Photo Sessions with Dogs: Tips and Tricks
I am a dog person…I LOVE doggos. We have one of our own and we regularly foster more! So one of my faaaavorite things is when people ask if they can bring their dog to their engagement or family session! I totally understand that dogs are as much a part of the family as humans and you want your relationship with them captured to treasure forever. Here are some tips and tricks that will make your session with your doggo go as smoothly as possible.
Consider bringing a friend for doggo duty
Especially if we are capturing your engagement photos, I guarantee you will want some photos of just the two of you without your doggo in them. Even if you are doing a family session, you’ll probably want some photos of just your human family. For this reason, I recommend bringing a friend who can watch your dog while we take pictures of just the humans. If you can’t bring a friend and your dog can’t safely be off leash, sniffing around while we capture your photos, be prepared to leave your car running and put your pup in the car for part of your session.
Bring treats!
It is easiest for me to capture a dog’s attention and get them to look at the camera if I have some of their favorite treats or a favorite noisy toy.
When we are capturing the “everyone smile and look at me” photo, don’t look at your dog!
I will try to capture a few of your typical “everyone smile and look at the camera” photo while your dog is also looking at me. Please please please don’t worry about if your dog is looking at me, I will take care of that. The best thing you can do is just smile and look at me until I say we’re good. If you’re looking at your dog, worried about if they’re looking at me, then I have to worry about a lot more than just one set of eyes looking at the camera. Sometimes we only have a split second of time when your dog will look at the camera, so I need you looking at the camera as well! After I make sure I get at least one good one of everyone looking at the camera, many of the remaining portraits will be of you interacting with your dog…giving and receiving kisses, walking around, playing with a toy, stuff like that. So don’t worry about what pupper is doing, I got it!
Bring a pretty leash for doggo!
I know a lot of people use retractable leashes for their pets, but trust me when I say those don’t photograph very well. A pretty leather leash, or even a plain black “regular” dog leash would be great. If you coordinate it with your outfits, even better :D
Well there you have it folks, my best tips and tricks for making sure your session with your doggo goes smoothly! Did this sell you on booking a session with me and bringing doggo along? You can inquire here!