Pet photography is fast becoming my favourite kind of portraiture, so when Lou and Phil asked if I’d photograph their sprocker spaniel Sam, I jumped at it. Dogs are what I love most; each one has its own personality and it’s a real pleasure to catch that in a set of images. Lou and Phil were great company and we had a good time in the studio, Sam included. These are fairly formal portraits, taken in the studio, and they make lovely gifts or that one picture for the living room wall. A more informal shoot might happen at the beach or in the woods, where the dog can come off the lead and you see what happens. The studio, though, is set up for it, with the added benefit that I can prepare in advance, setting the lighting and the scene. Soft lighting tends to work best for this. You can see all of it in my behind the scenes video.
To catch Sam’s character, I kept the session as relaxed as I could and made it clear from the start that time wasn’t an issue. I asked Lou and Phil to bring along Sam’s favourite toys and treats to settle him in. When a dog comes in with two owners, as here, I’ll often ask one to wait in the office so he isn’t overwhelmed by too many people. There’s CCTV set up, though, so nobody misses a thing. For more about pet photography, do get in touch, or take a look at my pet portrait portfolio for more examples of this work.
Sausage Dog Photographer
Thinking about a shoot with your dog?
Relaxed dog photography in the studio and out on location. Sessions, prices and booking are all on the Sausage Dog Photographer site.
