Pet Photography Secrets

I’ve been meaning to share a little behind the scenes look into the magic that goes into creating awesome images for my clients. Often times people ask me what the secret is to getting the photos I do, especially when it comes to getting multiple dogs together.

I’ll be honest… it’s not easy but if you know me, I’m always up for a challenge and no job is too big. I can understand why clients feel overwhelmed at the thought of photographing all the furry family members.  But rest assured it can be done!  There’s a formula of equal parts planning, good photography, and luck initially and then following the photo session adding in the magic of my Photoshop skills.

So many times I hear clients say we have too many dogs to get them all to cooperate or that their dogs won’t sit sill or they don’t have good recall so there’s just no way we’ll get the kind of images they see on my website and in my portfolio. But as I hinted to above, every image gets the benefit of extra attention in Photoshop, including removing the leash post session so that really makes a big difference!

It’s completely understandable to have worries about how your dog or dogs will perform in front of the camera! That’s where the planning comes in. I have tips and tricks that I’ve developed over the past 5 years in business that can get us started on the right foot for your photography session. All of this is addressed during the consult so you can be sure to know exactly what to expect and how we’ll tackle any hurdles your pup presents.

Whether or not your dog or dogs wear a leash is a personal decision for you. If it’s a group image, like the Basset family shown here, a leash is usually my suggestion so that the position of each dog can be controlled and we can set them up. Each photo session includes retouching on your final images that will  have the leash removed, so either way whether your dog stays on or off leash the end result is a natural, leash-less look.

Photographing a Group of Dogs

Check out the before image below from the “Peanut Gang” dog photography session! These Bassets kept me on my toes throughout their entire session!

From left to right, Peanut, Franklin, Peppermint Patty, and Schroeder. All of the dogs are, as you can see, on leash with mom and dad very close. This image was taken at the end of their session after a prior successful family photo, each dog’s individual portraits, play shots of the youngest Peanut and Franklin playing fetch, and select groupings such as mother and son portraits fro Franklin and Patty. Though they all rocked this image, there were many other outtake photos with each dog doing his or her own thing, completely oblivious to the lady with the camera (lol). There were many funny faces, barking/howling, and silliness before and after I captured this photo.

Also in the final image seen above,  I’ve done my usual extra attention to detail editing that included removing stray hairs (the dogs were shedding quite a bit), “eye goo”, drool, and wet ears from water breaks and sibling slobber. That’s another bonus of working with me, each image gets an extreme attention to detail so that your final portrait is literally “picture perfect!”

This family decided on a framed portrait to hang in their dining room. We accented the image with a rich walnut frame matching the décor of the room, an off white mat, and of course this gorgeous portrait image on fine art linen paper.  I created a mock-up using my advanced portrait design software. It allows me to show my clients their own images, on their walls, in the sizes, layouts, and selections they are considering. With the ability to see the images on the walls ahead of time, my clients can make the absolute best decision!

This final framed portrait looks gorgeous with such detail and vibrancy. I loved delivering it and seeing how perfect it is in my clients’ home.

 

Want to get your dog or dogs photographed?

I’d be thrilled to connect with you and find a way to create something awesome for you too! Regardless of how many dogs you have, their levels of training or special needs, I’d love to work with you! I offer complimentary consults too!