We are now putting “puppy photographer” in our job description.
No joke… when you see these puppies, you’ll understand our obsession! HAHA! Get ready to learn alllll about our best tips and tricks to bringing your pup along to a photo session! Your four-legged friend will be a pro and invited to all the family photos after this!
Puppy photographer tips!
Arrive Early
Pups need a chance to explore and get all of their energy out before their session. We suggest arriving at least 15 to 20 minutes before your session so that it can give them time to get all of their crazies out! This way they are more familiar with the area and not as excited! Walk the trails that you see, play some fetch, get some water, and take it all in! This is a sure-fire way to get your pup ready for the camera!
It’s all about the reward.
Read that again! It’s all about the reward. Especially with the puppies who are just learning! Bringing treats to your photo session will make it a fun adventure for your fur baby and it will help keep them engaged in the activity! They will feel like they’re doing a good job and thus will be more likely to cooperate if they’re being rewarded for sitting still. Let’s be real… photos can get boring sometimes when you’re waiting on everyone to focus! 😉
Head Tilts For Days
We all want those super cute head tilts! And to do that we need to somehow get their attention. The secret to that? Squeaky toys! Bring the squeaky toys along and we will put them in our pockets. When the time is right, we’ll squeal it and get the cutest expression from your pup! Or, bring some of your pups favorite toys so we can have those ready to hold up too. Click HERE to see some of our favorite squeaky toys!
Leash up!
Public places can, and most likely will, be busy. The most respectful thing we can do as park-goers, especially those who are taking photos with our four-legged friends, is to put them on a leash! Not everyone loves dogs and so it is important we set good examples and keep our pups close to us and out of other people’s business. Also, you’re never sure that the other dogs in the area are dog friendly! It’s better to be safe than sorry and having Fido on a leash ensures that you can get ahold on him or her if you need to.
Leash/Collar Colors
Leash colors are super important for photos too. Just like the colors you wear are important, we don’t want your pup wearing a BRIGHT, NEON-colored leash. We want it to blend into the photo so it doesn’t distract from the cute little face that they have! Some of our favorite colors are natural and neutral colors. Think of the colors that compliment your outfits. See our favorite leash/collar combos HERE!
Accessories for dogs? Of course.
Bowties, bows, bandanas, we are here for all of it. We love a good accessory or two! If you have something cute with their name on it, or something that even matches you, we love to see it! We can always take it off to get some of just your pup too. Bring your favorites and we can see what we get to! You can also bring a cute letter board to announce your little one’s name! And always feel free to check with us if you are not sure!
Hydration is key.
Yep. Just like for you and me, hydration is a necessity in order to keep moving! Bring a bowl and a water bottle, or one of those really fun “dog water bottles” – I’ll link one to amazon HERE – to make sure your friend is staying as hydrated as possible… especially in the summer sun and heat! Dogs can’t tell us when they’re thirty or overheating, bring one just in case.
Patience.
Perhaps the most important thing to bring with you to a photoshoot. Your puppy photographer will too. Dogs can’t talk… they don’t understand the idea of a photoshoot… the best thing we can do to make the event go smoothly is be patient! They won’t always look at the camera or stay quiet or want to sit down, and that’s alright! The more patience you give, the more likely your friend is to pick up on that calming energy and also relax! You got this. 🙂
Now for the best part of the blog…… puppy photos from this aspiring puppy photographer pair.
See?! All of these owners brought these things for their dogs… but above all – they brought patience!
Final thoughts from a puppy photographer pair.
Their dogs aren’t always looking at the camera, and that’s okay! The photos are JUST as fun and adorable and now they have these memories with their fur babies forever and ever – which was the whole point!! And PS: Don’t forget the POOP bags 🙂
After reading this, are you considering taking your dog to a photoshoot?
If you’re looking for a pet-friendly photographer, I can name one! Click here. 😉
XOXO
Sam + Bryt
