Pet Session Tips | Dog

I love, love, love animals, so naturally I enjoy taking photos of them, too! Animals are notoriously hard to photograph, but I like the challenge. There are some things you can do, though, to make the whole process easier and ensure we get more good photos for you to choose from. I've come up with a few things to do with your dog before and during the photography session to make the most of it!

1. Tire them out
Take your dog for a walk or do a vigorous play session. Or even both! I tired, content pooch is much more cooperative than a hyper one. This is a MUST. Please, exercise your furbaby right before our session so that we don't waste time trying to get them to sit still for a few photos.

2. Groom them
Even if their fur is long or short, groom them a bit and get them camera ready. This could include getting a new collar or bandana, as well.

3. Keep their favorite treat and/or toy handy
We will need anything and everything to entice your pooch to look at the camera at the right moment. Having treats and a variety of toys is a good way to make this happen. Toys can also be good props for the shoot itself!

4. Clean up the backyard
And when I say clean, I don't just mean sticks and leaves. Please pick up the dog poo, too. You'd be surprised what I have to do to get a good photo from your dog. Not worrying about land mines will make the session so much easier!

5. Tell me about your dog's personality
If your dog's a bum or super hyper, let me know! Knowing what I'm in for lets me stratigize. If your dog loves walks, lets walk him a bit for some photos. If they love swimming, lets let them swim! We want this to be as much fun as possible for your dog, too!

Other than that, we just play it by ear and do our best to get some shots of your furry friend! Below are some of my favorite dog shots!

Wildlife Prairie Park

My mom and I decided to go to Wildlife Prairie Park and get some excersize and see if I could get any good photos! It was a really nice day to go to the park. They're redoing a lot of the exhibits, but we didn't mind the dust. I was really wanting to get some good ones of the wolves (my favorite animal), but they stayed pretty far away in the shade most the time. Overall, I really enjoy going to WPP. It's not like a zoo, it's more like a sanctuary for all the natural Illinois residents.

August & Sanibel | Pet Session

One of my good friends, Brooke, asked me about taking photos of her and her sister's dog. I was more than happy to get some shots of their beloved canines. August, the husky, couldn't stay clean, though, and found something to roll in and get all over his face. He's still cute, at least. Sanibel, the yellow lab, had lots of fun fetching sticks out of the water during the session, too.

Peoria Photography Meetup Group | PAWS

This was my first event for the Peoria Photography Meetup Group that I attended and was behind the camera. Before, I modeled for the group, which was a lot of fun.

I was so excited when I saw this event, though. I've been wanting to go to an animal shelter and take photos of the animals for a long, long time. I love animals and have always been an animal lover. There are some times when I definitely prefer the company of animals to other people. A better photo of the animals at the Peoria Animal Welfare Shelter could mean the difference between getting adopted and not getting adopted.

It was just a great event, overall. Jen, the organizer, was great and super helpful. Actually, everybody was super helpful and friendly. I can't wait for the next event, especially a return visit to PAWS.

Spring is in the Air

I had the itch to shoot the other day, so I grabbed my 50mm and took a 15 minute stroll around my street. I found a few interesting plants/flower that I liked and the dogs were with me, so I took some quick shots of them as well. I can't wait for more plants to start blooming!

A Trip to the Peoria Zoo

Today, I convinced my mom to go with me to the Peoria Zoo. It was a bright, sunny day and I hadn't shot any animals besides our own dogs in a while. It cooled off a bit while we were there, but it wasn't too bad. I was hoping some more of the animals would be out and about, but I still got some great shots. I think my favorite is the lion and his lioness. I spent a lot of time waiting for him to pick his head up. The lioness yawned a lot, but he just laid there asleep.