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!

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.

Playing with the Studio

 

I decided to have my pups model for me tonight for a little bit so I could test out my new backdrop. I really love it! I got my 580EX set up with a white umbrella and went to town. They didn't mind too much, luckily. In case you didn't know, the grey one is Lola and the black one is Diego. I often refer to them as my furbabies.

I think next time, I'm going to pull the backdrop out onto a small table and have them stand on it so it'll all be seamless.