DIY-ing Your Dog’s Photos
“Oh, I can totally do it myself."
I know I’ve had that thought about DIY-ing my own dog's photos.
I mean, I’m a dog photographer for goodness sakes – surely if anyone can do it, it’s me.
… then I started thinking about how LONG it takes to wrangle my own dogs. Even with help like for these images shared here.
… And how FRUSTRATED I’d get when I have no one to help hold leashes. (Thank you Michelle)
… And how good my dogs are at IGNORING me despite all my best attempts because they’re all “whatever, mom” (Even when I bring the Chick-Fil-A nuggets)
Eventually, I realized that if I was going to try and DIY my own dog photos, it was going to take me 5 TIMES as long as if I hired someone else to do it
– AND I would still have all the culling, editing, choosing finishes, picking where to hang wall art, designing the wall art, and ordering the artwork. (Which is why none of these are printed yet)
– AND I wouldn’t get as many photos. (I got 10 total usable images from 2 hours of photos)
– AND I wouldn’t be in ANY photos with my dogs. (just an unflattering angle video of my rear end)
No, thanks.
I love my DIY snapshots.
And I love capturing quick fun images with the camera I have most often (my phone).
– In fact, I have an entire free class about taking better photos of your dog with your phone.
But when it’s time for art. When I want images that I am going to hang on my walls. Then it’s time to hire a pro.
Wondering if it’s time for you to do the same?
6 Signs It's Time to Update Your Professional Dog Portraits
Your family has changed. Have you added a new pet or human to the family?
Your dog is a puppy. They are only this little for a very little time.
Your dog isn’t a puppy anymore. There are 4 key times in your dog's life to photograph them: When they first join your family. Their 1st birthday (or gotcha day). When they reach adulthood. And when they are a senior.
You find that you don’t have many (or ANY) photos of you TOGETHER. Even if you think - “I don’t want to be in the pictures” there will come a time when you will wish you had photos of the bond you share.
You’ve moved into a new space and need to update the artwork on your walls.
You’ve never actually had professional pet photos taken.
Is it time to update professional photos of your dog?
Let's start planning your dog's photo session.
What to Wear - A Guide for Photos with Your Dog
Getting dressed every morning can be hard enough when you aren’t planning to be in front of a camera, wrangle your dog, and look your best doing it all at the same time.
So I totally get why choosing what to wear for your dog’s photo session can trigger even the most fashion-forward among us to fling everything we own to the floor and declare that “we have absolutely nothing to wear!”
Now, before you start panic buying on Amazon — let’s talk broad strokes about what works best for photos.
Comfy & Confident
Choose Your Photo Shoot Clothes that are Comfy & Confident First
What does that mean? It means don’t worry about trying to become someone completely new just for photos.
If you’re a t-shirt and jeans kind of person - you can elevate your jeans and T’s, but maybe don’t switch to a lycra mini dress and stilettos for the photo.
Take a look at your favorite items in your closet - if they fit great, make you feel good, and aren’t too worn consider wearing those. Or, maybe buy something new that still has that same feel.
“My fashion philosophy is, if you’re not covered in dog hair, your life is empty”
Match Your Clothes to the Location & the Season
Think about the conditions at the location where we’ll be photographing you & your dog.
You’ll want to be warm enough (or cool enough - Georgia summers anyone?!), have pain-free feet, and look comfortable in the environment.
Be sure to check my location guide for details on how much walking, hiking, hill climbing, or paved paths are involved at your chosen spot!
Plan for kneeling, leaning down, & sitting to be closer to dog height throughout the session, so make sure your clothes don’t have any wardrobe malfunctions when you’re moving around.
Think Texture & Movement!
Textures give depth and visual interest to your clothing and contrasts beautifully with the textures of fur. Lace, corduroy, denim, flocking, knits, and woven material all add to the style of your clothes.
Pick fabrics that move and flow with you. Ones that blow in the wind, filter the late afternoon sun, and glow in the morning light. Natural fibres like linen, cotton, or wool are all great options.
Avoid stiff garments any anything that has a tendency to get tucked in weird spots and need lots of adjusting to look right.
Create A Color Story
I’m not saying we should live in a sad beige world, but neutrals are always a great idea - especially when we’re all trying to complement the star of this photo shoot — your dog!
Earthy tones and neutrals go with pretty much every dog’s fur and every location.
Choose a palette of 3-4 colors. Start with a couple neutrals: cream, white, black, gray, tan, khaki and then add 1-2 other colors found in the environment: navy, hunter green, mustard, blush, rose, sky blue. Jewel tones are beautiful for fall and winter while pastels are great for spring and summer.
By choosing one or two colors that blend nicely together, and having the rest in neturals, the whole family will photograph beautifully together.
Good Color Palettes
Good Color Palettes
A Few DON’Ts - you don’t want to be the SAME color as your dog or they’ll disappear and you don’t want to wear ALL black if you have a white dog or ALL white with a black dog as the contrast is too sharp.
Color Tone Counts
Pick separates that are equally dark or equally light. If you’re wearing a light colored top, choose light colored bottoms. If you choose a dark top, choose dark bottoms. This monochromatic value is universally flattering making everyone look a little taller and a littler leaner.
Prints & Patterns - A Cautionary Tale
Mixing & matching patterns & prints is a tricky task, and it’s super difficult to do well. It can also compete with the pattern of your dog’s fur.
Avoid large scale bold patterns and prints all together as they draw the eye in the photo.
Subtle smaller patterns work best. Classic patterns are usually best - swiss dots, polka dots, plaid, flannels, and florals are great options - and work really well when the colors aren’t high contrast.
BEWARE - Some fine details and small prints can even create a moiré pattern in the image which is a large-scale interference pattern on the image that can’t be edited out!
ABOUT LOGOs: Clothing with words or big, bold logos on it is distracting. Since Adidas isn’t paying for your photos, skip the big brand names on your clothes.
However, if the logo or phrase is in theme with the shoot, & fits your personality, I’m all for it.
Add Layers When Possible
Add layers to create textures create more visually interesting photographs. Jewelry, scarves, jackets, cardigans, vests, & sweaters are easy ways to quickly change up your look and elevate your style.
Shoes
You can’t have come this far, painstakingly planning your outfit, only to stop at your ankles. Especially since your shoes will show in A LOT of the images since they are close to your dog!
If you wear heels like a pro, I definitely won’t tell you not to do that! But remember, we’ll be walking around on some possibly uneven terrain, traversing hills, wandering through grass, and stomping through dirt — all of which I wouldn’t want to do in my louboutins. (Unless we’re planning a glam session, in which case bring those red bottom shoes!)
Select the right shoes based on the location. Being barefoot makes sense on the beach and at home, and boots are beautiful in the woods.
Leather is great for boots, and know that sandals are better than flip-flops.
Shoes are great place to add some personality too! Cool Converse sneakers, lace up boots that have been worn to perfection, bold color, a striking pattern can all be perfect to jazz up the classic knee down photo with your dog!
Make Up & Hair
The goal of photo ready make-up is to look like you on your best day. So do whatever you need to do to feel confident and beautiful. Some clients wear no make-up at all, others take a little more time with their usual routine, and some call in a pro for a perfectly polished look. Most dog photo sessions are casual affairs so a “no make-up makeup look” works best.
For hair… my preference is down and little lived in. Messy buns are where it’s at for real life — I totally get it! With your hair down, you get movement and texture and interest. Bring the scrunchie for the walk back to the car.
A quick note about your nails: Hands tell such a story about who you are and the relationship with your dog. Photos of hands running through fur make beautiful detail images for your album. But, sometimes photographs magnify bright nail polish, chipped manicures, and dirty fingernails. And once you see it, you can’t un-see it. Consider treating yourself to a subtle manicure or make sure your nails are neat and tidy before the shoot.
Lastly - Consider Your Home Decor
This is a real pro tip that can take your images from pictures to art in your home.
For example, If you wear bright red formal wear for the session, but your home is casual and beachy - the wall art will look out of place. But a navy and neutral color palette would be perfectly at home.
Choose clothing colors that will coordinate in your home and styles that compliment your decor tastes.
5 Things To Prepare Before Your Dog’s Photo Shoot
What do you need for your dog's photo shoot?
Have you ever had that dream where you show up to school naked?
Lets avoid that feeling of being completely unprepared by making sure you’ve got everything you need before you show up for your session… fully clothed please.
This blog is your guide to what you need for your dog prior to your dog photography session.
1. A Simple 6 Foot Leash
It may be dog photography’s worst kept secret, but in case you didn’t know, 99% of the dogs on my website were wearing a leash at their photoshoot!
You simply cannot be a professional dog photographer without becoming an expert at leash removal in Photoshop.
Not only does the leash keep your dog safe, the leash is also an invaluable tool in helping your dog understand where we’d like them to sit or stand since we can’t simply tell them to stand right in this sun spot and look to your left.
There are a few things to consider about your leash to make removal in post production as simple as possible.
Bring a solid color 6 foot leash - Black, Neutral Colored Biothane, or Leather Leashes work best. Show leads are also a GREAT option if your dog is used to wearing one.
Help watch out for leashes wrapped around legs & paws.
2. A Photogenic Collar
While leashes are removed from your final selections, your dog’s collar will most likely remain in their portrait, so it’s worth a few minutes to think about which collar will best suit your dog’s photos.
For a timeless look, a simple leather (or faux leather) collar in a neutral or fur matching color will keep your dog’s face as the star of the image.
Since it’s a special occasion, you could also consider a collar with a little extra glam factor. I love the designs from Paco Collars (handmade in California & available locally at Highland Pet Supply in Atlanta).
Or, if leather or bedazzled doesn’t suit your dog, try something solid color or with a fun pattern can be a great choice. The Foggy Dog makes gorgeous collars in beautiful patterns and even luxe velvet.
This might be a good time to purchase a new collar if you find that your dog’s current collar looks worn or tattered.
PS. If you really love a naked look - consider using a show lead (a very thin rolled leather leash) that is narrow enough to be fully removed in post processing.
3. Leave the Mr. T Tags Off
Since our dogs don’t have pockets, they need to wear their ID tag, and rabies tag, and microchip registration tag, and city license tag.
And suddenly that beautiful collar you choose is dominated by neon plastic dangling tags designed to draw attention. Those tags are great for if your dog were to get lost, but maybe aren’t so great for a portrait hanging on your wall.
Just for your session, I recommend removing all tags unless they are particularly beautiful or sentimental.
(If you’re looking for a beautiful & personality filled tag, check out Fetching Tags, a local Atlanta based company that hand makes the best tag I have ever purchased for any dog.)
4. Harnesses Are Great for Walking - Not Photographs
Wow! Who knew dogs had so many accessories to consider!
Before we wrap up talking about your dog’s wardrobe, I do want to mention harnesses.
I completely get the appeal of walking with a harness. My own dogs all wear harnesses on our walks. Your dog’s harness distributes the pressure from the leash, offers better control, and protects their throat.
They also block a big part of the chest, typically come in bright bold colors, and don’t exactly elevate your dog’s picture to the level of photographic art we’re going for here.
I 100% support wearing a harness for walking and even traveling between photo locations when necessary, but be prepared to switch to the collar & leash only for your actual portraits. Harnesses cannot be removed in post production.
5. Now to the Good Stuff - Treats & Rewards for your Dog’s Photo Session
When it comes to your dog’s photo shoot, it’s time to bring out the good stuff. We’re going to be asking for a lot of their time & attention and we want your dog to be excited to work for the camera.
You know your dog best, so bring the high value rewards. This is time for special occasion treats.
Some ideas include:
Boiled Chicken Breast
Leftover Steak
Cheese
Peanut Butter
Hot Dogs
Cream Cheese
Be sure to bring options so we can keep things exciting. You never know when our supermodel will need some variety.
There you have it, 5 thing your dog needs to be prepared for their photoshoot! And since your dog doesn’t have opposable thumbs, I’ve created a packing checklist for you.
Click here to download the FREE Packing List for Your Dog’s Photo Shoot!