are worried about.
We arrived and, for a while, did the most useful thing you can do with a cat like that, which is nothing. We ignored Couscous, moved slowly, stayed calm. Patricia picked him up and placed him where we wanted him, we offered treats, and when he had clearly had enough, we let him step away. While he took his break, we photographed his brother Cheetos, and Couscous watched the whole thing with zero pressure on him. It went great. Patricia has a small wall art piece and six matted prints in her home now.
Her words, the same session from her side of the room:
“An incredible experience, with my two scared cats. Sam and her partner were so patient in capturing beautiful portraits of my boys. If you are hesitating because your animal is scared, hesitate no longer!”
Your job is to be their person
You are an important part of the session, and your role is simple. Just be your cat’s parent and best friend. Stay close so they feel safe. Comfort and reassure them. Pick them up and set them where the portrait needs them. You’ll play with them while I photograph, and you’ll hand them the treats that lure them into the right spot. If you need to crouch right beside them the whole time, that is completely fine, because I can photoshop you out of the final artwork afterward. Nobody on earth makes your cat braver than you do.
I also encourage you to take some portraits with your cat. This isn’t mandatory, but my clients are usually really glad they did. Those portraits are some of the only images you’ll ever have of you together. One day, you’ll be so glad to have them.
No cleaning, no hosting, no small talk
Letting new people into your home for two or three hours might be a concern for you, apart from the cat. You might be a bit of a hider yourself, but don’t worry. Your place doesn’t need cleaning, staging, or decorating. The mobile studio brings a clean backdrop and the camera stays on your cat, not your living room. It’s only ever two of us, me and my lighting assistant Pierre-Luc, calm cat people who don’t need hosting, entertaining, or small talk. Bérénice Collet put it better than I could:
“Sam made sure Lofi was comfortable at all time. Without being pushy or overwhelming, she managed to get the photos we asked for and more! For introvert pet parents: an at-home session works wonders, Sam made sure to respect our space and directed all of her attention to our fur baby, giving us the option to chitchat or not.”
So, about your cat
You do not need to apologize for your cat’s reaction to a photo session. They are the subject. Everything I do is built around how cats actually are, their territory, their pace, their curiosity, their right to warm up slowly and change their mind. As Tabitha said about hers:
“It was important to me that the photos be representative of who my cats are, and not just a picture of them. Sam was able to capture their personalities in stunning photos.”
One step to create portraits like these of your cat
If you saw something here that reminded you of your cat, or your herd of cats (love that for you), the next step is smaller than you think. It’s not a booking or a commitment. It’s just a chat about your cat. We talk about what makes them purr, what sends them bolting, and the art you would love to see on your wall.
Together, we’ll figure out whether a session is right for them. No pressure on either of us.
That’s the whole first step, and you can take it right now:
