If you guys follow me on IG you know I have a dog named Murphy that gets photographed pretty often! I am really lucky in that in Murphys very limited vocabulary, we worked hard on sit, lay, stay, and wait. She is pretty cooperative with photos, but not all dogs are! I’ve also photographed other families with dogs, so I wanted to share a few tips for photographing dogs today. If you’re a dog lover, of course you want everyone to bring their dogs to a session! You know dogs are part of the family, and ya love ’em.
Don’t be afraid to ask about the dogs temperament and behaviour
If you don’t know the dog you are photographing, you need to ask the owners what their dog is like. I don’t believe in breed-profiling (ALL DOGS ARE GOOD DOGS AT HEART). I am talking about asking what the dog can and cannot do. Can they follow basic commands like sit and stay? Are the food motivated? Do they listen to everyone in your family or just one person? Before you say, “YES, I LOVE DOGS BRING THEM” you should entertain these questions. Otherwise you risk entering into a situation where a family expects you to make magic with their pooch that is running around in circles.
Camera settings when photographing dogs
Speaking of running in circles with dogs real quick… Go ahead and bump that shutter speed up when photographing any animals! Unless you are going for intentional movement blur, you will want a fast shutter speed to capture your furry friends. Shoot at 1/500 or faster (like 1/1000). For a top secret tip to ensure you use the right shutter speed, click here.
Set expectations for photographing dogs
Once you have more information about the dogs behavior, take a long think before you set any expectations. Again, when you agree to photograph a dog, you are automatically setting an expectation that you know what you are doing. So, if you don’t, you need to be upfront. Tell them they can bring the dog but you won’t be able to command the dog and take photos, so perhaps ask them to bring a friend to hold the dog or if you have an assistant, explain that the assistant will be working to command the dog and hold off screen occasionally. I never make any promises about getting a photo where everyone is smiling and looking at the camera, dog included. I always tell clients we will do our best but expect the worst with animals. You know what they say: always under-promise and over-deliver!
Treats, toys, and all the things
Lastly, come prepared to photograph dogs! If you don’t have treats, ask the owner to bring a few (lots). Ask what gets their dogs attention. Food? A particular toy? Tell them you need something that will help the dog focus and ask them to bring it. I recommend bringing back-ups just in case they forget!
For more photo session prep tips, click here. For free education, click here!