The Real Life of a Pet Photographer Working from Home

Sandra Ferguson Photography
Sep 27
3 min read

🐾 Barking, Editing, and Studio Garage

People imagine pet photographers living in a dreamy swirl of wagging tails and puppy kisses. And sure, there’s magic, but there’s also barking. And snoring. And the occasional fart from a 13.5-year-old mutt who’s earned the right to be unapologetically fragrant. (Yes, I said that)

I work from home, which means my life is a blend of creative joy and domestic circus. My studio? It’s my garage. Yep, the same space where I park my car, store old paint cans, and sweep up grass and dog hair before every session. It’s not fancy, but it’s mine and it transforms into something special when a dog steps in and starts to trust me & my camera.

📸 The Studio Side

During sessions, my own dogs are respectfully banished. Two goldendoodle toddlers (age 2) would love nothing more than to crash the set, steal the props, and photobomb every shot. So, they stay inside while I roll out the backdrop, adjust the lights, and coax magic from the mess. (you may hear them bark)

The garage may be dusty and imperfect, but it’s where stories unfold. It’s where nervous pups become confident, and where I get to witness the quiet power of love between pets and their people.

Photography is a dance of trust. Your pet leads, I follow & watch. In a single glance, a wag, a flick of the ears—the story moves, and the choreography reveals itself.

🐶 The Other Side of the Lens

Once the session ends and the car rolls back in, the real chaos begins.

· My doodles bark at delivery trucks, beg for snacks, and transform editing time into a full-blown WWE smackdown.

· The old mutt sleeps like a boulder and snores like a canine CPAP machine. Strangely soothing. He doesn’t hear us anymore, so we step over him like he’s part of the furniture. He’s earned his spot, and his rest.

· My husband—my rock, biggest supporter, occasional dog wrangler, and the guy who cooks dinner and runs errands—deserves credit too. He’s the reason I get to chase this dream from a garage full of dog hair, backdrops, and props.

💻 Editing in the Wild

Editing is where the portraits come to life. It’s also where I try to concentrate while dogs wrestle in the hallway, the washing machine thumps in the background, delivery drivers are ringing the doorbell and someone (a doodle) decides my keyboard is the perfect toy. All of this, while in pajamas of course.

But even in the chaos, there’s rhythm. There’s purpose. There’s heart.

❤️ Why I Wouldn’t Trade It

Because this is real. This is love. This is the life behind the portraits—the life that makes them matter.

I create pet portraits in a garage—humble, dusty, and full of heart. I juggle doodles, an old dog, a devoted husband, schedules, deliveries and the daily chaos of small business life. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s not glamorous. But it’s mine.

And in the middle of barking, cleaning, and rearranging studio props, I get to witness the pure love between animals & their people—and capture it.

By Sandra Ferguson, Pet Photographer, Dog Mom, and Full-Time Juggler of Chaos