Keegan O’Neil – Floofy Studios Photo Academy

Floofy Studios Photo Academy is Keegan O’Neil’s two-part course on the craft and business of dog photography. Drawing on his experience building Floofy Studios, O’Neil takes photographers from animal portrait techniques through the commercial work involved in running a studio.

The course is aimed at people who want to move from hobby photography toward professional work, as well as photographers who want to develop a pet specialty.

Dog photography and studio skills

• Camera settings tuned for fast-moving, unpredictable dog subjects
• On-set handling techniques for nervous, hyper, or shy dogs
• Lighting and editing methods that make fur and eyes pop naturally
• How to direct owners and run a smooth client session
• Pricing, packaging, and selling prints instead of just files
• Building and marketing a dog photography business from scratch

What Floofy Studios Photo Academy teaches

The photography portion is built around animals rather than treating pets as a small addition to a general portrait curriculum. Dogs do not necessarily pose on cue, so the work calls for an approach that accounts for movement and the subject’s behavior during a shoot.

O’Neil also addresses the visual differences between photographing fur and photographing skin. The course moves through the shooting process and into the editing workflow, with attention to the features that make an animal portrait work.

On-set handling is part of that process. The material considers dogs with different temperaments and the photographer’s role in working with their owners during a session.

The business side of dog photography

The second half shifts from making photographs to the business of offering dog photography as a service. O’Neil built Floofy Studios at a time when he says online education for this niche was unavailable, and the course draws on the experience and trial and error behind that studio.

The commercial material treats the business as a subject in its own right. It covers how to price and package work, find clients and sell prints rather than only providing image files.

This sequence connects the technical work of photographing animals with the practical decisions involved in establishing and marketing a dog photography business.

Who the academy is for

Floofy Studios Photo Academy suits a hobbyist working toward professional dog photography or an established photographer moving into pet portraits. Its focus remains on the animal niche rather than the broader range of subjects found in general photography training.

The lessons assume familiarity with shooting in manual mode, so someone completely new to photography may need more time with the early material. A manual-capable camera and a basic lens are the stated starting equipment; the teaching emphasizes skill rather than costly gear.

Course structure and materials

The academy follows a two-part progression. Photography and editing come first, establishing the workflow for animal portraits before the course turns to studio business topics.

The downloadable materials include videos and PDFs. Together, the two halves cover both the photographic work and the commercial considerations involved in pursuing dog photography professionally.

Frequently asked questions

What is Floofy Studios Photo Academy?

It is Keegan O’Neil’s course on photographing animals and running a dog photography studio. The material draws on his experience building Floofy Studios.

How is the course structured?

The first half covers animal photography and the editing workflow. The second half moves into the commercial side, including pricing, finding clients and selling.

Do I need professional camera equipment?

The stated starting equipment is a camera that can be used in manual mode and a basic lens. The lessons emphasize technique rather than expensive camera bodies.

Do I need previous photography experience?

The material assumes you already know how to shoot in manual mode. It is intended for hobbyists moving toward professional work and photographers entering the pet specialty.

What course materials are available?

The downloadable materials include videos and PDFs.