Tips When Bringing your Dog(s) Along for Photos

Resource Blog

Are you considering including your dog(s) in your upcoming photo session? That's AMAZING! I absolutely love when people want to include animals in their photos and will always say yes to this request! Our pets, after all, a huge part of our lives and families! There are a few important things to consider in the decision and best practices to follow if you do decide to include your furry friends. 

Pros:

- Including your animal(s) as part of your photos can help truly document this phase of your life with them. 

- They can bring comfort and candid moments during sessions for those of us who are less comfortable in front of the camera.

Cons (there are very few of them):  

- While we absolutely LOVE our animals, they can end up potentially being a distraction, both to the owners and to the photos. Even the most well behaved dog can sometimes interrupt the photos - either showing up in the frame for moments we don't want them included in or by having different energy than the vibe you were looking for (think cozy newborn moments with a rambunctious dog jumping into the frame).

Tips for including your pet(s) in your photo session: 

  1. Select a location that works well with their personality. (If they LOVE to swim and you don’t want them getting anyone wet, a beach option might be challenging.)

  2. Have their favorite treats on hand for the more posed images where we want them staying put in a certain spot.

  3. Also bring the necessities you’d bring if you were taking your dog to the park (water, bowls, poop bags, leash, etc.) so we can ensure they are comfortable and we are being respectful of others.

  4. If they have a lot of energy, take them for a long walk and give them exercise prior to photos so they don't think this is their play time. 

  5. Bring someone as backup help during the photos, and to also take the dog away (on a walk, home, etc.) when we are ready for some moments without them included.

I’ll always help research to understand whether our location allows dogs or not. But as a reminder, dogs are no different than any of us when it comes to photos! They might end up showing up day-of more excited or more nervous than initially anticipated.

In my personal experience, I brought Lola to my studio headshots (shoutout to Kristen at @the2654project). I expected Lola to snuggle with me when I wanted her to, but to enjoy a tasty bone away from us when I was ready for a few solo shots. She ended up being so nervous being in a new space that she only wanted to sit right by my feet the entire time. (Lesson learned - I should have brought a friend along for help!) We changed our mindset and just included Lola in even more photos than initially expected. Don’t worry, it ALWAYS works out one way or another. Together, we will always work some magic and get the moments you were dreaming of, it just helps to follow the tips above to be best prepared for situations like this.

xx, Michelle + Lolita