It seems impossible, but every day is a shooting day at Ferplast! And who are our models? Dogs, cats, birds, bunnies and hamsters. There are always novelties to photograph, but these are often just still lives, pictures of the products, which are then used in our catalogues, folders, leaflets and packaging. Ferplast believes it’s crucial that the images you find online or on the packaging of our products be faithful reproductions of the products themselves, to avoid nasty surprises when opening the products.This is why we have a photo studio in our premises, better equipped than those of several famous magazines.We would like to take you on a tour through our company, and the first stop is right here.
Let’s have a little chat with Ferplast’s photographer,Giampietro, the author of all the images you see on our products.
How much work is there to do in a company such as Ferplast, in terms of photography?
A lot. In addition to practically daily shooting sessions, there’s a lot of post-production to do. Eight hours a day, five days a week simply fly by, there’s always so much work to do.
What tools do you use at the Ferplast photo studio?
Digital camera, several lens that I use according to the type of shooting, an optical bench with digital back, a set of professional benches, backgrounds…
What are the biggest difficulties that can happen during a shooting?
Photographing animals is no easy task. We always have a bunch of dogs that come to us with their owners, to be photographed as models. We always turn our shooting sessions into play time, never forcing the pets. Of course, I have the help of several people, in addition to the owners themselves. The pets are rewarded with biscuits, they’re pampered and caressed, and to help them look where we want them to, we use Ferplast’s dog and cat toys.
What are the difficulties related to post-production?
When all you have to do is get rid of a simple object, it’s not really hard, unless it’s a cage, but when it’s necessary to crop the fur of a cat or a dog, things get really complicated!
What animals are easier to photograph, dogs or cats?
Dogs, absolutely. Some even have the personality of movie stars. Cats are suspicious and therefore more problematic. It takes longer for them to get used to strangers, and sometimes I have to wait for hours, until they’re ready.
And who’s easier to photograph, dogs or their owners?
I have to admit that sometimes dogs are more photogenic, but only because they’re spontaneous and often end up resulting in very funny shots
