What to Expect When You Book a Photo Session For Your Dog

You decide you would like to have a beautiful portrait of your pup to hang on your wall to see every day - what a fantastic idea!

The first step is to contact me through my website and I will get back to you within 24 hours. We then will confirm a date for your dog’s portrait session. Next thing is to do a little preparation so our shoot will go as smoothly as possible.

I WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR DOG

I start with asking you to send me a few photos of your dog, completing my pet release and answering my questionnaire which outlines what you can expect during our one hour photo shoot, and also has questions about your dog. I like to find out a little about him/her as it helps me plan the shoot accordingly. I ask you questions like…is your dog shy and nervous or outgoing and playful, and what excites your dog - food, balls, toys? I also ask some more technical questions…what height is your dog when they are seated? This answer helps me set my lighting so everything is ready to go when you arrive…no fussing with equipment when your dog is familiarizing themselves with my studio. This creates a more relaxed atmosphere for them to settle in.

I also ask about your dog’s personality, any allergies I should know about, and your dog’s obedience level. Everyone tells me their dog can sit and stay, but that’s usually one of the biggest challenges because a photo shoot is such a new environment for a dog, their training is definitely tested! I have tricks to get the shot, and with my camera and special lights I need a fraction of a second to capture that perfect expression!

PREPARATION BEFORE YOUR DOG’S PHOTOSHOOT

Many clients ask me if they should groom their dog before our session. If you prefer your dog to have that groomed look in their portrait, then certainly book an appointment with your groomer, but it’s always best to have them cut a few weeks prior so they can grow into it a little. A bath is always a great idea before the session so they do look their best, even if that’s looking fun and scruffy, which I love! The most important part of grooming is that I can see your dog’s eyes, so often a trim of the brows or snout is really helpful right before our shoot day. As we say in photography, it’s all in the eyes!

I recommend you don’t feed the dog as much on the morning of our shoot, since treats (and noisemakers) will be key to our success…and to please potty your dog before arriving. Sometimes the pup just needs to ‘mark’ when they arrive for the shoot, and that’s why all my carpets are removed - it’s just something that comes with the territory (pardon the pun!) . 

HOW IT GOES AT YOUR DOG’S PHOTO SESSION

Depending on the dog’s comfort level, we usually spend about 15 minutes chatting while they become familiar with my home studio, my big camera - they are quite use to iPhones, but my camera can be intimidating to a dog - and also get to know me a little before we start shooting. As the dog is curiously sniffing around I randomly pop the strobe lights and reward them (the dog, not you) and this is just to see if your dog has any adverse reaction to the sound, which is extremely rare. We then start our shoot calmly, and give the dog a lot of praise and some well earned breaks. 

The secret to getting great shots is being patient, keeping the dog as comfortable as possible while working very fast - I often get some of the best images in the first 10-15 shots. The dogs are most alert at the beginning and react well to the noisemakers, then they catch on to my trickery and let me know they are ‘done’…it’s a wrap! It quite a funny scene where the dog’s owner is waving around a piece of cheese on the end of a knitting needle for the dog to focus on, and I am using a duck or squirrel call to get their attention. 

We all have a really good workout during our session, although I’m certain the dogs think we’re absolutely crazy. Your dog will have its best nap afterwards - you might also - and you will end up with a beautiful portrait (or a few) of your dog that you will cherish forever.