What We Learned Dog Photography: A How-To Guide

Photographing dogs can be a delightful challenge! Dogs are full of energy, unpredictable, and often have minds of their own. However, capturing their unique personalities in a photograph is immensely rewarding. Through our experience working with Scrubbies, we have learned valuable tips and techniques that we can use on future projects. In this guide, we will share our insights and offer a step-by-step approach to capturing amazing dog portraits with products.

We worked our go to talented photographer Faye Hedges.

Ps.. Our pet web design skills really came in handy too!

Get out some doggy energy

Before your dogs have their much-anticipated photoshoot, it's always a great idea to go for a rejuvenating walk to expel any excess energy. Not only does this help your furry friends burn off some steam, but it also gives them a chance to stretch their legs and explore the surroundings.

Stagger the start times

We had each dog in separately with a break of 20 minutes in between each new arrival. This meant that we could just focus on the dog that we were shooting.

Establish a Connection

Building a connection with the dog is crucial before picking up the camera. Faye spend a few moments allowing the dog to sniff and become comfortable with her. Showing genuine affection and make them feel at ease in her presence. This initial bonding will lay the foundation for a successful photoshoot. Faye was really great at putting the dogs at ease.

Use dog treats but not as many as you’d think!

Engaging with the dog using props and treats can be an incredibly fruitful and engaging experience. It not only holds their attention but also helps to create incredibly unique compositions, capturing their personality and charm. Treats, in particular, play a pivotal role in this process. By strategically using treats, you can effortlessly direct their gaze or capture that perfect expression at just the right moment.

We did find however after a while the dogs began to focus too much on the treats and were running out of shot to get them! We the used them only at essential moments! Every dog has a distinct personality, and it's crucial to showcase it through your photographs. Observe their behaviour, playfulness, and quirks.

Be Prepared for Action

Dogs are dynamic creatures, and their energy levels can change in an instant. To capture their natural movement and playfulness, Faye had be ready with a fast shutter speed. Faye used burst mode or continuous shooting mode can help capture multiple frames in quick succession, increasing the chances of capturing the perfect action shot.

Patience is Key

Photographing the dog’s required plenty of patience. The Dog were not always cooperating. Faye was great at remaining calm and composed. Hank and Wilf my two dogs were insane when they turned up… We could only get one good picture of Wilf because he was running around too much with excitement.

Know when they’ve had enough

We found each dog had about 20 mins before they would be getting fatigued and bored. There was a window between excited and tired that we found the best shot came out of. It was important to us to see that the dogs had enough and were ready to stop.