Preparing for your dog's portrait session can be a fun and exciting experience for both you and your furry companion. It doesn't need to be complicated or stressful, just a few basic steps and you're ready! Here are a few tips to help you get ready for the big day and to ensure we capture meaningful memories for you:
Bathe your dog
Make sure your dog is clean and brushed. A bath the day before our session is perfect and depending on your dog's coat, a quick brush before you leave the house is perfect.
Have your dog professionally Groomed
If your dog is a breed (or mix) that requires regular grooming, please have him or her groomed 2 or 3 days before our session. It's important that we can see those beautiful eyes sparkling with light, which means the hair around the eyes needs to be trimmed and the hair on the muzzle needs to be short.
In the image below on the left, you can see one eye pretty well and part of the other because I was looking down at the dog. However, most of the time, I'm photographing at the same level or lower than the dog, and if the hair on the muzzle is long and bushy, it will block my view of the eyes. You can see that in the image on the right. Even though I was able to get tiny catchlights in the eyes, they are so hidden by the fur, you can barely see them. And if you look closely, you can see that the focus is on the fur around the eyes, because I couldn't fit my focal point inside the area surrounded by fur.
Plan your outfit
If you would like some images of yourself with your dog, stick with solid colors, avoid busy patterns and super bright colors, and wear something that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
If you'd rather not be in the images, I still suggest avoiding bright colors. You'll often be right next to your dog holding the leash, and we don't want a bright pink shirt making your dog look pink. Earthy colors are perfect!
Treats/Toys
Make sure you have your dog's favorite treats on hand to bring to your session. We want to make sure the session is fun and super rewarding, so only the best treats will do.
Of course, I'll also have a variety of treats with me as well, and if your dog doesn't have any dietary restrictions, I will have them as a novel backup.
If your dog is crazy about a certain toy, bring it! We'll hide that until the end of the session when noises and treats are no longer exciting.
Skip dinner
Not you, your dog. We don't want your dog walking around with a full belly while we're also providing lots of treats. That's not safe and not comfortable for your dog. Instead, hold off on feeding your dog dinner until after the session.
Collar
Bring either a thin collar, one that matches your dog, or if you have a favorite fancy collar bring it. If not, no worries, I have a thin slip leash that we can use and I'll edit out of your final images.
If your dog needs a harness for walking around, please bring it, but if possible, it's best to switch to the collar when we stop to capture your memories. I will not be able to edit out a harness.
Bonus Tips for the overachiever
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Practice sits, downs, stands, and stays, with lots of treats.
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Practice rewarding your dog for jumping on rocks or benches, then add a little bit of duration on the objects, with lots and lots of treats.
- Teach your dog some new tricks, like head down, bow, roll over, speak, etc. for some fun images.
What to bring
- Water and a water bowl;
- Poop bags;
- Best stinkiest treats, and lots of them;
- Favorite toy;
- A fresh clean collar;
- Comfy shoes. Depending on the location, we may have a bit of walking;
- Water (for you);
- A drool towel, if you have a drooly dog;
- A helper if you have one.
That's it! Dogs will be dogs, so no need to expect your dog to be perfectly still during our session. I actually prefer a less-than-perfect stay over a perfect frozen stay with the same exact (waiting for the release word) expression in every image.
The most important thing is that you and your dog have fun during our session! Gorgeous images of your happy dog will naturally follow.
This blog post is part of a pet photographer blog circle. To read each post, click the link at the bottom of each page, starting with Syracuse photographer Nancy of Nancy Kieffer Photography sharing plans for upcoming winter dog photo sessions.
4 Comments
Jan 23, 2023, 8:14:38 PM
Nicole Hrustyk - Thanks, Darlene!
Jan 23, 2023, 7:59:12 AM
Darlene - These are great, Nicole! Love the addition of the "overachiever" tips :) Love the before-and-after grooming - it's struggle for sure with the fur in the eyes!
Jan 20, 2023, 9:23:15 AM
Nicole Hrustyk - I definitely learned that the hard way!
Jan 20, 2023, 5:15:52 AM
Carol - Oh, what a pro tip! Avoiding bright clothing that will bounce back on to the dog! Great point.