What to Expect at a Pet Photoshoot in Singapore

Let’s be honest. Our pets aren’t “part of” the family, they ARE the family! They’re the ones who greet you like you’ve been gone a year when it’s been ten minutes. So yes, they deserve a proper portrait, the kind you’ll still be gazing at long after they’ve stolen the good spot on the sofa for the thousandth time. Maybe it’s a birthday. Maybe a brand new arrival, or the anniversary of the day they picked you at the shelter. Or maybe you just caught them mid-nap and thought, I never want to forget this exact face.

We’ve been photographing pets since 2009, and honestly, we still get a bit giddy when one trots through the door. A good portrait doesn’t need your pet to sit still and behave. It needs them relaxed enough to do the thing they do, the head tilt, the goofy grin, the look they give only you. That’s what we’re here to catch. Here’s how to help us do it.

Located at 219 River Valley Road, White Room Studio is housed in a beautifully restored 1927 heritage shophouse with over 2,400 square feet of indoor photography space. Since opening in 2009, we’ve completed more than 19,000 photoshoots, received over 1,900 verified reviews, and have been recognised by Tatler as Singapore’s Best Portrait Photographer for nine consecutive years (2017–2025).

Every pet walks into White Room Studio with their own opinion about the place. Some strut in nose down, tail up, ready to sniff every corner. Others give us the suspicious once over, and that’s fine by us! We’ve photographed pets in Singapore since 2009, and a relaxed pet is always a more photogenic one. So every pet photography session at our River Valley studio starts the same way. Time to explore and settle in before a single photo is taken.

Then it’s a team effort. Every session includes a photographer and a studio assistant, one on the camera, the other on treats, toys, and the silly noises that earn a head tilt. Your job is to stand back and watch your favourite creature be the star of the room.

A few familiar things from home make a real difference. Pack your pet’s favourite treats and toys, because nothing holds a dog’s gaze like the good snacks, and nothing bribes a cat quite like the toy they actually love. For a pet photography session at White Room Studio, bring a leash or carrier for arrival. If your pet is on a special diet, bring their own treats so nothing upsets their tummy.

And don’t stress about perfect behaviour! We’re not after a stiff little statue. We want the real them, the tail that won’t quit, the head that tilts at every squeak, the face they save just for you.

Some pets have a wardrobe better than ours, and we are here for it. A little bow tie, a bandana, a knit for the cooler months, whatever suits your pet’s personality, is a lovely way to add variety while keeping all eyes on the star. That said, some pets are perfect in nothing but their own fur, and that’s a look too.

Celebrating a birthday or a milestone? Bring the hats, the balloons, the banners, the cake, the lot! Let us know beforehand and we can blow up some balloons for your furkid, no problem. At White Room Studio we usually start with timeless portraits first, then bring out the props and outfit changes, so you go home with both the classic frame-worthy shots and the joyful, party-hat chaos.

Every pet is a total original, and a solo portrait is where that really shows! The particular way they cock their head, the side-eye, the paws crossed just so, all the little quirks you’d know anywhere.

But you’re part of their story too, so most families hop in front of the camera as well. Whether it’s just the two of you, the kids, or grandparents and the whole gang, a pet photography session at White Room Studio captures the bond you share, the one that needs no words and usually involves a lot of belly rubs.

Planning a bigger group? Here’s how to prepare for a multi-generation family photoshoot.

Let’s start with the dogs, because honestly, we could photograph them all day! The bouncy ones, the dignified old souls, the rescue who needs a minute to trust the room, the puppy who thinks the whole studio is one enormous toy. We love the lot. Dogs give you everything, the goofy grin, the head tilt, the full-body wag that nearly knocks the lights over, and our whole job is to catch it before it’s gone.

At White Room Studio we photograph dogs of every size and temperament, from a single portrait of your best friend to the happy pandemonium of a multi-dog family. Nervous or excitable, we go at your dog’s pace, treats and squeaky toys at the ready, until they forget the camera’s even there. That’s usually when you get the shot you’ll keep forever, the one that’s so completely them you can almost hear the bark.

Can we talk about cats for a second? Because we love them, we understand them, and that changes everything about how we photograph them. A cat will not be told. We work the way they do, slowly and quietly, letting your cat decide for themselves that the studio belongs to them. The best shots come the moment they relax and forget we’re there, flopped over showing you their belly, or giving you a look so unimpressed it’s basically art.

But we’ll be honest, because a real cat lover would. The studio isn’t right for every cat. Some are genuinely terrified of anywhere new, and a frightened cat hides rather than shines. If that sounds like yours, don’t force it. We’ll come to you instead. At home, your cat already rules everything they survey, so we simply step into their world and follow them from windowsill to sofa to that one sacred sunbeam. No carrier, no car, no fear, and very often, the most beautiful photos of all. Home cat photography sessions at White Room Studio are available for an additional $150.

Here’s a scene we know well. A toddler who won’t sit, a dog who won’t stop, and a parent quietly panicking that the whole thing is about to fall apart. If that’s your family, take a breath, this is our favourite kind of session, and the chaos you’re dreading is exactly where the best photos come from. Your job isn’t to keep everyone perfectly still and smiling. That’s ours. Every session at White Room Studio runs with a photographer and an assistant working the room together, so someone’s always got eyes on the dog while someone else is making your little one laugh, and you get to actually be in the moment instead of managing it.

One thing that genuinely helps, tell us who the star is. Some families come to us for the kids and simply want the pet in a few frames. Others are here for their fur baby and the children are along for the ride. There’s no wrong answer, and we’re glad to do either. We just love knowing beforehand so we can shape the session around whoever the day is really about.

My wife and I went to White Room Studio for a pet photo shoot with our puppy, Truffles. Our photographer Yan was very patient and enthusiastic throughout the shoot. Yan managed to capture lots of nice photos of us and made Truffles look like a model. Overall, it was a great experience and the photos show that.

– Elfrin Lim

My family was very pleased with the photos taken for our Family Pet Photoshoot at White Room Studio. Every photo taken was so natural and so beautiful that we had no choice but to buy all the soft copies in USB.  Delun was very professional and made the whole session truly enjoyable and memorable. He made all of us look good, including our pet poodle, Charlie. He is the best photographer I have come across so far. Good job, Delun! We are so blessed to have you as our photographer. 

– Karen Low

I have a very good experience for my shoots with White Room Studio. Delun, our photographer is very professional, knows how to manage our pet and makes our shoot a very smooth and comfortable one. Not to say the studio is in an air conditioned environment which makes the entire shoot very comfortable.

– Charlie

The question we hear most is whether a pet will actually behave for the camera. Here’s the honest answer. Almost none of them waltz in and strike a pose, and we wouldn’t want them to.

Some pets are a whirlwind, all zoomies and wagging. Others are shy, or nosy, or distracted by literally everything. We don’t fight any of it. At White Room Studio we photograph pets at their own pace, breaks and all, and let the real expressions come out on their own time.

And honestly, the photos families end up loving most are never the posed ones. They’re the surprise head tilt, the daft excited grin, the way your dog whips round to look at you the second you say their name. That’s the stuff worth framing.

Cats and dogs are just the start. At White Room Studio we’ve photographed rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, even a tortoise taking its own sweet time across the studio, and yes, once, a row of twelve rabbits lined up together, which was every bit as gloriously chaotic as it sounds. Small pets come with their own quirks, and we’ve learned to roll with all of them, the ones who bolt, the ones who freeze, the ones who’d rather burrow into your jumper than face a camera. We keep it calm, we let them settle at their own speed, and we work quickly when they give us that perfect still moment, because with a hamster, you get about three seconds and you learn not to waste them.

Our studio is cosy and climate controlled, which plenty of pets adore. But some are happiest with grass under their paws and a breeze in their fur, and we love those shoots just as much. Outdoor pet photography lets us catch the wild joy of a dog off the lead, the sniff-everything curiosity, the easy way you and your pet just are together when you’re out in the world.

White Room Studio arranges outdoor pet photography sessions at scenic locations around Singapore for an additional $150, giving you a relaxed, lifestyle feel that’s perfect for outdoorsy pets and the families who love roaming with them. Need somewhere to start? Have a look at our guide to Singapore’s top outdoor photoshoot locations.

Studio or outdoors, the aim never changes. We’re after the honest, joyful photos that look exactly like your pet, and how much you love them.

Our pets don’t stay with us nearly long enough. That’s the ache of loving them, and it’s exactly why a portrait matters so much. Every pet photography session at White Room Studio is relaxed, unhurried, and built entirely around your pet, whether you’re marking a birthday, welcoming a new arrival, or simply refusing to let this version of them slip by unphotographed. We’ll walk you through the whole thing, start to finish.

Pet photography sessions at White Room Studio start from $390, and cover solo portraits, family photos, and shoots with multiple pets. Years from now, these are the frames you’ll be grateful you have.

Planning your visit? See what to expect at our studio experience.