Photographing Young Puppies Who Can’t Go On Location Yet
Milo the Havanese & Why Studio Sessions Are Perfect for Puppy Paws
Milo’s session started with his brother Leo.
Leo is a fluffy black Havanese with a bow tie and a big personality.
His mom booked a Signature Session to celebrate him in his 5th year, and we met outdoors at one of my favorite locations to photograph dogs – Indian Creek Park in Rutledge, GA.
Just before we finished Leo's session, his mom mentioned something almost casually.
"I just found out Leo is getting a little brother."
You could hear the excitement in her voice — and immediately I understood what she was really asking. She didn't just want photos of the two of them someday. She wanted portraits of him while he was still tiny-tiny. The fluffy, wobbly, fall-asleep-mid-play kind of tiny.
There was just one problem: Milo, the new Havanese puppy, wouldn't be fully vaccinated yet. Which meant it wasn't safe to take him out into public spaces where we couldn't control what he might be exposed to. No dog parks. No downtown sidewalks. No fields where unknown dogs had been.
But that didn't mean we had to wait for photos.
Meet Milo: Small Puppy, Big Studio Energy
Instead of postponing, we made a different plan.
Just after Milo came home, we met again – this time at a beautiful studio in Athens, Georgia. Milo could stay safely indoors the entire time, and I could still create the kind of artwork his mom wanted for their home.
From the moment he arrived, Milo walked in like he owned the place.
We started on a cozy cream sofa layered with a sunny yellow blanket.
Milo clambered up the armrest, all fluff and determination, looking so proud of himself.
Leo hopped up beside him, the annoyed older brother, tongue out and clearly less than amused by this new little roommate.
Milol loves Leo.
He wants him to play. He pounced. He stretched full-length across the couch like he’d been filming furniture commercials his whole life, while Leo perched at the top of the sofa, just out of reach from those annoying little puppy paws.
Later, we switched scenes and photographed him against a deep green paneled wall with a warm wood bench. Same puppy, completely different look. Lots of variety, even in the studio.
One minute he’s perched on a chair, barely tall enough to peek over the edge.
The next he’s mid-pounce, paw raised over a red ball, all focus and puppy mischief.
And of course, we made sure to get portraits of the brothers together
Leo looking suave and trying to pretend this new little interloper doesn’t exist (even if I did get a few images of them playing together).
Why Young Puppies Can't Always Go On Location
If you've just brought home a new puppy, your vet has probably mentioned it already. Until puppies finish their full series of vaccines, it's best to avoid places where lots of unknown dogs go — dog parks, pet stores, busy public spaces. This isn't about keeping them in a bubble. It's about being smart during a window when their immune systems are still building. The good news: beautiful portraits don't require a public park.
Why Studio Sessions Are Perfect for Puppy Paws
A studio environment gives us everything a young puppy needs for a successful session. We stay safely indoors — no mystery puddles, no shared water bowls, no heavily trafficked areas where we can't control what's been there before. The temperature stays comfortable, which matters for tiny puppies who get cold or tired easily. Fewer smells and sounds mean your puppy can relax, explore, and then actually focus on play and connection rather than being overwhelmed by the environment. And the variety within a single studio space is genuinely surprising. Milo went from draped across the couch like he'd been filming furniture commercials his whole life, to perched on a chair barely tall enough to peek over the edge, to mid-pounce over a red ball in the span of one session. Same puppy. Completely different looks. We shifted furniture, pillows, and backdrops between setups. The deep green paneled wall with a warm wood bench gave us something completely different from the cream sofa portraits. All within about 90 minutes, all without ever leaving a controlled, safe environment.
How Milo's Session Actually Went
When Milo arrived, we didn't immediately put him in front of the camera. He got time to sniff the sofa, check out the rug, investigate the blanket, and climb anything his little legs could manage. This is always the first step with puppies — letting them shake off the car ride, get the first zoomies out, and decide that this space is their space and not somewhere strange and scary. Then we worked in short bursts. Puppy attention spans are exactly what you'd expect — bright and total until suddenly they're done and need a nap. We captured what we could, let him rest when he needed to, and kept the energy positive throughout. The session with Leo came too. He wanted to play with his new little brother. He pounced. He stretched full-length across the couch in total exasperation at the annoying puppy paws invading his space. Both of them, together, being completely themselves — that's the session.
The Stage Worth Capturing
The tiny-tiny stage is genuinely fleeting. Puppies grow at a rate that startles even people who knew it was coming. The baby curls, the oversized paws, the way they fall asleep mid-play — these are gone faster than any other stage of a dog's life. A studio session means you don't have to choose between keeping your puppy safe and having portraits of this chapter. You can have both.
What a Studio Puppy Session Actually Looks Like
People sometimes hear “studio” and picture stiff poses and lots of “sit-stay-don’t-move.”
That’s… not how it works here. Especially with puppies.
When Should You Schedule a Puppy Session?
If you’re hoping for photos during that very early stage, here’s a good rule of thumb:
As soon as you know your puppy is coming home, reach out and get on my calendar.
We’ll look at your puppy’s vaccine timeline and plan a session accordingly.
For many families, we’ll do it in two parts:
Puppy studio session while they’re tiny and staying mostly indoors
Outdoor session later in the year once they’re fully vaccinated and ready for a big adventure
What This Means for Your Artwork
The goal isn’t just a cute photo for social media.
The goal is:
A portrait of your puppy on your wall that makes you say,
“That’s exactly how small he was when we brought him home.”An album that shows the way they flopped on the sofa, chased their first toy, and looked up at their big brother like he’s their hero.
In Milo and Leo’s case, their artwork will always tell two stories at once:
Leo, the well-dressed, bow-tie-wearing big brother outdoors at Indian Creek Park.
Milo, the fluffy little studio gremlin ruling the sofa in Athens.
Two different locations, two chapters of their story about their life together.
Thinking About Photos for Your Own Puppy?
If you’re adding a new puppy to your family and wondering, “Do we have to wait until they’re older?” the answer is:
Not at all.
We can:
Keep your puppy safe and indoors,
Choose a beautiful studio space that fits your style,
And create artwork that tells the beginning of their story in your home.
Later, when they’re ready for the big world, we can plan a location session to show how much they’ve grown.
If you’ve got a future Milo on the way (or one currently chewing on your shoelaces), I’d love to start planning their first portraits.
Reach out and let’s talk about creating artwork of your puppy’s earliest days—before those paws and ears suddenly double in size overnight.
