5 Tips for Including Your Dog in Your Photo Session
The idea of having your dog join in on your photo session sounds great, right? And then you start thinking about how that would actually go and it begins to sound like more work than it’s worth. Maybe you think your dog has to be obedient, calm and able to sit still and look toward the camera during your whole session… like a perfectly trained dog model.
You’re wrong! (but that’s a good thing) Including your dog is less work than you think and totally worth it to have them front and center, or even wandering around nearby in your treasured photos! I mean, they are family, aren’t they?
I’ve been working with dog-lovers for years now, and in my experience it’s never been a regretful experience no matter what your dog is like!
Want them to tag along and get in on the photo fun? First, I’ll bust some myths and then I’ll give you my top 5 tips for making it easy to include your dog in your next session!
MYTH BUST - Your dog does not have to be obedient or have a calm personality.
Yeah, it’s another body to wrangle up, but letting them be themselves while I capture cute, quirky and candid moments is at the HEART of my lifestyle photography! Just like a kid, every dog has its own personality, some a little more active and ready to explore the photo shoot location, some more mellow and happy to camp out on a picnic blanket for cuddles and affection. That’s what’s so great about getting them in on the session… we get to capture their personality right along with the rest of the family!
MYTH BUST - Your dog doesn’t need to sit perfectly and face the camera.
Trying to pose them or get them to look at the camera can feel a bit chaotic because they don’t know (or care) what the heck we’re doing. They’re just loving being outside with their humans and getting all kinds of attention! But even in those little moments of chaos, we’re bound to get some good photos because that’s just dogs being dogs… it’s perfect, it’s genuine, it’s them being them.
Although it’s a perk to have a calm, obedient dog who can take direction, none of these is a requirement for bringing your dog to your photo shoot! Great, right?!
Now, here are my top 5 tips for making it easy to include your pup in your session:
Bring their favorite treats. Got a treat-motivated dog? Let’s use that to our advantage!
Bring a small squeaky toy. We can use it to get their attention and they’ll have more fun!
Color coordinate their collar and leash to look nice with your outfits. Or keep them neutral-colored so these accessories won’t clash or stick out in the photos. I’ll do my best to position the leash behind your dog or edit it out of your images.
Bring an extra person (not to be photographed) who can hold onto your dog so I can take some photos that don’t include your pup. This is a great option if you’re doing a family session and have too many little ones to look after during our hour-long shoot. Also, your pup doesn’t need to be there for the whole thing if the other person can take them away or hang out with them.
Let your dog be a dog! Come without expectations of what your dog should or shouldn’t do at your session. They can’t read our minds or know the perfect position to be in! It’s totally cool if they turn their back to me so they can gaze into the eyes of their beloved momma and papa, which happens all the time. Those are the sweetest photos!
I hope this eases your mind and gets you thinking of all the great photo ops we can create! So bring your pup to any type of session you wanna book with me! You won’t regret it!
