A Private Location for Dog Photography in Eatonton, GA
Wyatt is a dog for whom life can be scary. He’s tiny and cute and fluffy and really flipping adorable, and that means people cross his boundaries a lot. They want to touch and cuddle and smoosh his fluff. But that’s really scary to Wyatt and he wants to say no, and he can’t. So Wyatt’s mom is his voice and his advocate. Wyatt’s mom detailed in her questionnaire that Wyatt is nervous of strangers and he battles a lot of anxiety.
So, my number one goal for Wyatt’s session was to manage his environment to set him up for success. We needed a location without other dogs, without other people, and with minimal distractions so Wyatt could just be Wyatt without all the worries.
Which is why I suggested a private dog photography location in Eatonton, GA - also known as Heartwood Acres.
Heartwood Acres is a wedding venue when it’s not a private dog photography location, so for weekday locations we get to use an absolutely gorgeous location without any other pets or people. Renting a private location for dog photography is ideal for dogs that might be reactive or anxious - so let’s take a look at some of the photos spots around Heartwood Acres so you can see if it’s the right dog photography location for you & your dog.
A note from Wyatt's Mom:
Thank you for doing such a great job with Wyatt's photos and album. I am so thankful to have photos of Wyatt that capture his joy and that I'll be able to enjoy for years to come. Advocating for him has been hard for me to do/learn, and you certainly made it easy and comfortable. Thanks again for being a safe stranger for Wyatt.
Backlit Portraits at a Private Dog Photography Location
Most of the private dog photography locations I have available for photo sessions moonlight as wedding venues on the weekend — ok, ok… really they are wedding venues that moonlight as dog photography locations for me.
What you might not know about wedding venues is that many of them are designed around evening light for portraits. I just love this gorgeous evening light filtering through the trees onto Wyatt highlighting all that beautiful fur.
Heartwood Acres in Eatonton has a beautiful grassy lawn area with a split rail fencing that adds beautiful rustic charm to backlit portraits. The yard is large enough for a few action shots too. We were able to capture Wyatt in all his fur flying glory running happily though the field.
(And PS. Wyatt remained leashed throughout his entire session. Leashes were removed in Photoshop.)
Wyatt & Roses at Heartwood Acres in Eatonton, GA
I love finding florals to use as a background in most every session when I can find them.
After we spent some time getting Wyatt warmed up to me and the camera, we moved over to the roses growing alongside Heartwood Acres. Wyatt’s images near the knockout roses remind me of a painted portrait and I love how soft the light is at this part of our private location.
Using a Private Dog Photography Location Is A Great Option for Anxious or Reactive Dogs
Having Wyatt’s session at Heartwood Acres, a private dog photography location in Eatonton, GA, allowed us to really create an environment for Wyatt that let us set him up for success.
Wyatt’s mom had brought all his favorite treats and his support grandma to help too during his session as we worked to keep him enjoying his time with me. And I never touched Wyatt. I mostly ignored him - keeping myself neutral. A few times he approached me for a sniff and we just let him do his own thing, no pressure. And Wyatt had a great time! He’s happy and relaxed in his portraits. He ate tasty snacks and quickly learned the click of the shutter worked like clicker training and the treat was on the way.
