Portrait Session Tips for Dogs
A tired dog is a dog that photographs well! For active dogs, it is important that your dog gets some exercise before our shoot. Please walk, run and throw a ball for your pooch right before you leave to come to our shoot. We will have a much more successful shoot if your dog has gotten some of their wiggles out! For Full Pet Portrait Sessions and Family Sessions we will plan on walking for around a little before our session starts as well.
2) Treats!
I will bring some soft and smelly treats. If your dog has allergies or specific dietary needs, please bring appropriate treats. Some cooked chicken, hot dog pieces or any treat that is your dog's favorite can be a great motivator.
3) Toys!
I will have lots of different squeaker toys, balls and whistles as well to get your pup's attention. If they have a special toy that always gets their attention- please bring that as well!
4) What to Wear?
Don't forget the collar, bandanas and accessories! I love the way a great new collar in eye catching collar or cute bandana can really elevate your dog's photos. Some of my favorites are:
Puddle Jumper Pups They make the cutest collars, girly bows, bow ties and flowers. I love how their accessories and fun prints really help your photos stand out.
The Foggy Dog I love The Foggy Dog for collars, bows, bowties, bandanas... Great quality and fun prints and patterns.
Sunny Tails This California based small business makes adorable bandanas, collars and bows/bow ties in such fun, and interesting prints. A fun addition to your photos.
The Paws Co. This company makes so many fun prints! Definitely a must have for pups who love to have options!
Luck of Tuck Lots of cute bandanas and a portion of every sale goes to help dog rescues. Win-Win!
Floof n Boof This is a local Seattle small business with cute bandanas. Check them out!
Many of our pups use harnesses instead of neck collars. Although I am fine with a harness if you would like that to be in your photos, I recommend bringing a neck collar for your dog as well. Think of this as your pup's necklace- cute in photos and I will have your dog tethered to a stake in many of the photos and having them in a neck collar versus their walking harness makes for a cleaner photo. I will always edit out leashes, but the harnesses, especially a vest harness, can be difficult to completely remove, so please only wear a vest harness if you want it to show in your pictures. When we are walking between locations, wearing their harness is fine.
5) Fun and Patience!
Often pet parents worry that their dogs might not behave for photos. No worries! I have worked for over 20 years photographing dogs at a variety of rescues as well as private clients and I know how to get beautiful images of your dog. We will have fun and patience and your dog will not need to perform for my camera. I love working with animals and I am comfortable and happy to go at their pace during the photo shoot.
6) Safety!
Dogs normally remain on leash during our entire photo session, and I often have dogs tethered to a stake in the ground to keep pups from running off and safely under control. If on a truck session, dogs will be safely tethered to a tie down in the truck bed to keep them safe. This will all be removed during editing. Most of our local parks have leash laws, requiring that we keep our furry friends leashed.
Your photos will look best if you are all coordinating, but not completely matching in the same exact color. I love rich jewel tones in photos and layers are always flattering. For men, try t-shirt layered with a button-down shirt over it. Try and tie a couple or family's clothes together by everyone having a similar color somewhere in the outfit. If you pick blue as your main color- each person can have a different shade of blue, for example. Keep your outfit choices to classic & timeless pieces! A pair of dark wash jeans and a sweater, a nice dress, a cute top and cardigan are all great options!
Consider where the photos will hang in your home! It's important that you choose a color scheme that matched the theme of your home. That way your photos are a beautiful accent piece above our fireplace, couch, or dining room. Most people choose a color scheme that includes navy. That pretty much matches everything else you'd want to pair with it.
You can also begin by picking a color you love and then do a google search on coordinating colors that go with that particular color. By selecting a color scheme and using hues that complement each other, you can achieve a natural look that is polished and put together, yet casual and fun. If you go to Pinterest (you have to create an account, but its simple to do!) and search What to Wear for Family Pictures, you will get a ton of great sample outfit ideas that might inspire you!
2) Think Seasons!
Use the seasons to help select color schemes for your outfits. Each season is associated with different colors and using this as a starting point can help you all look photo ready for your portraits. Here are some common color schemes that go well with the seasons.
Spring
Pale peach, Blush pink, Mint green, Baby blue, Cream, Light gray, Soft yellow, and Lavender.
Summer
White, Soft Yellow, Red, Bold Pink / Fuchsia, Turquoise, Royal Blue
Fall
Browns, ranging from Khaki and Camel to a deep Mahogany and Espresso, Muted Mustard Yellow, Burnt Orange, Hunter Green, Darker Purple tones like Mauve, Neutrals like cream, and all shades of gray and black
Winter
White, Cream, Shades of Brown, Black, Medium to Dark Gray, Deep Ruby Red, Dark Purple, Emerald Green, Sapphire Blue
3) Accessories!
Pick out accessories to add texture and fun to your photos. Accessories are great style pieces that add to your individual outfits and can even tie family members' outfits together. For example, if one of you is wearing a shirt with Emerald Green, having the rest of the family wear a bit of Emerald Green somewhere in their outfit helps tie you all together. Perhaps Dad has it in his patterned shirt, mom might have it in her hair band and shoes, daughter in a sash belt on her dress, pup has an Emerald Green bow tie or collar....and so on. Accessories will also give your photos variation. Think scarves, hats, gloves, belts, bracelets, hair bands and shoes that have a pop of color or complete the look.
4) Try to Avoid....
Select an outfit that is appropriate year-round and has a classic look that will stand the test of time. Limit distracting patterns and large logos as these can overpower your photos. Try to avoid shirts with words as they often get cut off or bunch together when sitting, making it impossible to read. I strongly encourage having prints made of your favorite images that you can see daily and pass onto the generations to come. You will want these images to be timeless. Try to avoid those comfy old sneakers as many of your images will include your shoes. I am all for wearing black pants as they can be slimming but be mindful of dog hair and how much will attach to your pants if you have a light-colored dog that sheds a lot! I will have your dog on your lap and cuddling up for much of the session!
5) Purses, Keys and Cell Phones!
Please leave your purse at home or locked away securely in your car. Guys, please remove wallets and cell phones from your pockets as well as sunglasses. I am happy to carry keys, cell phones and anything you need for touch-ups during your session.
If you have any questions or specific ideas, please contact me before our shoot so I can be prepared and most importantly, be comfortable and have fun. I will be capturing moments with the ones you love most, and this is more important than anything you might be wearing!