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Paw-Cademy School of Pet Photography

Master the Art of Capturing Perfect Pet Moments and Editing with Precision

Are you ready to elevate your pet photography skills? Welcome to the Paw-Cademy School of Pet Photography, where you'll receive one-on-one instruction from Lena Lewis, a multi-award-winning pet photographer and a Top 10 International Pet Photographer of the Year 2024.

At the moment, we offer in-person 1:1 photography and editing tutoring. Whether you're looking to master your camera settings, shoot in manual mode, or capture the perfect pet portrait, our sessions are tailored to your needs. Learn directly from a pro with hands-on experience and expert guidance.

Photography Sessions: Learn how to master your camera settings, capture the perfect pet portrait, and shoot in manual mode. You'll gain hands-on experience during a live photoshoot with our furry models, allowing you to practice and refine your techniques in real time.

Editing Sessions: Dive into Lightroom and Photoshop with personalized, in-person editing sessions. Whether you want to perfect your editing basics or learn advanced techniques, I’ll guide you every step of the way. And, coming in 2025, we’ll offer online editing tutorials, available in group sessions or one-on-one, to help you continue to improve from the comfort of your home.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your skills, the Paw-Cademy School of Pet Photography offers the perfect opportunity for you to learn, create, and grow as a photographer.

Thor [American Bulldog] [Sneak Peek].jpg

Paw-Cademy 1-1 Photography Training

Take your pet photography skills to the next level with personalized, one-on-one training. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your technique, this session will help you master the art of capturing perfect pet portraits.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

Get to Know Your Camera and Settings: Understand your camera’s key functions and settings to unlock its full potential. From shutter speed to aperture, we’ll walk through how each setting affects your photos and how to use them effectively in different shooting environments.

Learn How to Shoot in Manual Mode: Take control of your images by learning how to shoot in manual mode. We’ll cover how to balance exposure, shutter speed, and aperture, allowing you to capture sharp, well-exposed photos every time—no more relying on auto settings!

Learn About Composition and the Best Lighting: Master the principles of composition, including the rule of thirds, framing, and angles, to create dynamic and visually pleasing images. We’ll also dive into how to use natural light and artificial lighting to highlight your pet’s best features.

How to Get the Best Out of the Location: Learn how to assess your location and use it to enhance your photos. Whether it's outdoor landscapes or indoor setups, we’ll show you how to incorporate your surroundings into the shot for a cohesive and impactful image.

How to Deal with Difficult Models and Capture Their Focus and Personality: Pets can be unpredictable, but we’ll teach you techniques for getting their attention and capturing their unique personality. Whether your model is energetic or camera-shy, you’ll learn how to make them feel comfortable and get the best possible shot.

Requirements:
You’ll need to bring your own camera and lenses. We’ll provide a well-trained pet model to work with for the day, giving you the chance to practice on a friendly, professional subject.

Duration:
Approximately 4 hours of hands-on, one-on-one training tailored to your pace and needs.

This session is designed to give you the skills and confidence you need to take stunning pet portraits, whether you’re shooting professionally or just for fun!

Investment: £250 (A £100 non-refundable retainer is required to secure your training date, with the remaining £150 due 48 hours before your scheduled day of training.)

Book your 1-1 Photography Training

Paw-Cademy 1-1 Editing Training

Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your editing techniques, this one-on-one session will guide you through the essentials of Lightroom and Photoshop. You’ll leave the session with the skills to enhance your pet photography, turning good images into stunning works of art.

Learn How to Navigate Both Lightroom and Photoshop: Get a comprehensive introduction to both software programs. We’ll start by exploring the interface of Lightroom and Photoshop, helping you feel comfortable with the layout and essential functions so you can easily navigate your way through editing.

Learn the Basics of the Tools and How to Use Them: Master the fundamental tools in both programs. From cropping and exposure adjustments in Lightroom to basic and in-depth retouching in Photoshop, you’ll understand how to make small but impactful changes that can elevate your photos.

Learn How to Use the Tools in a More In-Depth Way to Create Stunning Images: Take your editing to the next level by diving deeper into advanced features. Learn how to use layer masks, radial gradients and brushes in Photoshop, as well as how to harness Photoshop’s powerful color grading and tone curves to add mood and drama to your pet portraits.

Edit Along with Me for a More Practical Approach: This session is hands-on! As we work through a sample image together, you’ll get to practice alongside me, learning techniques in real-time. I’ll walk you through each step, ensuring you understand the rationale behind every adjustment and how to apply it to your own photos. Feel free to take notes as we go!

Edit an Image on Your Own, with My Guidance and Critique: You’ll have the opportunity to edit one of your own images under my guidance. I’ll provide real-time feedback and critique, helping you refine your techniques and understand how to improve your editing workflow.

Requirements:
Please bring your own laptop with Lightroom Classic and Photoshop installed, as we will be working directly on these platforms.

Duration:
Approximately 4 hours of in-depth, hands-on editing training.

Ongoing Support:
Once you’ve completed your editing tutorials, you’ll have access to further online critique from me, Lena, to continue improving your skills. You’ll also be invited to the Pet Paparazzi Paw-Cademy Learning Group on Facebook, where I’ll provide additional tips and feedback, and you can connect with other aspiring photographers.

This session is designed to give you the editing skills and confidence to transform your pet photos and create stunning, professional-quality images.

Investment: £235 (A £100 non-refundable retainer is required to secure your training date, with the remaining £150 due 48 hours before your scheduled day of training.)

Book your 1-1 Editing Training

Want the Full Paw-Cademy Training Experience?

Get the ultimate Paw-Cademy Training by combining both 1-1 Photography Training and 1-1 Editing Training for a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience! Whether you're looking to master your camera, perfect your compositions, or transform your pet photos with advanced editing skills, this full package has you covered.

What’s Included in the Full Training Experience:

Photography Training: 1-1 personalized instruction on how to get the best out of your camera, understand lighting and composition, handle difficult models, and more.
Editing Training: 1-1 in-depth lessons on how to use Lightroom and Photoshop to enhance your photos and bring out their full potential.
Ongoing Support: Access to online critique from Lena and a place in the Pet Paparazzi Paw-Cademy Learning Group on Facebook for continued feedback and growth.

Training Format:

The full Paw-Cademy Training Experience is designed for flexibility and will be split into two 4-hour day sessions:

Photography Training: The first session will be dedicated to mastering your camera, understanding composition, working with models, and shooting pet portraits in different environments.

Editing Training: The second session will focus on editing your photos, learning the ins and outs of Lightroom and Photoshop, and applying advanced techniques to polish your images.

Requirements:

Photography Training: Bring your own camera and lenses.
Editing Training: Bring your own laptop with Lightroom Classic and Photoshop installed.

Duration:

Each session will last 4 hours, for a total of 8 hours of comprehensive training. Split over a 2-Day period.

With both photography and editing covered, you’ll be equipped with the skills to create stunning pet portraits from start to finish. Don’t miss out on this exclusive opportunity.

Investment: With the 20% discount, the total cost is just £388, saving you £97 off the full price of £485! (A £150 non-refundable retainer is required to secure both of your training dates, with the remaining £238 due 48 hours before your final scheduled day of training which will be the Editing training.)

Book your Full 1-1 Training

What do our Customers Say

Shannon Stirrup

'Paw-Cademy Full 1-1 Training'

"I bought the 1:1 mentoring package from Lena. As a beginner photographer who hardly knew anything, I walked away from the mentoring course with so much knowledge about how to take pictures, how to work with dogs and the best way to edit photos! Lena was patient with me and was so gentle and kind to the dog model and owner. She makes you feel comfortable and has the best way of approaching clients. I would highly 100% recommend the 1:1 mentoring package with Lena for those wanting to learn more about photography and editing. On the first day we spent approx 3 hours taking pictures of Hugo, our dog model. Lena showed me how to properly use my camera and some tips of capturing the best photos. Then on the second day we did the editing where Lena showed me how she edits her photos and then we sat side by side editing a photo together. She taught me about positioning, rule of thirds, exposure triangle and a lot more! Thank you Lena. I can’t wait to jump right into photography again!"

'Paw-Cademy Full 1-1 Training

Elaine Richmond

"I don’t know where to start! I had booked for the 2 day one to one tutorial with Lena. And it’s surpassed my expectations by far. I have my own camera but loved Lena teaching me to use it better and to set up the photo and using the whole of the environment around to enhance the photos.

And not only was Lena amazingly talented she also is a very lovely great mentor. Lena answered all my hundreds of questions and when my brain took longer to catch up with all the information Lena patiently revisited until I was with her again. I learnt a tremendous amount in the two days.

Lena was also very supportive of my own dream in relation to pet photography and offered sound business advice too.

Cannot thank you enough Lena. So excited to get out and practice now!"

Victoria Bland

Arlo

"We are absolutely blown away by our photo's from Arlo's shoot with Pet Paparazzi. We all had such a fun day and to see the pictures that come from it is just amazing. Could not recommend enough."

Natalie Robb

Gracie

"Lovely experience doing the photo shoot with Lena, with the most gorgeous photos as a result. Lena was extremely patient with my old dog who definitely didn’t want to learn any new tricks, but with her professionalism and experience she made the whole session good fun, with excellent results"