Tips for Including Animals in Your Whimsical Photoshoots: An Interview with Photographer Sarah Bowman
Q: We love these ethereal images! Where did the initial idea for this photo shoot come from?
A: Ashley and I wanted to be able to incorporate animals into the theme. With the combination of designer LAmei's garments and creative makeup by Emma A Berdusco, we decided that raptors (birds of prey) would suit the look perfectly.
Q: How did you go about the process of planning the shoot once you realized you wanted both an owl and a falcon to be involved?
A: Planning the shoot for this was actually a lot simpler than I thought it would be. All we had to do was book a time and the falconers had two birds ready for us. Once the makeup artist knew which birds would be involved, she planned the creative makeup to match the animals.
Q: Was it easy working with the bird life, or did you encounter any difficulties during the photo shoot?
A: Since there was always a trained falconer handling the bird and guiding it, the shoot went very smoothly. The birds were trained and she was even able to get them to fly towards Ash and land on her arm. The only challenge, which was barely a challenge, was that the owl was a relatively young owl. Because of this, when I put my arm up to take a picture it thought that my arm was a perch and flew towards it. It was more of a fun challenge and added to the experience.
Q: Do you have any other dreams or plans in place to include more animals in future photo shoots? Why / why not?
A: I am excited to include more exotic animals into my themes. I hope to incorporate a wolf-dog, snakes, and maybe even a fox one day. I don’t mind if it is a challenge because it could definitely be worth it in the end.
Q: What advice would you give to those wishing to include animals in their photography?
A: I advise them to do their research ahead of time with not only the animals but the organization and what they are about. Find out if it’s even possible for you to collaborate with their animals before you plan a shoot around it. Some organizations only want an entry fee while others simply want credit.
We want to thank Sarah for not only sharing these gorgeous images with us, but for also offering her amazing advice about capturing and planning photoshoots with animals.
We encourage you to check out more of her work by visiting her website. You can also follow her photography on Facebook and Instagram. Enjoy!
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Full credits: Photography: Sarah Bowman Photography | Model: Ash Gawiuk | Makeup: Emma A Berdusco | Garments: LAmei Bridal | Location: The Raptors Duncan BC Canada