Interview with Sarah DeRemer

Los Angeles-based Sarah DeRemer discusses the rewards and challenges of shooting pics of pooches for a living.

Tell us about yourself. Have you always loved dogs?
I’ve always been drawn to them. I had two Lhasa apsos growing up and started working in rescue when I was eleven and then at a vet’s office at age fourteen. I even studied animal science at UC Davis for a year and did research studies at its vet school before switching to a studio art major. However, I still worked in vet medicine through graduation.

I then taught English in Seoul for three years; that’s when my Photoshop work started going viral. I backpacked for a year before returning home, expecting to live abroad again, but instead got a job doing social media content and dog photography. Everything snowballed from there.

Have you always been interested in photography?
Yes. As a child, I constantly played around with my mom’s camera, and I’ve always carried one with me while traveling. I’m completely self-taught, though—I’ve never even attended a photography class. I love taking photos and editing them; the latter is where I apply my understanding of color and composition from my art degree.

You do events, corporate shoots, and individual sessions. Is your process different for each?
For events, I basically just show up and shoot, but commercial jobs require planning. I have to find a location, a dog, and anything else needed to highlight the product. Also, many larger companies are particular about how exactly they want a product displayed because it’s more important than the dog’s pose. And as for private sessions, I first have conversations with the owners to understand their pet’s personality. Those shoots are often more artistic.

You smiled when you said that. Do you enjoy that artistry?
I do, but I also like the predictability of commercial shoots: I know exactly what the clients want and what to do, and I use a dog that listens. With private sessions, the dogs are sometimes disinterested, so I must improvise. The unexpected nature of those sittings is fun, though, and I find it hilarious when a dog does their own thing (even if it makes my job more difficult). I get more amazing impromptu shots too.

What are your go-to tricks for getting stellar shots?
First and foremost, the dog must be happy to be there. I keep the vibe abundantly positive, mainly through treats and funny noises. When they enter my studio, I’ll toss a treat on the backdrop, give them more as I fire the flash, and then gradually take them through all the steps. If a dog is nervous, I’ll sometimes ask the owner to sit near them and hold them on a leash, which I’ll photoshop out later, or I’ll just do headshots. There are different methods for each type of behavior; which I use depends on the dog’s personality and comfort level.

You’re known for dog photos, but do you ever photograph cats?
Yes, I’ll take photos of any animals. I have fewer cat shoots, but I do them occasionally for commercial and private clients. Cats are tricky because even the bravest ones coming to my studio are often scared out of their minds just leaving their houses. And when I go to cats’ homes, I must wait for them to grace me with their presence and hope they feel like participating. You can’t usually coerce a cat into doing anything. In contrast, I can just pretend to wave something at a dog, and they get excited

Has this unexpected career provided unexpected experiences?
Definitely. For example, I once photographed a Yorkie “wedding” in Beverly Hills. And more recently, I did pro bono work at a maximum-security prison in central California photographing Level III and IV violent inmates enrolled in a dog-training program. Through it, men of different backgrounds are paired with a dog, which they care for 24/7 and train for six weeks before it goes up for adoption. The pod is now known for having the prison’s lowest recidivism rate and very little fighting. These men never stood a chance, but they now see a future for themselves. It’s a great reminder of how dogs can change people’s lives.

On your website, you say that you‘re as passionate about people‘s pets as they are. What‘s most meaningful about your occupation?
The most rewarding shoots are the ones where the images aren’t just technically good but also clearly capture a special bond between an owner and their pet, especially if it’s an end-of-life session. It’s a gift getting to help people celebrate their incredible, joyful bundles of love.

For more info, visit sarahderemer.com