MENU
  • Home
  • Horse & Rider
Rough Coat Photography Logo
  • Dogs & Their People
  • Let's Connect

2025 Session Guide

A roadmap for your pet photography adventure

IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME?

A beautiful black and white dog tilts his head and poses for his picture in a field of yellow flowers.

 

A pet portrait session is a meaningful investment, perfect for those who know pets are family and deserve the very best.

At Rough Coat Photography, sessions are fun, personal, and focused on creating stunning, tangible artwork for your home—crafted with the highest quality standards, worthy of your beloved horse and dog. 

With every artwork purchase, you'll also receive companion digital files—adding even more value and ensuring your cherished memories are preserved for a lifetime.

Not all photography studios are the same—keep reading to discover the Rough Coat difference.

HOW IT WORKS

Step 1: The Session

We have a fun session with your pets, either at your barn or one of our scenic, quiet & dog-friendly locations.

Step 2: Purchase Appointment

Get ready for happy tears. A few weeks after your session we'll meet on Zoom where you'll see your images and purchase your favorites as wall art, albums, memory boxes, digital package or a combination.

Step 3: Your Order Arrives!

Get ready to decorate your home and office! 6-8 weeks after your session your order arrives at your doorstep, ready to fill your walls and shelves with the beauty we created.

WHAT'S INCLUDED in your $249 SESSION FEE

Welcome Guide

Packed with helpful information such as what to wear and how to prepare your pets for your session.

Shoot Location

We'll select your perfect spot to reflect your desired look. Do you prefer contemporary and urban, or rustic and natural? Maybe some of each?

Consultation

Before your shoot we'll chat about the images that are most important to you. If you don't know that's fine, I'll have a lot of ideas!

Private Purchase Appointment

This is everyone's favorite part. See your gorgeous images from the comfort of your own home. Place your order while you're sitting on your couch with your dog on your lap. Zoom is by far the easiest and most convenient way to have your Purchase Appointment.

Design Service

Take advantage of this complimentary service to see digital views of your images on the walls of your home. Enjoy total piece of mind that you ordered the right images in the right sizes. No more guesswork!

Custom Edits

Your purchased images will receive meticulous and custom glow-ups so your pets look their very best. Goodbye, eye-crusties!

Artwork and Pricing Snapshot

A custom session with Rough Coat Photography typically delivers 30-40 breathtaking images, perfect for displaying in an heirloom album or as statement wall art. We offer museum-quality options: canvas, framed matted prints, metal, and fine-art prints—turning your home into a warm, inviting tribute to your beloved pet.

Artwork + Digital Collections: The Best of Both Worlds

We specialize in timeless, handcrafted artwork but also offer flexible digital collections. Purchase wall art or an album and enjoy 40% off digital collections—so you can have both tangible beauty and digital convenience.

Framed Artwork: Timeless & Elegant

Archival prints, canvas, acrylic, or metal pieces to complement your home.
Starting at $799

Prints & Digital Collections

Smaller collections of prints and the corresponding digitals, perfect for small spaces and sharing online 
Starting at $799

Albums: Treasured Keepsakes

Showcase 20 or 30+ images in a beautifully curated album, plus the companion high-resolution digital files. Our most popular product.
Starting at $2,249

Digital Collections: For the Modern Pet Lover

High-resolution images on a custom flash drive for those who prefer digital keepsakes.
Starting at $1,499

Details Matter

Any image in your purchased artwork or album comes with a high-resolution digital file for personal use. Each image is meticulously edited—removing leashes, telephone poles, and distractions—so your pet remains the star. 

A Stress-Free Experience

Our product list has been carefully curated, saving you the headache of shopping around and worrying about quality. We'll bring samples to your session, so you can see everything before you buy. Then let us handle the ordering and shipping; everything arrives right to your door 6-8 weeks after your Purchase Appointment.

Request our Full Product Guide

Congratulations -you're in the loop!

Welcome to the Rough Coat Club!

While you're here, feel free to flip through my Session Guide - it's your roadmap for how my sessions run.

Feeling like being social? Find me on Facebook and IG. 

Again, welcome - I'm so happy you're here!


All the best,

Valerie Buller

View Receipt View Submission
Get early access to model calls, unique sessions, and exclusive events—many never shared on social media. No flooding your inbox and easy unsubscribe. Not getting emails? Check that darn spam folder. Bonus: my emails come with beautiful pet photos.

Rough Coat Photography does not sell your information to anyone, nor do we pester you with endless emails. PS Please check spam folders!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Congratulations -you're in the loop!

Welcome to the Rough Coat Club!

While you're here, feel free to flip through my Session Guide - it's your roadmap for how my sessions run.

Feeling like being social? Find me on Facebook and IG. 

Again, welcome - I'm so happy you're here!


All the best,

Valerie Buller

View Submission
Leave this field empty

Read our Most Frequently Asked Questions.

Do you do family sessions?

Because our focus is exclusively on horses, dogs and their people, we do family sessions only when the family pets are fully integrated in the session. 

Can we do an engagement photo shoot with our horse and/or dog?

Of course! What better way to celebrate? Incorporating your beloved pets adds a unique, personal touch to your images. We also do equine bridal sessions! They are typically done after the wedding so we don't have to worry so much if your horse pulls off a button or plays too hard with your veil. 

My dog doesn't know sit, stay or any other commands. Is that a problem?

Not at all! We photograph dogs with no training (and selective hearing) all the time. We are not asking, or even wanting, your dog to be on perfect behavior. This is when we want their personality to shine through. If they're bouncy, sassy and goofy that is exactly what we want to capture. This is true of equine photo sessions as well. 

My dog can't be off leash. Can I still do a session?

Yes! Absolutely! Believe it or not, 95% of the dogs that we photograph are on leash. Thanks to the meticulous hand-edits in Photoshop, leashes will be removed from most final images.

My dog is super reactive to other dogs/people/bicycles. How can we do a session?

We completely understand; the world can be a scary place. If your dog is nervous or reactive, we have a selection of out-of-the-way locations that receive very little dog or foot traffic. And we'll use a long lens allowing us to stand at quite a distance so your dog's 'comfort-bubble' will stay intact. 

My horse/dog is a never-ending ball of energy! How do you manage high-energy pets?

My camera shutter speed goes all the way up to 1/8000 of a second–in other words, plenty fast enough to capture even the most active pet! In many cases I need one second to get the shot I have in mind. Additionally, our sessions never require your pet to stay in one place for minutes on end. We do something your dog finds fun (bouncing along side of you, chasing a ball etc.) and we get great photos, then we go do something else fun! One of the benefits of hiring a pet photographer is that we know how to work with "hyper" models and still deliver gorgeous images, jam-packed with personality.

What about harnesses or gentle leaders, can those be edited out?

Harnesses hide so much of the dog's chest that it's very challenging to accurately rebuild those pixels in post-production. Gentle leaders can leave unsightly shadows or pull on dog's skin, so those are also a challenge to digitally remove. If your dog normally wears one of these for walks, we recommend using it while walking to our location, but also bringing a flat collar to use for the actual shoot.

What if it's raining?

If rain is in the forecast we will definitely reschedule. Your session fee simply transfers over to our new session date–easy peasy!

Should I dress my dog up in cute outfits and bandanas?

We feel your dogs are beautiful just as they are. However, if you have a different vision for your images we would love to chat about it.

Can I be in the images, too?

Of course! We love documenting the wonderful connection between you and your horse and/or dog. If you're especially camera shy, we can still create some lovely, creative images that tell the story of your relationship while keeping most of you out of the frame. Please just trust us, and remember that you don't need to purchase or display any images that you don't adore.

What time will our photo session be?

The most magical light for photography happens during the "golden hour," which is why we schedule most sessions during the last two hours of daylight. 

How long are your sessions?

They are typically 90 minutes. If you have a multitude of pets and/or people we'll talk about a longer session so we have ample time to include everyone.

How do you choose a location?

We have a large selection of favorite locations that have attractive features, are pet-friendly and generally very quiet. During our session-planning Zoom we'll discuss the look you're after, any special needs your dog might have (mobility challenges, anxiety, etc.) With all that in mind, we'll settle on the perfect spot for your custom session. Equine sessions are done at the boarding barn or your private farm if your horse is kept at home. 

Who can come to the session?

In the interest of minimizing distractions, we do ask that only those who will be in the photos, and any helpers, come along.

Do you store my photos forever so I can purchase them at a later date?

After your Purchase Appointment you are always welcome to check back with us. However, we can't store your photos indefinitely and third party back up systems can fail. For these reasons we advise purchasing the images and products you want at your Ordering Appointment.

Meet Your Photographer

Hello, I'm Valerie - lover of horses, dogs and adventures. I grew up in Philadelphia and after college, spent ten years working for ABC News in New York. But in my down time I was always exploring outside - whether it was on my grandparents' farm, at our cottage in Eagles Mere, PA or working in Yosemite National Park. I've found that my heart is happiest in the great outdoors, living with dogs around my ankles and having horses to ride. 

Lancaster, PA has been my home for over 25 years and I share it with my husband, dogs, cats and chickens. I squeeze in riding, travel & adventure whenever I can. 

Grab your pets and let's go have fun!

Start a conversation!

NAVIGATE

Horse & Rider Dogs & Their People Rough Coat Notes Giving Back  

CONNECT/MORE INFO

Join the Rough Coat Club Receive our 2025 Session Guide 2025 Product & Pricing Guide FAQ's Guide to Local Pet Businesses  

SAY HELLO

Facebook Instagram valerie@roughcoatphotography.com 717.537.1224  
Fully Licensed and Insured
All content ©Rough Coat Photography 2011-2025
Crafted by PhotoBiz
CLOSE
Rough Coat Photography Logo
  • Home
  • Horse & Rider
  • Dogs & Their People
  • Let's Connect