HOW TO HIRE · PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

How to hire a pet photographer in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

A pet photographer in Ireland costs €80–€350 per session, typically around €150. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a pet photographer in five steps

  1. Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers pet photographer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — digital and Print Deliverables — you will receive high-resolution digital images, and depending on the package, printed products like albums or framed prints.
  2. How does photographer's experience change the price?A long track record is itself part of the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  3. How does complexity of the shoot change the price?It is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  4. How does location change the price?The distance is worked out before the quote is given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
  5. What is not included?Typically, travel fees beyond a certain distance, additional prints or products, and extensive retouching beyond standard edits are not included in the base package — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a pet photographer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to photographers in Ireland. The protection is the contract, and copyright law decides who owns the pictures.

Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.

What to check instead

A full wedding or event gallery, start to finish — not a portfolio of best frames from many jobs; Who actually shoots: the person you met, a second shooter, or an associate; The contract: date, hours, deliverables, delivery time, cancellation, and what happens if they are ill; The backup: two cameras, two card slots, where the files live until delivery; Public liability insurance, which many venues require of suppliers.

Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.

Who owns the pictures

The photographer is the author and first owner of copyright in the photographs unless the contract assigns it. What you normally buy is a licence to use the images, not the copyright. If you need to print, publish or supply them to a magazine, the licence has to say so. (Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000.)

Settle it in the contract before the day: what you may print, post and give to family, and for how long.

Insurance

Expect public liability, and equipment cover; venues often ask for the certificate. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.

Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.

VAT

VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.

Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →

“Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?”

A good answer: No register covers pet photographer work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — digital and Print Deliverables — you will receive high-resolution digital images, and depending on the package, printed products like albums or framed prints.

“How does photographer's experience change the price?”

A good answer: A long track record is itself part of the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does complexity of the shoot change the price?”

A good answer: It is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“How does location change the price?”

A good answer: The distance is worked out before the quote is given. — ask before the quote rather than after.

“What is not included?”

A good answer: Typically, travel fees beyond a certain distance, additional prints or products, and extensive retouching beyond standard edits are not included in the base package — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a pet photographer job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.

“Who insures you, and what is the policy number?”

A good answer: Expect public liability, and equipment cover; venues often ask for the certificate — post-Session Editing — after the shoot, the photographer will edit the photos to enhance their quality.

“What do I get in writing, and when?”

A good answer: A written scope and a price before the pet photographer starts, and an itemised invoice after — on-Site Photography — the photographer will conduct the shoot at your chosen location, whether it's a park, your home, or a studio.

Getting the quote right

  • Photographer's experience — a long track record is itself part of the price.
  • Complexity of the shoot — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph.
  • Location — the distance is worked out before the quote is given.
  • Complexity of the desired images — it sets how much preparation the job needs.
  • In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
  • What is NOT included, named
  • Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register

Walk away if

  • They will not talk about it: photographer's experience — a long track record is itself part of the price
  • They will not talk about it: complexity of the shoot — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph
  • They will not talk about it: location — the distance is worked out before the quote is given
  • A price for the pet photographer before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
  • Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
  • No written quote, or one that moves once the pet photographer has begun
LOW
€80
TYPICAL
€150
HIGH
€350

What a pet photographer costs: €80–€350 per session

The figures are for the job, per session, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Studio pet photography and Outdoor pet photography each carry their own band. Pet Photographer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Pet photographers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Look firstPhotographer's experience — a long track record is itself part of the price — that is what the pet photographer is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
  2. Agree what is being doneComplexity of the shoot — it is the part of the job hardest to judge from a photograph — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
  3. The work itselfLocation — the distance is worked out before the quote is given — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
  4. Check it togetherComplexity of the desired images — it sets how much preparation the job needs — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the pet photographer is still there.
  5. What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, number of pets being photographed — a small number is quick; a large one becomes a day's work.

Pre-Session Consultation
A pre-session consultation helps the photographer understand your pet's personality and preferences.
On-Site Photography
The photographer will conduct the shoot at your chosen location, whether it's a park, your home, or a studio.
Post-Session Editing
After the shoot, the photographer will edit the photos to enhance their quality.
Digital and Print Deliverables
You will receive high-resolution digital images, and depending on the package, printed products like albums or framed prints.
Studio Pet Photography
A controlled indoor session where pets are photographed against various backdrops and setups.
Outdoor Pet Photography
A session conducted in natural settings like parks, gardens, or urban areas to capture pets in their element.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the invoice and the paperworkAn itemised invoice with the trader's name, the work and the total — digital and Print Deliverables — you will receive high-resolution digital images, and depending on the package, printed products like albums or framed prints, because it is what a buyer's solicitor, an insurer or a lender asks for long after the pet photographer has gone.
Test what was donePost-Session Editing — after the shoot, the photographer will edit the photos to enhance their quality — and something that does not work on the day is theirs to put right there and then.
Ask what the guarantee isOn the workmanship and on the parts, and for how long each one runs — they are usually different. on-Site Photography — the photographer will conduct the shoot at your chosen location, whether it's a park, your home, or a studio — under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 what was agreed is what can be relied on.
Leave the reviewOnly a booked job can be reviewed on Locufy, which is why the score on a pet photographer's card means something — pre-Session Consultation — A pre-session consultation helps the photographer understand your pet's personality and preferences.

STEP 1Say it in writing, firstSay what is wrong and what you want done. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and defective work put right.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyUnder four stars you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Escalate to the body that regulates itThere is no register, so the route is the consumer body and, if needed, the courts.
STEP 4Small claimsSmall claims covers €2,000, once you have asked in writing and given them a chance to put it right.

Hiring a pet photographer: questions people ask

The cost can vary based on the photographer's experience, location, and the complexity of the shoot. Additional factors include travel expenses, the duration of the session, and the number of edited images included in the package.

A typical pet photography session lasts between one to two hours, depending on the number of pets and the desired variety of shots. Longer sessions may be necessary for more complex setups or multiple locations.

While a general photographer can take good photos, a specialist pet photographer understands animal behaviour and how to capture pets in the best light. Their expertise often results in more engaging and natural images.

Same-day bookings are possible, but availability may be limited, especially during peak seasons. It's best to contact photographers directly to check their last-minute availability.

Many photographers offer packages that include pet photography along with other services, such as family portraits or engagement shoots. Discuss your needs with the photographer to see if they can accommodate multiple services.

Typically, travel fees beyond a certain distance, additional prints or products, and extensive retouching beyond standard edits are not included in the base package. Always clarify what is included and any potential extra costs upfront.

MORE GUIDES

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How to hire: Wedding PhotographerHow to hire: Event PhotographerHow to hire: Portrait PhotographerHow to hire: Newborn PhotographerHow to hire: Family PhotographerHow to hire: Product PhotographerHow to hire: Property PhotographerHow to hire: Headshot PhotographerAll 701 hiring guides →

Pet photographers near you

Pet photographers in DublinPet photographers in CorkPet photographers in GalwayPet photographers in LimerickAll pet photographers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000
  2. CCPC — your rights when you buy a service
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2022
  4. Courts Service — small claims
  5. Revenue — PHOTOGRAPHY (Wedding and Portrait) — Reduced rate
  6. Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
  7. Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only